I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom

by Jason Pargin

several people performed what Abbott now recognized as a modern dehumanization ritual: they pulled up their phones and started recording, breaking eye contact to focus on their screen instead. This gesture had a clear meaning: “You are now no longer a person but a vector for engagement. Whatever happens to you from here on out matters only in terms of the quality of content generated.”

“Generally, when you find yourself constantly in the middle of drama, it’s because deep down, you want it that way.”