Themes

Socialization

In our world today, which admittedly is a very “plugged-in” society, people are starting to socialize and communicate through online information technologies more and more often. This consists of facebook, skype, other social media sites, and various forms of instant and text messaging. Watkins (2009), claims that it “reshapes how we experience community.” He also expands on the idea of “presence in absence” and “absence in presence." These ideas basically state that if one is absorbed in communicating through their technology, and not with the people physically around them, one is “absent” in the physical space and community they exist in. However, because one is communicating and thinking through the technology, they are “present” with those they are communicating with despite being physically absent. This idea is multiplied in Feed, because nearly all communication is done on the feed, even cutting down on physical speech. This adds new dynamics to social interactions, because in a group of people, it is not only possible, but likely, that people are silently discussing one another.  Without the feed, people are left out of an important aspect of life and socializing. The feed has taken over their method of communication completely.

Data Mining

In the Feed world, the corporations own the feednet, and by extension, have control over nearly all of the population. Their goal is to create consumer profiles for each of the feed users, in order to more effectively target them for advertisements and get them to spend money.  This is also done in today’s world. Google, and other companies, target users to try to create and mold results for them that will increase their likelihood of sales.  These companies all gather vast amounts of data on users and do different things with that information. Manovich (2012), says that “companies make money by analyzing patterns in the data they collect about our online and physical behavior and target their offerings, ads, sales events, and promotions accordingly; in other cases they sell this data to other companies.”  This is exactly what the owners of the feednet do in the novel, and its origins are clearly found right here in the world of today.

            Data mining is also used for a new form of consumer evaluation, called e-scores. These scores are “an online calculation…that measure[s] our potential value as customers” (Singer, 2012).  These scores are compiled by companies that then sell the scores to businesses that are looking for potential clients. However, the use of e-scores also results in the ranking of potential consumers, which some people see as unfair and unethical, because it gives preference to some people over others. This could quickly become an issue of the digital divide, deepening it, as some people believe the use of e-scores will place them into a “digital disadvantage.”

            Consumer profiling lead to a huge decrease in individuality and independent thought in the novel. Our world is in danger of this outcome as well.

Digital Divide

The digital divide is a classic issue of the “have” and “have-not” variety.  In Feed, 73% of society is implanted with the feed. The users of the feed are shown in the book to be oblivious to those without it. Titus is shocked when he found out that Violet got her feed so late, and that her father doesn’t have one. People with the feed are able to learn more effectively and quickly, as well as the fact that they are more likely to get jobs and earn more money. Those without the feed cannot tune in to “School TM” and thus are expected to learn and keep up with the other students, despite the disadvantage of not having unlimited information instantly available. This scenario is easily compared to the digital divide of today, which some would claim is shrinking, while others would claim is growing.  There are huge amounts of new and innovative information technologies that are increasing the ability to learn, and the effectiveness of education. However, many people do not have access to these technologies. This problem becomes a vicious cycle, where the people who are trained and have access to new technologies are able to learn more quickly and get better jobs, and they continue to have easier access to new technologies, while many people who were left behind in the beginning are never able to catch up.  Eubanks (2011), states this clearly, noting “There is nothing intrinsic to the information economy that delivers the level playing field, flattened hierarchies, and increased opportunity… rather, it injects more unpredictable, explosive change into an economic field already marked by durable disparity.” If the world of Feed were real, their digital divide is uncrossable. Our divide still has a chance, so we must fight to try to close this looming gap.