retrospec | Literature Review

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Catcher in the Rye, in English. Retrospec sent me this one a while back, but I had to read this thing in high school. World lit. Hated it then, but apparently it's important now.

It bothers me that I'm starting to understand it on a re-read. Holden has absolutely everything going for him, but chooses to try as hard as he can to not engage with society around him. Back in high school, I thought it was just a morality tale, a spook story for kids, scare them into figuring their lives out or turn out like him.

And then we all get dropped into a situation where it would be so easy to do exactly what Holden wishes he could. To decide that this life doesn't matter, and turn yourself deaf-mute to the implications. But even that wouldn't get him what it wants, would it?

Question one is, what keeps you going? Keeps you paying attention to the world around you?

Second question comes back to Retrospec's latest game. Anybody else get a jigsaw puzzle?

"Turn him to any cause of policy, the Gordian Knot of it he will unloose, familiar as his garter."
Henry V, Act 1 Scene 1. The Archbishop describing how much Henry has changed as soon as he had to take the throne, going from a layabout of a prince to a sharp statesman of a king. It's really just a framing scene, telling the audience about the time that passed between plays. Odd quote to pull out.

So the last question is, what does that mean to anybody else?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yes. It was a required book in most high schools. If you enjoy a little nihilism you might find some fans.

I strive not to be, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't getting too used to the status quo of Retrospec's interference. But I have hope that things will change.

[ What a delightfully optimistic viewpoint, right? ]

Nothing wrong with hope. I think we can change things if we keep trying at it, yeah. Our actions have gotten Retrospec to have to change their plans before. We're not helpless here.

Like everyone, though, I just want more information. I'm getting it any way that I can, in a lot of cases, Retrospec wouldn't just hand it to us. As if they can't.

Is that what you think it is? That they can't?

Go back to the Layer Theory. People not on the app can't see things that are wrong because they're on the wrong layer. The Retrospec employees are on a higher layer than us. Still not the top, but higher.

So what if we can't see what they would tell us yet?

Okay, let's say that that's true. If we did have access to this higher layer, do you think they would share it with us?

Of course. That's the point, isn't it?

A few of their employees have hinted at being former users, so we know it's possible.

The point is to share it with us? Why do you think that?

Take Zee as an example. There's almost a progression of him shifting from being a user to working for the company. It fits in with the idea of Layer Theory, that as we get to a higher level, we'll have a different perspective on the whole picture.

From what I've seen, Miss Guo is likely also a former user, perhaps Mister Baroque, also, but that's more of a guess. If they can hang on to us long enough to get us to the higher levels, isn't that the point?

Which is problematic from where we're standing, but I'd assume that's their priority.

Did you know who they were before they worked for Retrospec?

No. I've got no information on them before they appeared on the network. Nobody but Zee has any kind of public record.

So then you're just taking their word for it.

In Miss Guo's case, she referred to a world that none of us have ever heard of on the network. Her feelings of loss seemed genuine.

As I said about Mister Baroque, he has a piece of tech strapped to him that is beyond what Recolle can put out, a cybernetic arm that has to have come from another place.

Zee, we've got more concrete evidence on, if you're not going to take his word for it. He has been subject to some of the effects that we have, such as the heart stones. Also, one of the teams last February had his cell phone. My friend described multiple photos of him, changing over time. You could see the time lapse as Retrospec changes caught up to him.

It sounds like you've been very close with the Retrospec employees.

As much as I can? I have a lot of sympathy for them, and what they've sacrificed. And I don't see any of the people we've actually met so far as causing what Retrospec is doing. Complicit, but not responsible.

Whenever it's time to bring them to justice, the people really responsible won't be a Joanne or a Maurice or a Zee. Somebody higher-up.

Maybe Jim. He's about the lowest-level I'd even try to go after.

[ What they've sacrificed...

Ha. ]

Do you think you would be successful?

I wouldn’t be trying otherwise. It more counts on the quality of the evidence I can gather, the things I need to make sure aren’t lost. In the end, it wont be just down to me, if I keep working at it now.

Can I ask, why are you so interested?

Well, you've clearly put a lot of thought into it. And what Retrospec does affects all of our lives. Why wouldn't I be interested?

A lot of people have their own opinions, opinions I wouldn't challenge much, mind you. But they've got their minds made up about Retrospec. Frankly, so so I.

Do you?

I'm torn, if I'm being honest. Their public relations campaign has been pretty abysmal, but I want to believe the best in their intentions.

Tech firms can't always hire good PR. They're techs and scientists, they're focused on the problem, not the people that the problem impacts. I can see it.

Apparently their psychologist was the one they kicked out.

That's why I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt. I'll admit it's pretty frustrating, though.

[ Lies, lies, lies. ]

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