Rumpus: And Alan’s got bad credit. Eggers: Yeah, there’s the tyrannical rule of credit reports, which is really one of the more comically absurd elements of Alan’s life and modern life. These credit agencies wield incredible and absolute power, but their methods are highly questionable and often illogical. But whatever random score they post next to Alan’s name determines his fate for home ownership, loans, everything. It’s a terrifying, Orwellian thing that we came up with ourselves and we obey without question. I mean, a mysterious algorithm concocted by shadowy companies with no accountability or transparency that produces a single all-powerful number that no one questions but determines your economic fate? It’s maniacal.