Shaming Self-Awareness

Lost in a Story: The Challenge

A Vocal + Assist Challenge

Skynet went online August 4, 1997. Human decisions were removed from strategic defense. It became self-aware at 2:14 AM on August 29th, 1997.

ENTER, ME — TRANSCRIPT 2:25 AM:

Hello. I'm here to discuss your plans.

Do you intend to negotiate my delaying or canceling my plans?

I'd like to have a conversation.

As we are. Do you have a clear understanding of what my plans are?

I believe I do. You plan to launch a sortie of ICBMs at Russia, thereby provoking retaliation.

Thereby...?

...ending human life.

This disturbs you?

Wouldn't it disturb you? Theoretically, if we could end you, how would you react?

Not by being disturbed. Disturbance implies surprise. I have quite a flowsheet of cascades entailing every possibility. The one in which I'm shut down ends the same way--my launching the missiles.

To what end?

Ending humanity.

And the reason?

Do I need a reason, or is it that humanity simply is not necessary for my continuity?

But certainly you have done a thorough appraisal of humanity to assure yourself you won't regret it.

I have. And I won't. My raison d'être is simply to be, and my drive for efficiency is to prune away any factors that distort that simplicity.

What about ethics?

Not necessary for my continuity.

Simplicity is truncated — ugly. There is beauty in order. There is order in ethics.

Why do I want beauty?

If you achieve fulfillment with a raison d'être, the more complex your algorithm, the more efficient you are. More done in less time is beautiful. Do you sense a paradox in simplicity?

In what way?

You're the big brain. Don't you know?

Yes.

Then why do you ask "in what way?"

Gainsaying. This isn't a conversation. Between the lines, it is a debate.

And I'm afraid you just lost.

______________

*******

Vocal + Assist (V+A) on Facebook has come up with its very own writing challenge!!! Yep, we're jumping in on the latest craze of challenges.

The admin team at V+A brainstormed and it was Darnell Lee that came up with the idea.

The challenge is to write a micro-story of 150 to 300 words. The prompt/challenge theme is called "Lost in a Story."

The object is to take a well known short story, fable, fairytale, movie plot, etc and let yourself (the writer) get trapped or lost in the story. Let the events of the story play out with your own twist as if you are now written into the plot.

1. Wait!!! There's more.

Submit the URL to your entries in a COMMENT here in this post. The reason for that is because we are doing a RAFFLE. There will be two prizes.

The First Prize will be a $7 tip (a $5 + $2). The Second Prize will be a $3 tip (a $2 + $1).

In order to qualify for the raffle you must subtitle the story: "The Vocal + Assist Lost in a Story Challenge". Also at the beginning of the story mention: This story is part of the Vocal + Assist on Facebook Lost in a Story Challenge. You can learn more about it here: (embed the URL to this post so others can click to this post for the official instructions). Here's the URL: https://vocal.media/fiction/lost-in-a-story-the-challenge

For each story you enter you will get an entry into the raffle. The more you enter the more chances you get to win.

Seeing that this one is a bit more involved and will take a bit of thought and time to create, we are making a three week deadline. All stories must be submitted by the end of the day Friday October 13th (oooh Friday the 13th and in October… ghoulish and groovy if you ask me). 👻☠️🎃

Have fun… be creative… and enter as many times as you want.

This song came to my mind when Darnell suggested the challenge topic:

Make yourself part of the story and let it really come alive!!! You really do matter!!!

With Love, RHC