Drug use controversial?
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Drug use controversial?
- Samantha Barnes 3
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It was interesting that the Hierarchy tolerated excessive substance abuse in citizens' homes, as long as the effects were not inflicted on society. In a world where emotional and even gender-selective coupling is strictly forbidden, it absolutely makes sense that pre-arranged hook-ups would be fostered by alcohol and drugs to facilitate intimacy.
So overall, I feel that the drug use portrayed in the book is essential to the realistic depiction of an absolute authority desperate to keep the populace under control by any means necessary, with substances being one easy and convenient path to accomplish this.
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I found her unlimited access to vodka strange too. Especially since her budget was so tight. Alcohol isn't free!Iselma Kruger wrote: ↑12 Dec 2022, 07:33 In my opinion, drug and alcohol use was instrumental in creating the whole scene for the "emotionless" human heard that the AIs and companies basically controlled. So yes, there was a lot of drug abuse, but if you had to go out with someone that a computer program chose for you, you would need to have a certain amount of mind-numbing substances on board. And given the fact that all of Kim's food was selected for her and controlled by the AIs, isn't it strange that she had such free access to Vodka? The AIs wouldn't stop a human from drinking herself into a stupor that makes her easier to control.
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Another message is that AIs cannot change the human nature completely and eradicate drugs and alcohol, so they look for alternative forms of control over humans.
My further speculation is that the AIs are able to control the physical condition of humans through the implanted chips, and so the use of drugs and alcohol by stealth is impossible, so the AIs intentionally permit humans to continue using drugs and alcohol to assert stronger control over humans - humans perceive drugs and alcohol as pleasures, and the fear of deprivation can be used to control the human behaviours.
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That's so true! Cause they do not allow tobacco nor sex freely. But they do the alcohol and drugs. People feel "happy" and numb.Samantha Barnes 3 wrote: ↑09 Dec 2022, 21:32 I thought that the use of drugs made sense. A large part of the society in the novel focuses on maintaining order, but that would be hard to do when most of the people are unhappy. By introducing drugs as an outlet for citizens, it acts as a distraction from any current suffering.
Great take by saying that it is a tool to maintain order.
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I found her unlimited access to vodka strange too. Especially since her budget was so tight. Alcohol isn't free!
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Good observation. I hadn't thought of that. Maybe it's very cheap.
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