BLOCK-CHAINS | The Entrance of Big Brother (A Conspiratorial Play)

Japan, late December, 2008. A lone figure walks in briskly, hands in long coat, into a telephone booth, shuts the door, brings out a large device, connect the device to the telephone, picks up the receiver and dials a number

NAKAMOTO: (RINGS) Hello, who is this?

SATOSHI: It’s me Satoshi. I think we have a problem.

NAKAMOTO: What problem? (Walks to a workstation, taps the operator and signals to the phone). What problem Sat? And why are you calling from an encrypted line?

SATOSHI: We have to cancel the program. Everything. It is…

NAKAMOTO: (Alarmed! Cuts in) What? Hold on. (Takes a deep breath.) What did you just say?

SATOSHI: I said we need to end the Blockchain program. There are too much at risk. I see it now. It could be easily manipulated.

NAKAMOTO: What do you mean? You are safe and unknown. Same with me. Everything is set to launch next year. What is the problem now?

SATOSHI: I had a dream, a terrible dream. I saw all kinds of evil things happening. Evil…

NAKAMOTO: You’ve been having nightmares ag…

SATOSHI: (Cuts in) No! This isn’t about the nightmares. Something bad is going to happen. And it is going to use our technology.

NAKAMOTO: (Chuckles). I think you need a good drill. This is all…

SATOSHI: (Cuts in) No! I’m serious. Let me explain. You know the Blockchain is used for transactions right? Well, it could be used for something more. I hacked into the Laboratory server and…

NAKAMOTO: (Alarmed) You did what? I’ve told you to stop doing that. You could expose your identify.

SATOSHI: You don’t understand. What is coming is far worse than exposing my identity. They are planning a future. A terrible future. They are planning to build a world operated on the Blockchain.

NAKAMOTO: Well, I don’t see what evil could come from that.

SATOSHI: Argh! Come on! Can’t you see? A world build on the Blockchain is a world build on computers. How do I explain this? Computers do not feel the way we do. So they are going to assign digits. You know the encrypted addresses we talked about, they are going to restrict it to one individual. It is going to be assigned at birth.

NAKAMOTO: That great! It could ease the tax system, could…

SATOSHI: (Cuts in) Could reduce man to just numbers. These people are building a world where each person is assigned an importance score along side their addresses based on their family financial status, affiliation to the elite few and state of origin. World leaders, billionaires, their families, they are going to get huge scores. While the general masses are going to left at very low scores. And that isn’t all, the individual addresses are going to be grafted with the person’s DNA. I am talking about a microchip. It is going to be inserted in everyone s body. I saw the plans, I saw it with my own eyes.

NAKAMOTO: (signs) I don’t understand what has come over you Sat. I know you’re great innovator and a brilliant scientist. But don’t you think you are taking this too far? When last did you see Dr Waston? I’m sure…

SATOSHI: (Cuts in) Stop it. Just stop it. I am not going mad. My God, can’t you see?

NAKAMOTO: See what?

SATOSHI: Aright, picture this. The Blockchain will be use to dispense social amenities. Now consider healthcare. First, if only one kind of drug is legalised than that is the end of the other drugs. This system could detect those who are breaking the law and hunt them down. Hell, it isn't even a hunt. The Blockchain will know where everybody is through the chip. Besides, the rich, due to their high score will have better access to quality healthcare. They will be like the whales of the system.

NAKAMOTO: Okay I think I’m…

SATOSHI: And that's not all. Consider the tax system you talked about. Imagine everyone is connected and monitored by the Blockchain. You will have no control over the tax you pay. It is going to be removed from your account ‘prompto’. Think about it , the government, the elite will have everyone’s wallet within their reach. There is nothing anyone can do about it. That’s the end of activism. That’s the end of privacy and freedom. It will be the entrance of big brother.

NAKAMOTO: (The operator signals him. He murmurs to someone to come forward. Whispers something into his ears) I now understand your point Sat. But we aren't building a Blockchain technology that can be manipulated by any government. It is a decentralised…

SATOSHI: (Aggravated. Cuts in.) Don’t bullshit me. We both know the Blockchain can be manipulated. Maybe not ours but what about others that will be built modelling ours? Imagine a government declaring their own cryptocurrency and everyone gets hooked on it. But in the codes, and you know the codes are everything… In the codes make some tweaks that nobody pays attention to. Elections could be rigged. It’s going to be hard getting the Blockchain generally accepted. But these people are ready to wait. Once it is time, they will launched theirs. What was it you used to day ‘he who controls your money controls your life’. That’s what is going to happen. The government can see your funds and track how you spend it. It is big brother in the making. Besides, what about the one million commuters mainframe we always joke about. A single mainframe computer acting as one million computers. Imagine that kind of computer connected to the Blockchain…. Say five of them… They will be able to control the network.

NAKAMOTO: We both know that isn't possible. That can’t happen. You are just being paranoid.

SATOSHI: Paranoid? Paranoid, you say? Well, I am being paranoid and I demand we shut this thing down. At least, until we can work in some safe fails.

NAKAMOTO: Aright. I hear you. Where are you. I think we need to meet and straighten this out?

SATOSHI: We can’t . I’ve left the states. I am now in Japan.

NAKAMOTO: (The operator nods to him. Tries to sound surprised) Japan? Where? Why?

SATOSHI: Don’t worry about my location. Just shut down the program. I have a very bad feeling about this. You know I’m always right about things like this.

NAKAMOTO: I understand. (Someone comes to him and nods. He nods in return)

SATOSHI: (Senses the hesitation) Hey! Are you still there? I need to go now. I love you Naka.

NAKAMOTO: I know you love me Sat.

SATOSHI: Yeah, I do. Say you love me (hears a click)

NAKAMOTO: (Silence)

SATOSHI: Naka, do you… (hears click again) I think this call is being traced. I have to go.

NAKAMOTO: Wait! Sat, I really do not love you.

SATOSHI: What?

NAKAMOTO: I have a wife and children here in Japan. And I am not a freelance liberal programmer, or whoever I told you I am.

SATOSHI: What are you saying Naka? You are in Ja…

NAKAMOTO: What I am saying is the journey ends here…

SATOSHI: (Cuts in) Journey? What are you saying? Is this one of your jokes?

NAKAMOTO: ...and I’ll have to continue the Blockchain on my own. It’s too late to change anything. You will be remembered eternally as the originator. Goodbye Satoshi (Nods to the operator.)

SATOSHI: Wh…

(A single shot fired. The following day headlines: Woman shot dead in phone booth)

The end

This is my entry for the BLOCK-CHAINS | A Conspiracy Writing Contest IV. I had this done about two days ago but couldn't publish it due to the malaria eating at me. I'm feeling better now, though.

What do you think about the play?

Good enough? (Tell me in the comment section below)

Blessings

image source