Leonard Feared For The Future
Leonard looked forward to franchise film sequels but saw nothing worth his time when they finally came out. He looked forward to elections but was almost always disappointed at the results. He looked forward to promotions but continued to trudge through the same dead-end job. Leonard daydreamed about how great a film or TV show or novel or play would be, anticipating it, but almost always it was a downer.
Leonard feared for the future—the future looked lousy. He hated looking forward to seeing nothing worth his time. And Leonard, as all of us do, considered his time valuable. But he had large societal issues in mind, not himself.
Most art claiming to offer thoughtful themes offered escapism instead. Leonard did not mind escaping—but all the time? The only meaningful art was depressing, offering no solutions. There were solutions. Leonard knew there must be.
The key element in looking forward was hope. Were there aspects of hope Leonard could alter? As a neurobiophysicist, anything was possible (as long as there were grants.) He developed a device generating electronic waves which eliminated looking forward to commercial culture. Then politics—people would no longer have hope politicians would improve their lives. Finally, life expectations—increased hope mating would happen, work would improve, family members would understand each other.
Leonard pressed the red button on the device and the electronic waves went through every cell phone tower in the nation.
Over the first month, the results were subtle. Blockbusters failed, TV ratings fell. Then the midterm election polls showed the President’s support plummeting. He governed with a personality cult but no one any longer believed him. The election results were devastating. Voters’ support splintered among independents voters knew locally. Unions were formed to protect workers. Drilling offshore was halted. Less people went to church but more people believed.
And Leonard? He thought of creating another groundbreaking machine but had little hope it would succeed. He never realized he had also programmed the device to prevent him more devices.
Leonard feared for the future.