Perhaps, the harsh truth of the Information Age was best described in Michael Vlahos' January 1995 speech, "ByteCity". We spent most of our time in our rooms staring at wall sized vidscreens. ByteCity is run by stateless modern robber-barons, which he terms the "Brain Lords" and which he characterizes as "rampaging not through the landscape but making billions in the ether."

These new aristocrats will come from the merger of telecommunications and entertainment multinational giants. The overlords do not inherit their class status and they will burn out from looting at an early age. After 40 they will retire to run the world.

Below them are thr "Agents", who will spend their lives in a vicious "information" driven chase for individual recognition. Below that, roughly 50% live as service workers, slaving 12-15 hours a day in front their living-room vidscreens "servicing" their global clients in a world that respects no time zones.