I'm going to try to run a recurring entry on this site called (you guessed it) Computer Fallacy. Using my mad computer skilz, I will try to point out egregious technological fraud perpetrated in books, television, and movies.
Today's fallacy is courtesy of Stephen King's latest novel - Cell.
FALLACY - ALL CHILDREN ARE COMPUTER GENIUSES
Without going into too many details of the book I'll give you this - people go crazy from their cell phones. The mastermind computer whiz in this case is a 12 year-old kid from a boarding school in New England (it's Stephen King, everything is in New England). Without having a computer in front of him, without analyzing a cell phone, and having no details on the pulse that drove people crazy this kid is able to draw on his many years of computer expertise to figure everything out - how it happens, the human brain's response, and how to reverse the effects. Christ, how do I get this kid on my Math Bowl team?
C'mon, King! Gimme a break! I know it's hard to believe, but just because little Johnny has used a computer since age 9 doesn't mean he's Mozart. Kids aren't any more capable on computers than their grandparents, they're just more comfortable around them whereas older folks act like Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer. Comfort != Genius. Kids do two(2) things on computers - play video games and download porn. If you have a computer question that doesn't involve bludgeoning someone to death in GTA 3 or double penetration, look elsewhere for your answer, because a kid won't have it.
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1 comment:
Stephen King has been going downhill for a number of years. Since such horrors books as Pet Cemetary, Cujo, Misery, and Carrie, to other great books like The Running Man, The Green Mile, Shawshank Redemption (all of which were turned into major motion pictures), King has begun to write some truly unbelievable stories. The Langoliers, Tommyknockers, Storm of the Century, Dreamcatcher, etc. all center on less-than-believable stories. Obviously King wants you to use some imagination and think of some things as supernatural, and while his concepts are usually intriguing, they fall short of his 1980's horror genius. I'm just waiting for his first romance novel to come out - you know, the ones mom always reads with Fabio on the cover? Except this time, it'll be King on the cover.
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