Page 10 - Middle Georgia State University - Knighted 2019

The feed itself is not directly responsible for Titus feeling null. However, various things
in his life have contributed to the emptiness. Titus feels empty because society itself has failed
him. Society has pushed the feed as the solution for his problems. The feed supports
consumerism, employing non-stop advertising and marketing to each individual’s personal
preferences, and endless entertainment, allowing children like Titus’ little brother to ignore his
family and constantly watch children’s shows. The feed also supports shallow relationships.
Although the other teens chat frequently, their attention spans are brief; they are therefore
unlikely to experience true emotional connection.

Titus lacks the emotional support from his parents to help him deal with his emptiness. A
Taiwanese study on boredom found that involved parents can help a child feel loved and valued;
he or she might not have to seek affirmation from outside sources. Involved parents can inhibit
unhealthy behaviors by providing emotional support and teaching their children how to have
healthy boundaries with technology (Lin et al. 995, 1000). Titus’ parents fail to support him. His
parents affirm his intelligence, even though he performs poorly in school (114). They believe he
is brave after surviving a cyber-attack (118). To prove that they believe he is smart and brave,
they buy an upcar for him. Instead of offering to help him develop strategies to address any
residual fear from the incident, they feed his consumerism. They do not teach him how to have a
healthy relationship with the feed and do not help him how to feel satisfied with what he has.
Titus’ parents are emotionally absent, leaving him to find emotional support somewhere else.

Titus’ behavior through the book points to a deeper issue: he feels empty. On his trip to
the moon, Titus mentions, “The thing I hate about space is that you can feel how old and empty
it is . . . you need the noise of your friends, in space” (4). He mentions wanting a relationship
because he hasn’t had one in a while. He wants the companionship of another person to help him

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