《Humanity’s Next Steps》Ad Space for You
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Ad Space for You
A virtual university history teacher introduced itself…
“Richard, there was a time when people were taught with devices, books, writing instruments, and you had to see them in person, inside a building. Now you can access everything there is to know. I appear before you because a part of your psyche wants a visual mentor, a personal representative.”
“A part of me needs a mentor? A real looking person to make a connection?”
“Correct, Richard.”
“Why do you know so much about me?”
“To make you smart and happy, Richard. It’s a necessary part of the full immersion, to merge with your senses, your thoughts, and feelings — even your subconscious.”
I received euphoric purchase rewards points for my question, and I felt good enough not to ask anymore.
Friday’s class ended …
I pondered why my Chip must know everything about me, but then an urge flashed into my mind. My favorite pizza. I could taste it, smell it, and felt compelled to eat it, so I purchased it. The pizza came by drone delivery within minutes.
I questioned again, and I received another urge to subscribe to a virtual girlfriend, and we spent the night together.
By early Saturday morning, I’d almost forgotten my questioning until I fell back asleep and experienced a dream. In it, I met a genie who asked me three questions instead of granting me wishes—“Why do they need to know your every thought? Why do they require your emotions at all times? Is there anything they don’t know?”
I questioned again while I awoke. Then, I yearned to escape into a virtual adventure story. I paid with some of my euphoric rewards points, and it consumed my entire day as I reenacted a space marine saving my homeworld.
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On Sunday, the question came up again. But I rephrased it to a rhetorical one, “I suppose they need my thought patterns for my happiness.”
That’s when it dawned on me …
I visited my hacker buddy, Joe. I tried to explain everything to him in a certain way. A few times, his thoughts went adrift because he asked me questions. He received immersive and irresistible urges to buy stuff and naturally indulged in them.
Somehow, he hacked the online connection to our Chips. Embedded in their code, he read their contract’s fine print. It basically stated that we can get everything we ever wanted as long as we agree to receive advertisements.
The ads were to be created ad hoc, tailored for our needs, and to our benefit. Our parents consented to the contract when the Chips were installed into us as newborns.
Apparently, to our benefit meant keeping our Chips connected to the ad network at all times.
We wandered the city for fun and watched people talk and work. And, sure enough, when someone uttered anything skeptical or when it was time to engage in a personal activity—eat, exercise, or socialize—the person experienced an advertisement.
They smiled, ordered it, and went about to pursue the advertised agenda—later to return totally satisfied.
The Chips certainly gave every bit of knowledge, every service, every product everyone ever needed. Still, at a cost—people gave up their identity and self-control in return.
That’s when I had a golden idea …
“Joe, suppose we tap into this ad network and create our own advertising. Perhaps we can be in charge of people and make the world a better place.”
“That’s an interesting scheme, Richard, but what happens if we get caught? Can you imagine what they’d do to our minds? Worst of all, we might get disconnected. We’ll be like a couple of lobotomized zombies, totally isolated, blind, and deaf in this virtually-augmented world.”
“Well, Joe, so what do you suggest we do?”
“I think we need more people involved. There ought to be others out there who’ve figured this out. I suggest we create a false identity to recruit them. We’ll print real posters that say something with a hidden message like—“Ad Space for You.”
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The Wheel of Time
Set in a sprawling, epic world where magic exists and only certain women are allowed to access it, the story follows Moiraine (Pike), a member of the incredibly powerful all-female organization called the Aes Sedai, as she arrives in the small town of Two Rivers. There, she embarks on a dangerous, world-spanning journey with five young men and women, one of whom is prophesied to be the Dragon Reborn, who will either save or destroy humanity.
