Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Older Brother Is Watching You

I'm reading a series of books right now called The Hunger Games.  And they take place in a dystopian post-apocalyptic world (like 1984, Fahrenheit 451, or Wall-E). And it's messing with my brain a little bit here. I keep thinking that machines are monitoring me to make sure I'm working. And I keep assuming that anyone in authority is secretly watching me for signs that I'll start an uprising.

It's not so bad in the morning because I read during my lunch break. But my afternoons are wrought with baseless paranoia. And it's starting to make me a little crazy.  When you add in my 2:30 cup of coffee, I'm downright jumpy. I keep looking over my shoulder, and I'm easily startled by sudden noises.

And the really weird part is that I'm not even doing anything wrong. I'm actually doing my work. But I feel like I'll leave work one day and three men in black suits are going to apprehend me and I'll disappear forever without a trace.

What I'm trying to say is this: Just because they call it "young-adult" fiction, that doesn't mean it won't mess with your mind if you're actually six years past the "young-adult" demographic range.

7 comments:

Bekah said...

I'm reading that too! I can't put it down!

Rory said...

I'm considering reading these, but I don't usually go for that type book.

FYI: I used to work for an ISP and they DID monitor everything we did....every site, email, IM, everything.

Taylor said...

My wife never goes for that type of book either, and she loves them. And if she can like them, anyone can. I say give it a shot.

Unknown said...

I like how you grouped 1984 with Wall-E.

Taylor said...

Well, they're basically the same story. It's just that one is a terrifying whirlwind of suppression and hopelessness that leaves you questioning your own morality. And the other is 1984.

Mr. Common Sense said...

Wall-E is nothing but extreme eco-terrorism disguised as a cutesy robot. "Humanity is doomed to obesely float in space because we killed all the plants!" If that sort of straight up "cram Earth murder down your throat and brainwash your kids" type of thing doesn't scare you then you're already dead inside.

Jill said...

Yay! Are y'all finished yet?