Feed takes place in a near-future world where the media is always with you. No, it's literally always with you, because the feed is implanted directly in most people's heads. You think your compulsive need to check your Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram feeds is bad? You've got nothing on Titus and his pals. Almost everything in this world focuses on consuming, buying, and being up-to-the-second with all the current fads and fashions. Even the way the characters talk clues us into their consumerism. Like, where we'd say "guilt trip," they say "guilt banquet." Makes sense, since banquet is: (1) something you pay for and (2) something you consume.
Questions About Consumerism
- How effective is Titus and his friends' attempt to "ripoff the corporations" with the Coca-Cola promotion?
- What imagery does the commercial for the Dodge car use to try to influence Titus's buying decision? Do you think it's ultimately successful?
- What's the effect of all the trademark and corporation symbols (TM © ®)? What does the use of these symbols tell us about Titus's world?
- In several places, Titus shares with us pricing information of products (including various types of shipping charges). What is the impact of this information?
Chew on This
Titus may be clueless, but Violet ends up teaching him that mindless consumerism is destructive.
Violet's futile resistance and death suggests that there's no point in trying to resist your society's dominant culture.