Misreality

All the neurons in Jayden’s brain tuned in. He reflexively seated in the studio audience for tonight’s special report. As an athletic 6’ 2’’ frame with short, spiky blond hair, he fit in well with a crowd of similar appearances and interests. On stage were impossibly attractive anchormen and anchorwomen, presumably the best commentators in the United States. They fiercely defended their viewpoints with impactful and emotional resolve and Jayden just loved the tenacity to stand for what was right and banish what was wrong in America. The surroundings smelled faintly peculiar and the set pieces were of the most sumptuous, superior quality. The walls and raised stage floor were a giant perfect screen, where the official news logo and animations displaying a 25% unemployment rate migrated towards the wall behind the speakers….

Sierra, a short, brilliant, young latina, arrived from a long day at the Austin, Texas startup. The itinerary: news, food, cardio, and sleep. The familiar headset on the living room table greeted her as she slipped onto one of two treadmills in her living room. Bright blue lights beamed into her eyes as she maneuvered the headset in.

Jayden fidgeted in his chair, swatting away floating pop-up advertisements, as the speakers began. “Glad to have you with us, I am Jessica,” the next speaker went on, “and I am Michael.” The entire room morphed into the green grass and marbled entrance of Capitol Hill. “Tonight, Congress is in gridlock over a new Universal Basic Income Bill, as President Yang fights with members of the House and Senate over passing terms of a bill that would grant $1500 of free money every month to every person, working or non-working, in an attempt to address the era of automation that has swept the nation.”

On cue the backdrop changed into the living room of a run-down trailer. The form of the couch buckled under the two 500 pound parents sucking 2L soda from the bottle. A poster displaying “f--- God, f--- Christ” hung on the back wall. Their bone-skinny adult son with tousled hair and a tattered, multi-colored sweatshirt gingerly made his way up the basement steps in a cloud of pot smoke. The father eagerly gestured to “come here” and they all burst from excitement as he opened the $1500 checks in the mail, handing them out to everyone.

Michael began, “Yang has definitely done this for a while, we know his game definitely tries to extend out to each and every one of our lives. He’s been at it for years. Whether people stagnate is hard to say, but the evidence is there.”

Jessica continued, “What do you think is there?”

Michael postured looking even more matter-of-fact, “He has a longstanding pattern of handouts existing since his first company long ago. Let's bring in the panel of experts for their take.”

Sierra entered a similar studio, only she preferred to stand, which placed her in the upper balconies looking down at the virtual set. The speakers of the talk show were almost all people-of-color, with official branding and the most rehearsed genuine smiles and laughter. They seemed to be joking loudly with each other about common talking points before Miguel began. “As the nation is gripped by a rising 25% unemployment rate, President Yang fights an obstructionist Congress to pass a Universal Basic Income law that would assist everyone with $1500 every month for basic necessities.”

The set transformed into large malnourished homeless populations on main city streets. Slum-like conditions, constant gunfire, and cops aggressively arresting people at will filled the background. Faintly on the hill behind were large gates and tiny little Uber Air taxis lifting people onto ultra high-rise mansions.

A female news anchor continued, “What is very crucial is people desperately need assistance to survive these turbulent times. Families are begging, and we need us and President Yang to pass this bill. We need to mobilize. If not for you, for all the disadvantaged and downtrodden. We must never let evil win.”

Jayden nodded his head in agreement, the ideas swirling and crystalizing in his brain.

Suddenly, the room returned to the studio, this time with a long table featuring the news anchors and who pretended to be the greatest minds of their time. Immaculately groomed, stylish hair, beautiful facial features and makeup with that touch of gray which begets experience and professionalism, the diverse group featured both men and women in expensive, impeccable suits. They honed their smiles and seriousness to a fine detail and you could be assured that even if there was nuclear war, their confidence would never waver. Interactive displays with their names and credentials floated above the upper right of their heads.

Glancing rightward, Jayden perceived a group of exuberant audience prominently holding Coca-Cola bottles towards the light.

Jessica announced, “We are privileged to have none other than Malcolm Harvall, chief political analyst at STRIVE research group, Cynthia Youngman, head political strategist at Youngman Central, and Blake Duvall, chief executive analyst of Hartman Partners. Malcolm, what does this string of actions by Yang mean?”

“Well, this is without a doubt an inflection point for where this country is going, I mean how far are we going to subsidize inaction? Giving money to pilferers and freeloaders! This is absurd! I tell you what; this is a slippery slope and they are never going to stop until they steal every dollar from honest, hard working Americans…,” Blake interrupted,

“You got to look at the curves; we are enjoying the highest GDP growth this country has ever seen, and giving people money obviously makes them not want to work, which is a lose-lose for everybo…” it was Cynthia’s turn to interrupt,

“I mean, even though there are opportunities to invest ourselves in the future, isn’t it true people are struggling to find jobs?”

