Pattern Recognition Brainstorm

Marketing

            From the beginning of the novel, we learn about Cayce’s fear of market symbols and logos. Cayce is prone to commercial logos, and only wears plain things, not caring about the name brand. This stood out to me because her job as a “coolhunter” forces her to see the popularity trends in these big name corporations and analyze them for future market purposes. So why would Cayce want to do a job that puts herself in the face of her deepest phobia? Or maybe this is why Cayce is so good at her job—she is able to see past the name brands that people are so attracted to and see something for what it’s truly worth. Although ashamed, I can personally say that I have bought products purely because of the name brand. Many people care about their appearance to others, and having popular apparel, or whatever it may be, seems like the “cool” thing to have. So maybe Gibson is trying to convey through Cayce that people are caring too much about name brands.

Internet and the Prospects of Online Social Networks

            Gibson puts an emphasis on the growing dependence on Internet through Cayce’s passion for her blog. We learn that “The forum has become one of the most consistent places in her life”(4) which shows how much she is reliant on it for stability. At the time this book was written, there was no facebook, which to me is exactly the behavior that this book targets. Gibson saw into the future of a day where people spend hours communicating and “social networking” through the Internet, interacting with others across the country and even the world, which is what facebook allows. I know people that can’t spend a day without going on facebook, and even when you’re with them they’ll go on facebook through their cell phones. To me, Gibson is showing his prediction or fear of the growing technology and popularity of the Internet. Part of Cayce’s life is her blog on F:F:F and many people today would say facebook takes up a good portion of their lives too. But what happened to personal contact? Whether it be face-to-face or telephone conversations, is this new age in technology a positive or is it negatively affecting the way we interact with people everyday?