Laila Lalami's "The Dream Hotel" is set in 2039 Southern California, where surveillance has pervaded daily existence. The story follows Sara Hussein, who, after unknowingly signing away her privacy by using a sleep-inducing neuroprosthetic, finds herself entangled in loss of freedom due to misinterpreted dreams. Her experience reflects the chilling implications of unchecked technological growth and data privacy violations. Through a Kafkaesque narrative, Lalami examines the societal acceptance of surveillance and the erosion of personal autonomy, posing important questions about the fabric of modern life.
"Entire generations have never known life without surveillance. Watched from the womb to the grave, they take corporate ownership of their personal data to be a fact of life, as natural as the leaves growing on trees."
"When Sara was labeled an imminent threat due to her dreams, it reveals the perils of technological conveniences that compromise personal privacy. We live in a society where the line between safety and surveillance has blurred severely."
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