I had higher hopes for the future.
I remember going to school, learning about democracy, memorizing all the shit the world had been through, and thinking: Wow, the future is going to be bright! Spoiler alert: it isn’t.
I went to a doctor. Told her my body couldn’t cope with the impending doom and gloom covering our society, from AI control to nuclear war. Bottled-up anxiety freezes me, leaves me unable to keep working, unable to keep pretending all is fine.
My doctor, well-intended, gave me a way out: “Do you know the circle of influence?” As she explained the concept, -as if I’d never heard of it-, I knew this was my sign.
The night before, my friend and I had been discussing why people use this demonic circle to force others to focus only on what they can control. Is it a way to ensure every citizen keeps pushing their boulder up the hill, smiling all the while? Is it a way to prevent people from challenging the system? Is it the coping mechanism of someone who was once a rebel, but lost their spirit? Like I’ve lost mine?
I dared my friend to transform the circle of influence into something that actually matters. With a slick reverse-uno move, he tossed the challenge right back at me. “Challenge accepted,” I said, my mind already racing with ideas.
Flynn vs. the world 
Leave a comment