Humans are naturally drawn to power over others. Ever since society was first founded, governments have assumed a hierarchical structure, a system in which the decisions for the masses are made by the privileged few. Despite opposition, this general structure has stood the test of time; however, some have warned that such absolute power can have disastrous consequences. For the past half-century, writers such as George Orwell and Ray Bradbury have told tales of a grim future, where the population is subjected to great injustice and nothing is secret. Dave Eggers renews this concept in The Circle, a story about a corrupt corporation in pursuit of the eradication of secrecy. In this bestselling novel, Eggers warns how large entities can erode
…show more content…
This is first accomplished through SeeChange, a high-definition camera technology that enables anyone to set up a publicly-accessible camera anywhere in the world. The camera can be controlled via voice command and is so small that it can be difficult to locate exactly. In the kickoff presentation outlining the innovation, Eamon Bailey describes how the development will be to the benefit of the Circle, saying how “we will become all-seeing, all knowing” (Eggers 71). This omniscience presents absolute power over most citizens, enforcing a great social injustice. Because of the Circle’s watchful eye over the population, nothing can be forgotten, and citizens will no longer be able to keep their private lives secret. This is only possible thanks to the Circle’s abuse of their power. The Circle is a well-established monopoly that has “subsumed Facebook, Twitter, Google, and finally Alacrity, Zoopa, Jefe, and Quan” (Eggers 23). Because there is no opposition to the corporation’s power, they are free to do almost anything. The general population has grown trusting of the Circle as a result of their strength; therefore, they do not oppose these actions. This submits them to the true effect of the Circle’s plan; SeeChange is a mechanism for their accumulation of all human knowledge. Eamon Bailey makes this their clear goal during the pitch,
This is first accomplished through SeeChange, a high-definition camera technology that enables anyone to set up a publicly-accessible camera anywhere in the world. The camera can be controlled via voice command and is so small that it can be difficult to locate exactly. In the kickoff presentation outlining the innovation, Eamon Bailey describes how the development will be to the benefit of the Circle, saying how “we will become all-seeing, all knowing” (Eggers 71). This omniscience presents absolute power over most citizens, enforcing a great social injustice. Because of the Circle’s watchful eye over the population, nothing can be forgotten, and citizens will no longer be able to keep their private lives secret. This is only possible thanks to the Circle’s abuse of their power. The Circle is a well-established monopoly that has “subsumed Facebook, Twitter, Google, and finally Alacrity, Zoopa, Jefe, and Quan” (Eggers 23). Because there is no opposition to the corporation’s power, they are free to do almost anything. The general population has grown trusting of the Circle as a result of their strength; therefore, they do not oppose these actions. This submits them to the true effect of the Circle’s plan; SeeChange is a mechanism for their accumulation of all human knowledge. Eamon Bailey makes this their clear goal during the pitch,