Governments across the world over history have been known to try to control their people through restrictions on the most important right humans have: knowledge. By controlling what you read, they control what you think. On this episode of Smirk, Amanda’s story leads us into a discussion on what the world of the future would look like, if reading was taken away from us all.
Welcome to Smirk. A podcast that covers society and culture through a storytelling lens. Part creative writing, part discussion, and always interesting. Each week our hosts brings a story to the show, a story they wrote themselves, which is immediately followed by discussion on the author’s moral or theme. These stories can cover any topic the host wants to discuss, it can be lighthearted or more serious. No one but the author knows if these tales are truth or fiction, and part of the fun is guessing while you’re listening before the reality is made clear. We want to hear from you! If you want to share YOUR story, join the conversation by writing in to mystory@smirkpodcast.com, and include your moral, or you can let us guess at it. This is the podcast that looks at truth, fiction, and reality. With a Smirk. Don’t forget to subscribe to Smirk and share the show with your friends!
Want to read Amanda’s story “The Outlaw” in full? Think you can identify the moral or theme for this episode? Read it below, and then take a listen to the podcast.
The Outlaw
Today, we began renovating our outdoor barn that came with the land and house we purchased. I remember hearing in my classes about this horrible time back in the 2000s where this man took control of the country with everyone’s permission and made people their slaves. But only the poor people. He took their money, land, everything, and books were even outlawed. It was really bad. And the people that helped him, he let them be free.
Most of them died before he did, but there was one woman who saved the rest. No one really knows how, well there’s rumors, but that’s all they are, y’know.
So anyway, as I was tearing apart this barn, I found this book. I started reading through it and thought it was fake, but i think it might be real! It made me decide I want to record myself making a diary using my hologram replicator. Here’s my favorite page:
“May 3rd, 2068.
“You watch too much TV, go read a book”. I haven’t heard that being said in a long while. No one makes that suggestion anymore, or else you’d lose a limb… Or worse.
We’ve been enslaved to these people for what feels like centuries but it can’t be; not if I can remember my life without this. They’re horrible to us – and the scars on my body could tell you that story. You’d think we were responsible for something bad happening to them but all we’ve ever done is be alive at the wrong time. The man in charge, they believe he saved us all, but that’s because they’ve still got everything they need.
He did help though, for a little bit. Our country was in ruins, absolutely just crumbling to pieces. He found a way to privatize electricity through his company and gave that commodity away for free to the public using a government grant. Good way to get people on your side, huh?
Yeah, well, those same people Dimitri was helping are the same people he inevitably took advantage of; the poor, the impoverished, the everyday people. He was smart. He knew he could wrap everyone around his finger – which included every military leader of every branch and they all bowed at his feet. His dictatorship has reigned for far too long but those who helped him get here, he gave back to, so the rest of us are just stuck.
I had a friend, his nickname was Stud because he was the worst carpenter you’d ever meet. He never once actually found the “stud”. Anyway, Stud used to read a lot too, we were always those book worms everyone made fun of, and he told me about this book that’s out there with only a few remaining copies to be found, and in it lies the truth about Dimitri… Enough to change the way people think of him. Enough to free us.
It’s been eight months since Stud told me that and mysteriously disappeared, but I think I found a copy. I have it hidden in the wall. They’re broken down anyway, so it makes for good hiding spots. That’s where I keep this diary for safe keeping. If I can read it and set us free, I’m going to do it.
No matter what it takes, Val.
So that’s her name: Val. She’s my new hero. She’s the reason I can read this and the reason I’m gonna start telling stories when I get older. She saved so many people and I can’t wait to show this book to my parents and everyone else. She gave life back to everyone.