Giant Robots Are Passé

For novels that is… Some who publish young adult books still use them, I suppose. And, graphic novels. Movies, on the other hand, get away with giant robots flying around the sky destroying everything in their paths.

A very smart scientist–an off-the-chart smart scientist–found a way to work around the effects of gravity, the pull of the sun and other space objects revolving around it, and some basic rules of aerodynamics.

We don’t bother to count errors in the science of an action film. Robots can fight on the ground, in the sky and even in space. Spacecraft or other flying machines stop in mid-air so we assume they are equipped with anti-gravity devices. Ordinary machines evolve into superior, “cool-looking” warriors.

It’s exciting…in film.

Unfortunately, if writers do write something comparable in a science-fiction novel today, it would most likely be trashed or sold to Hollywood, but not published traditionally. (Okay, maybe it can pass for a young adult novel, but that’s the market anyway.)

With today’s economic conditions, most any novel dealing with the above would be considered hackneyed by the editors, and I can’t say I’d disagree. Robots, with the exception of microbots and other variants, have lost the top spot in science-fiction genre literature.

Cyber warfare is different. Here we are still dealing with a human-made attempt to create a helpful artificial intelligence and that becomes sentient. What happens after it is created and placed is the story.

So, I broke the publisher’s cardinal rule, knowing that the conflict, war against machines, is passé, over with, and done in. But, I did it anyway. I used the Cyber Bio War as the backdrop for my novel. What my characters experience is an unwinnable war against an evolving enemy with not just some, but all of the resources. Yet, the continue the fight. Humans are and always will be inferior with the usual weaponry, but they will not give up their humanity.

After I extrapolated existing science and societal trends I had to go there–to that world I created. Good writers can break the rules of good grammar in telling a story. Why can’t I explore content in the same way.

In Makr’s Shadow, I broke the rules of the latest publishing trend and paid the price, publishing an e-book instead. But I still think it is worth it.

Robots in science fiction literature seem to be window dressing, an accepted part of future society, but there’s always the exception. A different use, an unusual place. Creative fortune.

However, my “robots” are different. Cyberts, my “robots,” are mobile extensions of a central evolving artificial intelligence. Cyber are not the automatons of the past but a new accepted, sentient species–a race of thinking machines–machines that can do anything a Bio can do, only better.

At the moment, these Cyber are effectively maintaining the planet and pacifying its inhabitants by waging war on dissidents.

We see a lot intelligent machinery in films–especially with the Marvel and DC comic book superheroes. Who else could giant robots fight? Normal humans would be crushed in a minute. The story would read like a metallic Jurassic Park, except there would be no eating the dead. I’ve yet to see a robot that does that. Massive destruction, yes. Eating its victims, no.

Film producers want to create images that astound, not literature that fascinates and discusses the way we interact with our technology. There are a few exceptions like Gravity,  Apollo 13, and a few others that deal with existing technology are still able to do that. Most films that pretend to be science fiction contain little plot or character development.

Now-a-days, most science fiction is about the effect of new science discoveries or technology gone awry, i.e. the atomic bomb. Still, the weird variations get in. You know them when you see them and put the book down, sorry you picked it up in the first place.

The definitions and types have grown far and wide with the interest and imagination of those who read SF. Still, the genre experts (call them publishers) say science fiction literature should focus on the “higher levels” of hard science for the most part; however, some publishers like to throw in fantasy (personal choice?), wars fought against superior alien technology and war’s that end the world, leaving a few survivors. All of these conflicts and situations, too, are obvious and overused.

However, there was a time when robots (uncool now) served in the background and often played a leading role in a novel of ideas. Isaac Asimov started a trend in 1946 when his I, Robot was published. It was also made into an science fiction action film with Will Smith.

Asimov created the Three Rules of Robotics:

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

For the most part, these rules have been respected by colleagues whenever robots are in contact with human beings.

In Makr’s Shadow was influenced by the work of Isaac Asimov (a highly underrated author) and Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (a mainstream writer). Both were writers of the literature of ideas. I hope I’ve managed to merge the essence of each, and have done so respectfully.

Unlike Asimov, who wrote science fiction and was delighted by it, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. denied that any of his fiction fit in the science fiction genre, when all of his novels have elements of SF by definition, and easily fit a definition of SF very well.

It may have been an act, but I think he wanted to be accepted totally in the mainstream rather than appear side by side with that SF trash–genre fiction. You know, the kind that had aliens or robots in it?

Because it’s satire, does that make it mainstream literature. Vonnegut made fun of science fiction in The Sirens of Titan, but if you look at all his books you will find they either fit the definitions or contain elements of science fiction. And, unless he’s poking fun, you won’t see any robots. Ironically, his imaginative and thought-provoking novels make excellent cases for writing soft or social science fiction.

With the exception of Cat’s Cradle (atomic bomb), he uses the soft sciences of psychology, sociology, economics, history, time travel, and alternate realities or universes to make his point, as opposed to the “hard” sciences like chemistry, physics and biology.

