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History in the present
It all began in Westernia, as is often the case, not with a declaration of tyranny but with the gentle hum of convenience, libertine comfort, and the like. The citizens of Westernia, their eyes glued to their screens and their ears tuned to voice assistants, welcomed the discreet domination of technology over every aspect of their lives. Their calendars knew their next move before they did. Their apps soothed them, suggesting things they couldn’ t remember, guiding them with remarkable efficiency. The world had become efficient, fluid, and interconnected. But behind the transparent interface, a deeper, older rhythm could be heard: the steady beat of the drum of insidious and relentless power consolidating day after day, tearing away important pieces of individual freedom under the pretext of security and efficiency.
A déjà vu that no one could see
This was not the first time democracy had danced toward its demise. From the slow suffocation of the Roman Republic under the weight of military ambition to the tragic capitulation of Weimar Germany to legalistic tyranny, history had warned the brave citizens of Westernia. The names were now different: Amazon, Meta, TikTok, X, but the method was strangely familiar: autocrats in suits, guided not by swords or manifestos, but by algorithms and data sets.
Flashmag! Issue 160 May 2025
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