Consumerism
The novel takes place in a time when every character had feeds implanted in their brains, allowing them to be in contact with one another at any time. The feeds also allow the big companies to always broadcast their products through the feeds, making everyone a consumer. The characters note how the feeds "know’’ what they want, by using algorithms and advertising to them only what they are interested into. The strategies used are extremely lucrative and the children and adults in the novel are slaves to buying everything they are shown. The dark side of consumerism is presented as well and the author makes sure to describe the way the natural environment was affected by the consumerism life style. The author implies that because everyone wanted their products as soon as possible, the natural environment suffered and was damaged so much that plants and animals could no longer survive outside, in the polluted air and water.
Compassion and learning how to connect
The feed everyone had implanted stopped the characters in the novel from creating meaningful connections with one another. In terms of impact, the feed not only allowed them to speak with whom they want but that also made them incapable of holding a real conversation with someone staying right in front of them. Logan for example and Titus’s father both were unable to communicate with Titus when they went to visit him at the hospital. Instead of talking with him, they preferred to talk on the feed with people who were far away and who were easier to talk to than to a sick family member or relative. When Violet got sick, Titus had a similar problem as he was unable to connect with her and was unsure what to do to help her. To avoid awkward situations, Titus decided that it was better to sever all ties with Violet and to ignore her, choosing instead to focus on the friends who were still healthy and who were easier to connect to.
The power of money
In the future, the class divide becomes even more accentuated than nowadays. The rich are treated as royalty, being given everything they want, being able to afford whatever they want and looking down on those who do not have the same social position. Violet comes from a less wealthy family and because of this she suffers when she gets sick. It is implied that if her family were to have money, then she would have most likely survive. Since this was not the case, Violet slowly deteriorated until eventually she was no longer able to do anything on her own.