In Makr’s Shadow, the ongoing conflict is the background in the same way as Vonnegut’s parody of science fiction masks his underlying idea. That one day we will develop artificial intelligence one day is certain. How we choose to use it will be more important than the development itself.

My dystopian digital novel, In Makr’s Shadow is a rock and roll, roller coaster of action, suspense, humor and character development– highlighted with positive values–and, if you can believe it, an evolving family.

According to Tricia Johnson, The Word Weaver, UK, In Makr’s Shadow is ” a superb read…edge of seat stuff until the very end!!”

And, she should know because she helped fine tune it. The ending is, of course, to be kept secret; however, it can be said the story is more about people than the machines.

A Writer’s Truth – A Critic’s Conundrum

“C’mon, Doc. How do you think it makes me feel?” he asked defensively, displacing his anger. It was a machine for Makr’s sake!

He couldn’t just thought-blink his way out of this. As much as he was driven to uncover the past, he always found a dry eye when it came to his mother and sister; no amount of thinking about their absence had helped. He desperately tried to find memories on which he could reflect, to conjure up an emotional response equal to the one he would be expected to have. Any emotional response is better than none. No response is a sign of a truly sick Bio.

At times like this, he feared more than anything that the State (Makr) would conclude that he was a candidate for deletion. At times like this, it occurred to him he could have been erased previously and was already one of those completely irritating “born-agains.” With no past, no memories corrupting their perception of the present, “Born-agains” were often unbearable social companions or lovers. So cleaner than thou, thought Harry, and he vowed to himself, Not me, not ever!

Critics are quick to point out that authors inhabit their books and the characters in their books inhabit or sometimes haunt them. Or, it is from the author’s book we find some deep dark secret in the author’s life, and if we can’t find it in the book we look into as many bios to make sure we do. Finally, there is psychological literary criticism that analyzes every passage for double meanings. And, don’t forget Freud! With him, everything is sexual. I believe there is yet another literary meaning in performance criticism, surface criticism, that takes what you see and judges accordingly. Did the piece do what it intended, did it say something significant to you, did it say that something well or extraordinarily well? Did it educate, inspire, make you think, make you smile? All on the surface. That is literary performance criticism. My brand of criticism; my brand of writing. Of course, it works on stage as well.

I assure you that Harry or any of the characters bear no resemblance to my life other than I like to see the underdog win, the less fortunate gain fortune, and the evil-doers lose.  The layers and growth belong to the characters, and the symbols, if you find any, are between you and them. I’m merely the carrier.

“Doc?” He routinely called the cybertherapist program “Doc.” This time it was to break the tension. “Hello, hellooo? Anyone in there? Crash your inflexible drive, Doc?”

“Why must you always provoke?” she asked finally. “Is this rude behavior somehow cathartic for you? If you were reconditioned you would not talk that way.”

Is that a threat? A real threat?

“You mean ‘born-again,’ don’t you, Doc?” Right below the belt.

“Born-again? You use that word often. That’s your term for a reconditioned biomachine, is it not?”

“You know it, Doc. Let’s put it this way: I don’t believe in reincarnation. The only life you have is the one in the present and the one you can remember. No one born-again can ever be the same because the life before it is dead and gone forever.”

“That is certainly all there is for Cyber.”

“True, except Cyber aren’t alive, and Bios are.”

“Depends on your definition, doesn’t it? We reproduce as Bios do, just not in the same way.”

“It’s not the same thing.”

“No? We do reproduce more efficiently. It takes two of you Bios to create another Bio or even a few Bios at any one time. We merely use materials available outside our bodies and manufacture a new model in far less time. In fact, we can manufacture clones of you; perfect biological copies of you…”

“Except they don’t have my memories.”

“We can give them those, too.”

“Doesn’t say much for the quality of a clone’s life.”

“All a clone needs is experience to become a functional Bio.”

“You got me there.”

“One theory has it that the best measure of the quality of life is proportional to the speed and ability of an organism to adapt to its environment.”

“That used to be said of the human race.”

“Yes, but Cyber have evolved beyond that now as a great man predicted who said ‘Bios may be able to change with the wind, but Cyber can be made to withstand most adverse environments, and thrive in extreme climates where Bios cannot.”

“I suppose that was said by some Cyber-intellectual—if there is such a thing…”

“There is such a thing; however, that particular theory was developed, tested, and made universally accepted, by one Raymond J. Bolls. I said a ‘great man’.”

“My father?”

“The same.”

“Well, Bios made Cyber—not the other way around.” Harry was losing ground, but if it was an intellectual debate she wanted, he’d give her one.

“I wouldn’t be too sure which came first in the universe,” the cyber Bio therapist said pompously.

“You mean chicken or the egg?”

“Yes.”

“I think it’s pretty irrefutable that Bios came first.”

“Some Bios believe in a supreme being. Ever see one?”

