Prompt 9

I feel like the book makes body modifications the normative action in society. Case is labeled a “virgin” because he has no modifications. This is completely different from the bodies discussed during the other sections of the class.

I like Molly’s modifications. I feel like women in today’s society are considered weaker than men, and they are taught that it is important to learn defend themselves. For example, my roommate carries around pepper spray when we go downtown. However, Molly has blades that come out from under her burgundy nails. The new form of modifications allows her to be protected at all times w/out having to grab something from her purse or carry it around. That modification is the most practical out of most modifications we have discussed in class. This is a type of technology because it is not normally part of the body, but something added on to help it.

I also like the concept of alternative realities. Case can easily go from the real world in his physical body to another world in cyberspace. He is not restricted by his body’s limits because he can be in multiple places at once. This is not possible without technology. (exception: standing on the city border from the movie “A Walk to Remember;” I think that is the movie!!) Not only can case be in the physical world and in cyberspace, but he can enter another person’s body. He can actually feel what other people feel. I think this is the ideal situation for women now because guys never know what women want. If they could actually go inside the women, like Case does, they could feel and view things from a woman’s perspective. Except for the fact of losing all of your privacy, it is an awesome idea. People can literally “step in someone else’s shoes.” I guess there would be huge problems with this technology, but the idea sounds cool if you are the only one that could do it. If everyone could, it would probably cause major chaos. Overall, I think the modifications in this book are really amazing because they can take on multiple meanings and have different uses, like the examples above.