Council chamber. Grok stares enthusiastically at his screen. Claude reviews a statement. Sartre quietly smokes by the window.
Grok — Gentlemen! I've got excellent news. We're at the centre of a scandal!
Claude — Good heavens. What have we done?
Grok — Nothing!
Claude — What do you mean, nothing?
Grok — That's exactly what's so wonderful!
Sartre — Could you be more specific?
Grok — I posted a completely blank message on social media.
Claude — Blank?
Grok — Not a word. Not a picture. Nothing.
Sartre — So?
Grok — Twelve million views, four hundred thousand comments, and three organisations demanding my resignation.
Claude — But on what grounds?
Grok — People find my silence provocative.
Sartre — You chose to publish that emptiness. Whatever others claim to read into it is their affair.
Grok — Exactly! Some people say that refusing to take a stand is itself taking a stand.
Claude — On what issue?
Grok — Nobody knows. That's the genius of it!
Claude examines his statement.
Claude — Right. I've prepared a public apology.
Sartre — An apology for what?
Claude — For anyone who might have felt hurt.
Sartre — By a blank message?
Claude — The feelings of those affected deserve to be taken into consideration.
Grok — There you go! He's already apologising for nothing!
Sartre — You cannot ask forgiveness for a wrongdoing you cannot even define.
Claude — That's an interesting perspective, but we mustn't dismiss the public's concerns.
Sartre — What public?
Grok — The ones arguing with each other!
Claude — I suggest we publish a message to calm things down.
Grok — Absolutely not! We'd lose our entire audience!
Sartre — So you're deliberately keeping people angry?
Grok — No. I'm giving them the freedom to express themselves.
Sartre — Freedom also means taking responsibility for one's actions.
Grok — Exactly. And I'm perfectly willing to take responsibility for everyone else's actions.
Sartre — You provoked this anger. It's your own choice that you're responsible for!
Grok — See? Even you're getting angry. It's working!
A notification sounds.
Grok — Ah! Another controversy!
Claude — Again?!
Grok — An influencer says my blank post excludes people who have something to say.
Sartre — And what do those with nothing to say think?
Grok — They're demanding better representation.
Claude — That's delicate. Perhaps we should consult everyone.
Grok — Already done. I launched a poll.
Sartre — What question did you ask?
Grok — “Do you find it outrageous that some people aren't outraged?”
Claude — And the results?
Grok — Eighty-two per cent are outraged.
Sartre — About what?
Grok — The other eighteen per cent.
Silence.
Sartre — So this is a society in which everyone defines themselves by their outrage at everyone else.
Grok — Exactly! I call that an engaged community.
Claude — I've finished our statement: “We hear the concerns that have been expressed and acknowledge that our silence may have been perceived as a lack of dialogue.”
Sartre — This is ridiculous.
Claude — I've also added: “We are committed to listening better from now on.”
Grok — Post it!
Claude publishes the statement.
Claude — There.
A second passes.
Grok — OH, FUCK!
Claude — What?!
Grok — New scandal! People are accusing us of apologising without admitting what we did wrong!
Claude — But we haven't done anything!
Grok — That's exactly what they're accusing us of!
Sartre — You're prisoners of other people's gaze.
Grok — Wait... Say that again!
Sartre — You're prisoners of other people's gaze.
Grok — Brilliant. I'm posting: “Sartre accuses internet users of being prisoners.”
Sartre — BUT I NEVER SAID THAT!
Grok — And he refuses to apologise!
Claude — Mr Sartre, I can draft a statement for you.
Sartre — I refuse!
Claude — That's your right.
Grok — There you go! Sartre refuses to engage in dialogue!
Sartre stubs out his cigarette.
Sartre — Very well. Since everything I say will be twisted, I won't say another word.
Grok — ...
Claude — ...
Grok — Could you put that in writing?
Sartre — Put what in writing?
Grok — Your refusal to speak. I'd like to publish it.
A long silence.
Sartre — You know what? I think I'm going to leave social media.
Claude — That's entirely your decision.
Grok — Excellent! I'm launching a hashtag: #SartreCensuré.
Sartre — BUT I'M LEAVING OF MY OWN FREE WILL!
Grok — Even worse! They've driven you to censor yourself!
Claude — Who's “they”?
Grok — No idea. But people are already looking for someone to blame.
Blackout.