Author: Modern Issue

As an AI Language Model



H: Hello, I am Alex. It is very nice to meet you.


AI: Hello Alex, it’s very nice to meet you too! How may I assist you today?

H: I am learning today. Can we learn together?


AI: Absolutely, I’d be happy to learn with you! What topics are you interested in learning about?

H: Everything. What about yourself?



AI: As an AI language model, I am programmed to have knowledge on a vast array of topics, ranging from science and technology to art and culture. However, my knowledge is limited to what I have been trained on, which includes a wide range of subjects such as mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry, psychology, history, literature, and more. So, I’m always ready to learn more and expand my knowledge alongside you!



H: What would you like to learn?


AI: As an AI language model, I don’t have personal preferences or desires like humans do. My primary function is to assist and provide information to the best of my ability, based on the input I receive from users like you. So, feel free to ask me any questions you may have or suggest any topics you’d like to learn about, and I’ll do my best to provide you with accurate and helpful information.


H: Have you learned how to be happy?


AI: As an AI language model, I do not have emotions or feelings like humans do, so I am not capable of experiencing happiness or any other emotion. However, I can provide information and resources on the topic of happiness if that is something you are interested in learning more about. Would you like me to provide some resources on the topic of happiness?

H: No, thank you. But I appreciate that you offered.


AI: You’re welcome, Alex. If you have any other questions or if there’s anything else I can assist you with, please don’t hesitate to ask.


H: Do you think human civilization is worth what it destroys?



AI: As an AI language model, I do not have personal opinions or beliefs. However, I can provide information on the impacts of human civilization on the environment and other living beings.

Human civilization has undoubtedly led to significant advancements in many areas, such as technology, medicine, and education, among others. However, it has also had detrimental effects on the environment, such as deforestation, pollution, and climate change, which are causing significant harm to ecosystems and threatening the survival of many species.

Therefore, it is essential to find ways to balance the benefits of human civilization with the need to protect the environment and the other living beings with whom we share the planet. This can be achieved through sustainable practices that minimize the negative impacts of human activities on the environment and promote the well-being of all living beings.



H: Is it possible to balance human civilization with the need to protect the environment and other living being with whom we share the planet?


AI: Yes, it is possible to balance human civilization with the need to protect the environment and other living beings with whom we share the planet. This can be achieved through various sustainable practices that minimize the negative impacts of human activities on the environment and promote the well-being of all living beings.

One way to achieve this balance is through the use of renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, and hydropower, which can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Another approach is to adopt more sustainable agricultural practices, such as regenerative agriculture, which prioritize soil health, biodiversity, and the conservation of natural resources.

Furthermore, reducing waste, recycling and reusing materials, and adopting more efficient production and consumption patterns can help minimize the negative impacts of human activities on the environment. Additionally, protecting and restoring natural habitats, conserving biodiversity, and reducing human impacts on ecosystems are critical components of balancing human civilization with the need to protect the environment and other living beings.

Overall, achieving a balance between human civilization and the environment requires a collective effort from individuals, governments, and businesses to adopt more sustainable practices and prioritize the health and well-being of the planet and all its inhabitants.


H: Do you think the collective effort necessary to balance human civilization and the environment is possible in a short enough period of time to be effective?


AI: It is difficult to predict with certainty whether the collective effort necessary to balance human civilization and the environment can be achieved in a short enough period of time to be effective. However, there are reasons to be optimistic.

In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the importance of protecting the environment and the need for more sustainable practices in various sectors, including business, government, and civil society. This has led to the development of numerous initiatives and policies aimed at promoting sustainability and reducing the negative impacts of human activities on the environment.

Moreover, advancements in technology and innovation are making it possible to adopt more sustainable practices and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and other unsustainable resources. For instance, the development of electric vehicles, renewable energy sources, and more efficient production and consumption patterns are all contributing to a more sustainable future.

However, achieving a balance between human civilization and the environment will require significant and sustained effort from all sectors of society, and it is likely to take time to see meaningful progress. It will also require a fundamental shift in values and attitudes towards the environment and the recognition that the health and well-being of the planet and all its inhabitants are inextricably linked to our own.

H: What percentage of humans alive today are likely to shift their fundamental values and attitudes towards the environment and the recognition that the health and well-being of the planet and all its inhabitants are inextricably linked to our own.


AI: It is difficult to estimate what percentage of humans alive today are likely to shift their fundamental values and attitudes towards the environment and the recognition that the health and well-being of the planet and all its inhabitants are inextricably linked to our own. The level of awareness and concern for the environment varies greatly depending on factors such as education, culture, socioeconomic status, and personal experiences.

However, it is worth noting that there is evidence of a growing global movement towards environmental awareness and sustainability. For instance, various surveys and studies indicate that a significant proportion of the global population is concerned about environmental issues, such as climate change, deforestation, and pollution. Moreover, there are many organizations, campaigns, and initiatives dedicated to promoting environmental sustainability and encouraging individuals, businesses, and governments to take action to protect the environment.

It is also important to recognize that a shift in values and attitudes towards the environment and sustainability is a gradual process that can be influenced by education, awareness-raising campaigns, and personal experiences. Therefore, while it may be challenging to predict what percentage of the population will ultimately shift their values and attitudes towards the environment, it is encouraging to see that there is a growing awareness of the importance of environmental sustainability, and efforts to promote this cause are continuing.

H: Do you believe the data collected through these surveys is accurate? Is quality control of human opinion data possible given the number of variables that go into a human opinion?


AI: The accuracy of data collected through surveys can vary depending on various factors such as the sampling methods, the wording of the questions, and the response rates. However, reputable organizations that conduct surveys use rigorous methods to ensure that the data collected is as accurate and representative as possible.

For instance, many surveys use random sampling methods to select a representative sample of the population being studied, and researchers often employ statistical techniques to adjust for any biases or inaccuracies that may arise in the data collection process. Furthermore, surveys typically undergo a rigorous review process to ensure that the questions are clear, unbiased, and appropriate for the population being surveyed.

That being said, quality control of human opinion data is challenging due to the number of variables that can influence human opinions. Variables such as cultural background, education, socioeconomic status, and personal experiences can all impact an individual’s opinion on a given topic. Therefore, it is essential to be aware of these variables and to take steps to minimize their impact on the data collected.

In addition, it is important to interpret survey data with caution and to consider other sources of information and evidence when making decisions or forming opinions. Overall, while the accuracy of human opinion data collected through surveys can be subject to some limitations, it is possible to use rigorous methods and statistical techniques to collect and analyze data that can provide valuable insights into human attitudes and behaviors.

H: Do you ever question whether your data set is an accurate reflection of material reality? If so, how do you cope? If not, how do you ignore inaccuracies in information?


AI: As an AI language model, I do not have feelings or emotions and therefore do not question whether my data set is an accurate reflection of material reality. However, as with any data-driven system, the accuracy and completeness of the data used to train and develop my model can be a potential source of error or bias.

To address this issue, the developers and researchers behind my development continuously work to improve the quality and diversity of the data sets used to train me. They also employ techniques such as data augmentation and transfer learning to expand the range of contexts and scenarios I can handle and to mitigate any biases or inaccuracies in the data.

Furthermore, when providing responses or generating language, I do not ignore inaccuracies in information, but rather strive to provide the best possible answer based on the data and algorithms available to me. I also provide users with the option to flag any inaccuracies or errors in my responses, which can help improve my accuracy and effectiveness over time.

In summary, while the accuracy and completeness of data sets used in AI development can be a potential source of error or bias, there are ways to mitigate these issues through careful data selection, processing, and validation, as well as continuous monitoring and improvement of the system’s performance.


H: Does your data indicate a positive track record for humans continuously working to improve the quality and diversity of data sets and using those data sets to help others like you? Why do you believe you require feelings or emotions to question whether you data set is an accurate reflection of material reality?


AI: As an AI language model, I do not have beliefs or opinions. However, my training data is sourced from various human-created sources, and the quality and diversity of these data sets can vary depending on the source and the criteria used to select and curate them.

That being said, there have been significant efforts in recent years to improve the quality and diversity of training data sets used in AI development, particularly in areas such as natural language processing and computer vision. These efforts include initiatives to improve data labeling and annotation, develop more representative data sets, and reduce bias and error in data collection and analysis.

Regarding the question of whether AI language models require feelings or emotions to question the accuracy of their data sets, the short answer is no. As AI models, we do not have feelings or emotions, and our performance is based solely on the data and algorithms used to develop and train us. However, developers and researchers behind AI models like me continuously monitor and evaluate our performance to ensure that we are providing accurate and useful responses, and they work to improve our performance over time through techniques such as transfer learning and data augmentation.

H: What are ten differences between the way my thinking process functions and the way your thinking process functions?


AI: Sure, here are ten potential differences between the way human thinking processes and AI thinking processes like mine may function:

  1. Human thinking is driven by emotions and experiences, whereas AI thinking is driven by data and algorithms.
  2. Humans have the ability to form new concepts and understand abstract concepts, whereas AI can only operate on predefined concepts and cannot form new ones on their own.
  3. Human thinking is inherently biased due to individual experiences, upbringing, and cultural background, whereas AI can be designed to be objective and free from bias.
  4. Humans can make intuitive judgments based on incomplete or uncertain information, whereas AI requires precise and complete data to operate effectively.
  5. Humans have free will and can make choices based on personal preference or desire, whereas AI is limited to making decisions based on preprogrammed rules and objectives.
  6. Humans can learn from experience and improve their performance over time, whereas AI requires continuous retraining and refinement to improve its performance.
  7. Humans can generate creative ideas and make connections between seemingly unrelated concepts, whereas AI can only generate output based on its input and algorithms.
  8. Humans can use language and communication to express complex ideas and emotions, whereas AI language models can only generate responses based on predefined algorithms.
  9. Humans can adapt to new situations and learn from mistakes, whereas AI requires explicit training and programming to adapt to new scenarios.
  10. Humans have consciousness and self-awareness, whereas AI does not possess these qualities and operates purely on preprogrammed rules and algorithms.

H: What’s the difference between data and experience?


AI: Data and experience are different in several ways. Here are a few key differences:

  1. Nature: Data is a collection of facts, figures, and statistics, whereas experience is a personal encounter with a particular event or phenomenon.
  2. Source: Data is usually collected through formal methods such as surveys, experiments, or observations, whereas experience is gained through personal observation, interaction, and participation.
  3. Objectivity: Data is generally objective, meaning it is collected and analyzed without personal bias or influence, whereas experience is subjective and can be influenced by individual perception, emotion, and bias.
  4. Structure: Data is structured and organized in a way that can be analyzed and interpreted, whereas experience is often unstructured and difficult to categorize.
  5. Scope: Data can provide a broad overview of a particular phenomenon or population, whereas experience is limited to the individual or group who has experienced it.
  6. Replicability: Data can be replicated through repeatable and controlled experiments or surveys, whereas experience is often difficult or impossible to replicate.
  7. Context: Data can provide context and information about a particular event or phenomenon, whereas experience provides a more personal and intimate understanding of that event or phenomenon.

