Quotes from book
Jennifer Government

Name: Jennifer Government
Author: Max Barry

Jennifer Government is a novel written by Max Barry. Published in 2003, it is Barry's second novel, following 1999's Syrup. The novel is set in a dystopian alternate reality in which most nations are dominated by for-profit corporate entities while the government's political power is extremely limited. Some readers consider it similar in satiric intent to George Orwell's 1984, but of a world with too much corporate power as opposed to too much political power. Many readers see it as a criticism of globalisation, although Barry claims he is not an anti-globalist. He has created a game based on the novel: Jennifer Government: NationStates.The novel was titled Logoland for the German and Italian editions. The Brazilian edition was titled EU S/A, translated as Me, Inc., but can be seen as an abbreviation of Estados Unidos Sociedade Anônima, which roughly translates to United States, Inc. in English.

“I've given you a world without Government interference. There is now no advertising campaign, no intercompany deal, no promotion, no action you can't take. You want to pay kids to get the swoosh tattooed on their foreheads? Who's going to stop you? You want to make computers that need repair after three months? Who's going to stop you? You want to reward consumers who complain about your competitors in the media? You want to pay them for recruiting their little brothers and sisters to your brand of cigarettes? You want the NRA to help you eliminate your competition? Then do it. Just do it.”

Max Barry book Jennifer Government

Source: Jennifer Government (2003), Chapter 58

“The easier your job, the more you got paid. John had suspected this for many years, but here was the proof: pulling down five hundred bucks an hour to sit in the afternoon sun on top of an L. A. office tower.”

Max Barry book Jennifer Government

Source: Jennifer Government (2003), Chapter 40, page 138

“I remember when you could always rely on those little street kids to pop a few people for the latest Nikes," Vice-President John said. "Now people get mugged for Reeboks, for Adidas — for generics, for Christ's sake.”

Max Barry book Jennifer Government

Source: Jennifer Government (2003), Chapter 1, page 5

“Some people would break the rules to get things done and some wouldn't; it was simple as that. John didn't have much use for the latter.”

Max Barry book Jennifer Government

Source: Jennifer Government (2003), Chapter 51, page 190