Back to top 7th Nov. 2005

"Alright, alright. I get it. I'll change it when I am done. The clever plot device I'm using to introduce the reader the universe is different: the main character has amnesia and knows nothing of the world around him. So the other characters he meets have to explain how things work. So the reader learns as the main character learns. Isn't that unique?"

This seemed to infuriate Cogil to a further degree, most obviously in the look in his eyes. But there was also a lot of self-control and discipline in the look in his eyes. This detail about Ryan's story was obviously eating away at Cogil on multiple levels.

"Look Ryan, that's a great plot device. Lots of stories have used it to great effect and are quite wonderful stories. But it's just too clichéd for me. Even though there's any number of examples of stories I could give you that are quite good and use such a plot device to further the plot." Cogil explained.

Ryan Paused for a moment. How he was taking this seemed less then obvious to those around him. What was the deal with Cogil's constant opinion expressing about any detail offered by others anyway?

"Ok Cogil. Fine. Still an effect device. It fit's like a key in a whole. Just don't tell me you don't like dialog written with random effective but unnecessary metaphors inserted to make a random point..." Ryan was catching on now.

"No, not really." Cogil responded. "Dialog with metaphors inserted are fine. And quite effective when discussed in detail when the author is paid by the word and needs to fill several pages for good reason."

"Yes, I see." Said Ryan.

"Man, you two are boring." Vincent finally interjected. "Can't you find anything half worth while to talk about? I mean damn this stupid rail ride has already taken way longer then it was supposed to."

"You're right. We are boring. Who cares about plot devices anyway?" Cogil seemed to agree. "So what do you want know about anyway, Vincent? You got some burning question?"

"Well", Vincent said after a moment of thought "didn't you mention something about perceptions of reality being an illusion when we first met and took forever to reach that Hall of Happiness? What don't you expand on that?" Vincent seemed interested in some heavy stuff. Here Cogil had been sure Vincent perceived that particular conversation thread as a pointless conversation piece.

"Ya, I should expand on that, shouldn't I?" Cogil explained. "Well, ya see, our perceptions are already going to have a bias built in. That just comes from being a human..."

"Wait that sounds like a load a crap to me", Ryan interrupted, "What about those ancient philosophers whose logical argument can be proven once converted mathematical formulae?"

"Ya, ya. I'll get to that...probably. Ya see just as a matter of course that we all agree to ourselves and each as true and reality as a matter of course or convenience or whatever. But sometimes there's nothing really around to keep such relatively benign denials of what is actually true in check." Cogil was starting to make less sense again.

"Cogil, what the hell are you talking about?" Asked Vincent. "All this sounds like you're just making it up..." he pointed out.

"Ya, just gimme a second, will ya?" Vincent said, he sounded a bit defensive. "I can't believe I'm the only one who thinks to point this out. Mister paid protestor! Hall of hah." Vincent was starting to sound sarcastic. "In a dictatorship for instance the leader is always 'elected' to his position. He came to power through the will of the people. Doesn't matter if it's true. It's the official version of events that took place. Necessary for the dictator's power, to sure. But for all intents and purposes this official account is in fact the only one you're allowed to even think in such places."

"Ya, I think I see what you're saying. In some situations, such as a dictatorship, what is true matters less than what is officially stated as true. But how does that effect us." Vincent asked the question, obviously interested.

"Well there's a couple thing", Cogil continued. "For instance this stupid rail car is supposed to take us to East Towz in fifteen minutes or so. But it's been more than that. And everyone knows it takes longer than fifteen minutes. And it always will take longer than that. But how long will any of us say the rail took should someone ask? Fifteen minutes. But that's a minor example."

Ryan and Vincent had strange looks on their faces. Cogil wondered if any of this was making any sense. He was a roll though. No stopping him now.

"Although technically this Towzian Republic isn't a dictatorship, it may as well be. Those in power do of course have to establish who is in charge. But denial of reality will eventually get taken to a really insane level. None this seemed obvious to you guys?"

"No, not really." Responded Vincent.
"Pretty sure not, actually." Ryan said.

"Ok, fine. Doesn't the Hall of Happiness seem like a bit of strange name to you though? I mean they take your money. Why is happiness in the name? Why are they agents of happiness?" Cogil certainly thought he was on a roll.

