The ascendency of Donald Trump during the past decade is such a dramatic story that it’s easy to overlook what made it possible.
It’s increasingly clear that we are being overwhelmed by unimaginably powerful telecommunication networks and the applications and services they make possible. The gap between us and the machines is massive and growing. Modern telecom is so powerful, sophisticated and accessible that it may be impossible to govern as we have in the past.
This project began about four years ago. Little has happened since then to inspire optimism. Indeed, the situation appears more dire today.
These sobering thoughts are the theme of Surviving New America: Hope Thomas and Her Enemies.
The good news is that there is hope. The same tools that point to our demise may ultimately save us. It’s a long road, however.
About the Book
It’s 2029 and Hope Thomas has an abortion in Texas. The state wants to make her the first woman executed under new laws that allow capital punishment for the procedure.
Thomas flees to New Mexico, fights extradition and speaks out on her situation.
About 200 miles away–just outside of Trinidad, Colorado–J&T Industries’ founder and owner Jayson Damond is putting the finishing touches on the small city he is building. The bad news for Damond is that few people are interested in moving in. The hugely expensive bucket list project looks more like a humiliating white elephant than the capstone of a legend’s career.
Damond, who made the bulk of his vast fortune in the telecommunications industry, develops a plan: He renames his city “New America” and announces plans to secede from the United States. He also will acquire Liberty First Network, a dominant right-leaning cable news network, and make it in essence New America’s marketing department. His hope is that this social and political drama will fill his community.
New America continues to struggle. Damond recognizes that he hasn’t taken things far enough. Listing grievances and complaining won’t inspire people to uproot their lives. There also must be an emotional and personal connection. Damond decides to give the people what he realizes they really want: Somebody to hate.
That person is Hope Thomas.
The third major character in the story is Theo Pennimen, Damond’s brilliant protege and business partner. He is deeply ashamed of his role in creating the technology that he now sees is ruining people’s lives and destabilizing society.
Pennimen believes he can atone by turning New America into a massive teaching moment. He will hijack and amp up Damond’s relatively mild vilification of Thomas. The awesome mass communications tools and underlying networking infrastructure J&T developed will create irrational hatred of Thomas.
That hatred and the idea of a new America will inspire thousands to come to New America.
Pennimen then will reveal that he is behind it all. He will show people how easily they surrendered their free will and provide a path forward that turns the technology from dangerous foes into allies and guardians.
Pennimen indeed inspires thousands to sojourn to Colorado. This teaching moment never happens, however. Instead, New America degenerates into a quagmire of conflicting agendas, anger, confusion and violence. Hope Thomas, meanwhile, strives for physical survival, emotional healing…and revenge.