The Circle and Technology

Having just finished reading The Circle, it is time for me to incorporate some of the ideas in the book into my end of the year project. The book provides numerous helpful examples for both sides of the debate on whether the continual progression of technology is more helpful or detrimental. Nothing emulates the two-sided sword that is technology better than the SoulSearch program. The first time the technology was implemented, the Circle managed to capture a wanted fugitive in just over ten minutes. The only way to describe the first run was as an outstanding success. The second run of the program led to a suicide. A horrible result, due to a program that was far too intrusive. SoulSearch demonstrated the incredibly great helpfulness of technology, but also the totalitarian power it has the potential to possess. The great horror of The Circle is that it becomes a totalitarian entity without anyone other than the founders noticing. Even Mae, whose knowledge and power within the company are rivaled by few, failed to see the destructive nature of the Circle, even when Ty explained it straight to her face. Mae represents the human being we often see today, someone so absorbed in social media and the technological world that they fail to see what is really going on. What was particularly disturbing to myself (and should be disturbing to everyone) was the point Ty made about the unrivaled power of this type of totalitarian power. At least in past examples of totalitarianism, there was the possibility of an uprising or a rebel force that could take down the ruler. The Circle would be like no other power the world has ever seen. Hitler’s Germany was only defeated because the world became aware of the great atrocities being committed by the Nazis. This information was required for the Allies to agree to attack the Axis Powers. The Circle, however, controls all information. How could a rebellion arise if news of that rebellion is either deleted or distorted? It couldn’t. Whoever controls the information controls the power. Citizens of the world would be unaware of the control the Circle has over them. It is a very frightening concept. The odds of someone outside the Circle discovering the truth is equivalent to the odds of someone discovering they are in The Matrix. In other words, it would be nearly impossible. The Circle would devour all possible insurgences just like the shark devoured everything in its domain.