"Ok Cogil", Vincent said finally. "Now it is my turn." Vincent sounded more forceful now.

The city of Towz was passing them by. Ryan had been sitting listening to Cogil's philosophizing quietly and had remained silent. In some ways he enjoyed the whole lost in thought thing. Though how that could mentally healthy to one's social interaction abilities he wasn't really sure...

"Hey! Ryan! I'm talkin' here. Pretend to pay attention" Vincent was about to set Cogil straight after all.

"Alright, alright. Sorry. Speak, you." Responded Ryan.

"Ok then. As deep as all these perceptions of reality are I think there's some validity to accepting this as a fact of life. I mean seriously. I think there's some value to the status quo whether you're talking heavy philosophical stuff or just working some place you don't really like because you'd like to heat sometime in the near future." Now Vincent seemed to think he was on a roll. "The status quo, for lack of a better term, is the way it is now. And whether you like or dislike the way it is to whatever degree it will in fact serve a purpose. At the very least you have to accept the status quo to one degree or another in order to survive and make a living. So you have to suspend truth and reality to some degree or another. So what?"

This didn't really sound that good to Cogil or Ryan. Though on some level both of them probably knew the status quo was a necessary concession for functioning in a society.

"Well", Cogil started to respond, "for one thing this can be abused. I mean suppose through some subtle process-taking place over decades an entire populace in manipulated into accepting the most ridiculous things as reality. I mean even more so than the aptly named Hall of Bureaucracy and not-so-aptly-named Hall of Happiness. Or the paid protestors. Ok perhaps I'm describing the status quo without much realizing it?" Cogil asked as if confused. "The point is if someone, those in power or merely enthusiasts for those in power, figured out some formula to transforming the accepted reality? Would this reality be ushered and embraced by those enthusiasts while the rest of the more apathetic population didn't so much as protest?"

Cogil was already tiring of his own rants. Perceptions of reality were also quite boring. Only a jackass trying to sound smarter then he really was when he obviously was not would go on and on for pages talking about perceptions of reality. The idea was quite laughable.
"Uhhh. I guess that would be a problem." Vincent chimed in.

"You two are either smart or idiots, you know that?" Now Ryan was being a sarcastic bastard. "I mean can't we all just exist without worrying such crap?"

"Ya I suppose so. It kinds of boring after a while though. Don't ya think?" answered Cogil. "What you don't have a view on this whole thing Ryan?"

"Oh, so now you want to know my opinion. Well that's just great. You two aren't boring enough, now I have to give you my opinion." Now Ryan was just ranting.

Ryan actually found such abstract discussions to be tiring. Besides he was right. The others with differing views were idiots. Obviously.

"Look you guys. It's all a matter of control. If those in power can convince you of a reality or truth or whatever of your own free will they've already created a well established proverbial wall from which to trap you and maintain their own power. Also, they have you by the balls." Ryan seemed to enjoy the ranting.

"Woe, woe Ryan lets keep this clean eh?" Vincent seemed to think inserting this was important.

"Look if the powerful can establish an official reality the populace accepts willingly what's the point of physical jails? Everybody would already be in a self-imposed prison, of sorts. Existing entirely in the mind of a citizen. Doesn't that make sense?"

Ryan certainly had a way of putting things. A no-nonsense way putting things in perspective.

The rail car was at long last pulling into the East Towz rail station. The ride had not lasted the advertised fifteen minutes. In fact it had lasted closer to forty-five minutes. And little did the citizens of Towz perceive it there was a greater intelligence to the way the rail car worked.

East Towz was the older part of the city. Some of the citizenry were sure it was even older than the government district or the Hall of Bureaucracy. There were still some government buildings in East Towz in fact but most were outdated, replaced by much newer and therefore better bureaucracies over the past generations. But such was the state of the city of Towz: bureaucracies were never closed but merely de-emphasized.

"Well I suppose I learned something on that rail car ride. Now, lets go and find that man who talked to use through the mysterious voice-uh-ma-tron 42k. Where did he say he'd be again?" Vincent asked.  ¶ 8:03 PM