Daemon discussion

Most of the reviews that I read missed the real value of the book. Yes, it was very clumsy in parts and, yes, it was way too technical for a computer illiterate like me but the real issue that Suarez tackled and was missed by most people was the political statement that he was making: That is, the fate of mankind lies on the razor's edge. Unless people don't read or listen to the news, our society has become horribly separated into the ultra-rich and poor. The middle class has just about disappeared and the only thing worshipped and valued in our society is money. Society can't hold up this disparity much longer and that is Suarez's point. People who are in the 1% will never willingly give away their money and, in fact, seem to want even more. According to Suarez, only an unthinking, unfeeling outside force that will restore the balance is the answer. I really enjoyed the irony that the very computerized system that the ultra wealthy created to maximize their wealth will be their undoing. Some of what I am writing is a little biased because I read the follow-up book in which Suarez takes this premise to its logical conclusion.

Can't wait to read the second part, but it's been so long that I need to read Daemon again first.

I never thought about what you mention; rather I focused in a related issue, that Sobol gives power to the hackers, who are portayed in the usual way (disenfranchised, lonely losers in basements, etc).

And when I say "hackers" I mean it in the original sense, not the distorted-by-the-media "bad guys behind keyboards" sense. Although those show up too in the story IIRC.

Paul wrote: "Most of the reviews that I read missed the real value of the book. Yes, it was very clumsy in parts and, yes, it was way too technical for a computer illiterate like me but the real issue that Sua..."

Totally agree with you about the point in the book, but have to disagree about the middle class ending, in my country (Portugal) there is a middle class, and a very big one. Yes, is true that it tends to became poorer and the few rich richer, but right now the middle class is most of the persons in this country.

There's the whole "1%" vs "99%" thing. And then there's the whole "gig economy."

The book starts off with a murder. But they can't pin it to any one person. Someone was sent out here to setup this part. They were paid to do so and, since they didn't see anything "illegal" or "immoral" about it, they did it. Someone else setup another part, not realizing that the equipment they were installing had WiFi to control it; same story. Someone else setup another part; same story. The confluence of the three, finally actuated by The Daemon, resulted in a murder.

The military has gotten a lot of mileage out of compartmentalization. You may be told to do something which doesn't make much sense. You don't have the whole picture. To someone who does, it makes perfect sense. Ask me how I know about this :-)

Later in the book, we have an auto customization shop which is creating automated vehicles for the Daemon. They know that their work is not entirely on the up-and-up. But it pays well. And they know that they're in too deep; if they refused further contracts, things will get unpleasant, possibly deadly. They get a new design in; they're all shocked by it. But ... they need the money. And they can't afford to honk off their biggest client. So, even though they have ethical qualms about it, they build it anyway.

The fact that the social contract has been severely eroded means there are plenty of disenfranched people out there. Not because there's anything wrong with them; the problem is structural. Give them an opportunity, and they will step up. All it takes is someone with enough money and those in the 99% can seriously switch things up.