Calculated Bliss
In the meticulously ordered nation of Optoria, every decision — every meal, every career choice... — is governed by a single goal: the maximization of happiness, measured with surgical precision by an ingenious device called the praxometer. Coffee? 1 util. A good croissant? 3.5 utils. But what is the true cost of a life where utility is a maxim and fulfillment is state-mandated?
John is a Senior Accountant at the Ministry of Numbers, a brilliant mind trusted with shaping national policy through cold, calculated data. When the government celebrates another year of unprecedented growth in its Gross Domestic Utility, everything seems to be going according to plan — until a mysterious riot breaks out in a neglected district that, according to official data, has never been happier.
Tasked with uncovering the truth, John begins to question the very foundation of Optoria's system. As he navigates crumbling neighborhoods, absurd bureaucracy, and uncomfortable truths about his own contributions to society, John is forced to confront a chilling paradox: What happens when the relentless pursuit of happiness leaves no room for being human?
With biting satire, concerning plausibility, and a touch of dark humor, Calculated Bliss is a deeply original dystopian novel about data, identity, and the quiet rebellion of asking why in a world obsessed with how much.