What I found to be the most interesting so far about the book is the dystopian society that Rick is currently living in. A post-nuclear society governed by a totalitarian form of government. Free thought does not exist, radiation if rich in the air caused by the weapons used during World War Terminus, “mood” altering devices, synthetic creatures, thought control, etc.
The moment that really spoke to me about the conditions that the protagonist is currently living in was when the book spoke about John Isidore and his “Time-Reversal Faculty”.
It’s awful to hear that these characters are refrained from using any sort of this ability. It was especially hard to swallow when you began reading about the treatment that John received for using this gift. The totalitarian government that runs this society used specific treatments involving radiation to help banish away the use of “Time-Reversal Faculty”.
Not to get too political. But it’s especially scary to hear about these treatments because I fear one day our society will continue to further push ourselves into a society run by socialism. Again, not to get too political, but I am strong believer in free enterprise and free thought. When we as a society push to have our government control more means of life. We began to take away what makes us special and unique. We lose ourselves to security and safety.
Benjamin Franklin once said, “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
I am a strong believer in such a quote. Once we give up our sense of freedom for more security. We will lose both. And my biggest fear is that one day. We will all become Ricks living in a society that he currently lives in.
This future society that the novel is set in seems to be very dystopian, especially in contrast with the world that we’re used to. Rick, as well as the other characters we have met so far, live on Earth and have remained there because of their careers or the fact that they are special. The colony on Mars however, seems very utopian in contrast to life on Earth. I wonder if we’ll ever get to read about what the society on Mars is like. Did you have a question regarding the portion of the reading that interested you?
It’s interesting that you point out that this may be our fate in the future. I think that this book was written as an overall prediction for what may come to pass in the author’s point of view. This is not the only story that predicts humanity falling into a dystopian world controlled by technology, or powerful government. This is also not the only story that is themed around humanity’s own self destruction. Maybe, since there have been so many novels published such as this it shows that we are very aware of the flaws in our species and we will be able to avoid fates like this. This is a point that proves why literature is so important.