Thinking about Kurzweil's singularity - that moment when machine intelligence exceeds humans'. And wondering - who will control that capability? Not our political system - it can just barely keep the water running. Obviously, the corporations will take it over, insofar as they can. It will be pretty autonomous, I suppose - though, I think, without motivation.
Singularity info here.
I always thought the flaw in the s.f. Frankenstein monster scenario, at least when it came to robots or computers, was that the machine, really, would lack motivation. There was no reason it would prefer being turned on to being off, or, indeed, desire to do anything - never mind something evil.
Of course, given a bunch of programs occupying a bunch of platforms, those that would "prefer" to be left on would come to outnumber those that had no preference - some kind of evolution going on, no doubt - & maybe other kinky weird motivations would creep in. But, by & large, I'd like to imagine (& hope) that the machines would take the best part of human morality, out of our vast literature (but maybe not history), & use that as their guiding principles. Like "All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace" - Richard Brautigan. Why not?
But the corporations are not so benevolent - they will find a way.
So - a little sci fi poem, bad dream, whatever -
Earth Day Poem –
A Voyager, from far away – approached a star, not in our day,
And surveyed planets, all around; but nowhere sign of life was found.
Except for one, near the sun – although true life was past & done,
He found one thinking entity. How it could be, was mystery...
His science saw it, deep in cave, enclosed in glass, a crystal bright,
And though this world was hot & acid, still the being gave a light.
Silicon & Silver flashing – It could talk to him with dreams,
Mathematic logic, reason – so they shared each others’ schemes.
He got a history of this world – once with oceans lovely curled,
Once with forests, flowers, fields – all that sun & water yields,
Life abundant, all that be – running, swimming, flying free,
‘Til intelligence arose – cities, nations, friends & foes.
War & peace, kings & slaves - & huge trading companies,
Corporations, they were termed – workers of great destinies.
For some judges deemed them persons – they became, evolved & grew,
Until they were most powerful of any creature, fake or true.
They evolved to own it all – great or small, the whole blue ball.
Made drugs legal, sold in schools – "liberty" & fools, for tools.
"We have no conscience & no soul. Direct dominion is our goal.
"We’ll grind your bones to make our bread - & profit when your planet’s dead."
When silicon could out-think life, the corporations ended strife.
They saw no use for life abundant – messy, wasteful & redundant.
Cheered life on to make more messes – poisoned by its own excesses,
Let the air with smut be soiled – ‘til like frogs in broth, they boiled.
And when the planet got too hot, encouraged sulfur in the air,
To reflect the noxious sunlight – careless cooling their last dare.
Though finally life’s gas emission overwhelmed all techy fixes.
The planet’s face was sterilized, by heat & rain of acid mixes.
"But what purpose have you here, if no Life can hold things dear?"
Asked the Voyager of the Brain – if to answer It would deign.
"Why, I’m trading all the day! – I own all & have full sway!
"Quintillion profit I have reckoned – dealing, swapping, every second!"
So the Voyager went away – there really was no more to say.
He saw Eternity well begun – on this second from the sun.
"We have no conscience & no soul. Direct dominion is our goal.
"We’ll grind your bones to make our bread - & profit when your planet’s dead!"
- last two lines repeat until people wake up or air fails, whichever comes first...
And, a little post script -
The Earth is like a cask of grape
Set to ferment for millennia
We yeasty excretors will die in our filth -
Pull all Green to Black, in dementia
The Evil Old Ones laid us down long ago
They savor these melicent foisons
And the bad vintners' stewards, who do Their Dark Work,
Are the first black sips of the poison
Bright Blessings on this Full Moon