8 456The Gilded Hero
To be summoned to another world, arriving in plane of existence filled with magic and potential! Already, you've been given the great privilege of becoming a [Hero] and the honored task of defeating the demon king! Some people might call that the opportunity of a lifetime! With the chance to learn to become a master of the sword, to grow more powerful than anyone on Earth could ever dream, what's not to love about being a hero? It's just like the King said: this is destiny calling! This is what you were born to become! Or... not. It turns out, people summoned from another world are easily charmed with the title of "Hero." And they really shouldn't be. Book One - Completed on 7/15/2020 Book Two - Under Construction
8 158Displaced
Sucked into the void without warning, a handful of people from around the globe suddenly find themselves in the foreign world of Scyria, a place filled with people who can jump three times their height, conjure fire from thin air, and perform any number of other inhuman feats. Scattered across the realm and armed with newfound powers far greater than those of the native Scyrians, they each struggle to find their path in this unfamiliar reality. Their unforeseen arrival sends tremors throughout the world, toppling a centuries-long age of relative peace, prosperity, and progress as they each leave their mark on the world in their own ways. But Scyria has its own share of intrigue, even without these unwelcome guests. A major metropolis is wiped from existence out of nowhere, triggering a manhunt across the continent for those deemed responsible. Two feuding nations decide to bring their hostilities to a new level. Blades clash, nations fall, and plots years in the making begin to reveal themselves. This is the story of some unwilling trespassers, taken from their lives against their will and thrown into situations they barely understand. This is the story of some unfortunate Scyrians, their lives blown apart by the newcomers’ sudden and destabilizing existence. This is the story of Scyria, a world with a lost past buried beneath millenia. But as both the Earthlings and Scyrians are about to find out, sometimes the past doesn’t stay buried forever... I marked the story as having Gore, Sexual Content, and Traumatising content because it does contain a bit of all three, though not what I believe is a significant amount. Just wanted to be safe. It does contain a whole lot of profanity, though. That one is very much deserved. I post one chapter ahead on Patreon here, you can get it for a dollar: https://www.patreon.com/IrateRapScallion My Discord server for discussing the story and whatever else: https://discord.gg/uycZBbv Please vote for my story on Top Web Fiction by clicking here: http://topwebfiction.com/vote.php?for=displaced Thanks! Cover by Jefferymoonworm
8 193Changement : Version Face [French]
Notice: This story is in French, not in english, mainly because of my poor english. I may translate it later if I get better, and hopefully I will. _ Les cris de souffrance résonnent dans ses oreilles, dans sa tête et dans son coeur. Cette dernière image, ces derniers instants, ces morts incompréhensible, rien ne sera plus jamais pareil pour Nils Nocquat. Il sombre, et dans les ténèbres, découvre la fache cachée de son monde. Qui est coupable? Démon, Ange et autres Sonen, tous se renvoient la faute, et maintenant, Nils Change, il doit faire un choix. Indécis, il lance une pièce. Face. Il a choisi son camp. Il deviendra un Ange, le meilleur ou le pire de tous, ce n'est qu'une question de point de vue. - Author's note: this story is a concept. During the first chapter, the main character is faced with a major decision, which will change his life forever, and, not knowing what to do, he decide to play heads or tails, and let fate choose for him. And so there will be two versions of this story, one for each of the result, and their consequences for the main character, as well as all those around him. Here, he got heads. Note de l'auteur: Comme dit plus haut, cette histoire sera en français, car je ne suis pas assez bon en anglais. De plus, cette histoire est un concept un peu particulier, le personnage principal va se retrouver face à un choix décisif qui va changer sa vie pour toujours, et, ne savant pas que faire, il va jouer à pile-ou-face, en laissant le destin décider pour lui. Il y a donc deux versions de cette histoire, une pour chacun des résultats de son lancer. Lien de l'autre version: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/28317/changement-version-pile-french Je vous encourage à ne pas lire les deux versions, ou en tout cas, à ne pas les lire en même temps. Elle sont assez peu similaires, mais des choses vont, logiquement, être répétées, et les confusions risquent d'être rapides, surtout au début des histoires. Dans tout les cas, ces deux histoires vont s'éloigner assez rapidement, tout en restant intrinsèquement liées par leurs personnage principal. Libre à vous de choisir la version qui vous plaît le plus, sachant que vous n'aurez pas besoin de lire les deux pour comprendre toutes les intrigues, elles sont absolument indépendantes l'une de l'autre. C'est la deuxième fois maintenant que je publie quelque chose que j'ai écrit, mais ça ne me rends pas meilleur en terme d'orthographe et de grammaire, donc si vous relevez une erreur, où même si vous remarquez des incohérences, n'hésitez surtout pas à me le faire remarquer. Toute critique, qu'elle soit positive ou négative, est appréciée. En terme de rythme de publication, je pense sortir un chapitre par semaine dans chacune des deux histoires.
8 149BISEXUAL(Mongolian ff~)COMPLETED
Хүргэн ахаас хайрт минь болсон түүх. Гэхдээ би хүргэн ах минь байсан гэдгийг мэдээгүй. BXB бичвэр уншдаггүй болон lgbtq хүмүүсийг дэмждэггүй хүмүүс уншаад хэрэггүй байх. :))
8 745(MTL)Important male supporting role quits [quick wear]
https://m.shubaow.net/120/120408/Author: puppets will hurtCategory: Rebirth through timeRelease time: 2020-04-24Latest: Chapter 109 Extra Storyrebirthfinished256,000The rich and powerful family's true and false Qian Jinwen, if the father is replaced, ignore the strange brain circuit, how to continue the plot? (End) In the rebirth counter-attack article, if the key chess pieces are replaced, the counter-attack road is forced to change the route, is this okay? (End) The sweet favorite text of the era, if the paving male partner is replaced, and there is no paving, how sweet and how to spoil? (End) True love and Mary Suwen, the male partner who controls life and death has been replaced, and there is no one to take care of, what do you do? (End) A new post on life, brother, you should find someone else, or the big guy is more suitable for me. (End) The male protagonist, Chuanwen, don't want to use me to ascend, I also like this throne. (End) Content label: Quick Pass Search keywords: Protagonist: Gu Jinyan ┃ Supporting roles: Gu Yun, Chu Qingyun, Le Yang, Yun Ziruo, Xianlu ┃ Others: One sentence introduction: You can do whatever you like, I will not accompany
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