Review of Terms of Service
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Holirca Bogdan
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Review of Terms of Service
[Following is a volunteer review of "Terms of Service" by Craig W. Stanfill.]
At first I was drawn to the genre presented respectively sci-fi, and the title Terms of Service by Ph.D. Craig W. Stanfill which presents life in the future, whose evolution led to a human society run, constrained and of course coordinated by AI.
Although it seems at first that it is created after the structure of George Orwell's book, 1984, it is actually much more, the novel being only the inspiration of this book.
In fact, it is about a society from the future that has barely recovered from a climate cataclysm, managing to create a framework for the cohabitation of people, who, although it wants to be idyllic, but natural emotions are stifled from the first period of life when children are removed by their mothers and families, in order to be socialized according to the perceptions of society.
Social life is governed by a corporate contract generically called Terms of Service where needs are coordinated and satiated through AI. The psychology of most people, as in 1984, unfolds within the emotive and versatile setting of the crowds. However, since 1984, there is no terror guided by fear. An interesting aspect is that the fascination for a better future and the way of social coercion is suggested by the omnipotence of AI. Social relations are built according to the rules imposed by The AI Corporate corporation, which has become the only organization that dominates society.
The first part of the book describes (about 125 pages 9 chapters) the daily life of the main character a woman of about 35 years old, Kim, who in fact knows no other way of life emotionally than that imposed by the society described. Genuine emotions are always stifled by social norms and which extend to every detail of life, transport, movement- which provides a place in the subway or train for each passenger, meal serving being regulated in the name of a development that is not natural because resources are few. Basically the interactions between people are coordinated in such a way through the overwhelming presence of AI as to avoid a real closeness and thus an unnatural manifestation of emotions. The main activity, the work itself is to discover so-called deviant behaviors in the name of a social good that promotes extreme submissive behavior under the slogan "unity, community, equality. We are all one and one we are all."
It is interesting that the social habits that unfold through VR, are described with realism, some of them can be found in the way of interacting on today's social networks. (”every one had their face stuck in their mobile”, cap.1 An Ordinary Day).
The second part (9 chapters, 125 pg.) describes how Kim was chosen for an experiment, by the powerful corporation, to build an avatar that at one time has a life of its own, but which can only be created on the basis of Kim's authentic experiences (in fact is the social self of Kim in this dystopian society, to the avatar being given Kimberley name, in a metaphorical way). The corporation, however, want to uses only for the haunting control of society, and the company considers his exclusive property.
As a result of this, Kim climbs very high in the social hierarchy, but ends up revolting because he discovers that people are being lied to, because they are not allowed to express their real feelings and thus develop and interact authentically.
Discovering his physical attraction to a person of the same gender, which is considered a crime, Kim is tried and loses all the privileges of society. However, the end of the novel is a bright one, compared to Orwell's, where even after a riot the character chooses to obey, because in Terms of Service, Kim considers that "she lost everything, except the freedom to think for herself" (pg.246)
What I liked: The metaphorical way in which this dystopian society is described, and how the main character comes to recognize his own authentic emotions and thus act on his own conscience.
What I didn't like: Some of the characters Kim interacts with are not described with much more complex experiences.
I rate this book to 4 out of 5 stars, for the way of describing this dystopian society obedient to the idea of AI, and the artistic way in which the emotional evolution of the main character Kim is described.
To whom I recommend this book. For all those who are interested in the evolution of AI and how it could in the absence of an authentic and expressive experience lead to constraining social effects.
******
Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
At first I was drawn to the genre presented respectively sci-fi, and the title Terms of Service by Ph.D. Craig W. Stanfill which presents life in the future, whose evolution led to a human society run, constrained and of course coordinated by AI.
Although it seems at first that it is created after the structure of George Orwell's book, 1984, it is actually much more, the novel being only the inspiration of this book.
In fact, it is about a society from the future that has barely recovered from a climate cataclysm, managing to create a framework for the cohabitation of people, who, although it wants to be idyllic, but natural emotions are stifled from the first period of life when children are removed by their mothers and families, in order to be socialized according to the perceptions of society.
Social life is governed by a corporate contract generically called Terms of Service where needs are coordinated and satiated through AI. The psychology of most people, as in 1984, unfolds within the emotive and versatile setting of the crowds. However, since 1984, there is no terror guided by fear. An interesting aspect is that the fascination for a better future and the way of social coercion is suggested by the omnipotence of AI. Social relations are built according to the rules imposed by The AI Corporate corporation, which has become the only organization that dominates society.
The first part of the book describes (about 125 pages 9 chapters) the daily life of the main character a woman of about 35 years old, Kim, who in fact knows no other way of life emotionally than that imposed by the society described. Genuine emotions are always stifled by social norms and which extend to every detail of life, transport, movement- which provides a place in the subway or train for each passenger, meal serving being regulated in the name of a development that is not natural because resources are few. Basically the interactions between people are coordinated in such a way through the overwhelming presence of AI as to avoid a real closeness and thus an unnatural manifestation of emotions. The main activity, the work itself is to discover so-called deviant behaviors in the name of a social good that promotes extreme submissive behavior under the slogan "unity, community, equality. We are all one and one we are all."
It is interesting that the social habits that unfold through VR, are described with realism, some of them can be found in the way of interacting on today's social networks. (”every one had their face stuck in their mobile”, cap.1 An Ordinary Day).
The second part (9 chapters, 125 pg.) describes how Kim was chosen for an experiment, by the powerful corporation, to build an avatar that at one time has a life of its own, but which can only be created on the basis of Kim's authentic experiences (in fact is the social self of Kim in this dystopian society, to the avatar being given Kimberley name, in a metaphorical way). The corporation, however, want to uses only for the haunting control of society, and the company considers his exclusive property.
As a result of this, Kim climbs very high in the social hierarchy, but ends up revolting because he discovers that people are being lied to, because they are not allowed to express their real feelings and thus develop and interact authentically.
Discovering his physical attraction to a person of the same gender, which is considered a crime, Kim is tried and loses all the privileges of society. However, the end of the novel is a bright one, compared to Orwell's, where even after a riot the character chooses to obey, because in Terms of Service, Kim considers that "she lost everything, except the freedom to think for herself" (pg.246)
What I liked: The metaphorical way in which this dystopian society is described, and how the main character comes to recognize his own authentic emotions and thus act on his own conscience.
What I didn't like: Some of the characters Kim interacts with are not described with much more complex experiences.
I rate this book to 4 out of 5 stars, for the way of describing this dystopian society obedient to the idea of AI, and the artistic way in which the emotional evolution of the main character Kim is described.
To whom I recommend this book. For all those who are interested in the evolution of AI and how it could in the absence of an authentic and expressive experience lead to constraining social effects.
******
Terms of Service
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: A Walk in the Twilight by John J Bosco Jr.
-
Holirca Bogdan
- Posts: 5
- Joined: 09 Jul 2022, 08:47
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 5
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-holirca-bogdan.html
- Latest Review: A Walk in the Twilight by John J Bosco Jr.
I also liked the way, in witch Ph.D. Craig W. Stanfill described the fact that an AI algorithm cannot evolve by itself and that is why the director of the company was looking for people, one of them being the main character Kim, through which he improved the existing algorithms because those on the basis of which the dystopian society operated were outdated
Latest Review: A Walk in the Twilight by John J Bosco Jr.
