How we cite our quotes: (Book.Section.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Dan sighed loudly. "You do know that we like to hear from people, right? That Circlers' opinions are valued?"
"Of course."
"And that the Circle is predicated, to a large extent, on the input and participation of people like yourself?" (1.28.40-42)
This tiny remark that Dan makes to Mae Holland may not seem earth-shattering, but it strikes to the heart of one of the cautionary messages that Dave Eggers is sending in The Circle. As Dan's off-the-cuff comment makes clear, one of the reasons why the Circle is so greedy for its users' time is that their input keeps the company running. Without user participation, the Circle would fade away like any other obscure technology.
Quote #8
Josiah rolled his eyes. "No, I mean, this is a tangent, but my problem with paper is that all communication dies with it. It holds no possibility of continuity. You look at your paper brochure, and that's where it ends. It ends with you. Like you're the only one who matters. But think if you'd been documenting. If you'd been using a tool that would help to confirm the identity of whatever birds you saw, then anyone can benefit—naturalists, students, historians, the Coast Guard. Everyone can know, then, what birds were on the bay on that day." (1.28.153)
Circlers like Josiah and Eamon Bailey do their best to convince Mae Holland that she's being, like, totally selfish when she tries to enjoy a bit of privacy—but how convincing are their arguments? Is Mae really being greedy with her time and her knowledge if she refuses to document everything online?
Quote #9
Josiah leaned forward. "How do you think other Circlers feel, knowing that you're so close to them physically, that you're ostensibly part of a community here, but you don't want them to know your hobbies and interests. How do you think they feel?"
"I don't know. I don't think they'd feel anything."
"But they do!" Josiah said. "The point is that you're not engaged with the people around you!" (1.28.69-71)
This is another of the many scenes in The Circle where we see that the Circlers are greedy for one another's attention and time. Why exactly is it Mae Holland's responsibility to satisfy the emotional needs of her colleagues?