Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

This was not a fan moment or the Nobel aura but I saw this on the isle, and since I already read the other works earlier so this was an easy pick.

I didn't understand what AF (artificial friend) stands for until it was explained later in the book. Same is the case with "lifted". It could've meant anything but here it was for the people whose DNA was altered.

The story is in a dystopian future, and the narrator is a robot Klara (AF) who was bought by a lifted girl. The girl is having some life threatening issues due to the lifting.

Well, the AF is sensitive, and a good observer. Since it takes its power from sun, it believes that sun is the nourisher of the world, and can actually bring the dead to life.

And there is a love angle of dying girl (Josie) and a not lifted boy (Rick). There is a scientific subplot as well but that will be a spoiler.

Nobody can say anything about author's writing style, and this one does a justice to his reputation.

It is very much possible that some readers might find it stretching or boring but I looked at it as a story of life even when death was just around the corner. I was not really looking forward to the end of it (like in case of a detective novel) but for me it could have ended anywhere but still complete.

The larger thought is that with all the scientific advances if we end up somehow preserving the human consciousness than it is not going to make much difference in isolation. We all have a personality/consciousness but this doesn't belong to us only. It is formed by the people and environment around us. You take it away from those people and out of the environment than it is not what it was.

Sounds complicated! But yes worth a read.

Peace!

The Tyranny of Merit: What’s Become of the Common Good? by Michael J. Sandel

This took some time to digest. It does ring a bell but will not say that it echoes my thoughts.

Fairness is an unfair word, and there is nothing like an equal opportunity. But the one thing which was very clear was how the politicians sometimes pick up a wrong tagline, and try to mould everything around it. You can't bend a lot or you will break it.

So, the idea here is that does merit is the new oppressor. It is very much evident that the society claps for the success which actually influence everything to a rat race. If we're going to change how the meritocracy works, the first task would be to change the perception of it. And this is not just for the higher education, where the book starts and ends, but also for all the other criterions of the success.

Maybe the whole idea of doing good in life has to be separated from the money you earn. I'll not go into who should be taxed more or the wage equality but a lot of these ideas need a closer scrutiny before forming any opinions.

Peace