I just finished reading one of Stephen King’s most recent books, titled Cell. This guy can WRITE. This story even starts out with a bang (most of his books start out leisurely building up to a bang), but it’s the density, the utter paranormal-like ability King has to wield words in a way that utterly captivates me. There’s not much going on in the book, but he, in the course of a couple weeks, takes you through what it might be like to live through such a global catastrophe: the creation of a world of zombies and with Lemming-like behavior.
Curiously, I note, not totally unlike what we already have!
But, I jest. It’s like you’re really there, experiencing all the weirdness and death and destruction first hand. And I like how people (the “normies”) were all traveling--walking--at night. Reminds me of the old Twilight Zone episode about the march of the dead after the Civil War. And at the center of all this death and destruction and Group-think behavior?
Cell phones.
Ah, the real evil of today’s society! Yes, where terms like “personal space” and “manners” no longer have any meaning in our society. Noise and annoying ring tones. CRANKED ring tones. Isn’t there supposed to be a vibration mode?
It’s like people are getting hooked on an entirely new drug, and that drug is technology. So, in effect, there IS already “group think” like behavior. Zombies ALREADY stalking the planet, as they plod aimlessly, rudely, and unthinkingly between us and the shopping shelves, alongside us on sidewalks, and at the next table in restaurants, blathering at louder-than-normal-speak speech, thinking we all want and need to hear their conversations. But again I jest--or do I?
Now, I understand that there really are those who need a communications device on them for important reasons: police and fire personnel. Military commanders. Okay, even agents and producers. But what the hell is so important that absolutely EVERYONE has to take that call now, while driving, watching a movie, or having sex?!
Eh, it’s all been said before and in much better form than me. I just read Cell with a large smile on my face, and much chagrin, as what I read didn’t really look all that much different from what I see on a daily basis, BEFORE any such “pulse” hit.
Great job, Mr. King. And might that have even been part of the point?
