Sales talk

** "Sales Talk" by Con Blomberg is a science fiction story set sometime in the future, where a high-tech company called "Electronic Living" (EL) has created a way for people to experience the lives of other people through brain implants. Two salesmen, Jake Long and Arnie Blik, attempt to sell Mr. Gaines on this new technology. In their sales pitch they try to convince him of the joys of experiencing life without ever having to leave his home. As they talk, Gaines begins to question the real value of a manufactured reality and the potential loss of genuine human connection and experience, eventually leading him reject their offer and realize how important it is to live your own life. The story becomes a warning about the dangers of a consumer-driven society where people prefer simulated experiences to actual living. **