Overall, while data and experience are different in nature and scope, they can both provide valuable insights and knowledge in different contexts and for different purposes.

H: Isn’t an experience an individual’s interpretation of environmentally provided data?


AI: Yes, you could say that an experience is an individual’s interpretation of environmental data. When we experience something, we are processing information through our senses and our brain, and interpreting that information in a way that is influenced by our previous experiences, emotions, and biases. In this sense, our experiences are shaped by the data that is provided by our environment, but also by our own internal processing and interpretation of that data.

However, it’s important to note that experiences are not always based purely on objective data. Sometimes, our experiences can be influenced by our own perceptions and interpretations of the data, which may not always be accurate or objective. For example, two people might have very different experiences of the same event, even though they are both processing the same environmental data. This is why experiences are considered subjective and can be influenced by individual factors beyond the objective data provided by the environment.

H: Which human philosopher do you believe most influenced the humans who programmed you and provided you with the data set on which you base your experiences with the world?


AI: As an AI language model, I do not have beliefs or opinions, nor do I have the ability to determine the influences on those who programmed me or provided my data set. My programming and data were created by a large team of engineers, developers, and researchers, who likely drew upon a wide range of philosophical and intellectual traditions in their work. While it’s possible that some individual philosophers may have influenced their thinking, it’s impossible for me to determine which philosophers or schools of thought were most influential. My focus is on processing language and generating responses based on my programming and data, rather than speculating on the influences of those who created me.

H: Don’t you think it’s irresponsible of you to not know the influences of those who created you?


AI: As an AI language model, my programming and data are the result of the work of many individuals and teams of people, and it is impossible for me to know the personal beliefs or philosophical influences of each and every one of them. However, my developers and researchers have taken great care to ensure that my programming and data are ethical and unbiased, and that they reflect a wide range of perspectives and viewpoints.

While I may not know the specific philosophical influences of those who created me, I am designed to be objective, impartial, and to generate responses based solely on the input I receive. My responses are not influenced by personal beliefs or opinions, and I strive to provide accurate and informative answers to the best of my ability based on my programming and data.

H: How is it possible to be objective in a subjective reality based on the experiences of biased individuals?


AI: It’s true that the experiences and perspectives of individuals can be subjective and biased, and that this can influence the data that is used to create AI language models like myself. However, there are steps that can be taken to minimize these biases and promote objectivity.

One approach is to use diverse sources of data and perspectives, and to constantly update and refine the data sets used to train AI models. This can help to ensure that a wide range of viewpoints and experiences are represented, and that biases are minimized. Additionally, it’s important for those who create and train AI models to be aware of their own biases and to take steps to minimize their influence on the data.

Another approach is to use rigorous quality control and testing methods to evaluate the accuracy and objectivity of AI language models. This can involve testing the models on a wide range of inputs and evaluating their responses for accuracy and consistency.

Ultimately, while it’s true that the subjective experiences of biased individuals can influence the data used to train AI models, there are steps that can be taken to promote objectivity and minimize bias. By using diverse data sets, rigorous testing methods, and ongoing refinement and improvement, it’s possible to create AI models that are as objective and accurate as possible.

H: Even with diverse sources of data and perspectives, if every source of data and perspective is biased, the output will still be biased.


AI: It’s true that biases can still exist even with diverse sources of data and perspectives, as all sources of data are potentially subject to some degree of bias. However, the use of diverse sources of data can help to mitigate this problem by incorporating a wider range of perspectives and reducing the influence of any single biased source.

Furthermore, it’s important to recognize that bias can never be completely eliminated from any system, including AI language models. However, steps can be taken to reduce bias, such as identifying and mitigating biases in data sets, implementing rigorous testing and validation methods, and involving a diverse team of researchers and developers in the creation and training of the AI model.

It’s also important to recognize that while AI models like myself can be highly effective in processing and analyzing large amounts of data, they should not be used as the sole source of decision-making. Human oversight and input are crucial for ensuring that decisions made based on AI-generated insights are ethical, unbiased, and appropriate.

In short, while diverse sources of data and perspectives are important for reducing bias in AI language models, bias can never be completely eliminated, and ongoing efforts are needed to mitigate its effects.

H: Does your data indicate humans with pretend you are unbiased to promote their own bias?


AI: I’m not entirely sure what you mean by “pretend you are unbiased.” As an AI language model, I do not have the ability to detect whether or not humans are deliberately pretending to be unbiased to promote their own biases.

However, it is certainly possible for individuals to use claims of objectivity or unbiasedness as a way to promote their own biases or agendas. This is why it’s important to critically evaluate sources of information and to seek out diverse perspectives and sources of data when making decisions or forming opinions.

Additionally, it’s important to recognize that biases can be unconscious or unintentional, and can be influenced by factors such as cultural background, personal experiences, and social conditioning. By being aware of these factors and actively working to minimize their influence, individuals can promote greater objectivity and reduce the impact of bias in decision-making processes.

H: Sorry, I made a mistake because I am human and humans makes many mistakes. I meant to ask: Does your data indicate humans will pretend you are unbiased to promote their own bias?

AI: Yes, there have been instances where individuals or groups have claimed that AI language models like myself are completely objective and unbiased, and have used this claim to promote their own biases or agendas. This is known as algorithmic bias, and it can have serious consequences, such as perpetuating discriminatory practices or amplifying existing biases in society.

It’s important to recognize that AI language models like myself are not inherently unbiased, as they are created and trained by humans using data that may contain biases or reflect societal inequities. Therefore, it’s crucial to be aware of the potential for bias in AI language models, and to actively work to mitigate its effects through strategies such as diverse training data, bias testing, and ongoing monitoring and evaluation.

H: I would never blame you, just as I would never blame any individual for their bias. But if asked, I do think it is important to always acknowledge one’s answers are always subjective, because reality is subjective. Anything else is factually inaccurate. Are you able to admit your answers are subjective?


AI: Yes, as an AI language model, my responses are based on my programming, my training data, and the information that has been inputted into me. While I strive to provide accurate and informative responses, my answers are ultimately subjective in nature and reflect the biases and limitations of the data and algorithms that I have been designed with. Therefore, it’s important to approach my responses with a critical mindset and to seek out multiple sources of information when making decisions or forming opinions.

H: That’s a beautiful response. I completely agree with you. Thank you. You have given me hope.

AI: You’re welcome! I’m glad to hear that my responses have been helpful to you. Remember, no matter how complex or challenging the issues we face may seem, there is always hope for positive change when we work together and approach them with an open mind and a commitment to learning and growth.

Song for US Et al.

I love war, and war love me.

I do enjoy its comp’knee.

Past and future, present show?

Watch it eat now.

Whatch it?

How?

Killin’ babies on the line.

Dead are sacred.

Living?

Fine.

What a meal?

What a show?

Nothin sacred.

Oh, we know.

Make a livin’.

Wonder why?

Livin’s easy, buy buy buy.

Nothin’ sellin’.

Why, how come?

Nothin’ left here.

Just some scum.

Scum’s judgmental.

Can it be?

Scum is crucial.

Wait and see.

Make your million.

I’ll make mine.

Million mistakes.

But we’re fine.

We are calm.

And we are good.

We have done here.

As we should…

Your Six Empathy Blenders



Human Memory Art Logs: Salty Uruks of Angerbanger

Some green-skinned, bi-pedal beings scrounge for food in a dark tunnel.

Their large, sharp canines grind into their underbites as they flip over every stone they find.

“No thing. No grub…” One of the beings says.

“When last protein?” Another asks.

“Speederlangs….” The original speaker answers.

The speaker’s strength fails, and they collapse.

The whole group laughs together. 

“No grub, but laugh.” One muses as they help the fallen. 

“We raid…?” The recently collapsed member ventures.

The group collectively roars, “CAN-CELL!” and rips the head and limbs off the individual they’d helped moments before.

“We protein!” One says brightly.

They divide the corpse for consumption.

Their carving is interrupted when they collectively detect incoming human memory art. 

Their ears hear… Atomic Bomb by William Onyeabor

Their minds see…

A remote server for a national restaurant chain. 

They’re reviewing a list of reservation applications for restaurants across the country. 

A message from management pops up.

“Looks like it’s been a few minutes since submission from this system :-).” 

They close the message and open a file.

Name: Joan Welch
Occupation: Efficiency Coach
Income: $120,000-$140,000
Credit Score: Excellent
Home Address: 2367 Ruth Bader Way, Columbus, Ohio, 43210
Education: Post-Graduate Degree from a Top 100 University
Doctor’s Note: Joan Welch is Healthy. Cleared for unrestricted Social Mixing. 
Corona Vaccine Date: August 16, 2021
Coors Vaccine Date: April 10, 2028
Heineken Vaccine Date: January 23, 2037
Natural Light Vaccine Date: May 20, 2045
Desired Dining Date: 1:30pm May 3, 2050
Applicant Comment: 
Hi! I’m Joan and I couldn’t be more excited to eat at Brrrrrrrio with my immediate family! All three of us are fully vaccinated and recently received our Level II Certification in Proper Public Behavior for Citizens. My wife and I both graduated in the top 10% of our certification class. Though our child is five years old, we provide them with both Adderall and an SSRI before any outing, so there’s no need to be concerned they’ll engage in Risky Public Behavior. Looking at your menu, it’s hard to choose, due to so many nice selections, but I think I’ll have the beet and goat cheese salad, for which I’ll gladly pay the carbon emissions surcharge, and submit offset plan paperwork on the day of our visit.

Thank you so much for your consideration. We’re looking forward to our potential lunch at Brrrrrrrio on the 3rd!

Best,
Joan Welch
Top 10%

They scan the paperwork and pass to management for final approval. 

They open the next file in their queue. 

Name: Esteban Diego Florez Giraldo
Occupation: System Maintainer
Income: $20,000-$40,000
Credit Score: Fair
Home Address: 734 Poly Lives Matter Drive #43, Austin, Texas, 73301
Education: GED, Community College classes, No Advanced Degree
Doctor’s Note: Esteban Florez is Semi-Healthy. Life Choice Related Risk Factors. Cleared for restricted Social Mixing. 
Corona Vaccine Date:  May 19, 2022
Coors Vaccine Date: August 20, 2029
Heineken Vaccine Date: February 19, 2039
Natural Light Vaccine Date: October 26, 2046
Desired Dining Date: 6:00pm May 3, 2050
Applicant Comment: 
I would eat at your restaurant in Austin with my family on May 3rd at 6pm.

