Splatterjobs

“Suicide by leaping from a tall office block during times of recession is a myth spawning from the old century. After Octavo A. committed murder suicide when he jumped to his death and skull crashed his former boss, an event he shared with a billion people to date, the practice has become the past time for fatalists, pessimists and miscreants alike.

At one point during deepest part of the depression, around recession nadir seven, a suicide a day was purported  to have occurred. Now when you look outside a window and see some poor devil flying down to zeroland, one can’t help but think, are the gangs now disguising their murders as suicides.”

TRAVION

CAST23533XCT10_TRAVION^MOJOBLUE^^CORE

Rule 8: VIOLATIONS

Criminal or unethical activity can be used well or very badly. Its biggest drawback is that there is no honour in it. To use it well you must commit the violation once and for all, get the job done and let the transgression fade from mass memory. On the other hand, if you consistently transgress you are bound to pay the price.

Why we have Five Internets

“This is why we have five Internet platforms right now. When hacker/pirates created the Angry Tree Protocol it hamstrung the original Cobweb. Two secure, private networks emerged from the anarchy. One using optical technology, the other satellite based, they tried to monetise information to the point of squeezing the average citizen out of the educational loop. Next thing you know, Episoft’s peer to peer system gives free access back to the people. Not as good as Definition+ as provided by Satnet and Ambercast, but I invested my clients money in them anyway. Look at them now.”

James Tucker, CEO of MercurEx

>>james_tucker^mercurex^CORE

Economy of War

The depression has endured for 22 years; fuelled by ecological wars brought on by extreme climate change, i.e. drought and flooding.

Now, as the nadir of the ninth recession grips the world, the warring parties have finally run out of hard currency.

Officially, all the warring factions are still at war, but technically, their military campaigns have stalled. The arms industry finds it unprofitable to keep supplying weapons to penniless factions as promised resource assets are almost never delivered or hardly secure.

Now, towards the end of the depression, the corporate sector has built up mercenary armies in an effort to secure these resources. This added security has helped ease the depression, by allowing the bankster class to make money again.

Economy_Of_War^FeederHouse^^CORE

The Obliteration of the Brand

“96.3 percent of commercial brands were wiped out during the first ten years of the depression.”

Holographon

source: The_Obliteration_of_the_Brand^Holographon^^CORE

Economic recessions

The thirty years of economic recession have had profound consequences on businesses and industries, decimating commercial brands, leading to a staggering decline of 96.3 per cent.

During a prolonged economic recession, businesses often struggle to maintain profitability due to reduced consumer spending, tightening credit, and increased operating costs. Many companies were forced to close their doors or declare bankruptcy, unable to sustain their operations in a challenging economic climate. This resulted in a significant reduction in the number of commercial brands, as companies fail to weather the economic storm.

Prolonged economic recessions typically lead to reduced consumer purchasing power, as unemployment rates rise, incomes stagnate, and consumer confidence wanes. As a result, consumer demand for non-essential goods and services diminishes, causing a decline in sales and revenues for businesses. With a shrinking customer base, many brands struggled to generate sufficient demand to sustain their operations, further contributing to their decline and disappearance from the market.

Surviving businesses sought strategies to weather the storm. One common approach was mergers and acquisitions, leading to industry consolidation. Larger, more financially stable companies acquired struggling brands, absorbing their assets and intellectual property. Consequently, the number of commercial brands would decrease as independent entities are absorbed or integrated into larger conglomerates.

Most brands struggled to pivot their business models, update their products or services, or meet changing consumer demands. This inability to adapt could contribute to their downfall and eventual disappearance from the market. Lack of innovation and failure to address evolving consumer conditions led to the inevitable collapse of most brands during an unforeseeable prolonged economic downturn.

A post-cyberpunk novel

A Hostile Takeover

Superzoids die Superquick

Superzoid

“As a new generation adapts to the new oral technology, literacy rates are set to plunge within the next two decades. Already the cheaper manifestations of zoids have made it unnecessary for a vast number of humans to read or write. With the cost of education skyrocketing, the use of language will inevitably devolved into what it was millennia ago.”

JUNK_D

Superzoids_die_Superquick^Junk.D^^CORE

“As a new generation adapts to the new oral technology, literacy rates are set to plunge within the next two decades. Already the cheaper manifestations of zoids have made it unnecessary for a vast number of humans to read or write. With the cost of education skyrocketing, the use of language will inevitably devolved into what it was millennia ago.”

JUNK_D Superzoids_die_Superquick^Junk.D^^CORE

oral technologies

The Rise of Oral Technology

With the advent of new oral technologies, the ability to communicate and access information has become more convenient and intuitive. Speech recognition software, virtual assistants, and voice-controlled devices have made it easier for individuals to interact with technology using spoken commands. As these technologies become increasingly affordable and integrated into everyday life, there is a likelihood that reading and writing skills will become less necessary for basic communication and information retrieval.

The increasing accessibility of oral technology may lead to a decline in literacy rates. As more individuals rely on spoken communication and voice-based interfaces, the motivation and necessity to acquire strong reading and writing skills may diminish. This could result in reduced emphasis on literacy education, leading to a decline in the overall literacy levels within the population. Such a decline could have significant consequences for individual opportunities, economic productivity, and the ability to engage critically with written information.

Education

Another contributing factor to the potential decline in literacy rates is the escalating cost of education. Higher education and even basic literacy programs have become increasingly unaffordable for many individuals, particularly in marginalized communities. The prohibitive costs restrict access to quality education, perpetuating educational inequalities and limiting opportunities for individuals to develop essential literacy skills. Consequently, those who are unable to afford education may become more reliant on oral technology, further marginalizing the importance of reading and writing.

If literacy rates decline significantly, it is possible that language could evolve and revert to a state reminiscent of ancient times. Millennia ago, societies relied heavily on oral traditions and verbal communication for transmitting knowledge and preserving cultural heritage. With the increasing prominence of oral technology, written language may become less prevalent, and the emphasis on spoken communication may rise. This could lead to shifts in linguistic structures, vocabulary, and the use of non-verbal communication, as society adapts to a new norm that prioritizes oral forms of information exchange.

While the proliferation of oral technologies has undoubtedly transformed communication and information access, concerns regarding declining literacy rates and language evolution are valid. It is essential to strike a balance between embracing technological advancements and preserving the crucial skills associated with reading and writing. Maintaining robust literacy education programs and making education more affordable and accessible will be pivotal in mitigating the potential negative consequences. By ensuring that individuals are equipped with strong literacy skills alongside oral technological literacy, society can navigate the evolving landscape and foster a future that values both oral and written forms of communication.

A post-cyberpunk novel

A Hostile Takeover