Tea Time: Lychee Tea from Clipper Tea Co

And in this pic you'll also see some oat cookies I've baked. Here's the recipe if you would like to make 'em. I'll probably make these again with more oats rather than flour.

I've learnt that if you want to make soft cookies, you should use brown sugar, and white sugar for the crispy ones. (But imagine how much white sugar Famous Amos uses!)

I recently stumbled upon an oats muffin recipe too, so I hope to try that out soon.



Today's book is called Infinite Detail by Tim Maughan. I just finished it last night.

What's it about: 

In a constant surveillance, super connected society, lies an area that jams all digital signals, the Croft. It's a safe haven where you disconnect from the main network.

Later, an act of cyber terrorism permanently switched off the Internet. Everything collapses - global trade, communication, travel. Machines stop producing stuff.  Goodbye convenience. Goodbye warmth from heaters. Goodbye. 

But the Croft continues, though they struggle to make sense of what's left.

Thoughts:

The number one thing you can probably relate to in this book is how connected everyone is. They wear 'spex', or digital smart glasses, that help them scroll through feeds, message others etc. Basically all the things we do with our phones now.

But algorithms run their lives. People in high positions don't know what they're doing anymore - there's not really a use for leadership because well,the AI took over. They took the jobs, they took the leadership. They decide what is relevant to you. They show you ads and opinions they want you to see. It's all an echo chamber. No one can decide what's the truth.

As a result, rebel groups form. They want to break free. They want an alternative lifestyle. They want change. Who wants to be slaves to a digital empire? (But maybe we already are.)

So one of the groups manage to take down the Internet, and chaos ensues. You can start a revolution, and you may even win it. But do you have an actual plan for what comes after? If people still suffer, is it still a win?

In reality there have been instances where groups topple the incumbent government, but end up doing nothing much that is different. Yes, there's the heady excitement that things are changing. But nothing really changes. Back to old days. It's like a different name, but same old thing. People seem resigned to their fate.

There's a pervading sense of eeriness throughout the book as it is possible that one day the Internet will cease to exist for us. What a thought.


A World, Disconnected

Back in the book, people start to salvage. People go back to pre-tech life and farm. People make do. It's a little bit like how the world works after a zombie apocalypse (see: Walking Dead). Structures die.

The new children will never know what the Internet is. To them, it's merely a myth, as far away as the idea of dinosaurs and far flung continents they have never travelled to, and only heard about.

The ending is pretty open-ended... maybe good for a sequel. I like the book for its attempt to discuss things that are plaguing us now - fake news, our dependence on technology, privacy issues. Plot wise I don't particularly like any of the characters though!

And that's all for today's tea time. A little less light-hearted I suppose!

Till next time :)
Skye