I'm reminded of Anthony Doerr's All the Light We Cannot See in which an adolescent boy in WWII is seen as a genius radio repairman and has a "natural skill for circuitry." While his efforts do affect the 'fictional construct' of the public sphere, circuitry is narrated as something that makes him feel more alive, more "human." He serves the war effort simply to stay connected to his humanity through radio repairs. (pun intended)