Flatland In The Future

Flatland in the Future

If "Flatland had been written in a time like now, the story would take on a whole different meaning. The story in its old fashioned ways explains how every person is part of a level of society that is based on their shape at birth. This level can only change when a child is born as a different shape than his parents. Once the shape was born, they stayed at that level all through life, without changing. Had the story been told from today's standards, I think that there would be many ways in which to climb the ladder of society.

Even in real life people are placed in social levels, based on education, wealth or even by faking it. If the story had been written today, there would be ways to improve your social standing through education, by passing courses and earning new sides. Just like people do now, they educate themselves to reach the highest position possible.

Wealth could be another example of improving social status. In "Flatland", the shapes could purchase fancy ornamental sides or expensive sides made from exotic material. Again, people today often purchase their social lives, displaying themselves to one another to see who is the top dog.

One last idea could be to simply fake your social abilities. As our world grows, we see more and more ways to trick others and cheat our way though society. The story might include ways to steal another shapes identity. One could even go as far as to have a shape alteration much like we have gender alterations today.

Flatland is very interesting in the way it is written. The time is simple and easy to understand, comparing it to our own history. If "Flatland" is ever re-written in a more up to date time, I think the story will be much harder to comprehend and less enjoyable to read.