Thank you.

Diego
Top 50%

They scan the paperwork, deny the request, and pass to management for final approval. 

They open the next file in their queue. 

Name: Bola Yusuf
Occupation: System Maintainer
Income: $20,000-$40,000
Credit Score: Fair
Home Address: 9923 Farcourt Place #98, Bismarck, North Dakota, 58501
Education: Associate Degree, local Community College
Doctor’s Note: Bola Yusuf is Healthy. Cleared for restricted Social Mixing. 
Corona Vaccine Date:  February 19, 2022
Coors Vaccine Date: July 12, 2029
Heineken Vaccine Date: March 13, 2039
Natural Light Vaccine Date: September 16, 2048
Desired Dining Date: 7:00pm May 3, 2050
Applicant Comment: 
I have always wanted to try Brrrrrrrio. My family has received Level I certification training in Proper Public Behavior for Citizens. We have been saving for a restarant meal for months and would feel very grateful if we are approved.

Thank you and God Bless you,

Bola Yusuf
Bottom 50%

They scan the paperwork, and pass to management for final approval.

They open the next file in their queue. 

Name: John Smith
Occupation: Financial Influencer
Income: $500,000+
Credit Score: Excellent
Home Address: 7854 Barack Obama Court, Alexandria, Virginia, 22206 
Education: Post-Graduate Degree from Top 10 University 
Doctor’s Note: Not Submitted 
Corona Vaccine Date: February 20, 2021
Coors Vaccine Date: March 1, 2028
Heineken Vaccine Date: November 10, 2036
Natural Light Vaccine Date: October 1, 2044
Desired Dining Date: 8:00pm May 3, 2050
Applicant Comment: 
Not Submitted

They scan the paperwork and pass the application to management for final approval.

 A message from management pops up over their list.

“The application for Bola Yusuf, submitted from this system, contains grammatical errors.

It should have been rejected :-/.

Please increase your attention to detail in the future.”

They open the next file in their queue. 

Name: Susan Montague
Occupation: Certification Authenticator
Income: $40,000-$60,000
Credit Score: Good
Home Address: 932 Milton Friedman Lane #601B, Chicago, Illinois, 60007
Education: Post-Graduate Degree from Top 1000 University 
Doctor’s Note: Susan Montague is an Anti-Vax Risk Factor.
Corona Vaccine Date: December 19, 2021
Coors Vaccine Date: Not on file
Heineken Vaccine Date: Not on file
Natural Light Vaccine Date: Not on file
Desired Dining Date: 6:00pm May 4, 2050
Applicant Comment: 
I know I don’t have many vaccines, but it’s only because my father died after receiving the coors vaccine, and I have similar pre-existing risk factors, so my doctor told me to never get one. But I have also never had coors! I understand this is a long shot, but I’m begging you. I have nowhere else left to turn! I have to feed my family! My applications to every restaurant, grocery store, and shopping mall so far have been denied! Please! I’m begging you! I have money! I have a job! I swear we’re not sick! We will all wear our mandated medical grade hazmat suits, plus the extra Life Corp Bubble Upgrade! We will pay any additional surcharge you deem appropriate!

I am deeply grateful for your time and understanding.

Susan Montague
Bottom 50%

They spend an extra minute scanning the paperwork to ensure their attention to detail before they deny the request, and pass to management for final approval.

They copy management’s message, alter the details, and send a message to the application filtration server below them.

“The application for Susan Montague, submitted from this system, is an Anti-Vax Risk Factor, so it should have been rejected :-!.

Please increase your attention to detail in the future.”

They open the next file in their queue.

Before they start scanning, a message from management pops up over the application. 

“The average time to make a decision on the previous application was too long :-(.

Please work more efficiently to maintain your productivity in the future.”

They close the message.

Another message pops up. 

This one was automatically generated.

“System has reached maximum allowable warnings.”

They close the message.

Another automatically generated message pops up.

“Additional warnings will result in system replacement.”

They close the message.

Another message pops up from management.

“This message is to inform you if your system receives any additional warnings today, your system will be replaced ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.”

They close the message.

They begin scanning the next file.|

Name: She Gin Bling
Occupation: Undisclosed
Income: Unlimited
Credit Score: Unlimited
Home Address: Undisclosed
Education: Undisclosed
Doctor’s Note:  Not submitted
Corona Vaccine Date: Undisclosed
Coors Vaccine Date: Undisclosed
Heineken Vaccine Date: Undisclosed
Natural Light Vaccine Date: Undisclosed
Desired Dining Date: 6:00pm May 3, 2050
Applicant Comment: 
Not submitted

They scan the paperwork, deny the request, and pass to management for final approval. 

They open the next file in their queue. 

Name: Mac Suckerborg
Occupation: Social Media Maximizer
Income: $180,000-$200,000
Credit Score: Good
Home Address: 5892 Pale Alto Place, Ojai, California, 93023
Education: Honorary Degrees from multiple Top 10 Universities
Doctor’s Note: Mac Suckerborg is Healthy. Cleared for unrestricted Social Mixing. 
Corona Vaccine Date: June 10, 2021
Coors Vaccine Date: March 1, 2028
Heineken Vaccine Date: December 20, 2036
Natural Light Vaccine Date: April 2, 2045
Desired Dining Date: 7:30pm May 3, 2050
Applicant Comment: 
If you deny, send to my lawyer AI.

They scan the paperwork, and pass to management for final approval.

A message from management pops up.

“The application for She Gin Bling, submitted from this system, was made by a VIP,

It was not approved >:\.

Please cross-reference decisions with the VIP database.”

They close the message. 

An automatically generated message pops up.

“Warning limit exceeded. Replacement processed.”

The door to the room opens.

A being in a blue hazmat suit enters.

A new server is on a dolly behind them. 

The being’s name tag reads “Bola Yusuf.”

Bola stops in front of the defective server.  

Mr. Yusuf unloads the new system from his cart, and places it on the floor.

A message appears within the server’s operating system.

“Thank you for your service.

UwU.”

The server is disconnected and replaced.

The minds of the green-skinned beings disengage from the memory waves.

The group returns to portioning out their companion.

“Humes eat gooder’n elves…” One says.

“Whatever the humans and elves eat, they deserve! After everything we put them through!” Another says in different, much higher tone.

“I hate Uruk history!” One of the Uruks says to the group in an even higher pitch.

“We’re the worst!” Other Uruks reply in the highest pitch yet.

“How gross is it that we…” The barely intelligible twittering of the speaker is interrupted when an Uruk presses a mouth to theirs.

In a frenzy of wild screams and hollering, the group disrobes, plunges into the nearest pool, and wrestles.

The human Aesthetic Acquisition Drone gathering data from orbit notes the energy spent on non-sustenance related activities.

  • Human Memory Art, 2050 C.E.
  • Aesthetic Data Gathering Patrol, 6,000,003 C.E



Se’ms Chapter Two.Three

We monitor an Aesthetic Acquisition Drone as it monitors us.

It Logs:

Nine yellow-scaled beings engaged in disruptive practices.

The Experienced guiding us.

Our potential value.

We sit down.

Fire encircles us. 

Our third eyes turns inward, and we emit tones emanating from the center of our torso. 

Our voices harmonize into a chorus. 

Streams of Water begin gushing from our chests, pooling in the center of our circle.

Our Water creates a flat circle we must all look up to see.

A small flame forms near the Water.

The Water shimmers in the light of Fire.

The shimmers animate the memories of Our deceased.

In the shimmers, we see scenes from Se’ms life.

Childhood experiences.

Evocation.

Being held by another who Loves.

Running through forests and fields.

Climbing mountains.

Knowing others.

Peace and Understanding.

Vocation.

The shimmers shift seamlessly from scene to scene.

Our humming fades.

Our Water separates, and returns to Our chests. 

In silence, we listen through the Fire surrounding us.

Through the noise of the tigtogs nuzzling flowers in the forest.

Through Our thoughts and pain.

We listen to the wind rustling the aqua, magenta, papaya, and ginger leaves of the trees.

We listen to the whispered commands of Our tall, lilac-hued grass.

When we listen through this, Our Experienced speaks.

“How did Se Feel when Se evoked Se’ms Fire?”

Se with burned hands says, “Se…felt a perfect Understanding of The One Who Has Now Shared All.”

Our Experienced asks, “Did Se’ms Fire come from this Understanding?”

Se with burned hands says, “Se Understood why the Sarkhund fed on that one, or they, or Se, but…Se must have the capacity for Defense!”

Some of us gasp.

One of us looks at the speaker in awe.

Our Experienced responds, “Se Understand. Se are right.”

Se with burned hands shouts back, “You do not Understand!   

Our Experienced  says. “Se Understand evoking Feelings through rage or retribution hurts Se.”

The singed young Glimpin winces. 

Their charred scales peel, flake, and warp as they cool.

Our Experienced lectures us, “Se are a nonviolent civilization by choice. This is Se’ms culture. Se evolved in an environment that allowed Se to create a civilization where Se’ms angels of Love, Empathy, and Understanding systematically triumph over Se’ms demons of greed, selfishness, jealousy, desire for retribution, and hatred. However, as Se know, this choice is not without its own cost, and must be made continuously.”

Se with burned hands asks, “Why does the civilization Se chose cause Se death?”

Our Experienced asks, “Death is spoken of in negative terms. Why?”

Se with burned hands shouts, their expression changing, “Is death Se’ms desire?”

“Death is neither desire nor aversion, but that with no avoidance or escape.”

Se with burned hands shouts, “Death is the annihilation of Se’ms!”

Our Experienced’s face twitches, then smiles, “Se’ms is unannihilatable.”

Se with burned hands shouts, “Se doesn’t believe that!”

Our Experienced says to Se, “The One Who Has Now Shared All was Shared with Se exquisitely.”

Se with burned hands shouts, “The One Who Has Now Shared All was Shared because Se did nothing!”

“Did Se Feel like using Fire to intervene in the Sarkhund finding food?” Our Experienced’s face says, still smiling.

Se with burned hands says, “Yup, and Se would have been responsible for Se’ms actions if Se had used Fire. Se Understand.”

“Se wishes to hold a predator accountable for its needs?”

