13/8: consumerism
As the radio kicked into life this morning I learned that "millions of people across Europe donned special Eclipse Glasses to view Europe's first total eclipse of the sun for 28 years". So many months ago our European Leaders of Commerce studied the future movements of the celestial bodies before ordering the manufacture of millions of glasses, no doubt is all the dreamt of sizes and styles to be in the shops by the 5 August 2026.
The manufacture of said glasses being monitored for schedule were then shipped across Europe as those ELsoC engaged popular astronomers and science journalists to work the masses onto a total frenzy over this "once on a lifetime major event" while "medical experts" were eager to warn the people that to "look directly at the sun will cause blindness" and further encourage the sale of special Eclipse Eyewear. The image below cautions that "permanent eye damage that you are unaware is occurring can happen seconds". No doubt today the special glasses, now extinct in Europe, will be deposited in a "special refuse facilities" as the next predictable celestial event is marked on the calendar for future exploitation.