have been petitions to the senate to have it declared child abuse to not let your children on the Link. If that were the law, I would have to take your children from you…for their own protection.”
“Then it’s a good thing it’s not law.”
Harley laughed at the ice in the young man’s voice and Victor grinned and slapped him on the shoulder good-naturedly. “What isn’t sustainable about our wonderland Quinlan Bowden?”
“How many people are unemployed in the world Deputy Marshal Shelley?”
Victor shrugged. “I’ve heard upwards of 90 percent. But everyone has an income. Your right as a member of the Federation.”
Quinlan nodded. "When introduced in the United States, Right to Income was called Right to Work. Senator Facio presented it as a way to force businesses to give people gainful employment, to not automate everything we do. He just wanted to give everyone a fair chance at employment, a fair chance to do something to get ahead in life. But technology made most workers obsolete. You didn’t need a hand at the controls because the automation could take care of things all on its own. Business responded to Right to Work by pleading hardship. They would rather be taxed more heavily so the government could give everyone an income than forced to hire people to do a job that could be better done by automation. The bill was amended and became Right to Income and eventually signed into law. The Federation adopted it when it took over and drafted the Declaration of Human Rights.”
“Sounds like a win for everyone.”
“Maybe.” Quinlan lifted Raizor off the tailgate. “But if you give nine billion people nothing useful to do, they will find something to do that’s probably not useful, something much worse. Before the Energy Wars, there were close to 12 billion of us on the planet. The wars and the aftermath shaved off close to 3 billion and since then we have been in decline. The world population is projected to be fewer than 8 billion in another 100 years and that’s as our lifespan is increasing. What’s the average lifespan now, 150, 175, higher? So why is that, in this utopia you’ve built? Could be that procreation is just too damn much work. The most popular sexual partner of today is the filler. Digital wallpaper on the Link is what we want to have sex with.”
Harley smiled and hooked a thumb toward Victor.
“Why is that deputy? Because they give you exactly what you want, no questions asked and fillers are always satisfied.”
Noah looked wide-eyed at his father and Quinlan chuckled. “You two cover your ears for a second.” Both children dutifully put their hands over their ears, giggling. “Close to 20 percent of the population that are in a relationship are in a digibased relationship. They’ve never physically touched each other.”
“That’s neand-hateful language.”
Harley chortled. “Hard to procreate on the Link Victor, even with your dick.”
“The biggest trend in parenthood now is having a digibaby instead of a realtime one. Why? Because you can shut the damn thing off when they’re crying or sick or interfere with other things you would rather be doing.” Quinlan scowled. “Age of Discovery? What exactly are we discovering, how to be a slug? This world of your Federation is not sustainable. As a species, we’re rotting. The Wrynd are the first sign, but there will be more. The world knows it and has responded with the Rages. It’s cleansing itself of us.”
“You’re not a neand. You’re a radical.” Victor grinned but in his eyes there was menace. “A revolutionary even.”
“I’m no revolutionary.” Quinlan said flatly, returning Victor’s stare and Harley was surprised to see not a hint of fear in the young father’s eyes. He truly had misjudged him. “I’m a husband searching for his wife.”
“The zombies have her.” Victor said, and he strapped his own holster around his waist.
“Speaking of Wrynd.” Harley cleared his
“Then it’s a good thing it’s not law.”
Harley laughed at the ice in the young man’s voice and Victor grinned and slapped him on the shoulder good-naturedly. “What isn’t sustainable about our wonderland Quinlan Bowden?”
“How many people are unemployed in the world Deputy Marshal Shelley?”
Victor shrugged. “I’ve heard upwards of 90 percent. But everyone has an income. Your right as a member of the Federation.”
Quinlan nodded. "When introduced in the United States, Right to Income was called Right to Work. Senator Facio presented it as a way to force businesses to give people gainful employment, to not automate everything we do. He just wanted to give everyone a fair chance at employment, a fair chance to do something to get ahead in life. But technology made most workers obsolete. You didn’t need a hand at the controls because the automation could take care of things all on its own. Business responded to Right to Work by pleading hardship. They would rather be taxed more heavily so the government could give everyone an income than forced to hire people to do a job that could be better done by automation. The bill was amended and became Right to Income and eventually signed into law. The Federation adopted it when it took over and drafted the Declaration of Human Rights.”
“Sounds like a win for everyone.”
“Maybe.” Quinlan lifted Raizor off the tailgate. “But if you give nine billion people nothing useful to do, they will find something to do that’s probably not useful, something much worse. Before the Energy Wars, there were close to 12 billion of us on the planet. The wars and the aftermath shaved off close to 3 billion and since then we have been in decline. The world population is projected to be fewer than 8 billion in another 100 years and that’s as our lifespan is increasing. What’s the average lifespan now, 150, 175, higher? So why is that, in this utopia you’ve built? Could be that procreation is just too damn much work. The most popular sexual partner of today is the filler. Digital wallpaper on the Link is what we want to have sex with.”
Harley smiled and hooked a thumb toward Victor.
“Why is that deputy? Because they give you exactly what you want, no questions asked and fillers are always satisfied.”
Noah looked wide-eyed at his father and Quinlan chuckled. “You two cover your ears for a second.” Both children dutifully put their hands over their ears, giggling. “Close to 20 percent of the population that are in a relationship are in a digibased relationship. They’ve never physically touched each other.”
“That’s neand-hateful language.”
Harley chortled. “Hard to procreate on the Link Victor, even with your dick.”
“The biggest trend in parenthood now is having a digibaby instead of a realtime one. Why? Because you can shut the damn thing off when they’re crying or sick or interfere with other things you would rather be doing.” Quinlan scowled. “Age of Discovery? What exactly are we discovering, how to be a slug? This world of your Federation is not sustainable. As a species, we’re rotting. The Wrynd are the first sign, but there will be more. The world knows it and has responded with the Rages. It’s cleansing itself of us.”
“You’re not a neand. You’re a radical.” Victor grinned but in his eyes there was menace. “A revolutionary even.”
“I’m no revolutionary.” Quinlan said flatly, returning Victor’s stare and Harley was surprised to see not a hint of fear in the young father’s eyes. He truly had misjudged him. “I’m a husband searching for his wife.”
“The zombies have her.” Victor said, and he strapped his own holster around his waist.
“Speaking of Wrynd.” Harley cleared his
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