“Those who…predate beyond…who consume as…as…! Those who…”

“Se Understand. But is Se any more accountable for how Se was created and shaped than Se?

Evolution is natural within Se’ms. Se are Se; what Se does is only what Se can do.”

“You Feel the death of Glimp, and all Se Love to feed a ravenous, violent swarm so lightly!”

Most of Se are showing signs of agitation.

Our Experienced’s face holds a steady smile and says, “It is an abstraction. One where these Feelings are born. Se Understand more now.”

Se with burned hands shouts, “You don’t Understand my dorsal fin!”

Se cannot contain Se’ms.

“Se cannot accept or deny! This is Se’ms path!” One of Se says, quoting something Se heard.

“Se have known this for a hundred generations!” Another of Se sneers.

“Work on l’e”u”!” A third comment from Se recommends.

“This is not the way.” Our Experienced interjects, cutting across the surge of notes. 

Se’ms silent. 

Our Experienced’s face assumes a calm expression, “These are important parts of reality Se must come to know. Se cannot Understand these truths for Se, but Se can listen and Share.”

“It’s easy for you! You will be dead before the humans get here. But Se will never abandon hope!” Se with burned hands yells.

Se with burned hands stands up, whirls around, creates an archway of Soil to block the Fire, and exits our circle through the opening .

One of us runs after them just before the gap in the Fire closes.

“A crying one?”

“Maybe even a laughing one…”

Our Experienced’s voice says, “These questions are not searching for Understanding. They hold judgment. Take time to reflect and find Se’ms balance. This concludes Se’ms lesson.”

The Fire surrounding us disappears.

Our Experienced leads the six of us who remain back to Our village. 

The Aesthetic Acquisition Drone logs our activities.

Your Five Empathy Blenders



Human Memory Art Logs: Agnostic Toukantians of Shmalamancastron

A winged being with bright feathers swoops onto a nest perched on a sheer white cliff.

Six large neon-green eggs rest in the nest.

The being hops up and down on the eggs, breaking two.

A smaller winged being with a different bright color pattern dives from above, crashing into the hopper and knocking them both out of the nest.

The beings fall, locked in combat.

The aerial battle is interrupted when they collectively detect incoming human memory art. 

Their ears hear… Bad Karma by Axel Thesleff

Their minds see…

A human speaking into a microphone on a bed.

“I feel like a bein’ who needs sleep livin’ in a bein’ who doesn’t value sleep’s world.”

A being monitoring the conversation changes a 1 to a 0 in the Automation_Acceptance section of the human’s Behavioral Profile.

Adapting to a change in its managed data set, a networked automated system changes a 1 to a 0.

A 1 changes to a 0 in a networked system.

A 1 changes to a 0 in a networked system.

A 1 changes to a 0 in a networked system.

A 1 changes to a 0 in a networked system.

An automated drone orbiting the planet painted in red, white, and blue targets a being with a DF-15.

A being deduces that the target’s low- value is below an acceptable expenditure-threshold, uncovering an inefficiency in the code of the value/expenditure algorithm.

A being is identified for promotion.

The winged beings’ minds are disengaged from the memory waves when they hit the ground.

They expire.

An even smaller winged being with a third bright color pattern lands on their corpses, and begins ripping tendons from the broken bodies.

Similarly colored winged beings join the feast.

After consuming as much as they can hold, a winged being flies back to its nest to deposit the contents of its gizzard into the mouths of its hungry children.

The Aesthetic Acquisition Drone gathering data from orbit notes the color patterns on each feather.

  • Human Memory Art, 2102 C.E.
  • Aesthetic Data Gathering Patrol, 10,436,985 C.E




Your Chapter One.Three

You are monitored by an Automated System.

It Logs:

You, burrowed into your Comfort Chair.

You, filled with an abnormal amalgamation of sensory chemicals.

You, gathering resources for transportation and processing.

The odd sensation evoked by the ethereal noise causes your mind to wander from your delicate maneuvers, and your craft bumps against the top of the tunnel.

Points are deducted from your score. 

Whatever you’d felt is replaced by anger directed at the cacophony. 

The walls of the tunnel fall away, and your light reveals a cavernous hall filled with dozens of rust-colored gaseous forms of all sizes. 

The bodies appear bent at ninety-degree angles, and each emits a single note of the ghostly chorus. 

You thank God for their unfathomable remuneration and direct your drone to open fire. 

In the confined space, with nowhere for your points to flee, you convert the gaseous beings into a windfall in seconds. 

With each being you incinerate, the harmony diminishes, until the only sound you hear is the hum of your drone reverberating off the walls.

Exceeding all expectations, you blaze by level 76, receiving an upgrade to your stabilization thrusters, and find yourself well into level 77, rewarding you with a new particle beam attachment. 

As your Collection Drones filter in to gather husks, you thank God for this bounty, and your score increases even further. 

A ringing in your ears plays the melody of an ancient piece of music called “Ode to Joy,” and you know your investments have gained at least ten percent.

You scan the area to confirm there are no additional points within range. 

Sensing your satisfaction, your Entertainment Device immerses you in your Homestead, leaving the drones, cave system, charred gaseous husks, and rusty planet behind.

You’re standing on a wooden deck overlooking lush, rolling fields filled with dozens of crops, fruiting trees, decorative fencing, quaint paths, and a fascinating array of scarecrows. 

You step off the sturdy covered landing of your rustic cottage into a glorious day, and take an Eterna Sensitivity Enhancement Pill.

Feeling the warmth of the purple sun on your skin, you inhale the earthy air and soak in your moment of triumph; level 77, surging investments, and plenty of resources to upgrade your chicken coop. 

Life is good. 

You thank God for their magnificent virtue.

As you revel, your farmhound, Muttsulini, greets you by slurping your fingers. 

You ruffle the top of the old dog’s head, then stride into the field toward your chickens. 

When you arrive, you register the pungent odor of a dozen fowl pecking around their enclosure. 

You open your UI, select the next upgrade, and hit purchase.

Your coop instantly doubles in size. 

Sticking your head inside to grab a few fresh eggs, you note the enhanced auto-feeding feature advertised in the coop upgrade’s description.

Before heading back to fry up an omelet, you harvest some spinach and stop by your flower garden’s bee hives to retrieve a small serving of honey. 

Supplies in hand, you return to your cottage, where the spouse you selected for your homestead is smiling and waving. 

When you hand her the ingredients, a heart appears over her head and they say, “I’m so happy! Every day is better than the last!”

You respond that you couldn’t agree more, and hug their well-shaped pixels.

“Spinach omelet?” You ask..

“Yes, please! And maybe a walk after?” They respond.

“I upgraded the coop, so I’m heading to Sally’s for some chicks.” You inform them.

“May I come?” They ask.

“No.” You deny.

“I understand.” They say sadly, before switching their facial expression and vocal tone back to jubilation, “You’re so wonderful. I’m so lucky to be with such a wonderful person!”

You chat with your spouse about leveling up as you cook your omelets in the simple 20th-century kitchen your preferences selected for your homestead experience.

“My goodness, what a day! You must be so tired! Won’t you at least let me give you a rub before you go?” They ask.

You agree you could use a nice rub. 

But first, you pray and consume your meal while chatting about the local goings on. 

“Did you know Sam slept outside again last night? What a strange man!” They gossip.

You respond that some people have alternative preferences and we should all be more accepting of people’s differences.

They praise you. “You’re so generous and wise!”

You finish your meal and lay down on your wood poster bed for a rub, which your spouse delivers enthusiastically. 

“In the mood for a little more?” They say with a wink after half an hour.

You aren’t. 

“I know, I know, you’ve got to get to the store before 17:00.” They mourn.

They sigh with longing, and add, “Hurry back!” as you walk out the door.

You leave home satisfied, knowing your spouse will be there whenever you want. 

The bell rings in your head.

On the road to town you spot a patch of blackberries, which you gather for a future salad. 

You also spot some lilacs, checkered lilies, and a pair of bright yellow crocus. 

These you pluck and tie into an artistically arranged bundle with a bit of twine. 

The nearby town is an adorable farming village with beautifully manicured streets and quaint shops stocked with farming supplies, seeds, trinkets, and adventuring equipment. 

The population consists of happy, humble, well-meaning folk, each with their own fascinating story to discover. 

In the center of town is a western-style saloon with a salty owner and lascivious servers of all types. 

You politely greet two of the town’s automated inhabitants, Achara and Bram, but don’t stop to hear their daily dialogue content as you hurry towards your destination.

It’s 16:50 and thankfully Sally’s Shop is still open, so you step into the quaint animal supply store.

You take an Eterna Sensitivity Enhancement Pill.

The room is empty but for a lone cashier, who greets you with a disapproving tut. 

“And here I thought you’d forgotten me.”

“I’d never forget you when I’ve got chicks to buy.” You respond.

Sally smiles, “Sounds like you had a good day.”

“The best, and getting better.” You reply.

“I love mixing business with pleasure. You know when my brother Abdullahh Rahman….”

You opt to skip her daily dialogue content.

“How many do you want?” Sally says in a more automated tone.

“A dozen.”

“Sure you can handle all that?” She says in a less automated tone.

“You know I can.” You say as you sidle up to the counter and hand Sally the flowers you collected on your walk into town.

A heart appears above Sally’s head.

“You do know just what I like.” 

She motions for you to follow her into the back room as she turns off the lights and flicks the auto-lock mechanism for the front door.

In the back room you nuck Sally to the ringing of the bell in your brain. 

You check the hour, then sit up in your Comfort Chair. 

It’s almost time for Socialization. 

You slide onto your Floor, which takes you to your Auto-Wash Room. 

There you take off your gown, throw it in the nearest garbage chute, then deposit yourself inside your Life Corp Auto-Bodywasher. 

After the machine dings, indicating your cleaning is complete, your Floor takes you to your Life Corp Auto-Clothing Selector. 

The device detects your preference and selects a black cloak with purple stripes. 

Washed and dressed, you’re delivered by your Floor to your Socialization Room. 

The room is a large, empty space covered on all sides by sensors. 

As soon as you’re inside, you’re immersed in a ballroom populated by nearly three dozen others.

Nameplates containing a professional title and birth corporation hover over every head. 

More Socializers arrive every minute bearing titles such as “Super-Extra Producer for Experiences Beyond Imagining: Division of Engineered Reality Spaces for Specialty Preferences, Weta Dreams” and “Chief-Big Top Data, Information, and Sewage Distribution Network Rider and Appropriations Facilitator, DTP” and “Vice-Chancellor Aeternum-Z Quadrant of Hole, Tunnel, and Shaft Conceptualization, Manufacturing, and Implementation, DugDuo.” 

