Midas World

[DooDiligence]

The story of Morey Fry (Uber Consumer) is not only an entertaining read...

 

Written by Frederik Pohl; this book may be "just" scifi, but I found it to be a wonderfully cynical view on consumerism.

 

While the postulate of an "unlimited source of power" was the prime catalyst in the book; I look at the parallel between advances in technology & robotics in the book & in our times, coupled with consumer led economies & have to wonder how sustainable all this is.

 

(the following is an excerpt from Wikipedia because I'm too lazy to write a synopsis myself.)

 

The lower-class "poor" must spend their lives in frantic consumption, trying to keep up with the robots' extravagant production, while the upper-class "rich" can live lives of simplicity.

 

Property crime is nonexistent and the government Ration Board enforces the use of ration stamps to ensure that everyone consumes their quotas.

 

The story deals with Morey Fry, who marries a woman from a higher-class family.

 

Raised in a home with only five rooms she is unused to a life of forced consumption in their mansion of 26 rooms, nine automobiles and five robots, causing arguments.

 

Trained as an engineer, Morey modifies his robots to enjoy helping to consume his family's quota.

 

He fears punishment when his idea is discovered, but the Ration Board—which has been looking for a way to abolish itself—quickly implements Morey's idea across the world.

 

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In the midst of all our heavy reading we need a little thought provoking entertainment (kind of kills two birds with one stone...)

 

(Not that I'm advocating killing birds or getting stoned)