There's a bit in Ubik that stays in my mind. Joe Chip gets into an
argument with his apartment door that refuses to open for him because
he owes it money. I kinda got that the door was an autonomous
money-making agent that held him hostage - a conversation reminiscent
of that between Doolittle and the Bomb in Dark Star. It made me see
the ridiculous side and ultimate absurdity of micropayments leading to
world where a dollar value is put on everything so that every silly
little thing becomes a coin operated nuisance whose actual function is
replaced by squeezing a few more micro-credits out of you.
They call that "web3" nowadays, but you're supposed to enjoy it because you can buy shares in the specific door that won't open for you and they might triple in value while you're locked in.
Years ago I read about cloud computing as getting a free vacation but being charged for each sand particle you touch, small on its own but it gets too ridiculous after some time
There was an episode of Rocko's Modern Life where they go to a ski resort where everything is $5. What a deal! It turns out it applies to literally everything.
While living Boston the walkup replaced the keyed doors with electronic locks. They never worked. I kept my key to the cellar and would come through the laundry room and occasionally fall in snow and pee myself. That is dystopia. Dick understood what the future would be lots of dangerous gadgets. The gestaltmacher in the novel the penultimate truth.
