*involuntary shudder*

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involuntary shudder; Yes, Dougal Dixon again
Topic Started: Jul 10 2008, 01:49 PM (6,063 Views)
Sliver Slave	Jul 10 2008, 01:49 PM Post #1
I'm going back to basics. Posts: 1,857 Group: Away Staff Member #30 Joined: Jul 6, 2008 Gender: Male Nationality: Canadian. Just like Phasey!	Did anyone else get an involuntary shudder when they read man after man or nemo ramjet's all tomorrows? I know I sure did. There was just something about those two books that unsettles me. Or do I just have a weak constitution?
	Something is upsetting the ostriches. Spoiler: click to toggle Awesome sigatar by MethosHazara on the Giant in the Playground forums.

Replies:
T.Neo	Sep 4 2010, 04:33 PM Post #106
Translunar injection: TLI Posts: 6,154 Group: Members Member #179 Joined: Jun 7, 2009 Area of expertise: Xenobiology	Yeah... that stuff posted by Silver Slave is... disturbing. o.O I get uncomfortable reading any "post human fiction", really. Especially with cyborgisation or "mind uploading". That is no evolution, it is being replaced by your toaster. I actually found a good deal of Man After Man amusing, because there'd seriously be no logical way that people would engineer vacuum-adapted humans to do orbital construction or aquatic humans to do... aquatic stuff. Or specialised tundra or grassland humans to survive... it's our adaptability, not our specialisation, that has made us so successful. But seeing some of the evolutions were interesting, like how the aquatic humans became more adapted to the water over time. The only thing that gave me a sort of a shudder were the Hitek, but really because they were horribly ill and they were at the mercy of their hover-machines and the workers that were payed to repair and maintain them. And because they were the aforementioned cyborgs... I think the whole reason this sort of future human stuff gives one shudders is that it's supposed to. Nobody likes seeing their people getting turned into ant-animals or living lego blocks, but they'll keep on reading with keen intrigue, as one would a horror film. It's like a sort of a biological gorn.
	A hard mathematical figure provides a sort of enlightenment to one's understanding of an idea that is never matched by mere guesswork.


Sliver Slave	Sep 4 2010, 05:23 PM Post #107
I'm going back to basics. Posts: 1,857 Group: Away Staff Member #30 Joined: Jul 6, 2008 Gender: Male Nationality: Canadian. Just like Phasey!	I don't know. While the idea is usually pretty inherently disquieting, that seems more like a failing of humans. After rereading Man After Man I was ~~aroused sexually~~ not nearly as disturbed as I was the first time. It's sort of a reverse uncanny valley. When you see people that look vaguely nonhuman it disquiets you, but by the time it's ground sloths in disguise against bipedal bears with sabreteeth it isn't as affecting. The same thing happened with All Tomorrows. The worm people are gross, the antelope people are tragic, but the modular people are just awesome. This happens in GBA's Anthropomundus as well: all of the posthumans are so divorced from the human they might as well not be for the purpose of creeping me out. And what you got against brain uploading man?
	Something is upsetting the ostriches. Spoiler: click to toggle Awesome sigatar by MethosHazara on the Giant in the Playground forums.


lamna	Sep 4 2010, 05:23 PM Post #108
Posts: 21,140 Group: Global Mods Member #26 Joined: Jul 1, 2008 Gender: Male Nationality: British	If find it it be a big like picking at a scab, gross but you keep doing it. Brain "uploading" is disturbing to me only if A. You risk loosing your identity and getting mixed together with something else. B. It's not uploading, but making an exact copy and then killing the original. Same reason teleportation is creepy. Edited by lamna, Sep 4 2010, 05:26 PM.
	Living Fossils Fósseis Vibos: Reserva Natural 34 MYH, 4 tonne dinosaur. T.Neo Are nipples or genitals necessary, lamna? [flash=500,450] Video Magic! [/flash]


Sliver Slave	Sep 4 2010, 05:34 PM Post #109
I'm going back to basics. Posts: 1,857 Group: Away Staff Member #30 Joined: Jul 6, 2008 Gender: Male Nationality: Canadian. Just like Phasey!	lamna Sep 4 2010, 05:23 PM A. You risk loosing your identity and getting mixed together with something else. I imagine they would test these things beforehand. Quote: B. It's not uploading, but making an exact copy and then killing the original. Same reason teleportation is creepy. Ever read Robert Sawyer's Mindscan? Edited by Sliver Slave, Sep 4 2010, 05:36 PM.
	Something is upsetting the ostriches. Spoiler: click to toggle Awesome sigatar by MethosHazara on the Giant in the Playground forums.


