Duncan's ETEC540 Space

Task 12 – Speculative Futures

Describe or narrate a scenario about a document found a generation into a future in which “progress” has continued. Your description should address issues related to drones and elicit feelings of embarrassment.

The bill is tattered. Obviously crumpled up and thrown away before someone fished it out of whatever refuse it was a part of before half-heartedly smoothing out. It’s a bill, as is evidenced by the arrears notice at the top. There’s an outstanding balance of over $700. A highlighted line points the recipient to a URL, directing them to “BUY NOW PAY LATER” instalment plan options.

The itemized portion of the receipt is as follows:

Date       - Restaurant      - Cost   - Drone delivery surcharge - Tip  - Total
2049-01-05 - Burger Haven    - $15.00             - $35.00     - $10.00 - $60.00
2049-01-06 - Pizza Palace    - $18.00             - $30.00     - $11.00 - $59.00
2049-01-08 - Taco Town       - $12.00             - $40.00     - $10.40 - $62.40
2049-01-08 - Sushi Express   - $22.00             - $33.00     - $13.75 - $68.75
2049-01-09 - Noodle Nirvana  - $17.00             - $29.00     - $11.50 - $57.50
2049-01-11 - Chicken Shack   - $14.00             - $38.00     - $11.00 - $63.00
2049-01-12 - Burger Haven    - $15.00             - $35.00     - $10.00 - $60.00
2049-01-12 - Pizza Palace    - $18.00             - $30.00     - $11.00 - $59.00
2049-01-15 - Taco Town       - $12.00             - $40.00     - $10.40 - $62.40
2049-01-15 - Sushi Express   - $22.00             - $33.00     - $13.75 - $68.75
2049-01-17 - Noodle Nirvana  - $17.00             - $29.00     - $11.50 - $57.50
2049-01-18 - Chicken Shack   - $14.00             - $38.00     - $11.00 - $63.00
Summary:

Total Cost of Food: $196.00
Total Delivery Cost: $410.00
Total Tips: $135.30
Grand Total: $741.30

Besides a mini-fridge and a microwave, the downtown microapartment where the bill is found has no kitchen appliances to speak of. There’s no balcony, but one of the exterior windows opens up to a metal box that hangs precariously against the outside of the building. A label on the box reads “KEEP WINDOW CLOSED DURING DELIVERY PROCESS”. The building is all apartments identical to this one, with no common area. The exterior of the building lined with boxes outside every window, drones incessantly swooping in and flying off. From far enough back, it looks like a beehive, its worker drones dutifully serving the queen.

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duncan hamilton

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Comments

One response to “Task 12 – Speculative Futures”

  1. Katy Richards Avatar
    Katy Richards

    Duncan,

    I enjoyed reading your speculative futures post, and liked that you wrote it in the narrative style and included some visual elements text/imagery of a receipt to add some detail to your post and helps the reader understand your vision. My post had a similar addition, and took up about as much time as the writing of the post. Anyway, I enjoyed the way the drone surcharges and delivery fees drove up the price on the bill- a concept I am all too familiar with. Although I wonder about some of the initial price points for food items- given the way that inflation impacts prices, perhaps you could have done more here to gouge the future consumer.

    Your prompt was a little challenging- blending the impacts of drones while eliciting feelings of embarrassment? You navigated this well by painting a picture of a desolate future and some unfortunate living circumstances. I’m currently travelling around Europe and I am always cognizant of the use of space in living accommodations here. In North America, we typically have big houses with yards, but this is not the norm for much of the world. I think your narrative is very accurate here in depicting a future of apartment living and cramped conditions.

    Well done on the post,

    Katy

    Reply

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