Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Programmed People


At the heart of much speculative fiction (and fiction in general) is a question. What if? On Tuesdays I like to throw one out there and see what you make of it. Do with it as you please. If a for-instance is not specified, feel free to interpret that instance as you wish. And if you find this becomes a novel-length answer, I'd appreciate a thank you in the acknowledgements ;)

What if everyone else was just a construct in a computer program built to contain you?

Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter...


51 comments:

  1. Now that would be a scary thought. Be like being trapped in the Matrix.

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  2. Then I would hope the computer system doesn't crash. What would happen then?

    betty

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  3. Those are scary thoughts. What happens when you get a virus???

    @Kathleen01930
    Meet My Imaginary Friends
    #AtoZchallenge

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  4. They are doing a good job. ~grin~ At least I'm breaking out of this 'burb in a few weeks for a beach vacation! So there, constructs.
    Awakening Dreams and Conquering Nightmares with a Pen
    I hope you are having a day as lovely as what I’m enjoying on my back porch this fine Tuesday.

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  5. I thought of the Matrix as well lol

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    1. Partly. But they're not real, only you are.

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  6. It would be tough finding that to be true, waking up to some strange reality such as that one day. So long as I don't know, nothing changes. Good question, though.

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  7. I have felt contained all me life,so that is probably not an imagination :)

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  8. That sounds Scary .Its like being trapped without an end .

    Happy A to Zing :)

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    1. Oh, I'm sure there'd be an end. Eventually.

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  9. It would be nice if you had some kind of control over the other people, to make them behave in ways you approve of. You could put an end to war, famine and all the ills of the world. In the Or have completely misunderstood your premise?
    That's Purrfect

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  10. I also really love your knitted letters. I'm curious: did you knit them all? Are they specifically for the A to Z Challenge, or something else? They are great for this challenge. I admire your verve.

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    1. Yes, I did. I did them in time for last year's A to Z. This year I'm just reusing them.

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  11. I am glad that isn't the way it is. Too scary to think about it!

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  12. Then I would hack into the program and make some much needed rewrites.

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  13. That would be bad. Hope it wouldn't crash as someone else said. ~Meg Writer‘s Crossings

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  14. I would demand my programmers do a better job. Eliminate pain, suffering, death. You're welcome. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com

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    1. You've got to wonder why they programmed it like that, though.

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  15. I'd have to wonder what I was capable of if people went to so much trouble to contain me. :)

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  16. Matrix time, huh? B.F. Skinner believed we all were programed people to one extent or another. :-)

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    1. But everybody in the Matrix was real. In this case, only you are.

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  17. I'm my own person and hate to be contained or controlled by anything. This would be a hard situation for me.

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  18. This is where I would say ignorance is bliss.

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  19. The whole world a computer simulation? Well...

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  20. As long as I wasn't being manipulated by a thirteen year old boy it might be okay :)

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  21. Your thought-provoking question reminds me of The Truman Show, where everyone in Truman's life are actors cast to "contain him," similar to the concept that you're presenting.

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    1. I hadn't considered The Truman Show, but you're right. Similar idea.

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  22. I guess it would be ok until you found out! I would then have to question why I was so important that someone built a computer program to contain me because I'm really not all that interesting lol.
    Debbie

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    1. Maybe you're not interesting in this reality, but in that one...?

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  23. I, too, thought of the Matrix, as well as the Truman Show.

    I don't think anyone would bother 'contain' me...Like Debbie said above, I'm not all that interesting, either. :)

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  24. Sounds a lot like a nightmare I had a few times. Let me out! LOL

    Mary
    #AtoZChallenge Q is for Quatro

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    1. Now, that's an interesting idea. I want to hear more of this nightmare. Did it make a good story?

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  25. Like others said, I thought of The Matrix and The Truman Show. Both of those movies have led me down a similar train of thought...it's a strange thing to fathom!

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  26. Oh dear. My luck with computers that would not go well. lol But as long as they all leave me alone to read...I'm good :D

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I appreciate your comments.

I respond to comments* via email, unless your profile email is not enabled. Then, I'll reply in the comment thread. Eventually. Probably.

*Exception: I do not respond to "what if?" comments, but I do read them all. Those questions are open to your interpretation, and I don't wish to limit your imagination by what I thought the question was supposed to be.