ForeWord
I’ve been reflecting on how strange my life has been, according to my new frame of reference. I was raised in the typical way, dictated by normal standards. I didn’t realize how strange those standards were though. Ideas predicated on a system that seemed eternal, but was actually within its infancy. It seemed like my future was destined and that was a problem, but really if my future had been this solid and stable thing that everyone griped about that would have been the least of my worries. The chaos and unpredictable nature of the world is really what would surround my life. A chaos that had been forgotten and replaced with a huge mundane interconnected system of systems, when I was young. I always wondered if it was me and my peers growing up that changed my perspective or if the world truly shifted away from that false sense of stability that had seemed to be cemented in eternity.
Entry 1
I was raised by Arcs, like everyone else. Most people wouldn’t even think that is something that needs to be said. It was a fine childhood, I got to enjoy my toys, my friends, and my lack of responsibilities. There were so many highs and lows, dramas and comedies, and magical moments that made me think I was truly at the center of the universe, just for a moment. I miss those times. Now I have the privilege of adult freedom. I no longer am taken care of by arc’s, but rather take care of arc’s. What I mean by this is that I am responsible for recycling the dense synthetic oil that arc’s depend on and ensuring it doesn’t negatively affect the world around us, so humans like us can stick around.
It’s a mundane task that practically runs itself, but I can at least take pride in the fact that I am helping keep the world in balance. Most people’s jobs are actively detrimental to the world around them or the distant world far away. Seems that this entire system is beginning to cannibalize itself, like the earth underneath us is about to crack open and swallow us whole. I’m never sure if that feeling is me being perceptive or just a wish on my part.
There’s constant talk of the atrocities the Arcs commit on our behalf. Disgusting, morally abhorrent deeds they commit in order to keep our lives easy and carefree. Recently they have been clearing out a forest that has an indigenous tribe located in it. They're doing this because there is a nice deposit of minerals and oil under where they chose to live. I think that’s only half the story, it’s too strange how there’s always a village of humans conveniently located where needed resources are.
I think my participation in helping the arcs stick around is hurting the world overall, but I am glad that I can prevent their disgusting oil from destroying ecosystems and killing wildlife, as much as possible. The air around us is still turning to ash and methane as we speak, but slowly enough where the immediate danger will never set in for most people. We truly are like frogs in a boiling pot of water just waiting for it to either get too hot, or us to get spilled out and eaten in one fell swoop.
I may sound pessimistic and sound like I’m depicting an apocalypse that there is no coming back from, but I find that I have more optimism than most in my position. I’m aware that most of what I’m saying is a bit hyperbolic and that since everything happens so slowly when rapid change does happen it can prevent these slow hulking behemoth forces from destroying life as we know it. I am going to forever be cautious of the Arcs as acting in the name of efficiency most likely does not cooperate with the goals of human life or any life for that matter. There’s a reason that machines ripped humans limb by limb during the start of the industrial revolution.
Entry 2
I often get lost looking into the cascading iridescent mist that forms from the waterfalls at the plant. The unique semi-water semi-oil liquid state in the middle of the purification process makes a unique rainbow effect that is mesmerizing. The Arcs obviously don’t understand my fascination with this and would rather stay manned at their post, making sure not to lose sight of the machine’s temperature or flow rate for even a second. It can be difficult working with Arcs and only a few humans. We all get to make fun of how strange the Arcs act and bond over the strangeness of our situation working here.
We often remark on how strange it is that each Arc has quirks and personalities built in. It doesn’t make sense that the manufacturers would even put them in except for our own amusement. It must be a strange existence knowing every reason down to the screw why you are the way you are and not being able to change a bit of it. I need to ask the next Arc coworker I see what their thoughts on internal versus external loci are. I feel like I would be extremely pessimistic in their shoes, but then again maybe my own ability to change is as illusory as the rainbows I see in the oil mist.
Entry 3
My girlfriend, Jettra, hates having to interact with Arcs. She was brought up around humans and has had far less interactions with Arcs. Her “father” was a cyborg, however, who had some Arc tendencies. His brain must have been altered by the electrical inputs to his organs. I always wondered why Arcs are regarded so highly by society while cyborgs are seen as the bottom of the barrel. Jettra doesn’t like her father and resents a lot of what he did to her growing up, as such she also isn’t very fond of cyborgs. I always find it a shame when there’s something so core to a person that contributes to them having a strong negative prejudice like that.
She has a strong disdain for most of who I interact with since I deal with so many Arcs. She hides it well, but behind closed doors feels like they’re stealing her life force from her. She was raised by a tribe that is extremely religious in their beliefs. I thought it was ridiculous at first to believe in any of that nonsense when we have walking miracles in front of us in the forms of the Arcs and all the other amazing technology that holds society up, but over time she has begun to show me things I didn’t think were possible. I don’t understand why I got to be trusted with such a privilege, considering I don’t have any special background, but maybe she can detect something in my heart that sets me apart from the other urbanites that were raised like me.
Either way, as amazing as her influence is on my life, her clash with the rest of my life causes huge problems for me. She is constantly worried about the negative impact even being near Arcs has on me. She treats them like they’re radioactive. Her enemy number one is the culture at large, which I can agree with at least. Even from my society driven view I can see the major glaring problems with society. As a race we are hurtling towards death, destruction, and desolation. Hope is a rare commodity to find these days, even among the rural humans like Jettra.