20 Comments
Feb 14Liked by Alexander Ipfelkofer

Great story, Alexander. Of course, as you mentioned, it’s more like a living nightmare than a work of fiction. If technology become more and more intrinsically linked to our psyche then I’ll be heading off to live in a cave in the highlands!

Anyway, got a lot of Terry Gilliam’s Brazil from this. Particularly the last scene. Great stuff 👍🏼

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Thanks, Dan. You and me both, Highlands all the way. Makin' my own Uisge beatha.

Ahhh, Brazil, my friend, is one of my all-time favourite films. So glad you made that link!

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Feb 14·edited Feb 14Liked by Alexander Ipfelkofer

"In those precious moments of lucidity free from alluring fantasy, I know there are others like me, and I know you can hear me. Even now. Hear me. Wake up!"

😨

Feels so real. I'm all for technology, but I hope this reality never pans out. And so that, my friend, makes for some very fine flash fiction :)

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If it ever pans out to that extent then it's what we deserve. It is a future of our making. I remain hopeful, a lot of good can be done. Best design your own chips, code your own AI and not let anyone tamper with it. Closed system! 😅

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Feb 14Liked by Alexander Ipfelkofer

Haha, that'd make for a good story too.

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the currency of the future CAISER.

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Feb 15Liked by Alexander Ipfelkofer

Neurobionics, eh? For our own good, you say? Reminds me of the "Big Brother" we all willingly carry around in our pockets, day in, day out, tapping and whispering all our secrets into, letting them know exactly where we are at all times... ;) Long live Dystopia! 🤣

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This is fine, everything is fine! Stay calm, this is not happening. 😅

https://youtu.be/rY-HOYTz-rs?si=dR72SVpUzFdOfTLn

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Feb 15Liked by Alexander Ipfelkofer

haha yes! Don't look up! But also: don't look down, or sideways - in fact, just keep your eyes closed and everything will be alright... ;)

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Ignorance is bliss ;)

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Freaky. And love the message -- one we all need to heed. Where are the humanities experts at the table with AI?!

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They are there, but will it be enough? https://www.safe.ai/statement-on-ai-risk

After all, the greatest danger does not come from AI but from those who wield it. Who will be the Oppenheimer of AI?

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Canadian woods so appealing right now

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Canadian, Bavarian, or like Dan said, the Highlands. Or the mountains. Away from it all, eh?

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All these options sound lovely to me.

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The Future Enclaves, groups of 42, self-sustaining sovereign communities, microstates.

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Feb 14Liked by Alexander Ipfelkofer

Shades of the Matrix and Inception blended into an absolutely brilliant (and shudderingly possible) piece of short fiction. Wow. Should come with some kind of Reader Beware sign…

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Thanks, Allen. Glad you liked subject 101 and yes indeed, the parallels you draw are evident, yet the parallels to reality are even more so. A cautionary tale.

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Feb 14Liked by Alexander Ipfelkofer

Chilling, my friend. And not so far off. People all over the world are choosing to have implants. Choosing! See here for another take ( with links at the end) https://sharronbassano.substack.com/p/access

Realignment! What a horrifying word. Those who watch TV and subscribe to social media choose to face realignment ( albeit of a different sort) every day. Would you agree?

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Thanks, Sharron. Oh yes, "We are programmed to receive

You can check out any time you like

But you can never leave!" (Eagles, Hotel California)

A lot of good can be done from a medical aspect, a lot of evil can be done as well, and if history taught us anything, it not only repeats itself, it's also proof that whatever can happen, will happen. Got to make the best of it.

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