has the essential elements of a satisfying short story for me: captivating (albeit sometimes convoluted) writing, speaks volumes in a short space and may leave me wanting more. found it particularly important to question why the mob of people is seen as villainous and what perspective we choose to filter the author's words through

as for this story's ironic connection with the met gala, i don't see a moment in time where choosing a theme of "dystopian-but-real class disparity" wouldn't be a questionable decision on the organizers' behalf — but 2024 was absolutely the wrong year for it