Snow Crash Analysis

When we think about the future of our nation, we picture a utopia. A place where everyone has equal opportunity, where there is no discrimination, where crime is not an issue, where there is no corruption in our government, and where we do not have to worry about what our status with other countries is. Today, we expect our government to keep order, give structure, protect our rights, and provide justice. However, Neal Stephenson, in his book Snow Crash, depicts a future America completely different from what we know and expect. Stephenson describes a nation in which the citizens take matters into their own hands because the entire judicial system no longer exists, where businesses and money mean more than values and life, and where there are

When interviewed by CNN news, he stated his plan to build a wall to stop Mexicans from entering the country, he wants to get rid of all illegal immigrants criminal or not, and he wants to move all Muslims out of the country until ISIS and terrorist issues are cleared up (“Trump Defends Position”). If he were to implement any of these strategies, rage will spread throughout the masses causing more hatred among different races. Out of this there are two possible outcomes. One option is that the people become so enraged by his actions that they throw him out of office, and if they can’t do that, they may try to discard the entire justice system. If the American people were fed up with the injustices they believe they face as a whole, and if they believed that the justice system had failed to protect our rights, they would absolutely try to purge the judicial system. There would be riots, and “an eye for an eye” atmosphere would arise. Throughout American history there have been numerous cases in which the people decided to take matters into their own hands because they were unsatisfied with the way the government dealt with a situation. In the state of Missouri, the case of the death of Michael Brown, it was allegedly stated that the 18 year old attacked a police officer, and consequently, the officer shot the young man several times in self-defense. The New York Times states that the

If law enforcement services were franchised, there would not be a sense of common protection. Today we depend on police officers and the military for our protection. We look to them when we feel our life is endangered. When the nation goes to war the army, the navy, the marines, and Special Forces join to protect us. When we believe an in justice has taken place we rely on officers to come to our rescue, address the situation, and provide justice. Unfortunately, in the Stephenson’s book, Snow Crash, it is evident that this idea no longer exists. The police, sheriffs, the military, and other law enforcement have become franchised. They do not work together to provide a common benefit to the nation. Due to the absence of laws, “law enforcers” are not obligated to protect for the common good. Now, they work by contract, and they work for whoever pays them best. This idea may seem preposterous, but the truth of the matter is that a version of this concept has existed for some time. Huffington Post’s David Isenberg, reveals that in 1985, while Reagan was president, there was an authorization for privatizing military, and this proved to be of some use under President Bush when 09/11 incident occurred. The private military, under the correct circumstances, can become an industry that concentrates on the safety of the