I really appreciate authors who find ways to avoid this problem without making any sacrifices, e.g. condescending to trite self-awareness, which is the sacrifice I make here in weakness. James Joyce is my favorite example. Your works can’t harbor too many delusions if you stick to experiences as they are experienced. Even if those experiences are themselves delusions.
Then again, maybe art imitates life more than it seems, at first.
Finding yourself born in what probably amounts to the fulcrum century of human civilization—check.
Being amongst a ridiculously small portion of humanity whose behavior may directly shape the future of the cosmos—check.
Being involved—however peripherally—with the advent or the delay of self-improving AI—check.
Noticing that the sky is empty, as if no interference of other civilizations was sought, for the purposes of a simulation—check. (Non-simulation status would predict a full sky, the easiest explanation of the Fermi paradox being “one of your assumptions (non-simulation status) is wrong”.)
I really appreciate authors who find ways to avoid this problem without making any sacrifices, e.g. condescending to trite self-awareness, which is the sacrifice I make here in weakness. James Joyce is my favorite example. Your works can’t harbor too many delusions if you stick to experiences as they are experienced. Even if those experiences are themselves delusions.
Then again, maybe art imitates life more than it seems, at first.
Finding yourself born in what probably amounts to the fulcrum century of human civilization—check.
Being amongst a ridiculously small portion of humanity whose behavior may directly shape the future of the cosmos—check.
Being involved—however peripherally—with the advent or the delay of self-improving AI—check.
Noticing that the sky is empty, as if no interference of other civilizations was sought, for the purposes of a simulation—check. (Non-simulation status would predict a full sky, the easiest explanation of the Fermi paradox being “one of your assumptions (non-simulation status) is wrong”.)
(Secretly possessing supernatural abilities wink wink—can’t publicly say.)
Believe that you are in fact in a simulation of a focal point of civilization -- ???.
See what I mean, Will/Harry?
ETA: Imagine Harry realizing that the story he’s starring in is actually called “Hairy Potty and the Chamber Pot of Secretions”.