13 Comments

Incredible. I saw myself in the protagonist at the start, but I didn’t expect to see myself alongside them by the end.

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Absolutely stunning story! So eery and so beautiful at the same time.

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Honestly this seems pretty horrific

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love how the way i felt went from very slight repulsion to some emotional understanding

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I like hopeful utopias. May they come to pass!

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This is scary. But great.

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I think this is the story of an AI, not a human. This is a horrifying future where humanity dies out, never realizing it until the end.

I see the 'Ship of Theseus' argument, but realize that if the boat is dismantled piece by piece and a house is built with the pieces, it is definitely no longer a ship, let alone the same ship. In fact, the change starts with internalization of AI.

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Much of human love and friendship is missing from the beginning of this story: the narrator lacks the desire for the other person to be happy. That would draw him out of his self centered-ness. There's no curiosity about the mystery of the other, that becomes deeper when people become closer. There's no effect of pheromones, that do such wonderful things with physical attraction.

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Liked it very much until it became clear that it was going to have a “happy ending”. Literature thrives on tension, and that’s what was mssing for me. Fine writing though. I think I’m just far to cynical for utopias.

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Perhaps fittingly for a substack titled Asimov Press - and because Asimov has been on the mind lately - one quote in response: '...what art Man, that Thou art mindful of Him?'

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A hopeful message that humanity will become more of a part of a whole and less fractionated as time goes on. I like how small each step of the progression is as well, while the final destination is so alien.

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A beautiful story. Thank you for sharing hope with the world.

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Wow. Just...wow. This story will take time to process. 🤔

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