Introduction: Infomocracy Chapter 7 Main Menu

Introduction: Infomocracy Chapter 7

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"Infomocracy" is one of science fiction works by Malka Older. It takes place in the latter 21st century. It includes 100,000 voters (called centenals) and there are thirty-three different government candidates to join the global president election. It is a huge number; it is considered hyper-real. 

The following section from Infomocracy introduces the third election cycle in the world's first global government, Microdemocracy and Supermajority in global election, and the different perspectives and positions between different roles. From the very beginning, the author--Malka Older portrayed the reader an unfamiliar scene--Global Election. There are at least five main roles mentioned at the beginning chapters, such as Domaine, Ken, Mishima, Suzuki, and Shamus. For example, for Ken, this is his chance to do right by the idealistic Policy 1st party and get steady job in the big leagues. For Domaine, he is a rabble-rousing anarchist, this election represents another staging ground in his ongoing struggle against. For Mishima, she is a dangerous information operative. Malka Older through described different events to make these people connect and interact with each other; then, to exhibit a delicate relationship between them. All of the characters, events, and the global election were happened and presented to readers step by step. 

The first debate for the third global election start. There are thirty three governments candidates to participate for the election; each government starts their opening statement and talk about their perspectives for each question, such as law and order. Except common people participate this event, Ken, Mishima, and Yoriko also watch this first debate. This part is one of most important part in this book. The reason why chose this chapter is through this chapter, we can see how Ken, Mishima, and Yoriko are concerned about this election. Although they are in different countries during that time period, such as jakarta, Singapore, and Naha, but all of them watch this election process at the same time. Also, chapter 7 reflect people's attitudes of each governemtn. For example, when Policy 1st talked about their opinions about law, Ken nods his head and very satisified the governemtn's thoughts. In contrast, Ken grind his teeth when Heritage speak something.

At the beginning of chapters, it main talks about how those persons through different ways to collect information about governemtn in order to convince people vote or don't vote. All the charaters' previous actions are prepared for the election (support their sides or protest the election), so this part can connect to one of important sections of election and it is one of most highest points in this book.

The following excerpt includes footnotes, as well as annotations on some references.

Introduction, Infomocracy by Malka Older

(Add) Here is a table from Infomocracy Chapter 7:


This table indicates the campaign promise and the results of the promise; also, it includes Ken's response to different policies. It is not difficult to see the perfect policies which candidates make promise in the campaign are not exist yet. It is an election game. Whose thoughts, opinions, ideas, even policies are most close to citizens' real needed (benefit to them), the candidate might be win the super-majority. Because between people and people, they will interact with each other. Those people who already were convinced by candidates, they might be tell their relatives, friends, or workmates. And their friends or workmates might also tell their friends or relatives. Step by step, the number of voters would be increased. It can be considered as "Domino Effect". Below is one part to description about "domino effect" from Infomocracy:

"Convince one centenal to vote for you, and its citizens will tell their friends and relatives and business contacts, hopefully bumping you up in the Supermajority race by several counts without your actually having to go out to the sticks to campaign. Some people say the phrase "domino centenal" was coined here"(46).

It is means that in a interconnected system, "a small initial energy may produce a series of chain reactions". For example, all cards already there one by one, we just push the first card fall down, all the cards will fall down one by one. If make mistake in one step, all the results will be changed. The result of a good practice is a good one; if do a bad practice, and the end result is a bad. It can reveal the positive and negative power of the effect. Candidates' public speaking can affect citizens' voting at every minute, even every second. We can see that in chapter 7, not only policy 1st, but also Heritage and Liberty indicate that they will make most suitable policies for citizens; even Heritage always say beautiful words in order to gain super-majority during the election debate period. 
All above can throughout the whole book.

 

Works Cited
(Include the encoded page and current page)

Malka Older. "INFOMOCRACY". 2016.

"Domino Theory". History. 2009. Accessed 01 Dec 2017. http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/domino-theory

"THE AMAZING TRIPLE SPIRAL (15,000 DOMINOES)". YouTube. Accessed 01 Dec 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lo6x4eulY9g
 
 



 
 
 

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