T.Neo	Sep 5 2010, 06:55 AM Post #110
Translunar injection: TLI Posts: 6,154 Group: Members Member #179 Joined: Jun 7, 2009 Area of expertise: Xenobiology	Quote: It's sort of a reverse uncanny valley. When you see people that look vaguely nonhuman it disquiets you, but by the time it's ground sloths in disguise against bipedal bears with sabreteeth it isn't as affecting. The same thing happened with All Tomorrows. The worm people are gross, the antelope people are tragic, but the modular people are just awesome. This happens in GBA's Anthropomundus as well: all of the posthumans are so divorced from the human they might as well not be for the purpose of creeping me out. Yeah... the uncanny valley is a big part of it IMO, the further away you get from human they just become organisms. I loved Anthropomundus... those organisms were more fish than human, but probably because their ancestor wasn't all that similar to humans anyway (being heavily neotenous). Quote: And what you got against brain uploading man? IMO anyone who wants to run a simulation of their brain on a computer has a sort of a death wish for their biology. It's like... say, a group of people transferring their minds to intelligent dolphins. They are now dolphins, not humans, and they serve no evolutionary purpose to humans anymore. Basically what lamna said, on a biological level rather than a psychological one. Though it freaks me out that way as well. I think getting mixed together with someone else would be pretty hard to do, but any technology that can scan brain structures and simulate them could have a whole other plethora of disturbing uses. I'm wary of connecting my PC to the net, connecting one's brain to the net would be very scary indeed.
	A hard mathematical figure provides a sort of enlightenment to one's understanding of an idea that is never matched by mere guesswork.


Sliver Slave	Sep 5 2010, 07:42 AM Post #111
I'm going back to basics. Posts: 1,857 Group: Away Staff Member #30 Joined: Jul 6, 2008 Gender: Male Nationality: Canadian. Just like Phasey!	Mind viruses! Enjoy having that data corrupted. This guy has tons of other heartwarming stuff such as... A butterfly person! Adorable little babies! And best of all... Nursebot! This guy is a genius. I must read everything he has made.
	Something is upsetting the ostriches. Spoiler: click to toggle Awesome sigatar by MethosHazara on the Giant in the Playground forums.


Forbiddenparadise64	Sep 5 2010, 07:47 AM Post #112
Adult Posts: 846 Group: Members Member #270 Joined: Feb 15, 2010 Area of expertise: Future Evolution Nationality: English (and not proud) Favorite Quote: "Treat others as you would like them to treat you" Matthew 7:12	I miss GBA. I liked his anthropomundus. It was the main influence for tardigradus of mine.
	Prepare for the Future Walking with the future: Allozoic (pts 4-6)http://s1.zetaboards.com/Conceptual_Evolution/topic/3252142/14/#new


T.Neo	Sep 5 2010, 07:47 AM Post #113
Translunar injection: TLI Posts: 6,154 Group: Members Member #179 Joined: Jun 7, 2009 Area of expertise: Xenobiology	Yeah... that is... very... heartwarming... Only a moron would build a nursebot so terrifying it makes patients want to die.
	A hard mathematical figure provides a sort of enlightenment to one's understanding of an idea that is never matched by mere guesswork.


lamna	Sep 5 2010, 07:52 AM Post #114
Posts: 21,140 Group: Global Mods Member #26 Joined: Jul 1, 2008 Gender: Male Nationality: British	Yeah I've read Mindscan, first Sawyer book I read. And that looks like a freaky manga. Does it have a good story?
	Living Fossils Fósseis Vibos: Reserva Natural 34 MYH, 4 tonne dinosaur. T.Neo Are nipples or genitals necessary, lamna? [flash=500,450] Video Magic! [/flash]


