Arcadia Anonymous

I spent much of my adolescence in Arcadia; a world illumined by artificial suns. There, people eschewed costly 'real' clothing for digitally enhanced 'shifts', government propaganda was broadcast hourly onto illusionary blue skies, and one could read the mind of kith and kin, much like a radio tunes in to the frequency of a nearby station. I painted pictures so vivid that that the images persisted in my mind's eye even when I ceased to put pen to paper.

Arcadia was my fictional depiction of a future society. It allowed me to explore some of my most pressing concerns regarding socio-cultural and economic development, as well as how these may be affected by technological advances. However, Arcadia was a world that I solely inhabited. I have come to realize that great ideas are brought to fruition in the midst of great company. I believe that my unfettered curiosity regarding natural potentials will blossom in an environment where there are no moulds to speak of, let alone prime oneself to think 'out of'. Therefore, I seek to join a community of scholars with similarly varied and perhaps paradoxical interests.

As a young African, I also aim to bring the African perspective to the table of discussions which address globally...