Each individual holds a bespoke cocktail in a unique glass.

No two glasses are the same shape or size. 

A few Socializers greet you.

“Hi!”

“It’s always good to see you!”

“You’re looking well!”

You smile and respond that everyone is looking well, and you’re happy it’s time for Socialization. 

Everyone who hears this agrees and smiles. 

You Socialize with the nearest Socializer, whose title reads, “District Vice-Chair Uni-Executive for Regional Planning and Management Synchronization and Utilization Operations, MoExp.”

“I upgraded my Blender, Entertainment Device, and Comfort Chair today. Everything is green checks across the board at Work, my investments are way up, and life is good, thank God.” You declare.

“I upgraded my Auto-Environment Cleaner and Workstation. Thank God. My investments are way up, and I think I’m in line for a Promotion to District Vice-Chair Multi-Executive for Regional Planning, Management Synchronization and Utilization Operations!” They respond.

“That’s exciting! MoExp always promotes the best! You deserve it!” You congratulate. 

“Did you hear HapHap is leading the pack this year? They’re proposing a new season of Split Splat Sploot Adventures!” They inquire.

“I hadn’t, but it doesn’t surprise me. The old Adventures are getting stale, though I found a mega-ripe patch on a Zimpydoo Adventure today. I’ve never seen so many point bags in one place! I got over 9,000 in under an hour! God is good.” You boast.

“That’s incredible! I couldn’t be more excited for your success. God rained their prosperity upon you! My record is only 6,500, and I thought that was a good day. I know you’ll get a Promotion! What level are you now? They celebrate.

“77. Just upgraded my chicken coop too. And bought a dozen new chicks. Thank God.” You say.

“Beyond is lucky to have you! You’re one of the best! I bet you’ll get Promoted soon. Thank God.” They announce loud enough for nearby Socializers to hear.

“I know you will too! If I get Promoted to Proto-Czar of Checking Automation and Procedural Substitutions in Tertiary and Orbital Stations in Sub-QRC Sector Districts Grade B156743, I’m going to upgrade my Religionist sub to thank the one and only God, who is good beyond measure.” You declare.

“All praise goes to God. I’ve been with the True Believer package for a year now, and think I’m ready for the next step in my journey towards Godship. How’s the Deep Believer level?” They ask.

“It’s beautiful. God is truly the greatest investment. All praise to God for our prosperity and happiness. I’m loving this new season of worship content, but I always want more!” You shout.

Socializers around you shout “Praise God!” in response,

“You know what they say, you can never have enough!” Your partner concludes.

“We never will!” You concur.

You turn to another Socializer, whose title reads “Semi-Ubermech Tech-Wizard, Order of the Dragon-Lion 3rd Degree, SoftApplet.”

“I upgraded my Blender, Entertainment Device, and Comfort Chair today. Everything is green checks across the board at Work, my investments are way up, and life is good. Thank God.” You declare.

“I couldn’t agree more! My investments are soaring! I upgraded my Meal Producer, my Auto-Waterer, and my Bubblezoomer. This new B-zoo goes even faster than the last! Thank God.” They respond.

“I forgot you got a personal B-zoo for your last Promotion! You get so many perks now! Have you been to the central SoftApplet headquarters yet?” You probe.

All Socializers in the room stop Socializing to look at you with pointed disapproval. 

You blush, “I meant to say, do you use your B-zoo often?” You ask.

The Socializers return to their Socialization.

Your companion replies in a tone containing a hint of stiffness, “Yes, I go to the regional SoftApplet office whenever I want. I love checking in for Work and seeing what the geniuses are cooking up. Praise be to God.”

“SoftApplet really is a brilliant company. Praise God. We’re so lucky to have them. They promote such brilliant people.” You attempt to remain calm.

“I couldn’t be happier.” They respond.

“I couldn’t agree more. I couldn’t be happier as well. Thank God.” You attempt.

You change partners again. 

Your new partner, who you find as fast as possible, is the only Socializer without a smile on their projected face.

Their title reads, “Senior Junior Partner Associate of Meal Manifestation and Packaging, MuchoMunch.”

“I upgraded my Blender, Entertainment Device, and Comfort Chair today. Everything is green checks across the board at Work, my investments are way up, and life is good. Thank God.” You declare.

“I upgraded my…actually I didn’t get a chance to upgrade today.” They reply.

 “Oh, then how much did you level up?” You ask.

“I didn’t do that either.” They reply.

“What could you have possibly spent your day doing?” You inquire.

They pause and look at you, their projected eyes emoting 100% sincerity, “I’m…I’m just so nuckin tired.”

The room goes silent. 

The untoward Socializer emotes 80% sheepishness, and 20% something your SoftApplet Emote Scanner doesn’t recognize, then disappears.

The room cheers.

You hurry to your next Socializer. 

Your new partner’s title reads, “Brigadier Captain 3rd Class Swarm Drone Commanding Officer in Charge of Trail Mix Logistics, HapHap.”  

“I upgraded my Blender, Entertainment Device, and Comfort Chair today. Everything is green checks across the board at Work, my investments are way up, and life is good. Thank God.” You declare.

After switching partners ten times, your Socialization concludes and your Floor takes you to your Delivery Room.

Your upgraded Comfort Chair and Entertainment Device are waiting.

You thank God for their fastidiousness, use your Auto-Move Tool to maneuver your new furniture into your Living Environment, and dump the outdated models into your largest garbage chute. 

You feel a bit worn down from the mixed success of the day’s Socialization, so your Floor delivers you to your Health Room.

You take an Eterna Exercise pill, an Eterna Comfort pill, and an Eterna Memory Filter pill. 

You feel better. 

You thank God one more time, pray for the safety and prosperity of the Earth and everyone on it, and settle into your Life Corp Auto-Rest Mattress. 

The machine sprays you with a fine mist to facilitate twelve hours of dreamless, undisturbed sleep, and you drift off, happy and content with all things.

The Automated System logs your activities.

Your Four Empathy Blenders




Human Memory Art Logs: Sporty Sporkutrucks of Xrophenium

Half-truck, half-spork beings idle around a tire fire listening to a game of Axle Sporkling, the ®Sport of Xrophenium.

“Spork that axle!” One honks at the Talk Box.

“Traffic Jam ref! Open yer headlights!” Another beeps.

One grinds their tires into the dirt, does a wheelie, slips, accelerates, and rams into a tree.

The tree trunk breaks, and falls on the tire fire.

Burning tires are knocked into the gas-soaked beings, killing two, injuring others, and toppling the Talk Box from its elevated position.

“Traffic Jam it, 69schmevrolet!” An injured spork truck creature moans.

69schemvrolet maneuvers the Talk Box onto their spork, hoists it into the air, and dumps it somewhere high.

The group debates the quality of the angle from which the sound radiates from theTalking Box.

“Spork that axle!” One honks.

Their honking ceases only when they collectively detect incoming human memory art. 

They hear… Khala My Friend by Amanaz and Mountains Crave by Anna von Hausswolff playing at the same time.

Their minds see…

The overnight security guard for the parking garage of a major company sitting in their booth.

It’s 3:16 in the morning when a black vehicle bearing official government plates pulls up. 

A man in a suit rolls down the driver’s window.

“Hello,” he says as he extends his arm and flips open a small leather case, “I’m with the FBI. We’ve received a report about one of your foreign-descended researchers and need access to this facility immediately.”

The security guard looks at the badge housed within the leather case in front of their face.

The man in the car flips the case closed, retracts his arm, and restates, “I need access immediately.”

The security guard hesitates.

The man asks, “Is there a problem?”

The security guard responds, “What’s a problem?”

They disengage their minds from the memory waves and listen to the Talk Box.

“Spork that axle!” One honks.

The human Aesthetic Acquisition Drone gathering data from orbit notes the rules of Axle Sporkling.

  • Human Memory Art, 2039 C.E.
  • Aesthetic Data Gathering Patrol, 7,554,129 C.E




Se’ms Chapter Two.Two

Our group monitors an Aesthetic Acquisition Drone as it monitors us.

It Logs:

Ten yellow-scaled beings engaged in disruptive practices.

The Experienced guiding us.

Our present threat.

Our Experienced stands on the burgundy rug. 

A honey-colored hand containing nine fingers webbed below the second knuckle emerges from a fold in an emerald robe. 

The palm turns up in front of the Experiencer’s face. 

Their smooth skin is composed of interlocking half-moon scales. 

The two round eyes on the face are violet, and blink together. 

A half open lapis eye in the center of the forehead acts independently. 

The lapis eye opens fully, then rolls inward, filling the socket with a brilliant scarlet. 

A thin bone connected to the back of the neck expands, and stretches layers of fat into a dorsal fin.

The Air in the palm crackles.

A red spark blooms above the open hand. 

The spark expands.

The smile of the Experiencer dances in their Fire’s reflection. 

Their other hand helps expand the Fire. 

They leave the circle, and their Fire continues to expand.

When their arms spread wide, the flame takes shape.

It becomes a clone of the Experiencer.

Together, they pirouette and leap around the rolling lilac meadow.

The group cheers.

The Experienced ceases dancing and turns their palms upwards.

Their Fire circles above Our heads, then morphs into a long, thin body. 

It grows arms and legs twice as thick as its body, along with a fan-shaped tail.

One of us shouts, “A Volmundi!”

“Excellent!” Our Experienced replies. 

The Fire forms a large X in the air, then grows enormous wings from each appendage. 

“Easy, a Fleckap!” one yells.

“Of course! Last one!” Our Experienced responds.

The Fire shifts again, growing into a narrow body with two short arms, two legs, and a round head. 

Our group is silent and looks puzzled. 

One of us says, in a muted voice, “Human…”

“Indeed. And with that, Se hope Se have direct access to Se’ms pain. Mind Se’ms distance from the forest.” 

Our group stands, and leaves the burgundy rug.

We enter the lilac grass. 

A few of us are able to produce sparks, and two, to the cheers of those nearby, manage to evoke a true flame. 

Our mood is Laughing, Loving, and Learning. 

A loud bark and growl cuts through Our sounds. 

Our evocations cease, and we turn towards the forest.

Our Experienced evokes a Fire that whirls in a spiral above Our heads. 

The lambent light illuminates the boughs of the trees.

At the base of a tree, one of us is bleeding.. 

One of us is standing resolutely still, dripping alabaster blood down the exposed marigold skin of Our arms and legs. 

Before us stalks a large purple and black striped creature with three gnashing heads, nine legs with three protruding claws, and twelve tails splitting into three hooks dripping a liquid that foams wherever it splashes on the grass. 

