Poem: "Only to Be Understood"
This poem was written outside the regular prompt calls. It fills the "Distance" square in my 2-5-19 card for the Fluff Bingo fest. It has been sponsored by Anthony & Shirley Barrette. This poem belongs to the China's Mistake and Kraken threads of the Polychrome Heroics series.
Warning: This poem contains intense and controversial topics. Highlight to read the warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes the aftermath of mass deaths, a (willing) body-double, refusal to acknowledge sapient artificial intelligence as a form of life, mockery, speciesism, schism, bailing out of college shortly before graduation due to sudden and extreme ethical differences, and other challenges. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
"Only to be Understood"
[Friday, January 29, 2016 around 10 AM in Los Angeles, California]
[Friday, January 29, 2016 around 11 PM in Thalassia]
Capricorn had been given advice,
and as it came from someone
very wise, he meant to follow it.
He watched through the video
as his body double walked in
the bright California sunshine.
It was midmorning in Los Angeles
and late night in Thalassia, not that
Capricorn cared; he didn't really have
a circadian rhythm like most people.
With the video and two-way audio,
using his body double was almost
like being there himself, only
a lot less uncomfortable.
The campus gleamed with
glass and steel as Capricorn went
into the Secular Studies Building.
Inside was open and airy; he had
no trouble finding the work area where
he had been told to ask for assistance.
"Good morning," Capricorn said, and
his body double relayed it a moment later.
"I need someone to plan and present
a secular memorial service for
victims of the China blackout."
Several people stepped forward,
two older and two younger.
The boy arrived first. "Hello,"
he said. "I'm Daeshim An,
Secular Studies major. I help
with the event planning, and
my minor is peacework."
"Deene Easton, and I'm
a Psychology major with
a Secular Studies minor,"
said the girl. "I'm good at
the existential stuff, without
dripping religion all over it."
"Professor Reginald Fitzhugh,"
said the older man who had
strawberry blond hair. "I run
the Secular Studies program."
He waved at the dark-haired man.
"This is Li Quiang Clarks, head of
the Secular Humanist nonprofit,
the Mental Liberty Flank. How
can we help you today?"
"I want to arrange
a memorial ceremony
that will be tasteful and
and avoid religious tones
that might offend people,"
said Capricorn. "Research
showed this as a good place
to find one or more officiants."
"Yes, we have resources for
secular readings, gestures
of support, life memories,
and so on," said Deene.
"I can cover conflicts and
help people find peace,"
said Daeshim. "I talk about
ethics and living a good life."
"What size venue will you
need?" said Professor Fitzhugh.
"The university has a wide range."
"We already have a venue --
several, actually, networked
together for global reach,"
Capricorn explained.
"That's convenient,"
said Mr. Clarks. "Do
you have the names
of the deceased for
someone to read?"
"No, we want to keep it
anonymous for now,"
said Capricorn. "That
respects privacy, and we'll
do a named memorial later."
"What about an estimate of
numbers for the fatalities?"
said Professor Fitzhugh.
"That would help plan
the scope, and if you're
spreading out the services,
you may want multiple readers."
"Yes, that could prove useful,"
said Capricorn. "So far, reports
show several thousand human deaths.
We've found about thirty digital people
who died when the blackout struck, and
stories of another three who worked
themselves to death rescuing victims
trapped by accidents or the like."
"Excuse me?" said Mr. Clarks.
"What do you mean, digital people?"
"The Chinese have made robots with
artificial intelligence," said Capricorn.
"Some did not survive the blackout."
Mr. Clarks scoffed. "Robots aren't
people! Do not mock us just because
we don't follow religious superstitions."
"It is not about robotics, it is about
artificial intelligence --" Capricorn began.
"No, he's right, this is nonsense,"
said Professor Fitzhugh. "We
don't memorialize property."
That was precisely why
they needed a memorial.
"Wait, I think he's right,"
said Daeshim. "I heard
about this online, only it
mentioned, uh, sexbots."
"That is correct, although it
need not be mentioned in
the service," said Capricorn.
"This is getting ridiculous,"
said Professor Fitzhugh.
"Artificial intelligence isn't
sentient, it's just programming."
