What's Expected of Us

”What's Expected of Us” is a science fiction short story by American writer Ted Chiang, initially published on 6 July 2005 by Nature.[2] The story was also included in the 2006 anthology Year's Best SF 11 and in the 2019 collection Exhalation: Stories.[3][4][5]

"What's Expected of Us"
Short story by Ted Chiang
LanguageEnglish
Genre(s)Science fiction
Publication
Published inNature
Publication typeMagazine
Publication date6 July 2005[1]

Plot summary

A small device, the Predictor, looks like a remote control. It consists of a button and a green display. When you press the button, the screen flashes. However, it flashes a second before you click on the button—in fact sending a signal from the future. Millions of these devices have been sold. The Predictors create a dystopic world by providing evidence that free will is actually a myth—the future is predetermined and fixed. As a result, people become lethargic and just stop eating entirely.

See also

References

  1. Chiang, Ted (July 2005). "What's expected of us". Nature. 436 (7047): 150. doi:10.1038/436150a.
  2. Crichton, Danny (February 16, 2020). "Can we debate free will versus destiny in four pages?". TechCrunch. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  3. Oates, Joyce Carol (May 6, 2019). "Science Fiction Doesn't Have to Be Dystopian". The New Yorker. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  4. Martinez-Conde, Susana (December 16, 2016). "What Choice Do We Have?". Scientific American. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  5. Sheehan, Jason (May 10, 2019). "Take A Breath And Dive Into 'Exhalation'". NPR. Retrieved 29 April 2021.


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