Rash (novel)
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Rash is a 2006 novel written by Pete Hautman. It is set in the year 2074, in a futuristic United States, now called the United Safer States of America, that has become obsessed with safety and security. Nearly every potentially unsafe action has been criminalized, to the point that 20% of the population is incarcerated. Ironically, this large criminal population also provides the manpower that fuels the large corporations that now dominate the country.
[edit] Plot summary
The story follows Bo, a 16 year old teenager living in the futuristic United Safer States of America. Bo's father and brother have been incarcerated and Bo tends to see his own rash behavior as genetic. Things spiral out of control after Bo attempts to assault a classmate and is arrested. Bo is shipped off ot a work camp run by McDonalds, now one of the primary prison contractors for the federal government.
Conditions at the work camp are difficult, with 16 hour shifts making frozen pizzas, and nothing but pizza for every meal. However, due to his running ability, Bo is soon invited to join the Goldshirts, a group at the camp that receives special privileges while they play football for the camp warden, Hammer. Training to play the sport, which is actually illegal, makes Bo stronger and more self confident. At the same time, the artificial intelligence that Bo previously created returns. The program has mutated and become a rogue, spreading across the web.
Using its immense database of criminal law, the AI, named Bork, negotiates the early release of Bo and his family members. Rogue AI programs are illegal, and Bork is eventually discovered and destroyed. However, Bo has already gained the skills that he needs, and eventually resolves to travel to South America, the only place where football is still played legally.
[edit] Background
Hautman's intent in writing Rash was to consider the consequences of the current trend toward increased safety and security that we see in the United States today. He says that the book could perhaps be called "2084", due to themes similar to those present in George Orwell's novel 1984.
