Oct 30, 2022·edited Oct 31, 2022Liked by Justin Smith-Ruiu
DARPA could not have produced a better mascot than the creature they chose for the upload of Colonel Garth's brain--with slug neurons to spare. A hilarious sendup of US gun culture too--after a quick turn at the shooting range, marketed somewhat like a brothel, the good guys are spent.
Interesting reading this grotesque tragicomedy right after I read a science article on a 2 inch sq human/rat brain neuron network (BrainDish) that has been taught to “play 2D pong” via “pleasure” signals. It turned out “pleasure” for neuroscientists/ computer programmers was the “absence of random electrocution” - in other words, “structured and predictable electrocution” to avoid chaotic torture. Predictable pain is more bearable than unpredictable pain, on the cellular level already. It’s very macabre, but the perpetual adolescents in charge of developing this kind of biotechnology for profit seem oblivious to the silent suffering of their Frankensteins, who look like they are having a swell time playing eternal Pong (for the duration of the experiment), like souls in heaven playing eternal harp. Where does consciousness start? I finished your book on science, nature, and human diversity. I love the conclusion about erring on the side of caution: rather count the monkey as human than mistake a human for a monkey. For our times, we might do well to extend the curtesy to every humble cell. Every living being has consciousness, can feel pain, and is a world onto itself, whether they can make themselves intelligible to us or not. A living neuron network that can be forced to play pong to avoid pain isn’t just a high tech biochip for future computing. I’m afraid we’re living the sci-fi nightmare already. Keep writing your fiction, J*** E*** H*** S***.
I just drove up I 5 through the State of Jefferson, proudly painted, as I recall, on a barn roof near Mount Shasta. This piece is masterful, Justin. You took me there, in all its wierdness.
DARPA could not have produced a better mascot than the creature they chose for the upload of Colonel Garth's brain--with slug neurons to spare. A hilarious sendup of US gun culture too--after a quick turn at the shooting range, marketed somewhat like a brothel, the good guys are spent.
Interesting reading this grotesque tragicomedy right after I read a science article on a 2 inch sq human/rat brain neuron network (BrainDish) that has been taught to “play 2D pong” via “pleasure” signals. It turned out “pleasure” for neuroscientists/ computer programmers was the “absence of random electrocution” - in other words, “structured and predictable electrocution” to avoid chaotic torture. Predictable pain is more bearable than unpredictable pain, on the cellular level already. It’s very macabre, but the perpetual adolescents in charge of developing this kind of biotechnology for profit seem oblivious to the silent suffering of their Frankensteins, who look like they are having a swell time playing eternal Pong (for the duration of the experiment), like souls in heaven playing eternal harp. Where does consciousness start? I finished your book on science, nature, and human diversity. I love the conclusion about erring on the side of caution: rather count the monkey as human than mistake a human for a monkey. For our times, we might do well to extend the curtesy to every humble cell. Every living being has consciousness, can feel pain, and is a world onto itself, whether they can make themselves intelligible to us or not. A living neuron network that can be forced to play pong to avoid pain isn’t just a high tech biochip for future computing. I’m afraid we’re living the sci-fi nightmare already. Keep writing your fiction, J*** E*** H*** S***.
I just drove up I 5 through the State of Jefferson, proudly painted, as I recall, on a barn roof near Mount Shasta. This piece is masterful, Justin. You took me there, in all its wierdness.
Wild ride, J.E.H.S!
God, this was the best thing I’ve read in a while. Well done, Justin. Now I need to read the Poe story.
Your text is superb. Bugaboos. Boogaloos. And in masked balls, alpine sanatoriums, here, there, everywhere, our neverending seasons in hell.
Thank you Justin - I love the riff on Mr. Poe. The world is again ripe for the macabre.
Brilliant variation on a theme by Poe.
I really liked this one. You have range!
I enjoyed this quite a bit.
Not shooting from the hip, are you?
🤣