Robert Heinlein published “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress” in 1966. The storyline is the moon is a penal colony of Earth. The our main characters Manny, a computer technician, The Professor, Wyoh, a female activist, and Mike, a sentient computer that runs all the systems in the main Lunar penal colony form a cabal to over throw the Lunar Authority (The Jailers) and become an independent colony. Of course, you will see a lot of parallels with historic events. It is a gripping story; well worth the read.
But that is not what struck me in rereading it for the umpteenth time last night. What struck me is how similar it is to modern day. I do not mean I live in a penal colony, no. The sentient computer Mike controls almost everything in this main city. Remember this was written in 1966 so most of the “technology” was what they knew or envisioned then. Mike controlled most of the lighting, plumbing, HVAC – including air pressure (it is the moon), communications with Earth, TV, newspaper printing, the phone system, storage of information, the catapult that sent loads of grain to Earth, Banking accounts, state administrative data, etc.
In the book, this revolutionary cabal can listen in on their political enemies. They can easily manufacture money for their cause. They can read the “mail” of the state etc. They can control the information that gets out there. I thought how is this much different than collusion between Big Tech and the deep administrative state? How is this different than the censorship of “misinformation” etc.? I don’t think it is.
Chance Musings 