The metaphor found within the text of comparing the internet to curios is very prevalent. The Internet does not exist in the world of Belt Magnet, as the obvious substitute are the curios. These curios are addicting, and nearly everyone is using them by the end of the novel. They can be used for good and as a comforting pet, but they can also be abused. It shares similarities with the internet; after being popularized, people quickly found a way to abuse it for morally wrong purposes. The internet can help people communicate, entertain people, and create jobs, but it can also create mass hysteria, help traffic innocents, and scam people for their money. No matter the phenomenon, whether it be curios, the internet, or anything else, people can always twist it and distort it.
