World of Glass by Matt Dymerski

Author:Matt Dymerski
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: internet, science fiction, science, cyberpunk, dystopian, 1984, surveillance, industrial, oligarchy, google glass

Leaning back from his microscope, Og blinked, fighting strained eyes to enter the forum in question. The other Scientists near him in the white-walled lab followed, visibly worried.

The conversation was already in progress.

"The unrest is only rising. The Peak is the lowest it's been in a decade, and, worse, we've got a lot of young people asking questions."

He wondered if they meant him.

"Well why shouldn't they question?" someone else posted. "Nobody decided any of this. It's all just cultural inertia."

Taking a moment to look for his friends, he realized that Elizabeth had already left the Main Hub, and Rolf was heading for the main entrance. Confused, he wondered why they'd both left without saying anything, and he began to write a message -

"Mjögen, what do you think?"

He froze.

An older Scientist two buildings down had addressed him directly in a post. "Well come on, you're at the center of all this, what's your opinion?"

Put on the spot, he realized he wasn't sure what his opinion was. He hadn't spent enough time thinking about it. The major issues at hand had always seemed distant; had always seemed someone else's problem.

Ragni interjected before he was forced to admit he had no idea. "It's fine if people want to question, but this all comes down to our agreed definition of social good. Right now we tell each other that total individual freedom is best, but look at the result. Zombies are twenty percent of our population, living on some charity, yes, but mostly information work that doesn't require physical movement. That, or they fight over industrial job openings. The world we've built is brutal."

"How is that related to these riots? Or to the way we handle thieves?" another Scientist asked.

Og watched his father's body language from the visual stream of an onlooker in the room with him.

Ragni leaned on his cane. "It's all the same discussion, really, and one that we should have had after the fall of the Gangs. When it comes down to it, we have to ask ourselves: do we force the will of one group on others? And, if so, what goal and methods are best for society?"

"We don't need to. We'd have never made it this far without strong social cohesion."

"But do we really have social cohesion? Or is it forced through violence and fear? And what effect are we having on those coerced?"

"This philosophical stuff is all well and good," another Scientist posted. "But we need to figure out how to calm people down, or how to handle defense of the Main Hub and the six factories if things get worse."

The conversation turned away from Ragni's questions. He seemed darkly dismayed.

Og watched his father for some time, wondering…

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