Dystopian books that have the same chilling effect as 1984
and a Brave New World are very rare, and I haven’t yet read a modern one that
has a patch on them. But after reading the blurb for The Circle by Dave Eggers,
I knew that it had the potential to belong in the same league.
The Circle is an organisation that runs all internet
activity and has the power to influence society, so when main character Mae
Holland gets a job there it is like a dream come true for her. On first
impressions the Circle is the perfect place to work. Employees are happy in
their jobs, they are friendly and the campus has everything you could possibly
need on it including beds and a gym.
But Mae soon discovers that by being an employee of the
Circle, she must wholeheartedly follow its beliefs and ambitions. This is where
the potentially harmful nature of social media comes into play. The Circle
encourages employees to constantly update their social media accounts and spend
a considerable amount of time communicating with people through their phones
and tablets. It isn't too dissimilar from modern life.
That’s what gives this book the frightening edge that it
has. Whilst it is more extreme than how technology is used today, there are
some chilling similarities that made me more aware than ever of the impact that
social media has on society. Looking around, people are constantly on their
smartphones, whether it is whilst they are at a meal with a friend or at a gig,
people have become reliant on social media.
That’s not saying social media is negative as it has made
communication even easier and it is a way for people to express themselves, but
this book demonstrates how it has the potential to go too far in the wrong
hands. In a comparable way to how Big Brother operates in Orwell’s 1984, complete
transparency in society is the goal and whilst this can prevent crimes from
happening, it also takes away privacy.
This is a fantastic read that I enjoyed throughout. Whilst
at some points it was predictable, the ideology in the book is captivating and
I'm really not surprised that it has won so many awards.
