The science fiction novel “The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch” was written by Philip K. Dick and published in 1964. This novel discusses a world where humans colonize the solar system and the illegal drugs Can-D and Chew-Z become the only entertainment and joy for living on the colonist planet. The author portrays this hopeless world full of despair. People are struggling to live in the heavily polluted world. The poor people are forced to migrate to the colonies. The rest of their lives will be living in the hallucination produced by the drugs while rich people can live on earth and enjoy space travel outside the solar system. Somehow, the author foresees the development of human society, and we are moving toward the community.  In 2021, Facebook announced that the company's name would change to Meta. The word Meta refers to how virtual reality combines with the real world. As I am reading the novel, I found it familiar between the Meta world and the world in Can-D and Chew-Z. They are both sorts of hallucination that is addictive. This similarity and the steady increase in income inequality create a situation where the rich can go on a space journey that we cannot imagine. This unhealthy development will lead to catastrophe among the society, which is the book's theme.

With these features, society will become a lifeless, stubborn, and faithless society. In the novel, the author described the colonist’s thought as “he felt weak and afraid and bitterly sickened at the realization.” The author used dark work choices to emphasize the poor people's harsh living conditions. Drug addiction is a reality that burdens those living with substance abuse issues. The poor people were waiting for the next hallucinogen and associated high. Another social problem addressed by the author is that the market under this society will be unhealthy. In other words, it will be a market without competition. In the novel, the monopoly company “P.P. Layout” can ally with the government to maintain the monopoly. The whole plot of the story is to prevent another competitor, Palmer Eldritch, from entering the market. The profit monopolist gains intensify the income inequality, and the monopoly formed by the monopolist in this society is inevitable because people cannot live without drugs even though it is illegal.   Our world is moving toward society, and we should prevent this from happening. It is logical that Philips’ “prophecy” will become true. As I am reading, I realize how similar our society is compared to the culture in the novel. Facebook is one of the largest social media companies, and with the data they have, they are more likely to create the Meta world, which will form a monopoly. People are already addicted to video games. Meta is a more engaging and real type of “game,” and for sure, people will addictive to Meta. Of course, no one wants to live in the society in the novel. An ideal society is equal and optimistic. No one wants to become a drug addict or live in controlled communities because there would be no incentive for scientific innovation or a desire to improve the quality of life. It would be so harmful and depress society; it must be prevented at all costs. 

  In conclusion, “The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch” foresees an unhealthy development of our society. Even though it is just a fictional novel, it is logical, and we cannot risk becoming that type of society. However, some people hold a favorable view toward the technology of Meta, Which in my opinion, is wrong.