65 Books in a Year: Book #10 Stupid Perfect World

I think this is actually a short story...or novelette or something small like that, but Goodreads counted it, so, for now I will count it.

I have no idea why it's so short...it's like it's a teaser for something else, something else that is already for sale and I missed the memo and only got this small thing.

I love the premise of this story and I gosh darn wish it was a whole book, just when it was getting good...good little book...good-bye.

Anyway, in order to create a perfect future people have gotten rid of everything that makes the world human. There are no cravings, , no one is overweight, there are no needs or desires. Of course, in doing this Earth is devoid of war (we no longer have emotions), there's no hunger (we eat because we have to and everyone has enough) and there isn't any disease (kids don't even understand the common cold. Things are up loaded directly into their brains...I'm not sure why they even have teachers and there isn't a need to sleep. There aren't even beds in their bedrooms (as having a bed implies only one thing even asking your parents for one can lead you into an uncomfortable conversation). Students learn about the old times through a class where the major project is choosing one of these old world problems to have for two weeks and then reporting on what happens in the end. I like that this future world doesn't want their children to forget, but I wonder if it's working...

While reading this little book, I kept trying to figure out a] how I could use this story in my classroom (we're in an SF unit right now) and b] what this 'Scarcity' Class would look like now...imagine if you will students nowadays having to go back to some old way of doing things...maybe they have to talk to one another on a rotary phone only or they have to pass notes to communicate...I don't know. I think it would be fun.

I like the alternating narration and it's funny to think about how lack of sleep and teen hormones can have the same crazy outcome.

After finishing this story I wanted to read Hamlet in the rain on a rooftop...I also wanted to watch "High School Musical 3", I'm sure you see the correlation.

I love this story. I wish it had more to it. The only problem? I'd really miss sleeping...I'm not sure I see that as a waste of time at all.