Topeka & Shawnee Co. Public Library discussion

"Feed" is a love story. Titus meets Violet on spring break. His friends never accept her as part of the group, but the romance blossoms despite the resulting conflicts. Then, violet develops health problems due to her feed, which causes tensions between them as Titus struggles to come to terms with her illness.

So that’s the plot. But "Feed" is more a dismal portrayal of the future than a love story. In this America of about one hundred years in the future, the feed, basically a hyperactive internet plugged directly into the brain, has rendered people inarticulate due to a constant bombardment of advertisements and other distractions. No one has the need or interest in thoughtful exchanges because in a sense, everything is fed to them. Titus’ education has also addled his brain. Corporations have taken over America’s public schools and children are taught how to get a job and to be good consumers, instead of learning history or how to read and write.

Anderson’s critique of the future is not subtle. In fact, sometimes he yells portents at his readers rather than sliding them under the table. And yet, the most potent realization readers will make while reading Feed is that Anderson is not cautioning us about what may come; he’s warning us about now.

I actually read this book for one of my classes. You're right about it not being subtle... I see examples of the feed everyday! :)