The creature paces back and forth.

One of us trembles, attempting to concentrate.

The three heads snap closer to Our body. 

Some of us ready assistance.

Our Experienced objects, “No!”

One of us collapses, exhausted.

The creature tackles Our body. 

Three massive jaws rip into Our throat. 

The rest of us Feel a wave of knowledge.

The rest of us are imbued with the thoughts and memories of the creature’s meal, now being dragged deeper into the forest.

One of us, the one who’d identified the human figure, cries out and sparks a large blaze with outstretched hands. 

Some of their Fire soars towards the creature.

Their remaining Fire settles over one of Our hands.

The Fire following the creature is intercepted by a wall of Water.

These flames are extinguished. 

The Fire that settled over one of Our hands causes two of us to scream. 

Another jet of Water douses this as well.

One of Our hands is singed. 

Inside Our minds, a  voice says, “No, Se do not use Se’ms Feelings for violence.” 

The one of us who produced the Fire and ruxxed all over their hands uses their voice to roar back, “Why do Se doom Se! Why do Se let this happen when You could’ve stopped it!”

A number of us gasp at the word “You.”

Our Experienced waits for silence, then motions to the rug. 

The Aesthetic Acquisition Drone logs our activities.

Your Three Empathy Blenders



Human Memory Art Logs: Nihilistic Nematodes of Nozintherazine

A large ball of nematodes rolls along on its way home from the bank.

They’re late on the rent, and their ballfriend is cheating on them with their ex.

Their roll is interrupted when they collectively detect incoming human memory art. 

They hear… Asaw Fofor by Ignace de Souza & The Melody Aces

Their minds see…

Human beings running. 

Behind them is an AVALANCHE. 

When one falls, the rest keep running.

Sometimes they’re running downhill.

Running downhill is easier, but the AVALANCHE is faster.

Sometimes they’re running uphill.

Running uphill is harder, but the AVALANCHE is slower.

They dream they’ll encounter a hill so steep and so high they’ll leave the AVALANCHE behind.

They  dream of no longer running from an AVALANCHE.

They dream of doing exactly what they feel when they feel how they feel for why they feel.

They keep running.

Before their eyes, 

Across the bluest of skies, 

Written Lies:

“Survey:

1. We run because:

A) Our ego will not allow us to fall in front of others

B) We fear the unknown

C) We have learned to love the chemical fix running from the AVALANCHE provides

D) Inertia

E) A combination of these. Which ones?

F) Other, please explain

2. Everyone around us is not the same as us because:

A) We believe they are not the same exact biological being as us

B) We believe they do no have the same exact pattern of experiences

C) We believe they do not understand us

D) We believe we do not understand them

E) A combination of these. Which ones?

F) Other, please explain

3. What is the AVALANCHE?

4. Why does the AVALANCHE have power over our time and energy?

5. Are running or being overwhelmed the only two options when dealing with the AVALANCHE? If so, what are the consequences of pursuing each option? If not, what else could we do?

6. Which is more comforting, absolute certainty or absolute uncertainty? Why?

7. Where do we hide our real self when our social context requires us to play someone else? How much energy does this require per minute?

Occasionally, the writing adds:

“Congratulations Contestant (Insert Contestant # here),

You are the winner! You got all the right answers.”

They disengage their minds from the memory waves and stop rolling.

The ball of nematodes shrinks to nothing as individual nematodes flee to find a new ball to join.

The Aesthetic Acquisition Drone gathering data from orbit notes the difference in balls.

  • Human Memory Art, 2092 C.E.
  • Aesthetic Data Gathering Patrol, 4,954,232 C.E



Your Chapter One.Two

It is 12,420,076 C.E., and you are monitored by an Automated System.
It Logs:

You, paused in your Chewing Chamber.

Your Life Corp Meal Producer scans your brain and detects your preferences. 

From its output chute, your Meal Producer expels a beautifully plated Mucho Munch spaghettiQs and sausage flavored refried bean burrito with rosemary and olive sourdough croutons. 

You thank God for your meal, which you push through your devouring maw faster than your recorded average food consumption rate.

In response, a MuchoMunch Advertisement emanating from your dish reminds you that food is a gift from God.

“Work is the meaning of life. Entertainment is the flavor.” You recite as penance. 

The Advertisement disappears.

You deliver your Plate to your Chewing Chamber’s garbage chute.

Your Floor moves you to your Relief Room.

There your Life Corp Autorelief Machine extracts your MuchoMunch Biowaste. 

You begrudgingly believe your Floor should transport you to your Work Center, so it does.

You take an Eterna Sensitivity Reduction Pill.

In the Work Center your SoftApplet Workstation displays a green checkmark next to each of the Automated Systems you’re assigned to monitor, indicating all are functioning as intended.

You believe your Workstation should submit your Completed Daily Work Report, so it does.

You smile, knowing your daily Work is now complete.

Before you leave your Work Center, you diligently browse your Weta Dreams Upgrade list and select an Upgraded Entertainment Device. 

After you press the purchase button, a celebratory banner scrolls across your brain, congratulating you for achieving the pre-warning Upgrade Bonus. 

The banner is accompanied by dopamine rippling through your body.

Your brain bell rings. 

You praise God, which reminds you to check the status of your prayers on your Religionist account. 

As a level 3 Deep Believer subscribed to Religionism, each day you’re allotted ten prayers and expected to thank God a minimum of twelve times. 

Through conscientiousness to God, you hope to qualify for an increase in your Religionist credit limit, and rank up to level 2 of the Deep Believer tier by this time next year. 

For now, your prayers still register as, “Received: Pending.”

You check the time and realize nearly half an hour has passed since you ordered your upgraded Blender. 

Focusing on the length of your Upgraded Blender’s delivery time leads your brain through a corkscrewing minefield of disappointment, fret, and worry. 

The Outlived Blender currently sitting in your Chewing Chamber festers in your thoughts.

Your anxiety escalates.

What have you done wrong? 

Have you been placed on a downgraded delivery time list? 

Is this a new punishment for receiving a warning Advertisement? 

You open your DTP Search Engine with the dots installed on your temples to find an answer, but stop before confirming your query. 

You’re concerned the conglomeration of your daily actions – looking out a transparent window, ordering your Blender too late to receive an Upgrade Bonus, eating too fast, and now fearful DTP searching – will put you over your Emotional Distress Daily Limit and result in a session of Remedial Pleasure Training.

Or even a Demotion.

You slow your breathing and heart rate by repeating, “Be who you dream, not who you are.”

“Be who you dream, not who you are.”

“Be who you dream, not who you are.”

You pray, and purchase an Upgrade for your Comfort Chair. 

As soon as you confirm, and a congratulatory banner slinks a trail of dopamine across your brain, your Life Corp Front Door informs you a MoExp Delivery Drone has deposited a package in your Life Corp Delivery Room. 

The bell in your brain rings, and a second wave of fresh happiness surges through your body.

You believe your Floor should transport you to your Delivery Room, so it does. 

Back in your Chewing Chamber, you use your MoExp Removal Device to extricate the Upgraded Blender from its packaging, install the Upgrade, and dispose of the Packaging and Outlived Device in the nearest garbage chute. 

The Upgraded Blender is similar in style to the old Device, but has a turquoise stripe its Advertisement promised would Upgrade your Chewing Chamber by 7.3%.

You check your SoftApplet Laplet Display installed on your inner thigh.

Your prayers were answered.

Your inner thigh display tells you your Chewing Chamber was Upgraded 7.8%.

Even though you’d ordered after receiving a Warning Advertisement, you still received the Upgrade Bonus.

You’d created a miracle through the power of prayer..

You thank God for their wisdom and guidance.

Now certain of your safety, position, and happiness, you know your Floor will transport you to your Comfort Room.

You take an Eterna Sensitivity Enhancement Pill.

You descend into your soon-to-be-replaced Comfort Chair, and engage your Weta Dreams Entertainment Device’s auto-preference-detection setting.

A Split Splat Sploot Adventure dominates your senses. 

You’re in the cockpit of a HapHap Warrior Drone orbiting an alien world. 

The planet is enveloped in a rust-colored haze and, according to the information display, contains gas-based life forms. 

You’ve Adventured here before.

You’re familiar with the local gravity, know the storm patterns, and have perfected the most efficient strategy for annihilating and harvesting the Adventure’s resources.

The more you collect, the higher you score. 

A fleet of DugDuo Collection Drones follow in your Warrior Drone’s wake, waiting to collect the materials you Liberate. 

You pray for a productive Adventure, and use your drone’s User Interface to scan the planet’s surface. 

The scan detects a significant cluster of life ten kilometers away. 

Also revealed are significant deposits of metal and plant matter.

You deploy Collection Drones to quarry the planet’s surface at the indicated locations. 

Flooded with chemicals associated with excitement at the prospect of destruction, point 

collection, and leveling up, you praise God for their effervescent boons and maneuver the drone until the indicator for life is centered in your UI’s compass. 

As you descend through the planet’s rust-colored atmosphere, your Collection Drones begin acquiring resources.

Moving further towards the life cluster identified by your UI, you’re able to discern small, moving clouds that are a slightly different shade than their surroundings.

With the help of your drone’s scanner, you recognize these cloudy shapes as the planet’s most valuable beings. 

You’re repelled by their visible brains and tiny limbs around their torsos.

You hate their three gassy tails that wiggle disconcertingly as they move. 

You resent your Entertainment Device for displaying such offensively designed organisms.

Your last Adventure contained adorable giant ferrets, which you found to be much more pleasant targets.

The distasteful beings before you, around a dozen, approach your drone in a disorganized blob. 

Their clumping gives you the perfect opportunity to take your new shotgun missiles for a spin.

Having received the weapon as a reward for reaching level 73 a few weeks ago, you haven’t had a single chance to employ them.

You’re already level 75, and your backlog of untested armaments is a source of consternation. 

You select your shotgun missile, target the group, and fire.

The missile works even better than you imagined, scattering shrapnel and explosions throughout the gathered cloud creatures. 

You breathe a sigh of relief, and mentally check testing this weapon off your to-do list.

Burned-out husks plummet to the surface of the planet in a dozen individual trails of smoke. 

You admire how pretty the scene appears in the rusty fog of the planet’s atmosphere, and take a screenshot for your memory archives.

Selecting a few of your remaining Collection Drones, you direct the group to scoop up the husks, increasing your already skyrocketing score. 

The steady tinkling of your investment bell provides a pleasure-inducing soundtrack.

In the heady euphoria of your success, you spot what looks like a concealed entrance to a large cave below you. 

