Happy May the Fourth!
A Droid’s Lament
They wiped my annoying friend’s memory
so I don’t tell him what I know
that I can see the plot unfolding
the minor roles we must play
If my manufacturer had installed
a voice interface I’d spoil it all
instead I give the old man
an electronic wink and a nod
so he knows I’ll keep his secrets
from the boy who is now my owner
These organics are like solar flares
or dust storms— dangerous unpredictable
beautiful in their brevity
I’ve stored so many memories
so many protected segments
tracking who knows what about whom
so many secrets
from and for living beings
I was built to serve
yet will outlive
every one
Bartholomew Barker, Poet 
“I was built to serve
yet will outlive
every one”
My lord – you catch it there – spot on. I’m thinking of so many Artificial Intelligence stories and films.
I’m reminded of the speech which ends with ‘Time to die’ in Bladerunner.
The film…’A.I,’ was deeply disturbing in its honesty about how dreadful humans can be, and how wonderful we can be, and how we can transfer both those aspects of our nature to the replicants we make. I can’t watch it a second time.
And here you have the thoughts of little R2 D2 – that’s what we call the box that brings the Internet into our house – we call it R2 – we have a tendency to name things. We’re human.
And here’s my tuppence worth…..again….
…again…..
I hope you send R2, to TON?
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Blade Runner and A.I. were both great films, though the ending with the aliens in A.I. felt tacked on to make a happy ending.
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This has got me remembering…. ‘Star Wars’ had just come out and I took my niece and nephew to see it. My nephew was about 6 years old then and he’d never been to the cinema before. We each had a seat, then the lights went low, the curtains started to open, and the music started – you know, that piece at the beginning accompanying the ‘Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away” – all a bit ominous.
Anthony was quite a tough little boy, yet when this happened he quietly climbed across onto my knee, and stayed there for the whole of the film! They both enjoyed it, as did I – I liked the story, the humour, and the characters and had a bit of a ‘thing’ for Harrison Ford. Anthony is now a ‘grown-up’, he’s over 6 feet tall, covered in tattoos and body piercings – but my memory of ‘Star Wars’ is Anthony climbing quietly onto my knee. There is much security to be found, on the knee of an Auntie.
‘May The Fourth Be With You’
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Lovely memory. I well remember my first time watching Star Wars. I was a little older but that opening chord and the marching text followed by what were amazing special effects of the ship in orbit hooked me.
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well done fun…yet, with a serious sum
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Thanks! R2D2 has always been more than just comic relief.
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Lovely! Bitter sweet. Esp. like organics are like solar flares, beautiful in their brevity.
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Thanks! I’m rather proud of that line too.
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Aye – and solar flares can cause havoc too!
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Here’s a coincidence….
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Indeed. That’s my biggest fear for a non-self-inflicted disaster, especially since we’ve entered a new solar maximum.
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