Claire North's novel Slow Gods has been selected by the New Scientist Book Club and presents a dystopian scenario that feels familiar. Its protagonist, Mawukana, is born on the planet Tu-mdo with an initial debt of 700 Glint that grows uncontrollably. By age 15, her educational debts reach 92,000 Glint, reflecting a system where citizenship is measured by actions and debts. The conclusion is clear: the cost of living and getting an education can be an overwhelming financial burden from the very first breath.
The Debt Algorithm as a System of Social Control 💰
North describes a corporate system that uses financial data to determine each individual's status. Debt is not just a number, but a governance mechanism. On Tu-mdo, every action adds or subtracts citizenship points, and the compound interest on the initial Glint acts as an algorithmic loop. This model recalls current social credit systems, where access to education and services depends on a financial history that can condemn entire generations to zero social mobility.
92,000 Glint in Debt and You Still Can't Order a Pizza 🍕
Mawukana is 15 years old and has an educational debt that would make any student with college loans pale in comparison. The difference is that on Tu-mdo, you cannot declare bankruptcy or move to another planet to start over. If you pay, you earn rights; if you don't, you become a second-class citizen with limited access to quality oxygen. At least, when the electricity bill arrives, you'll know that your initial debt of 700 Glint was just the appetizer for a meal you never ordered.