[ WP ] Overpopulation and dwindling resources have resulted in a radical societal shift : suicide is encouraged and celebrated , while growing old is a grave and selfish act .

I looked at the calendar and thought about my younger years. I'd been a `` 90's'' kid. Had grown up during the height of globalisation and the rise of the internet. `` Excuse me sir, ma'am has me starting some tea. Would you care for a cup?'' I shook my head `` no but thank you for asking Wil'' I said to the android standing behind me, knowing full well my manners were wasted, but I was raised a certain way and did n't feel like changing now. 
 
 The rise of the machine was supposed to usher in an era of prosperity and abundance, and in a way it did. From 2019 to 2022 were good years. Seemed like you could have anything you wanted on the cheap. A robot butler, a new TV, a finished basement. With robot labor everything seemed possible. The problem came from what the machines could n't do. 
 
 Robots could n't restore the ocean's depleted fish species, it could n't add to the dwindling supply of usable nitrogen. First the price of fish rose, then the price of crops. As the common man got priced out of fish in many countries, so rose the price of everything they switched to. 
 
 Entire nations collapsed into chaos as they struggled to feed their kids. Seemed like even in the United States you could n't walk the block without seeing homeless family, starving children. Something I'll never forget is walking by the soup kitchen and seeing nearly 30 strollers. 
 
 Then the unrest started, random assassinations at first, some crazed loner with a gun shooting some politician or CEO for ruining the country. Then the Wall Street Riots happened as New York began rationing food. The cops kept things under control until they could n't afford food either and they caught wind of legislators working on a bill to replace a human police force with an automated one. 
 
 Thousands were dragged into the street and killed, first the rich, then the old. After all they were part of the problem my younger self had justified. They elected the crooked politicians, been the shareholders driving the corrupt CEO's, destroyed the planet in the name of profits. 
 
 January 22nd 2025. The death of democracy and the birth of military rule. Somewhat ironically the politicians signed their death warrant when they stranded tens of thousands of soldiers overseas. They did n't want young military trained men at home to revolt. They'd overestimated the loyalty of those at home though and January 18th D.C fell. 
 
 Things were good in the new regime if you were young. A basic income was implemented for everyone under the age of forty-five. People over that age though had all benefits scrapped, social security becoming a thing of the past. Faced with starvation and death by crime or euthanasia, many older citizens chose the latter. 
 
 Things had started to recover recently. I did n't agree with having a totalitarian government but it was hard to argue with guns and even harder to argue with results. I was thirty-nine when I first felt the noose tighten. My wife and I had been on the city bus, on our way to a museum, when we saw a young man harassing a girl who looked ten years his junior. `` Why do n't you act your age'' I challenged him. He stalked off the bus, humiliated at being called out, but eight before he stepped off he called back at me `` why do n't you act your age and die?'' 
 
 I walked into the dining room and sat next to Sarah. `` How is your tea?'' I asked making small talk, trying to ignore the elephant in the room. `` Good, do anything interesting today?'' `` Nah, you?'' `` Eh'' she shrugged `` just trying to finish a couple of books.'' I smiled at her and kissed her cheek, excusing myself to draw something. 
 
 Maybe this was what I deserved I thought as I sat down. I'd only voted for one president, and only voted for congressmen the same year. I'd never voted in a primary or a local election. Had n't used my democracy and it went and disappeared on me. I guess when it came down to it I'd been part of the problem. Another dreg suffering from apathy, not an activist like my wife. 
 
 I looked at the calendar one more time, eight days until Sarah's forty-fifth birthday. We never had kids, so I figured I'd just go ahead and take the plunge with her rather than finish my last two years alone.
