Self-Destruct

Author:

Stephen Embleton

First published:

Publisher:

Omenana

Set during a pandemic, the isolated and frustrated protagonist is primed for manipulation. Boredom and dissatisfaction clash internally with his low self-esteem and the very human desire for contact out in the real world. The downward spiral of negativity, conspiracies, and social media are a hotbed for disaster.

Read the story

Illustration by Stephen Embleton

Suggested discussion points

  • How do risks posed by technology interact with social isolation?
  • How can this story help us imagine how risks interact and cascade (e.g. social media and pandemics)?
  • How does individual identity and work interact in this story?
  • How might we use this to think about wellbeing and work?
  • We may be able to draw parallels between the events described in ‘Self Destruct’ and lockdowns in Covid-19 – what is useful about this comparison?
  • What might it help us articulate? What is different?
  • What can we parse out about the infrastructure in the story – energy sources and electricity, A/C, news sources/media, delivery services – do they show a wider social and political trend? What are the exceptions?
  • The FreeMzansi campaign starts and social media declares ‘time to get people back to work’ – what role does ‘work’ play in the story – for Zen and more generally?

Related stories