the dimples of delglacey
- On second thought, sometimes Titus worries that Violet may be too smart for him. See, he's not very good at SchoolTM.
- In Titus's opinion, SchoolTM isn't near as bad as it was back in his grandparents' time, when it was run by the government, and so completely Nazi-ish. Plus, back then everything kids learned was useless and boring.
- Now, though, the corporations run SchoolTM and focus mostly on how to use the feed, to be a good consumer, to get a job, and to "find bargains" (25.4).
- For real tho, that sounds kind of useful.
- Titus compares himself to Violet, who is smart, and who reads lots of things about how the environment is dying, and about politicalevents happening all around the world. These things depress her, but she still wants to know what's going on.
- Titus tells her that it's useless to become depressed about these things, so she should instead do something about it. Violet figures nothing can change with the American political system being the way it is.
- He insists that America is a democracy and you have to believe that the people can change things. Violet counters that it's definitelynot a democracy.
- Here's where Titus gets kind of irked at Violet. He thinks she's not like herself in these moments, and instead she's more like thegoth-like girls at SchoolTM, who dress in all black and hang out harassing the rest of the students for being "capitalist fool[s]" and "propaganda tool[s]" (25.11).
- Wait, does Titus go to our high school?
- Sarcastically, Titus says America is fascist.
- And then Violet's like, "No, it's a republic." She explains that if America really were a democracy, then the people would decidehow things work.
- Titus seems totally on board with this, and says that people could just all vote from their feeds.
- Hold the phone. There's one big problem with that, which Violet points out: only about 73% of the American public have feeds. So, thatwould leave out a pretty big chunk of the populace.
- Titus feels stupid, because he didn't realize there were that many people without feeds.
- Turns out, Violet didn't always have the feed. Her family couldn't afford it when she was born, so she didn't get it until she was seven.
- Violet points out that people who have had the feed since birth are unaware of a lot of things, and that basically America is "raisinga nation of idiots" (25.30).
- Suddenly, she realizes that she's basically just called Titus an idiot. Awkward! There's an unspoken acknowledgement between the two that Titus is, indeed, kind of stupid.
- Later that night, after Titus returns home, he asks his mom if he's stupid, and she tries to comfort him by saying he's a "nontraditionallearner" (25.34).
- The next day, though, Titus comes home even more down on himself, because he bombed a test. He feels even worse when he talks to Violet, and she's "learning ancient Swahili" or something.
- Trying to cheer him up, his 'rents tell him that he is just the kid they wanted. Titus has the best features of his mom and his dad andsome second-rate Hollywood movie star—all genetically-engineered to their specifications from the conceptionarium.
- Well, all this is beside the point, because his parents want to reward Titus for his bravery (in being randomly hacked on the moon), so theydrop some big news on him: he's getting a brand new upcar!
- Totally psyched, Titus revels in his fat line of credit and links to various dealers. Oh, and now he doesn't feel quite so stupid anymore.