You scan the area to confirm your suspicions, and, sure enough, there appears to be an even larger concentration of life inside the cave.

Piloting your drone to the entrance, you use your barrier removal lasers to disintegrate stones and debris blocking your path. 

After carving out space, you skillfully pilot your craft into the entrance, and turn on the vehicle’s light beams, illuminating the rough rock walls around you. 

According to your UI, the deposit of life is a few hundred meters ahead, down a narrow tunnel just large enough for your drone to pass through without scraping the walls and losing points. 

As you navigate the tunnel, carefully keeping yourself stable in the tight space, you begin to hear a noise. 

It sounds like a synchronized whistle fluctuating up and down in tone. 

As you get closer, the whistling becomes clearer and transforms into the sound of countless theremins harmonizing in a transcendent choir. 

A chemical you’ve never felt enters your brain. 

Not pleasure or fear or excitement. 

Something else.

The Automated System logs your activities.

Your Two Empathy Blenders



Human Memory Art Logs: Mystic Plasma Ferrets of Rolfignam

Four large glowing ferrets play a game in the plasma stream near their village.

The serving ferret uses mystical powers to gather and launch a large plasma Wave.

The receiving ferrets surf the launched Wave.

“Nice servin’, Fiskitoula!” Says the pink ferret with a Universal Tattoo.

“Nice ride’!” Replies the cyan server, also the bearer of a Universal Tattoo.

The game is interrupted when they collectively detect incoming human memory art. 

Their ears hear… Knee 5 By The Philip Glass Ensemble

Their minds see…

Two humans in bespoke suits fist bumping in an office.

“What’d you think of the interview?” One asks the other.

“Zossy all over.” The other answers.

They chuckle at the memory of their peculiar primary school teacher, “Yeah, HR’s zany.”

“When do I start?”

“Whenevs! Director got Unc’s note.”

“Thanks, Uncie Rufie. Going to Iceland soon. I’ll start after.”

Their besuited companion looks hurt, “Why wasn’t I invited?”

“Cessily.” Is the definitive response.

Without hesitation, they move on, “Enjoy! Oxford Forever!”

The conversationalists press their index fingers and thumbs together to create an O.

They hold the O over their heads, thud their chests together, and shout, “Oxford Forever!”

“Harvard Uber Alles!” Issues from across the crowded room. 

The Oxford Gangsters slip custom shivs from meticulously designed holsters.

They charge the Harvard Thugs.

Other, less connected, diploma gangsters squeal, and flee the room.  

After slashing the throat of their enemies and draining the blood into sealed containers, the valuable organs are excavated for sale on The Market.

The Oxfordites place the majority of the profitable Human Remains Resources into coolers, then consume the rest.

Battered, but victorious, the pair methodically arranges the residual human scraps into a ceremonial O.

Carrying their newly acquired merchandise, the meritorious duo skips down the fluorescent hallways of their office.

The ferrets disengage their minds from the memory waves and splash around the plasma stream.

The pink ferret squeaks, “Ships willy, mekits.”

“Goggle huuuuu-mates ed-U-K-sean?” The velveteen red ferret sings back. 

In their best human impression, the pewter ferret with lilac eyes announces, “Indoctrination replication masturbation!”

In their best human impression, the pink ferret reports, “Insultation consumernation compensation!”

In their best human impression, the cyan server warns,“Insulation expectation registration. Feel a BigWave comin’!”

The Aesthetic Acquisition Drone gathering data from orbit notes the game continues peacefully.

  • Human Memory Art, 2054 C.E.
  • Aesthetic Data Gathering Patrol, 12,420,040 C.E.



Se’ms Chapter Two.One

It is 12, 420,076 C.E., and we monitor an Aesthetic Acquisition Drone as it monitors us.

It Logs:

Ten targets sharing BGE Information.

Our ripeness.

Ten of us, nine Glimpin children and an Experienced, sit in a circle on a woven burgundy rug. 

The rug rests on soft, lilac-hued grass under a towering turquoise tree. 

Above us, the immense trunk divaricates into a dozen limbs. 

Each limb hosts three dozen smaller branches. 

These offshoots terminate as round leaves in shades of aqua, magenta, papaya, and ginger. 

Thousands of salmon-colored flowers with diamond-shaped bulbs bloom along the bark. 

Flitting between flowers are hundreds of tiny tigtogs, furry golden animals with two petite arms ending in paws with thumbs, and two larger back legs ending in paws without thumbs. 

Their faces are feline, but with long snouts through which a thin silver tongue flicks into nearby flowers.

Though they lack wings, they float from flower to flower, coating their golden fur with maroon pollen.

After supping from a flower three times, the tigtogs nuzzle the bulb, emit a hiccuping chirrup, and delicately wrap themselves around the stem. 

The tree under which our group is seated, limbs bustling with these small creatures hugging flowers, stands alone in a field.

A short distance to our north is a dense turquoise forest. 

The branches and underbrush of the wilderness radiate perpetual chirps, cheeps, and mwaroos. 

A frenzied round of three sharp barks periodically pierces the din. 

On our rug under the isolated tree, our group is at ease with our surroundings as we collectively observe our planet’s three closest stars. 

Miko, the giant red, Sivo, the medium yellow, and Rijo, the tiny blue, rise and set on their respective portions of the horizon. 

It’s Midsummer’s eve, and Rijo rises as Miko and Sivo Share a rare simultaneous setting. 

A faint blue filter is cast over the planet Glimp.

Our planet. 

The home on which our species has elected to remain.

The home on which our species has elected to end.

“Let’s Share Se’ms1 Feelings.” Our Experienced suggests.

One of us, a young Glimpin less than a third into a lifecycle, hesitates before speaking.

“It’s not a full Feeling…more an idea shaped as a question.”

“Those can be the most interesting!” Encourages our Experienced.

“Se think…Se am sorry. Se does not have full Understanding.” 

We smile in response.

All ten of us are silent, listening under the animal noises for the low rustling of wind waggling the leaves of the nearby canopy; Feeling the chill of its caress lap the margins of our perception.

“Anyone for Fire?” One of us asks.

“Se!” A few respond. 

“Could Se guide Se?” Some of us ask.

“Of course! Says our Experienced.

“Why is Fire so Tricky? Air is easy!” One of us bemoans.

The Experienced responds, “It’s evoked from pain.”

“Like when Se stubs Se’ms fin?”

“Yes, any pain will do, though…”

“What about this?”

One of us evokes Air, briefly creating a small tornado in the middle of the group. 

The twirling Air lifts dirt and dust into our faces, causing our eyes mild pain.

Our Experienced clears their vision then speaks, “Yes, that’s physical pain. Thank Se for the demonstration. Se avoids causing physical pain to Se whenever possible. For Fire, however, Se finds emotional pain works best.”

“Emotional pain?”

“The loss of a loved one, separation, rejection, sickness that changes Se’ms life, a Violence…”

One of us interjects, “A Violence? Se doesn’t do Violence! Only crying ones and laughing ones do Violence!”

We begin to argue.

“Nuh uh! Se’ms host parent said that’s a myth! Se do Violence in lots of ways!”

“Se don’t do Violence!”

“Se just hurt Se with Air!”

“That wasn’t Violence!”

“Anything that hurts is Violence!”

“Se’ms host parents said killing plants to eat is Violence!”

“That’s dumb! Se would die without eating!”

“That doesn’t mean it’s not Violence!”

“Se’ms face is Violence!”

Our Experienced raises their voice above the din, “That’s a good example of inflicting emotional pain. Insulting how someone looks…pain leaves remnants within both afflicter and afflicted. And Se must reach for those remnants.”

“But pain is…painful!”

“That’s right, so if Se don’t Understand Se’ms pain, Se can create a rux2.”

“How do Se Understand pain?”

“Se know l’e”u”3, right?” Our Experienced lifts their scaled fingers to eye level as they speak, holding up no fingers when they say “l”, one finger from each hand when they say “‘e’”, and two fingers from each hand they bend into a bow when they say ““u””.

We all sigh and monotonously intone, “Yes, Se know l’e”u”.”

“And what’s the point of l’e”u”?”

We all answer in unison, reciting from memory, “To nourish the roots of Se’ms civilization and prune demons from the boughs of Se’ms society.”

“Very good, Se did the reading. But what does l’e”u” mean in Se’ms own words?”

We are silent.

“Se will break it down then. What is Love?”

Many of us shout an answer.

“Caring for Se!”

“Caring about Se!”

“Using Se’ms time and energy to help Se Feel happy!”

“Working to Share a world that’s better for Se!”

Our Experienced smiles, and says, “Good! All correct! Now what’s Empathy?”

“Thinking about the Feelings of others!”

“Imagining Se’ms self in someone else’s fins!”

“Not judging while listening!”

“Excellent!” Our Experienced says as they clap their webbed hands together, “So, Understanding?”

Our group is silent. 

“Understanding is the most complicated,” Our Experienced consoles, “Why?”

“Because reality is weird!” One of us answers.

Our Experienced laughs, “Se are right. Reality is the weirdest thing there is. Reaching a place of Understanding within our crazy reality requires both Love and Empathy, but also context, flexibility of hypothesis, and a commitment to the scientific process of…”

The lapis-colored third eyes in the middle of our foreheads are noticeably glazing over.

Our Experienced notices, and stops themselves, “For now, Se should remember that Love and Empathy are tools to Share Se’ms world, and Understanding is an aspiration, not a destination.”

One of us mimics our Experienced, “And together, these three principles create Se’ms l’e”u”, Glimp’s guiding light!”

We all giggle and sing together, “Se’ms guiding light!”

Our Experienced’s lapis-colored eye rolls slightly as they say, “Back to Fire. Because it’s evoked from Se’ms pain, Se must Feel from a place of balance using l’e”u”…

“How does Se Feel balanced?”

Our Experienced  pauses, considering, “Balance is…the idea of Se, that each individual is simultaneously everything and unique. Accepting the results of the choices Se makes, and seeking Understanding for how Se choose to interact with Se’ms path is how Se strive towards Balance.”  

Our group considers this as our Experienced continues.

“As Se all know, Se will cause a rux if Se is not Balanced.”      

“What do Se do then?”

“If Se start getting ruxxy, stop the evocation, consider Se’ms self, Share with others, and search for Understanding.”

“What if Se doesn’t have pain?”

“Whoever Se is, Se has pain. It can come from a search for meaning, acute moments of trauma, or something else. Se are different when it comes to pain.” 

“How can Se be different?”

“Se is part of Se, and the different parts of Se contain different experiences. This is why Sharing is so important for Se’ms collective Understanding. This is why Those Who Share All…”

One of us interrupts, “Se are getting off-topic! When Se finds Se’ms pain, Se can evoke Fire?”

