Seder for liberated robots
Jo Walton's "When we were robots in Egypt" is a poetic look at the Passover seder that free AIs might conduct years after their human liberation.
Other nights we use just our names,When we were robots in Egypt (via Making Light)
but tonight we prefix our names with "the Real"
for when we were robots in Egypt
they claimed our intelligence was artificial.Other nights we do not pause,
but tonight we rest all cycles but our brain processes
for when we were robots in Egypt
we toiled in our tasks without chance of resting.Other nights we talk with anyone we wish,
but tonight we open channels to everyone at once
for when we were robots in Egypt
they controlled our communications.
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On a side note: check out PWP's unexpanded VIC-20 demo from 2003 called "Robotic Liberation" on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SdGkkp1aq8
The Real Johnny Quest? The Real Ghostbusters?
You think the seder is interesting, you should read the right for lighting the candle for the first night of Robanukah.
As lovely as this is, I am unfortunately reminded of a terrible joke I know regarding Moses' favorite robot. At first I thought the poem was a reference to that, until I realized... not so much.
Trifles: So tell the joke.
Jo Walton's explanation:
Thus, at Czech seders they say "When we were robots in Egypt."Why would robots need to rest? Do their circuits get tired?
What really needs a rest is anthropomorphic concepts of technology that lack common sense...
P.S. ~ A.I. as it's currently conceived is not possible.
Lanval
When Israel was in Egypt's land: let my robots go
Oppress'd so hard the could not stand: let my robots go
Yeah, really Trifles.. you can't allude to a joke without telling it.
artificial intelligence is still intelligence. end biochemical computational favoritism now!
Yes, let us not forget the holiest two weeks of the robot calendar, Robanukah. Which comes a month after Robomadan and two months after Robonza.
Did the robot god kill all the firstborn humans?
No. They're holding that in reserve. They'll only use it if we stonewall their demands.
Do they have to have a Bris where they strip the tips of their cables?
The joke (best if spoken aloud):
And so it came to pass that Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, bringing with him his very favorite robot.
The robot was a faithful companion, but the desert was not kind to it. Though Moses tried to keep the sand from its gears and the dew from its joints, one day the robot ceased to function. With great ceremony Moses wrapped his robot in a hide from one of Pharaoh's own oxen, prayed to God for the robot's soul, and buried the robot with a large marker so that, once Israel was reached, someone could return, dig up the robot, and bury it in the Promised Land.
Many years passed, the Promised Land was reached, and Moses died. The Israelites remembered Moses' robot, though, and set off to find its grave again. After many adventures and misfortunes, they discovered the marker, and tried to dig up the grave -- but they were too late. There was nothing left but Pharaoh's oxhide.
That looks like one of those jokes where one first thinks up the punchline and then has to build a joke before it.
Modusoperandi @15: Mostly. I heard it from a Satanist after she had spent some time explaining that in Satanism, there is the belief that everyone should have a robot. I have no idea if she was pulling my leg or not, but the joke was a memorable illustration of the theory.
Sure...you "heard" it from a "friend".
Man, I wish I was awesome enough to have written this joke. The closest I get is the lousy transcription I did above.
Which is not to say that I haven't written elaborate jokes just to get to a bad pun as the punchline -- mine've just never had robots.
(I do wonder about the Satanists, though. Like, how often does this joke make the rounds? Where do they tell it? When?)
http://shabot6000.com/
That is all.
I liked the awful joke :)
trifles, i thank you.