On every single wall of C Block is a large plasma screen. In the ceiling there are inset surround-sound speakers giving an excellent audio quality to the perpetual broadcast that prisoners in C Block experience night and day. Even the bars of the cells are made from transparent, toughened Perspex to allow the prisoners an unblocked and unremitting view of the screens.
The broadcasts consist of a man speaking to the prisoners – usually the same man but sometimes another who looks remarkably like the first man. The men have angular faces and waxed-back hair. They both have mustaches and talk in the same monotonous tone. Just like when your Uncle Ted has to go speak to a foreman, or the management, or has a chance meeting with a member of a higher social rank in the bank or post office.
The prisoners no longer watch. They know what’s coming, after all. But they can’t help but see. The only way not to see the images is to close their eyes. Sure, the screens don’t just show the faces of the mustached men: the broadcasts occasionally cut to scenes to illustrate the point the broadcaster is making. But the prisoners have seen the scenes many times before.
It’s not that those in charge of C Block don’t try to vary the content of the broadcasts. They have a studio, and are constantly trying to create new messages and footage. But, given the 24/7-nature of the broadcasts, they can’t help but include repeats. C Block is an ongoing government-backed experiment: to create a system for prisons all over the world. Government regulations, however, require that the system is tested for ten years, and the prisoners analyzed for their responses and behaviors before it’s finally rolled out. We’re in year seven now.
But it seems to be going well. The prisoners keep themselves to themselves (though it’s hard to hold a conversation above the constant drone of the broadcast), carry out the necessary duties, and behave well. They are given a test every month: an interview to check for any changes in their responses to a variety of questions that test levels of honesty, consideration, and moral views… In fact, everything that a makes a good, responsible citizen. And there are significant improvements.
Let’s listen to what’s being broadcast at this very moment. We’re cutting in mid-broadcast, but you’ll pick it up soon enough, I’m sure:
… To be able to carry out your duties for the good of those around you.
Remember, as a good citizen, to take your responsibility to society seriously. A citizen isn’t just responsible for themselves and their wellbeing. You must think about others and act accordingly. You must take your work seriously, because your work, as well as serving you in the form of a wage, serves the good of the country and the community – business benefits and all other citizens benefit in the form of taxes.
As a good citizen you must always set a good example to others: you must not swear, you must not drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes, you must not spit in public. As a good citizen you must take your duty to your family seriously: whether to your parents, spouse, or children. You must never do anything to jeopardize these relationships, and always act in the highest interests of others and not yourself. If the citizen has desires that may harm other citizens in any way, then these desires must be suppressed. It is the duty of the citizen to suppress all desires that might cause any harm or discomfort to anyone else in the community.
The good citizen will use all waking hours for work or for serving the family or community. There is no time for slacking or playing. There is no serious result from playing, including playing with children. Children can play with each other. Play corrupts society. It makes people lazy and disrespectful. In societies where play is prominent, the serious values and intentions of a community break down.
A serious citizen does not drink beer, spend hours outdoors playing sports, or cooking barbeques.
Take communication seriously. Say what you want to say carefully, succinctly, without expletives, or grammatical laziness.
Take your health seriously. Eat well. Exercise for health not for play. If you are sick, see a doctor and follow his or her advice to the letter. Take doctors seriously. Take any figure in authority seriously. Watch only informative programming on TV. Do not watch sitcoms, quiz shows, dramas, or fictional movies. Watch shows that will inform you of the serious events happening in the world, or educate you about something you are ignorant of. Always keep learning: take your education seriously…
If you like a good movie and a can of beer, let’s hope you don’t end up in C Block because, after months of perpetual broadcast, you probably won’t feel like watching it ever again.
If you prefer, you can go straight to Breaking Through the Wall of the Story.