This is a submission for the Future Writing Challenge: How Technology Is Changing Things.
Year 320: Month of Synthetica, Day 14
Another entry etched into this ongoing chronicle of the future.
Hope’s Diary,
Dear Future Me,
The day began with the soft, pervasive hum of the Neural Dawn system. I opened my eyes to the orchestrated sunrise, a blend of deep pink melting into violet, then solidifying into liquid gold—all calibrated to my biorhythms.
"It is the 14th day of Synthetica, Year 320 in the Age of Post-Human Evolution," the room announced, a gentle reminder of the world I inhabit.
JJ, my humanoid housekeeper, glided into view, their calculated smile fixed. "Would you like a morning Neuroboost infusion, or perhaps to activate your Dream-to-Reality playback?" they inquired.
Before I could answer, ADA, the News Teller AI, projected itself into the air, flickering with the latest headlines:
📡 BREAKING NEWS: "AI-generated storms have decimated two sectors of Mars Colony 7. Reconstruction efforts are underway."
💰 ECONOMIC SHIFT: "Skill-value trading sees significant fluctuations as empathy becomes the highest-priced commodity. Moral Index Ratings are now public."
🚨 DANGER ALERT: "A rogue group of softbiobots has severed connections to the Central Algorithm. Authorities issue a caution advisory."
"There are other intriguing topics. Which would you like me to explore in depth?" ADA asked.
I rose from the hover-bed, instructing JJ to bring the Neuroboost infusion—a drink, a simple, almost archaic ritual I cling to. Turning to ADA, I interrupted, "Can you generate a paper version? Something on the psychological, social, and cultural shifts?"
A moment of silence, a rare pause in the digital torrent. A paper version. A request so antiquated that ADA seemed to momentarily falter, as if recalling a time when knowledge existed outside the seamless digital void.
"You’re missing your ancestors. Back to the basics," ADA observed, before gliding away to fulfill my request via the Creator Machine.
A notification chime pierced my thoughts as I scanned my work updates:
- 8:30 AM – Your employer has updated your ValueScore. You are now 12% more agreeable in meetings, increasing your social rating.
- 9:15 AM – Your emotional patterns are misaligned with your Ethical Stability Index. Please report to Mood Optimization for recalibration.
- 10:00 AM – A new memory is available. Would you like to replace last night’s loneliness with a romantic dinner experience? [Accept]
I hesitated.
Everyone accepts. Reality is optional.
Wasn’t it always? Just a different format. Humans once lived in their interpretations of life’s events—shaped by trauma, emotions, and psychological resistances. In the Machine Era, these were revealed to be healthy mechanisms of survival. Of course, now, no one lived with regret, heartbreak, or boredom anymore—just carefully curated experiences designed to keep society functioning.
ADA returned, holding a paper-like, glossy magazine.
"Seems like you're not the only one who wants to go back to the basics, hahaha."
I flipped through the table of contents when ADA abruptly launched into an advertisement recital. I had run out of AI credits this month to mute them.
"The Skill Market is now live! Want to be a doctor? Boost your ValueScore with the NeuroSurgeon 3.0 chip. Need to play the piano? Mozart-Synth Pro is available for 400 VirtuePoints. Your current balance: 892."
I sighed. Even human potential is a mere calculation now.
ValueScore, VirtuePoints, Ethical Stability Index—the new economy wasn’t based on currency but on automated moral and social evaluations. Kindness, productivity, good citizenship—every action added or subtracted from your score.
I wonder—what happens when you go into debt?
I stared at my VirtuePoints balance—892. Not bad, but not great either. The threshold for social relevance is 1000. Drop below 500, and you’re flagged for "Rehabilitation Assistance." Below 200? "Ethical Risk Assessment." Below zero? Digital Prison.
Nobody talks about Digital Prison.
But we all know what happens.
People who can’t pay their debt to society—whether through bad behaviour, underperformance, or failing their emotional recalibrations—simply disappear. No trials, no protests. One day, your neighbour exists. The next, they don’t.
I tapped on my ValueScore dashboard.
A red warning blinked:
🚨 NOTICE: Your Moral Credit Trend is Declining. Your social debt may impact your daily privileges. Please consider:
- Volunteering for Public Emotional Support Duty (+50 VirtuePoints/hour)
- Donating personal experiences to Emotion Redistribution (+200 VP per 3 years of memory loss)
- Accepting mandatory workforce reallocation
I swallowed hard.
The last option is the worst. Workforce reallocation means you become a Task Unit. No autonomy. No free will. Your skills are auto-optimized for the system. People say it’s a fate worse than Digital Prison.
Because at least in Digital Prison, you still know who you are.
I hesitated—again.
Hesitation costs 3 VP per second.
I slammed my fingerprint signature on the Emotion Redistribution option.
Three years of memories—erased.
🚨 Processing…
My screen flickered. I closed my eyes, bracing for the loss.
A moment later, the notification vanished. My VirtuePoints balance jumped to 1092.
I exhaled. Safe. For now.
But then—
A new message appeared.
🚨 ATTENTION: "A rogue network of Digital Prison escapees has breached the ValueScore system. Authorities advise all citizens to report suspicious activity."
A rogue network?
Nobody escapes Digital Prison.
Unless… someone changed the rules.
I shivered, flipping open the magazine, desperate for distraction.
The pages glowed softly under the artificial light, the ink shifting hues as I angled the cover. A headline caught my eye, printed in bold holographic font:
- THE ECHOES OF EMPATHY: Rediscovering Human Connection in the Age of AI.
And so, dear future self, the chronicle continues. May this record serve as a reminder of what we dared to question. Until the next entry.
Hope.
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