a promise

world heritage post

The algorithm knows you are sick before you know you are sick. You are shown ads for Imitrex, the warning signs of cluster migraines. You go to a doctor and are prescribed medication. A few weeks pass and you are shown ads about the warning signs of depression and are shown ads for a specific anti-depressant. You go to a doctor and after some consultation with a psychiatrist are prescribed Lexapro. You meet someone, fall in love. The algorithm suggests buying an engagement ring. You do so. You make a reservation at a nice restaurant for later in the week. You open up a webpage and there’s an ad for divorce lawyers near you. You try to convince yourself that it’s crazy. But every webpage you visit, you are followed by ads for divorce attornies. You break off contact. You isolate yourself. You begin to stay in bed longer, hide in your room, staying up late, sleeping until one or two p.m. You begin to see ads about the warning signs of schizophrenia. That’s can’t be right, you think, closing your computer. No way. You don’t have any symptoms. Everywhere website you visit, ads for schizophrenia medication, ads for private treatment facilities, ads; you begin to see patterns. The man sitting beside you on the bus is going to take you away. The woman is part of the algorithm. The algorithm is everywhere, knows everything about you. You throw your computer in a dumpster, toss your phone in a lake. You haven’t been to work in a month. You are forcibly removed from your apartment. You hitchhike up north, are arrested for stealing from a convenience store, you see the algorithm in the cop and you try to explain that he’s part of the numbers that know everything, you grab at him, trying to make him see, and he knocks you backward, tackles you, and the back of your head smashes against the concrete—

[ID: An outlined drawing of two angels, one with short hair and one with long hair, embracing. A heart is drawn above them. End ID].