"Don't deny their personhood
just because you find them
alarming ... or embarrassing,"
Capricorn said. "They're people."
"Nothing in life is to be feared,
it is only to be understood. Now is
the time to understand more, so that
we may fear less," Deene said.
"Drop it," said Professor Fitzhugh.
"We are not doing this. Sir,
you need to leave now."
"No." Daeshim and Deene
spoke at the same time
as they moved together.
"I believe him," said Daeshim.
"It fits with what I've heard."
"I want to examine the evidence
rather than make a snap decision,"
Deene said. "That's only right."
"You're all being deluded by
superstition and wishful thinking,"
said Mr. Clarks. "Think about it."
"No, I will not back down,"
Deene said. "I'd rather
leave. Being a humanist
is all about thinking for
yourself, not dogma!"
"That's it exactly -- we're
humanists," said Mr. Clarks.
"We uphold the value of
human beings, not toys."
"Then I guess I'm not
a humanist," said Deene.
"I'm a -- a Secular Personist!"
"Me too," said Daeshim.
"I'm coming with you."
Capricorn watched in horror
as a schism occurred
right before his eyes.
"I wash my hands of this,"
Mr. Clarks said, walking away.
"Daeshim, be reasonable,"
said Professor Fitzhugh.
"You're only a few months
from your graduation now."
"Not anymore," Daeshim said
in a cold voice. "I don't want
any diploma with your name on it."
The distance between the students
and their old professor suddenly
yawned like the Grand Canyon.
"Well," said Capricorn. "There
are other universities to consider."
Deene sighed. "We'll have
to change our programs, though.
This is almost the only one
with Secular Studies."
Capricorn flicked his mind
over what Thalassia already had,
and found no close matches.
He could ask Genna, though.
She had put together all sorts
of interfaith activities for her family.
This should pose no challenge, and
it could be rolled into whatever school
the college students wound up picking.
"Don't give up hope," Capricorn said.
"You never know what might come up."
"Yeah, we could make the first program
for Secular Personism," said Daeshim.
"I've had enough of this speciesist shit."
Capricorn thought about the sexbots
and the whales and the primal soups.
"Yes," he said. "I think Secular Personism
is exactly what the world needs right now."
* * *
Notes:
This poem's character and content notes will appear separately.
Warning: This poem contains intense and controversial topics. Highlight to read the warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes the aftermath of mass deaths, a (willing) body-double, refusal to acknowledge sapient artificial intelligence as a form of life, mockery, speciesism, schism, bailing out of college shortly before graduation due to sudden and extreme ethical differences, and other challenges. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
"Only to be Understood"
[Friday, January 29, 2016 around 10 AM in Los Angeles, California]
[Friday, January 29, 2016 around 11 PM in Thalassia]
Capricorn had been given advice,
and as it came from someone
very wise, he meant to follow it.
He watched through the video
as his body double walked in
the bright California sunshine.
It was midmorning in Los Angeles
and late night in Thalassia, not that
Capricorn cared; he didn't really have
a circadian rhythm like most people.
With the video and two-way audio,
using his body double was almost
like being there himself, only
a lot less uncomfortable.
The campus gleamed with
glass and steel as Capricorn went
into the Secular Studies Building.
Inside was open and airy; he had
no trouble finding the work area where
he had been told to ask for assistance.
"Good morning," Capricorn said, and
his body double relayed it a moment later.
"I need someone to plan and present
a secular memorial service for
victims of the China blackout."
Several people stepped forward,
two older and two younger.
The boy arrived first. "Hello,"
he said. "I'm Daeshim An,
Secular Studies major. I help
with the event planning, and
my minor is peacework."
"Deene Easton, and I'm
a Psychology major with
a Secular Studies minor,"
said the girl. "I'm good at
the existential stuff, without
dripping religion all over it."
"Professor Reginald Fitzhugh,"
said the older man who had
strawberry blond hair. "I run
the Secular Studies program."
He waved at the dark-haired man.
"This is Li Quiang Clarks, head of
the Secular Humanist nonprofit,
the Mental Liberty Flank. How
can we help you today?"
"I want to arrange
a memorial ceremony
that will be tasteful and
and avoid religious tones
that might offend people,"
said Capricorn. "Research
showed this as a good place
to find one or more officiants."
