What Is
World Incorporated
and Why Is It Here?

What follows are notes and short scenes for a novel. Or perhaps two novels. Maybe there’s a screenplay in here somewhere.

WHAT IS IT?

More specifically, World Incorporated, subtitled, "A satire of the post-apocalyptic New World Order," describes a dystopian world of the near-future. Some nasty things have been happening, and we see the results of (un)self-regulated businesses, unchecked government policies and a blatant disregard for the direction everything had been going in by the general populace. We learn that the consequences of cause and effect are not always positive.

Some of the ideas come out of my hobby of collecting conspiracy theories. I am an avid reader of the USENET newsgroup alt.alien.visitors, and know from there who really killed JFK. (CLUE: His driver, in the car, with fish toxins. Proof is in the frames missing from the Zapruder film.) Generally, the ideas in World, Inc. show a blend of my interest in such theories and what Joseph Campbell says regarding the artist’s function to create a "mythologization of the environment and the world." Campbell also mentions "The experience of eternity right here and now is the function of life." (Sorry; I totally forget the source of those quotations.)

One word of caution/disclaimer. This is a work of fiction and in no way reflects my true opinions of the way the world runs or where it is headed. One creates fiction from the imagination and speculation, not opinions and paranoid delusions.

Unlike my alien abduction experiences....

WHY IS IT HERE?

I have calculated that, unless someone pays me an advance to write the novel(s) or screenplay(s), I may not get to this in my lifetime. So here it is, on the web for all to see, for one or more of the following reasons:

  1. You, a book publisher or a film producer/director, like the idea so much you are willing to pay me the money to finish the writing project. (Greenlight me, Matt and Ben!)
  2. You, a writer, would like to take these ideas and run with them, and will cut me in for a percentage of the final product.
  3. You, several writers, will decide take this as the beginning, and perform collaborative fiction writing about this "shared world" for Internet posting. (See DargonZine for an example.) Regrettably, I collect no money from this choice, but having my ideas expanded on may be adequate compensation.)
  4. Anyone can purchase this intellectual property (© 2003 Stephen A. Schrum) outright for use. Note that all rights are reserved, and none may be used without permission or legal contract.
  5. You may just find this interesting, amusing and entertaining reading. Regrettably, I collect no money from this choice either. However, if you do find it interesting, amusing and/or entertaining, please email me and tell me so. If you find it offensive or irritating, please keep it to yourself.

 

READ IT

There are four parts:

  1. Some Narrator Parts, which provides a basic explanation of the World, Inc. world.
  2. Scenes, which contain some suggested scenes and events.
  3. The Opening Scene, in screenplay (and .pdf) format. Adobe Acrobat Reader (or browser plug-in) needed.
  4. Just Notes, with random notes and ideas.

    Email Steve Schrum; Return to the MUSOFYR Table of Contents