Once, there was a horrifying dystopia which gave people what they wanted.
Don’t get me wrong. This could have been a good thing, depending on how we were prepared to define “want”. Because “want” is a complicated thing. I want to own a TARDIS, but I can’t, either because they’re not real, or because the Doctor stole mine. (You can decide which is more likely.) Either way, I’m probably lucky; the Doctor, at least, goes around staying relatively sane, for someone in possession of unbelievably powerful world-altering technology.
People wanted to have a voice.
They all got a voice.
It’s true that all the voices raised at once managed to drown each other out.
But they did get what they wanted.
People wanted to communicate all over the world very quickly. This was super useful.
It also left footprints—oh, heck, that’s much too kind a phrase. It left full-body impressions of some of our worst and some of our best sides, and those impressions last forever, and we will judge you on them.
We wanted to remember our pasts, and we failed, but we did make it so that others could trace your past, and everything you did wrong would be uncovered, and, even better, things you might not have done wrong in any way might look like you did something wrong, or be made to look that way, and then we could burn you for it.
We asked for stimulation and we got so much stimulation that our heads won’t stop aching.
Blessed are those who ask for everything, because potentially, they will get all of it. And now you have it all, huzzah!
Doesn’t it feel good?
Aren’t you happy now?
But don’t worry.
This is just an appetizer.
All this technology is in its infancy.
It’s scarcely had two decades to make an impression on the world right now.
Just imagine what it will be like in another twenty years.
What’s that?
You don’t want another twenty years of this?
Of course you do.
All these things are what you wanted.
You lucky dog, you.
My name is Jeff Mach (“Dark Lord” is optional) and I build communities and create things. Every year, I put on Evil Expo, the Greatest Place in the World to be a Villain. I also write a lot of fantasy and science fiction.. You can get most of my books right here. Go ahead, pre-order “I HATE Your Prophecy“. It may make you into a bad person, but I can live with that.
