Generated by Sora
In J.N. Frye’s novel A Flash in Time, the story follows the aftermath of a government science project gone haywire as the unintended consequences result in the tearing of time itself. It echoes many other works of science fiction about the hidden costs of progress while further aligning it with real possibilities in the world we live in today. Frye’s narrative will certainly appeal to readers who wonder whether every leap forward in technology comes with unseen risks. Yet at the same time, it shows how there is a literary art to writing any book about dangers of scientific curiosity.
Shadows Beneath the Current
Photo by User_Pascal
One particularly interesting idea that Shadow explores is its revisiting of scientific facts people take for granted, but presented in a new light.
For instance, everyone knows that electricity and all its associated technology have come to define 21st-century civilization. However, all these forces are also invisible and interact with other invisible forces.
From smartphones to screen radiation, these unseen energies saturate our every moment. Yet, not many are willing to consider the hidden costs of progress amidst all these overlapping waves.
Studies continue to examine electromagnetic exposure from the ever-increasing prevalence of electronic devices. Many dispute any possible side effects on the health and the environment. Others think that the negatives are indirect and secondary at best.
Still, this doesn’t stop science fiction from raising the essential question about how all these forces can be the setup for a reality-shaping event.
Because, as the popular trope goes, the pursuit of dabbling even further with these unseen forces always comes with unseen consequences. What happens when the pursuit of speed and convenience reaches a critical mass beyond no return? Frye’s novel offers one speculative answer, with power grids collapsing and anomalies spreading—fictional scenarios that mirror real fears of what happens when our infrastructure grows faster than our understanding.
After all, many are already noting the side effects when it comes to the environmental impact of technology. Manufacturing, mining, and energy demands leave a permanent mark on ecosystems.
Since the very onset of the industrial age, we have not yet fully accounted for the costs of intense, high-energy consumption. Flash in Time plays around with the boundaries of possibility by suggesting that it could destabilize the very laws of physics.
The rabbit hole then goes deeper down as the tearing fabric of space-time validates haunting subjects in popular imagination (such as government cover-ups, shadow dimensions, time travel, and more). It may not be as grandiose as destroyed habitats from the rising energy demand, but the warnings against unchecked technological progress remain the same.
The Hidden Costs of Progress in Everyday Devices
Other works of science fiction tend to place the hidden costs of progress within the new dimensions held within our digital handheld devices.
From the outside, your smartphones, laptops, and router are all humming quietly. A medieval peasant would think it all a collection of knick-knacks and black boxes.
And yet from the engineered coordination of rare earth semiconductors and algorithmic signals, a new reality springs forth that connects us globally. Messages, images, and ideas circulate at a pace unheard of. But without proper management, this digital realm becomes another cost of technological progress.
In Frye’s work, the space-time fallout sets the stage for conversations about all sorts of prejudices, such as race, as well as the prejudices between science and faith. Frye’s characters grapple with survival in a world torn apart by forces they cannot see or control. There is a parallel to the way the digital world has become a new battlefield of ideas fought right at our fingertips.
We have gone from fearing the radiation from devices to now questioning the facts presented to us because of algorithms reinforcing cyberspace echo chambers. Much like Frye’s flashes, such invisible currents have been proven to shape the discourse without our conscious awareness. The average household may not recognize the slow drip of consequences until they manifest in serious problems like radicalization and polarization.
At the societal level, the hidden risks of innovation affect not just individuals but entire communities. As industries expand and governments invest in new technologies, safeguards often lag behind. History shows us plenty of moments where enthusiasm outpaced caution, from nuclear energy to industrial chemicals. Each wave of advancement carried both wonders and regret. Frye’s narrative parallels these truths, warning us through fiction of what happens when questions are left unasked.
Confronting the Hidden Costs of Progress Together
The hidden costs of progress do not belong to one sector alone. Every individual who engages with its use now has the responsibility to manage the costs that they see.
It can be as simple as ensuring responsible energy consumption, or as challenging as being a voice of reconciliation between two opposing sides online. In all cases, the unseen forces that are nonetheless impacting people’s hearts and minds need acknowledgment. The silent price of progress can only be remedied by those with a willing voice.
Our fascination with the new often blinds us to the trade-offs. This is why conversations about tech’s environmental costs must move beyond specialists and include others with perspectives on other areas of life being affected. Only when people understand the price of progress can they begin to make more thoughtful choices.
Frye’s A Flash in Time offers a dramatic illustration: ordinary people confronted with extraordinary fallout. Their struggles in the face of chaos remind us that progress should not be measured by speed alone but by sustainability and foresight. Our world may not face time fractures, but we face equally complex consequences that stretch into the future. It is up to us to decide how to manage them.
The lesson is not to abandon innovation but to approach it with humility. Asking hard questions, investing in research, and balancing progress with caution can help us avoid scenarios where the unintended outweighs the intended. Frye’s story ultimately suggests that unchecked curiosity can be as dangerous as stagnation, and that balance is our only path forward.
