Pretty People

Pretty People are a unique, irreplaceable part of the social structure in York Nova. Let me quote Calas, again:

"-- If I had not interfered, he would have died. He is a Pretty Boy, nineteen years old. Ready for death, nearly burnt out. The oldest Pretty Boy I ever saw was twenty-two... and he was dead.

Pretty People do not live long. They are not meant to. If humans are candles, burning and then slowly flickering to darkness, then Pretty People are sparklers. They burn fast, hot and bright, leaving behind only ashes and a blackened memory. And still, despite their short time, we envy them. They shine, they burn with a brighter, more lively light than we ever could. What does the shortness of time matter, when the flame is so brilliant?

They saying "religion is opium for the people" is obsolete. Pretty People are the opium of today, a stronger drug than anything else. They numb us, take our minds away from the dreary, gray world, blind us with their flames so we no longer see the sorrow and pain. They come and go, forever entertaining and smiling, keeping us happy and oblivious of what goes on around us. They make us not even want to know. They are our drug of choice, but the choice is not ours. We are addicted by default from the moment we are born, and we love it.

Young, beautiful, full of life and joy. Full of chemicals that keep them going, minds dulled and obscured by narcotic substances of every kind. They are born happy but die miserably, living a brief, fast-paced life somewhere along the way. For every Pretty One that dies there are two to replace him immediately. Disposable. Pretty People are disposable. They are everywhere and everyone uses them, but once they have gone out... no one cares. They are then a pile of junk, something to be got rid of. Something that is merely in the way.

Opium for the people. Our drug of choice. A dope we get addicted to when only in our mothers' wombs."

Sexes are distinguished when talking about Pretty People. The plural is Pretty People/Girls/Boys, and the singular Pretty One/Girl/Boy.

I was inspired to create Pretty People after reading the scifi short story Pretty Boy Crossover by Pat Cadigan.