Blake responded, “Listen, the fact is more people are finding good paying jobs than ever and there will be plenty of jobs and productivity growth when this transition is over. To give away money for free eats at the moral center of the country! Our founding fathers worked hard to build this country and are rolling in their graves! I’m telling you the truth here. This is without a doubt a moral battle and those who support the bill are tearing this country apart!”

As Sierra craned down at the studio, consuming the content, she felt a burning anger in the pit of her stomach. “How could the world, how could people be this horrible, to not give assistance?” she thought. But this thought and everything else going on drained her for the day. The anchors started rounds of analysis, inviting guests like the new mayor candidates for the upcoming Austin elections, grilling them with questions looking for specific explanations. Sierra had enough coverage for the day and was hungry.

The analysts vied back and forth, leaving Jayden with a low-key sense of boredom. Internally, he was steeped in outrage at the degenerate left, looking for an outlet to vent his frustrations. Upon searching his brain came an idea: a game his friends had been wanting him to try out ever since that expensive alpha version a month ago.

He spoke to the air, “Directory. Play SandBox Beta”. The studio faded into a white, featureless space, with a LOADING sign floating in the air. Jayden found that sign unusual, thinking, “What could possibly take that much time to require that?”

His friend Ethan appeared in a small floating screen in his HUD sending a pre-recorded message, “Hey Jayden, I couldn’t get a hold of you, is everything alright? I'm letting you know the county issued a high-wind warning tonight and I won’t make it back, so I’m staying at my girlfriends place tonight. Anywho, have fun with your game, man. See you tomorrow.”

After a few more minutes, and a frustrating internet data warning appearing on screen, vibrant color faded into focus with orchestral music playing….

Sierra wanted something she couldn’t grab. She had friends and family who supported her but she still somehow felt lonely. Putting an organic tex-mex burrito in the microwave, she fixated on the word “organic”. Then a simple thought, “Why don’t I just run outside for a change?”

Jayden marveled at an impossibly beautiful mountain lake, its silvery-green cliffs majestically and sharply rising above biomes of ever increasing lushness upon descending. Short, stubby alpine trees battered by high winds and enormous weight of snow in the wintertime clung strongly to patches of dirt in crevices, sparsely peppering the otherwise barren rock. The steepest couloirs held mounds of snow at the bottom, completely barren. Near the lake sprouted a thicket of thin subalpine firs and vibrant meadows laced with yellow and purple flowers, of bear-grass and St. John’s wort. The lake shone a perfect mirror reflecting the cliffs on all sides. A wooden dock stretched out far into the center, holding what looked like a shiny glove from far away. Jayden marveled for a long time in what reminded him of the Tetons, and stepped toward this mysterious glove. Upon closer inspection it appeared to be a gold gauntlet in a perfect size for his hand. He thought, “What is this? I remember seeing it somewhere when I was a kid.” When he turned it over, a stone in a slot glowed a deep red.

Jayden’s eyes widened as he slipped the left-handed glove and clenched his fist; in an initial blur that quickly crystallized to an uncanny crispness, the entire lake froze over. Amazement and awe swept over his face; he could do anything he wanted!

“Holy s---, so this is what they were talking about.” He reached in the side of his head, feeling the familiar coin-sized object. It’s about damn time I use this thing for fun.” Instantly he launched into the air like Superman and with a raising motion of his still clenched hand, all the stubby trees quickly grew and morphed with an initially blurry appearance into tall canopies straight from the Amazon rainforest. Flying down and walking on the ice now, Jayden now imagined long beaches, sand castles in the sky, and a special lady he failed to pick up at the bar. Anything Jayden could think of, reality could be to his desires.

Jayden felt exuberant at the possibilities, experimenting with his imagination, an escape from the disappointing, of the aspects of the life he’d rather leave behind. In the real world, the cacophony of color faded as Jayden on his omnidirectional treadmill and stretching bungee straps filled a small ordinary room of a small shared apartment in Bozeman, Montana. In plain view on the other side of Jayden was a large window, revealing a massive firestorm and billowing smoke of an entire mountainside trying to encroach the town. Small, faraway fire crews worked with hose-attached droned and automated machines digging trenches and cooling hotspots. Jayden’s noise-canceling headphones muffled the sirens as a cheshire grin formed on his face, his eyes obscured with color.

Thousands of miles away Sierra went outside for no reason at all, to feel the relatively cool Austin night breeze among the pensive, tranquil sidewalk. Green-leaved texas oak and red ash swayed in the wind. No beggars or depicted violence, no burning trash or protests, no shouting or name calling, no appeals to morality or empathy. Just silent, meditative reflection. Any disconnection from the collective influence of the internet-of-things counted as meditation these days. And she wasn’t alone. Occasionally she’d wave at fellow joggers and passersby. Other times, kids with bicycles and skateboards played in the street. Sometimes the contrast between the high energy fishbowl and the perfectly ordinary world caught her off guard…...

Back in her living room a small silent notification thumbnail flickered on her VR HUD; a news update showing a portion of Bozeman on fire, with some casualties never evacuating their homes.