Sliver Slave	Sep 5 2010, 08:11 AM Post #115
I'm going back to basics. Posts: 1,857 Group: Away Staff Member #30 Joined: Jul 6, 2008 Gender: Male Nationality: Canadian. Just like Phasey!	lamna Sep 5 2010, 07:52 AM Yeah I've read Mindscan, first Sawyer book I read. Not his best I thought, but still nice and enjoyable. Quote: And that looks like a freaky manga. Does it have a good story? It basically consists of a guy who encounters things. Quoth Wikipedia: Quote: Killy, a silent loner possessing an incredibly powerful weapon known as a Gravitational Beam Emitter, wanders a vast technological world known as "The City". He is searching for Net Terminal Genes, a (possibly) extinct genetic marker that allows humans to access the "Netsphere", a sort of computerized control network for The City. The City is an endless vertical space of artificially-constructed walls, stairways and caverns, separated into massive "floors" by nearly-impenetrable barriers known as "Megastructure". The City is inhabited by scattered human and transhuman tribes as well as hostile cyborgs known as Silicon Creatures. The Net Terminal Genes appear to be the key to halting the unhindered, chaotic expansion of the Megastructure, as well as a way of stopping the murderous horde known as the Safeguard from destroying all humanity. Along the way, Killy meets and joins forces with a resourceful engineer named Cibo and several groups such as a tribe of human warriors called the Electro-Fishers. Cibo and Killy are often pursued by the Safeguard, who view any human without Net Terminal Genes as a threat to be extinguished on sight. Because of the size and nature of The City and the violent lives lead by its inhabitants, there are virtually no recurring characters and any alliances made are short-lived and end badly. The art is probably the best I've ever seen in a manga, and worth reading for that alone. From what I've seen so far I'd recommend at least checking it out. Quote: Only a moron would build a nursebot so terrifying it makes patients want to die. If you didn't like nursebot, how about some more reliable autopilot? Plus...oh god it's like every transhuman fetish I have rolled into one! Edited by Sliver Slave, Sep 5 2010, 01:54 PM.
	Something is upsetting the ostriches. Spoiler: click to toggle Awesome sigatar by MethosHazara on the Giant in the Playground forums.


T.Neo	Sep 5 2010, 08:30 AM Post #116
Translunar injection: TLI Posts: 6,154 Group: Members Member #179 Joined: Jun 7, 2009 Area of expertise: Xenobiology	I swear this stuff was made on drugs. >.>
	A hard mathematical figure provides a sort of enlightenment to one's understanding of an idea that is never matched by mere guesswork.


Sliver Slave	Sep 5 2010, 08:41 AM Post #117
I'm going back to basics. Posts: 1,857 Group: Away Staff Member #30 Joined: Jul 6, 2008 Gender: Male Nationality: Canadian. Just like Phasey!	The "transhuman fetish" picture is probably the tamest one yet. Plus, are you saying you wouldn't transplant your brain into a bear? How weak stomached. EDIT:This made me vomit repeatedly. Edited by Sliver Slave, Sep 5 2010, 12:57 PM.
	Something is upsetting the ostriches. Spoiler: click to toggle Awesome sigatar by MethosHazara on the Giant in the Playground forums.


Wibnice	Sep 8 2010, 02:35 AM Post #118
Newborn Posts: 41 Group: Members Member #371 Joined: Aug 28, 2010 Nationality: Indonesia Favorite Quote: "Day before yesterday I saw a rabbit, and yesterday a deer, and today, you." - The Dandelion Girl	Sliver Slave Sep 30 2008, 08:39 PM A Man after Man anime would be interesting. I found the video! It's a sing-along music video aimed for kids. About the topic, I did find Nemo Ramjet's All Tomorrows disturbing when I first read it, but the comic that was posted here did not creep me out, so maybe a second reading would not be as disturbing.
	My project: Life on Sri.


lamna	Sep 8 2010, 07:34 AM Post #119
Posts: 21,140 Group: Global Mods Member #26 Joined: Jul 1, 2008 Gender: Male Nationality: British	Perhaps you'll find this more comforting. In the 41st millennium, there is only Caramelldansen Looks like a very queer manga that one. And no I would not put my brain in a bear. An elephant is a much better option, not only to you have more space for added computers and armour for your brain, it's an elephant you get to eat with your nose. What more could you want? And I can't see the transhuman fetish picture.
	Living Fossils Fósseis Vibos: Reserva Natural 34 MYH, 4 tonne dinosaur. T.Neo Are nipples or genitals necessary, lamna? [flash=500,450] Video Magic! [/flash]


Sliver Slave	Sep 9 2010, 06:11 PM Post #120
I'm going back to basics. Posts: 1,857 Group: Away Staff Member #30 Joined: Jul 6, 2008 Gender: Male Nationality: Canadian. Just like Phasey!	Quote: I found the video! I said Man after Man. Now I just had my hopes up. I'd need a second trunk if I were an elephant, but if we're transplanting brains it couldn't be that hard. Quote: transhuman fetish You sick, sick man. He must get a ton of bandwidth. These are, bar none, the cutest posthumans ever.
	Something is upsetting the ostriches. Spoiler: click to toggle Awesome sigatar by MethosHazara on the Giant in the Playground forums.


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