Not So Smart Without a Smartphone

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When I begin reading Feed by M.T Anderson, I was slightly worried because it didn’t seem to grasp my interest. I really couldn’t connect with the book at first because I didn’t understand the setting, plot, or what was going on at the beginning of the story. Luckily, by the end of the story I was happy that I read this book because I enjoyed it. Feed is a story where 73% of society depends on technology to survive in a world that they know nothing about other than what the chip inside their head tells them. Titus is the main character who had the feed implanted at birth, so most of his experiences with life has been influenced by technology. Titus meets a girl who is different from him and his group of friends, Violet. Violet unlike the other teens didn’t have the feed implanted until the age seven, so most of her life has consist of knowledge and things she had to learn about without the feed.  
The relationship with both of these characters shows the different worlds that each of them were a part of. I think Anderson did a great job with juxtaposition between both of these characters because readers are able to see how technology impacted in both of their lives through their communication skills, vocabulary, and basic knowledge about things of the world. "We were frightened, and kept touching our heads. Suddenly, our heads felt real empty"(Anderson 46) describes how Titus and his peers' life without the feed because they don’t know how to function without it. For Violet, she is naturally intelligent and has more control of her skills when communicating with others because she uses vocabulary that are not familiar with the other teens. Violet knows that she is different from the others, but in a way dumbed herself down to be "normal" as others in society. Later in the story Violet expresses her feelings on the feed and how it has controlled everyone saying, "Look at us! You don’t have the feed! You are the feed! You're the feed! You're being eaten! You're raised for food! Look at what you've made yourselves!" (Anderson 202). 
Overall, I think this book is a great read because it allows us to take a step back, and observe how much technology plays a part in our own life. I do believe that things in this story are relevant to things that are going on today. Phones, laptops, and other electronic devices are everywhere more frequently, and seems as if they in some ways have taken traditional ways of doing things. I feel like it has allowed people to not work so hard anymore, but have found a shortcut to doing things. I am guilty of it myself because I can't recall the last time I've picked up a dictionary, but go the easier route and use the internet. I am not against the technology movement, but I do believe there has to be a balance of it in one's life and to maintain the use of it.  

Comments

  1. UnknownOctober 26, 2017 at 11:31 AM

    Hi Kesi,

    Feed doesn't sound like a book I'd normally read, but your group's presentation made it sound intriguing! I liked how your video had a lot of futuristic elements to make the book come to life. I think Feed is a book that could definitely be taught to adolescents as a "wake up call." Our society is already so technology dependent that the idea of the feed doesn't seem too far fetched. It's kind of scary when you think about how realistic the book really is!

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  2. UnknownOctober 27, 2017 at 8:36 AM

    Kesi,

    Your group's presentation made this book look so wonderful. After reading your blog post, I'm positive that I want to read this book. In today's time, we revolve around technology and need to survive in everyday life. I can't imagine a life without it. So seeing books like this, where the future is even more tech-savvy, makes plenty of sense to me.

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  3. Victoria VanceOctober 28, 2017 at 10:19 AM

    I LOVED your guys's book trailer, it was awesome! Although given the type of book it is, it wouldn't be the type that I would typically pick up on my own. But, as Danny mentioned before,your argument is compelling enough to make me want to go and read it. The content is very familiar and it presents the case of technology of being good and bad, which is pretty interesting in itself that it doesn't hold to just one perspective.

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