The Commodity of Emotions

The Apricity machine holds a space in the lives of the main characters, and the idea of the machine remains a thread in this novel. The pursuit of happiness is one of the unalienable rights within the Declaration of Independence, perhaps even codified into the national character of the citizens of the United States. Citizens spend a considerable amount of money to obtain happiness: travel, going to the movies, buying electronics or other consumptive goods. Currently, self-improvement products are multi-billion-a-year industry. Fast-forward two decades and enter the Apricity Corporation. This new technology has managed to harness the wildly complex neurological world of happiness. With a simple swipe of cells from the inside of one’s cheek, the Apricity machine generates a DNA-based plan for one’s happiness. Theoretically, no two would be alike. No more hours at the gym, no meditation, no reading...