"Yes, we have resources for
secular readings, gestures
of support, life memories,
and so on," said Deene.
"I can cover conflicts and
help people find peace,"
said Daeshim. "I talk about
ethics and living a good life."
"What size venue will you
need?" said Professor Fitzhugh.
"The university has a wide range."
"We already have a venue --
several, actually, networked
together for global reach,"
Capricorn explained.
"That's convenient,"
said Mr. Clarks. "Do
you have the names
of the deceased for
someone to read?"
"No, we want to keep it
anonymous for now,"
said Capricorn. "That
respects privacy, and we'll
do a named memorial later."
"What about an estimate of
numbers for the fatalities?"
said Professor Fitzhugh.
"That would help plan
the scope, and if you're
spreading out the services,
you may want multiple readers."
"Yes, that could prove useful,"
said Capricorn. "So far, reports
show several thousand human deaths.
We've found about thirty digital people
who died when the blackout struck, and
stories of another three who worked
themselves to death rescuing victims
trapped by accidents or the like."
"Excuse me?" said Mr. Clarks.
"What do you mean, digital people?"
"The Chinese have made robots with
artificial intelligence," said Capricorn.
"Some did not survive the blackout."
Mr. Clarks scoffed. "Robots aren't
people! Do not mock us just because
we don't follow religious superstitions."
"It is not about robotics, it is about
artificial intelligence --" Capricorn began.
"No, he's right, this is nonsense,"
said Professor Fitzhugh. "We
don't memorialize property."
That was precisely why
they needed a memorial.
"Wait, I think he's right,"
said Daeshim. "I heard
about this online, only it
mentioned, uh, sexbots."
"That is correct, although it
need not be mentioned in
the service," said Capricorn.
"This is getting ridiculous,"
said Professor Fitzhugh.
"Artificial intelligence isn't
sentient, it's just programming."
"Don't deny their personhood
just because you find them
alarming ... or embarrassing,"
Capricorn said. "They're people."
"Nothing in life is to be feared,
it is only to be understood. Now is
the time to understand more, so that
we may fear less," Deene said.
"Drop it," said Professor Fitzhugh.
"We are not doing this. Sir,
you need to leave now."
"No." Daeshim and Deene
spoke at the same time
as they moved together.
"I believe him," said Daeshim.
"It fits with what I've heard."
"I want to examine the evidence
rather than make a snap decision,"
Deene said. "That's only right."
"You're all being deluded by
superstition and wishful thinking,"
said Mr. Clarks. "Think about it."
"No, I will not back down,"
Deene said. "I'd rather
leave. Being a humanist
is all about thinking for
yourself, not dogma!"
"That's it exactly -- we're
humanists," said Mr. Clarks.
"We uphold the value of
human beings, not toys."
"Then I guess I'm not
a humanist," said Deene.
"I'm a -- a Secular Personist!"
"Me too," said Daeshim.
"I'm coming with you."
Capricorn watched in horror
as a schism occurred
right before his eyes.
"I wash my hands of this,"
Mr. Clarks said, walking away.
"Daeshim, be reasonable,"
said Professor Fitzhugh.
"You're only a few months
from your graduation now."
"Not anymore," Daeshim said
in a cold voice. "I don't want
any diploma with your name on it."
The distance between the students
and their old professor suddenly
yawned like the Grand Canyon.
"Well," said Capricorn. "There
are other universities to consider."
Deene sighed. "We'll have
to change our programs, though.
This is almost the only one
with Secular Studies."
Capricorn flicked his mind
over what Thalassia already had,
and found no close matches.
He could ask Genna, though.
She had put together all sorts
of interfaith activities for her family.
This should pose no challenge, and
it could be rolled into whatever school
the college students wound up picking.
"Don't give up hope," Capricorn said.
"You never know what might come up."
"Yeah, we could make the first program
for Secular Personism," said Daeshim.
"I've had enough of this speciesist shit."
Capricorn thought about the sexbots
and the whales and the primal soups.
"Yes," he said. "I think Secular Personism
is exactly what the world needs right now."
* * *
Notes:
This poem's character and content notes will appear separately.