Is the society in the book better off than ours?

[MAUREEN WAMBUI NJUKI]

Definitely NO!! This futuristic society may have solved issues like overpopulation, but they paid a heavy price. Parents are not allowed to bring up their children, which leads to a lot of childhood trauma like what we see the character Kim experiencing. In addition, artificial intelligence decides who you can be intimate with, what you can talk about and what you cannot talk about, and what you'll eat. These are things an individual should be allowed to decide for themself. So I don't think they're better off than our society.

[Abby-Young]

I don't believe that their world is better off than ours. While they have solved many of our problems, they also created many more. Humans have been designed through evolution to think for themselves, to find solutions, and to guarantee the survival of the race. The AI-dedicated world took all of that away. The rules are hard and fast, if you even think about stepping out of line you have already been punished for it. That wouldn't be a world that I would want to live in. Nothing in it sounds right.

[Izzy Kruger]

I think it is our emotions, and ability to make our own decisions, that make us humans. So one cannot remove all emotions from society and think the people will be better off.

[Aloe Crane]

In the futuristic society portrayed in the book, they seem to have managed to control some of the issues we face now in our societies such as the risk of overpopulation, food security... but was it worth the price they paid?

No. For sure, it's a no. Everyone is restricted from going wherever they want, doing what they want, or liking who they want. Children are not allowed to be yours- and I think that's the worst part. Yes, some parents don't deserve to be parents, but I believe most people don't fall into that category.

[Aloe Crane]

I don't think the futuristic society portrayed in the book is better off than ours. Humans have been given the brain power to make choices, and in this world, humans are expected to behave and act like robots, having no choices in life. If they do step out of line, the punishments are cruel. This wouldn't be a world I would want to live in. I would not be able to cope if I wasn't allowed to think for myself and it also sounds like a drab world with all the gender-neutral colours; nope, definitely not a better world!

I forgot about the lack of creativity! You're right, we'd be expected to be robots, and we're literally not made for that. It really makes sense why everyone is on drugs all the time.

[Aloe Crane]

I always find this kind of story intriguing, akin to Huxley's "Brave New World" and movies like "Equilibrium" and "V for Vendetta". Personal freedoms will always have to be sacrificed in the quest for social harmony, and like the abovementioned stories, "Terms of Service" shows us a picture of desirable ultimate social harmony at the undesirable cost of ultimate sacrifice of individual freedoms. I personally believe that this type of extreme, authoritarian, externally-enforced compliance is not a viable option for human society, and that utopia can only be found through universal individual acceptance of self-responsibility and self-governance.

Well-written response! I've always wanted to read "Brave New World." i definitely think this book reminds me of George Orwell's book, "1984."

[Aloe Crane]

There were a few holes in the book that make it hard to compare our current society with the one created in the book. In the book, was there homelessness? Did everyone have food even if it was gross yucky bland food? Was their any crime? Greed? etc.? I think I prefer our flawed society to the one in the book, even if it's imperfect.

That's true! We don't see how high or low violence is, nor how reduced world hunger is. We don't really see the state of affairs enough to judge whether this society is really good or not, though we can assume it's not perfect.

[Aloe Crane]

Honestly, at times, I felt like I lived a very similar world. I've lived in a country where they love rules almost as much as their family; where they were very strict. Where people walked around like zombies to go back and forth to work and endulged in alcohol to have fun. Plus, I was working in a big comythwt cared more for quantity than quality.

I don't this the portrayed world is a valid solution. The mental health goes down the drain.. suicide is even briefly mentioned.
So, no.

If you don't mind me asking, what country was it? Do you know what caused that country to become that way and do you think it could be closer to a real-world example or comparison as to why this system is bad?

[Aloe Crane]

In terms of the arrangement, yes, but in terms of other things, no. I don't think I would appreciate an AI deciding what I would eat.

Haha true that! I wouldn't be able to go without my oatmeal, nor sweets! I can't imagine how bland life would be just because of the food. At least they don't waste much food, I hope.

[Aloe Crane]

What an interesting question! I think it would help to define what "better" means. Characters in this book don't have to worry about socially constructed prejudices or inequalities based on appearance or gender, but they must sacrifice all individuality to protect themselves from these things.

That's definitely interesting, it makes me wonder if we'd have to go down that route to have equality.

[Crs webco]

Perhaps it might seem better than ours to some people, but for me, I would be looking for a way to change it, or a way to leave that type of world. Someone telling me what to eat and how much, what to wear and what color, and taking my children.....that type of life is not for me and I imagine not for a lot of others. AI is good for some things, but not for running our society. I enjoy technology and have used it since 1980, but I used it, it didn't use me.

[Donna Walker]

Utopian societal structure is always interesting. I do not think that there is anything such as a "perfect society" I see both improvements and flaws in every utopian society written. I think the whole concept and idea of perfection are going to differ from person to person. I mean, it's rather impossible to make everyone happy, isn't it? So it really depends upon each individual's definition of "better." What does "better" mean to you? 
 
 

[Kenneth Onyenwe]

I don't think so, it is easy to manipulate and control people when it seems they are living a regimented Life. The economy run by AI does not give room for pardon.

[Austin McMichael]

I think that, to a computer (or ai), that would would seem better. But as a breathing, feeling human, I think that I would become majorly depressed and crave the ability to control aspects of my life.

[Ntokozo Joy Ndlovu]

The society is much better than ours. It begs the question of how much other notable fields of science like space exploration would have developed if society was not being run by such strict rules. The technological advancement is just spectacular.