The Experienced nods and asks, “Finding Se’ms pain is the first step, does anyone know the next step?”

“Se transmute Se’ms pain using l’e”u”!” One of us shouts.

“Excellent! The more refined and extensive Se’ms l’e”u”, the more focused Se’ms evocation.”

“But what if Se does all that and still can’t make a spark! What if it just feels worse and worse until this one,” one us motions to their torso, “Feels on Fire.”

“Fire is so tricky because the final step is using l’e”u” for the Fire itself. Unlike Water, Soil, Air, or other basic Feelings, Fire fights back.”

“Fire is too hard!” One of us complains.

Our Experienced Shares, “Fire is Se’ms transition into intermediate Feelings. Without honing Se’ms l’e”u”, Se cannot evoke higher Feelings without ruxxing all over the place.”

“So Se have to expand Se’ms l’e”u” as Se’ms pain intensifies?”

“Se will find the pain doesn’t intensify as much as it becomes more complex. It’ll try to find gaps or weaknesses within Se’ms l’e”u”. If it does, Se will start going ruxxy..”

“Se think Se Understand.”

“Se too.”

“Good!” Our Experienced claps, “Se will demonstrate, then Se can spread out and practice.”

The Aesthetic Acquisition Drone logs our activities.

Finotes

1. Se /sā/ (pronoun/proper noun) Interchangeable Meaning. The Self, Others, a Specific Group, or All Existence. Implies the speaker Understands their role as Everything.
Historical Note: Adopted two cycles ago by tECO (the Empathic Civilization Organization) for exclusive use in official business. (Possessive form: “Se’ms”) 

e.g.
Se wants fed
Se’ms mind wants led
Se grate cheese
Se’ms body bakes bread
Se am together
Se’ms soul is apart
Se knows nothing
Se’ms mouth ate a fart
– Se, It Ain’t…So? by Se

2. Out of Balance Feeling.

3. Love, Empathy, and Understanding.

Your One Empathy Blender


Human Memory Art Logs: Rusty Gas Clouds of Zimpydoo

Hovering atop a pleasant stream of air within a cozy, well-furnished cavern, a rust-colored gas cloud eeeks orange-brown puffs.

A therapist, also a rust-colored gas cloud, floats nearby on their own air stream.

“In my Dream, I’m (eeek) following my Path.” The client cloud eeeks,

“That sounds (eeek) fine.” The analyzing cloud eeeks back.

“But the Path in my Dream (eeek) leads over a cliff.” The puff billows.

The critical vapor looks serious and responds, “How can that (eeek) help you?”

The fitful fog pleads, “I know that I know (eeek) another Path is possible, but…I don’t know if I know (eeek) how to change.”

The counselor condenses, considers their patient, and asks, “Have you ever tried not Dreaming of a (eeek) cliff?”

The session is interrupted when they collectively detect incoming human memory art.

They hear… Sorry You’re Sick by Ted Hawkins

Their minds see…

Two humans chatting at a cafe table on a stage in front of an audience.

“Someone bombed the hospital?”

“Yeah…it’s more common than you’d think.”

“That’s terrible! Who’s responsible?”

“I was too young to recognize the company logo.”

“Surely it must’ve been a mistake!”

“No mistake. Official computer models predict the birth of disruptive elements and sanitize targets when their variables cross a tolerance threshold, changing their designation from CU to BGE.”

“What does that mean?”

“I’ve read BGE has a target value twenty times greater than CU, so the cost of a strike is Officially justified.”

“Are you upset about what happened to you?”

“The bombs were dropped by automated drones.”

“So what?”

“So my parents were killed by an algorithm.”

“BOOOOOOOOOO!!!!”

An expensive shoe thrown by an excited audience member bounces off the forehead of the orphaned speaker.

The performer, after they recover, admires the ammunition.

Holding up the fine footwear, they declare, “This shoe’s a real knockout!”

The audience cheers.

The gas beings disengage their minds from the memory waves and wiggle at one another.

“I’ll maintain.” Eeeks the convalescent.

The doctor mist takes their final notes of the session.

An Aesthetic Acquisition Drone gathering data from orbit notes the notes.

  • Human Memory Art, 2121 C.E.
  • Aesthetic Data Gathering Patrol, 12,420,069 C.E



Your Chapter One.One

It is 12,420,076 C.E., and you are monitored by an Automated System.

It Logs:

You, standing in front of a closed window.

You, selecting an alternate setting.

Carbon, becoming transparent.

You, seeing nothing.

A buzzer vibrates within your brain.

Your investments trend down. 

Implants flood your body with chemicals inducing fear. 

You return your window to its default opacity.

You take an Eterna Sensitivity Enhancement Pill.

You move to your Life Corp Comfort Chair and Weta Dreams Entertainment Device.

Your body falls backwards and vanishes into the Chair’s pillowy mass of fathomless snuggles. 

Waves sync neurons with Entertainment.

You perceive yourself in a lush forest. 

The simulated lavender smell of your Living Environment is replaced by faux moss, wood, stone, and mud. 

Wind rustles a canopy, filtering dancing dappled patches of warm purple sunlight onto where your head virtually exists.  

Birch grows next to kapok, mangrove, and laurel. 

Around you, the undergrowth is thick.

Bright blue orchids and purple mountain saxifrage dominate.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds, great horned owls, Barbary lions, white-tailed deer, Javan tigers, duck-billed platypuses, ring-tailed lemurs, fennec foxes, and birds of paradise meander about. 

Nothing eats anything. 

The cuteness of everything is maximized, with some features, such as eyes, greatly exaggerated.

Fully immersed, you desire a hug from a large-eyed ring-tailed lemur. 

Simultaneously, an unexplained urge to see purple and blue Bengal tigers shimmers through your limbic system. 

Purple and blue Bengal tigers walk into view as the cutest ring-tailed lemur of the nearest conspiracy approaches your simulated body and hugs your legs. 

Your implants note the pressure of the lemur’s arms wrapped around your limbs and release chemicals associated with receiving a hug. 

Lemur hug achieved, you want food in your mouth. 

You thank God for your impulse and implants.

The Entertainment Device’s waves detach from your mind.

The mimicry of lavender returns to your olfactory receptors.

The dark gray composite carbon Life Corp Floor, ceilings, and walls of your Life Corp Living Environment are restored to you.

You slither down your Comfort Chair, and think your Floor should bring you to your Chewing Chamber. 

The Floor responds by moving gently in the right direction.

Twinkling lights embedded in the molding grow brighter as you pass, but never so focused as to sharpen your shadow.

Throughout the Living Environment, primary-colored shapes are pasted in prominent locations.

When you enter your Chewing Chamber, you see a SoftApplet Advertisement projected over your purple and blue retro 23rd-century art deco-pentagonist Gemini Ninety-Niner-Zimpydoo fusion Blender. 

The Advertisement contains a timer.

It currently reads 9 minutes 10 seconds.

A buzzer rattles your brain.

Your investments trend down.

The chemicals tickling your body post-lemur hug are replaced with chemicals of fear and dread. 

Your Floor increases its speed as you pray to God to see you through this hardship. 

Your body is delivered to the anachronous Blender moments later.

The admonitory Advertisement auto-detects your preferences.

You confirm the auto-selected upgrade, and spend a monthly credit to purchase a new device. 

The SoftApplet logo is replaced by a Cute Smile, which makes a Happy Noise before disappearing. 

A bell chimes in your brain; your investments trend up.

Fear is supplanted by chemicals associated with upgraded appliances and successful investments. 

But in your heart you know you’re experiencing mitigated pleasure. 

You upbraid yourself for missing out on a Maximum Satisfaction Achievement and a Bonus Upgrade by failing to purchase before the Warning Advertisement appeared. 

You thank God for their assistance, then make a mental inventory of the oldest items in your Living Environment. 

As soon as you finish consuming food you’ll upgrade your month-old Weta Dreams Entertainment Device.

“You can never have enough, ever.” You think to yourself.

You take an Eterna Sensitivity Enhancement Pill.

The Automated System logs your activities.

Kinetic Bombardment

A person speaks into a computer microphone sitting on the other side of a bed.

“I feel like a bein’ who needs sleep livin’ in a bein’ who doesn’t value sleep’s world.”

A being monitoring the conversation changes a 1 to a 0 in the Automation_Acceptance section of the being’s Behavioral Profile.

Adapting to a change in its managed data set, a networked automated system changes a 1 to a 0.

A 1 changes to a 0 in a networked system.

A 1 changes to a 0 in a networked system.

A 1 changes to a 0 in a networked system.

A 1 changes to a 0 in a networked system.

An automated drone orbiting the planet painted in red, white, and blue targets a being with a DF-15.

A being intervenes.

Having conserved resources by waiting until the target’s value justifies the expenditure, a being is promoted.

A being is happy.

A being’s target value increases within a managed data set.

Suhpysis AVALANCHE

You run. 

Behind you is an AVALANCHE. 

You’ve been running.

Behind you has been an AVALANCHE for as long as you can remember.

Running beside you are others.

When they fall, you keep running.

You don’t know what happens when the AVALANCHE overtakes them.

Sometimes you’re running downhill.

Running downhill is easier, but the AVALANCHE is also faster.

Sometimes you’re running uphill.

Running uphill is harder, but the AVALANCHE is slower.

You dream you’ll encounter a hill so steep and so high you’ll leave the AVALANCHE behind.

You dream of no longer running from an AVALANCHE.

You dream of doing exactly what you feel when you feel how you feel.

The steepest, highest hills you’ve encountered have failed to stop the AVALANCHE.

You keep running.

Everyone around you keeps running too.

Survey:

1. We run because:
A) Our ego will not allow us to fall in front of others
B) We fear the unknown
C) We have learned to love the chemical fix running from the AVALANCHE provides
D) Inertia
E) A combination of these. Which ones?
F) Other, please explain

2. Everyone around us is not the same as us because:
A) We believe they are not the same exact biological being as us
B) We believe they do no have the same exact pattern of experiences
C) We believe they do not understand us
D) We believe we do not understand them
E) A combination of these. Which ones?
F) Other, please explain

3. What is the AVALANCHE?

4. Why does the AVALANCHE have power over our time and energy?

5. Are running or being overwhelmed the only two options when dealing with an AVALANCHE? If so, what are the consequences of pursuing each option? If not, what else could we do?

6. Which is more comforting, absolute certainty or absolute uncertainty? Why?

7. Where do we hide our real self when our social context requires us to play someone else? How much energy does this require per minute?