“Just when I look in the mirror,” Harry said with a grin.

“You’re being humorous.”

“Yes.”

“Some even consider Makr the supreme being. Even you call out to Makr. Do you admit Makr’s superiority?”

“Yes, but He is not The Supreme Being. He is not my most Supreme Being on earth.”

“Could there have existed, before Makr, Cyber so advanced they were able to create biomachines?”

“Who’s the ‘chicken’?”

“What?”

“The chicken and the egg. We know who made the Cyber, but not who made humans as we were called once.”

“Granted. Have you satisfied your curiosity, Harry Bolls?”

“We can stop talking about who came first, if that’s what you mean.”

“What shall we talk about then?”

“God.”

“God?”

“Yes.”

“Do you mean Makr?”

“Makr may be like God, but he’s not God.”

“Why do you say that? Explain.”

“God is a spirit. Makr’s a machine.”

“How do you know God is not a machine?”

“There’s nothing logical about the creation of Man. No rhyme or reason to it.”

“The Why?”

“Eggsactly.”

Harry smiled in silence for a moment. He was enjoying the banter and feeling much more relaxed. Nothing like besting a machine, he thought. Apparently the program didn’t agree and kept the debate alive.

“Are you being humorous again, Harry?”

Harry couldn’t resist a small chuckle.

“But seriously, Harry…”

Harry giggled, “Now you’re being funny.”

“I don’t get it.”

“I know. That’s what’s funny.”

“Í don’t get it.”

Harry shakes his head and said, “Never mind. You were saying?”

“There’s no mistaking the fact that a Bio is simply a machine, with parts that can repair themselves within certain limitations.”

“Even machine parts have limits.” Harry was beginning to lose patience.

“Agreed, but the Bio machine is a more fragile system. A single virus can kill one or millions—even billions if you have the right virus. A virus cannot be made that can affect Cyber in the same way. A computer virus as in the old days has no effect on us now; we are virtually tamper proof.”

“What you see is what you get?”

“Yes. Straight from the factory. We have evolved and adapted so much faster than you could never now keep up with changes in our hardware, and in our programs…”

It is true, noted Harry, they do create their own hardware and software improvements now.

“Can we get back to the original question before I forget what it is? This is supposed to be about me isn’t it?”

“I apologize. How thoughtless of me,” the therapist smirked. The psychotherapist program smirks? Let it go, Harry.

“I just said I am disturbed by the possibility of being born-again, reincarnated, reconditioned—whatever you call it. A useless, characterless human being.”

“Yes. The mere thought of it disgusts you?”

“A good way of putting it.”

“It accurately describes the look on your face. There’s really no need to be combative, Harry Bolls.”

“I don’t like the idea of losing my identity,” he muttered, frowning from the seemingly endless intellectual bashing. And this whole experience of a machine program with attitude was unnerving him.

“Some think of it as finding a better identity, a safer one for society,” added the therapist. “Attitudes and opinions must be tempered to live in PerSoc City. We must all cooperate for the greater good.”

In all fairness, Makr had acknowledged the benefit of Bio experience to help Cyber attain higher level of functionality. Most cognitive-capable machines had learned from Bio responses to various situations and behaviors – a distinctly human trait and a recent addition to the Cyber evolution/revolution. How else could they take care of this race of fragile flesh, bone and blood?

No more answers were forthcoming from “Doc.” Harry had obviously been read and analyzed, stored and filed. All that was left now was the treatment.

***

Until next time, what you see is what you get in Harry’s Reality at Amazon.

When Did a Spelling Bee Become Art? – a Theater Review by Jack Shaw

Sometimes I think I should have my head examined for attending musical theater in the first place. Song, then dialogue. Song. Dialogue. Boy gets girl, boy loses girl, or vice versa. Situation strains relationship. Sad break-up. Boy gets girl again. What was I thinking?

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, is a musical that must be on a higher scale. At least, a different scale. I could write one of the shortest reviews ever written, but, believe me; it’s already been done–with just one word. Without further explanation, that “one” word would be meaningless. Presuming you don’t skip ahead, I promise to save that one-word review for the end just to keep you in suspense. The Burlington County Footlighters “proudly presented” The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee tonight, and when it was over I was ready to go upstairs and tell the actors what I thought of their performances and the production! It took a lot to resist the urge.

It was a spelling bee unlike any I have ever seen (and I have a child who won one); nor was it like any musical I have seen recently. I knew from a little pre-show research on the Internet to expect good comedy writing. The show was originally a sketch called C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E by The Farm, Rebecca Feldman’s writers and performers collective. Conceived by Rebecca Feldman, with the book by Rachel Sheinkin and the music by William Finn, the show is a delight. Was I entertained by this production? Most definitely, and the audience seemed to agree with me with applause after every song and the constant laughter in the air. Should there be more? I think it’s a matter of scale and your definition of art.

American Theater Magazine asked its readers if “musicals are America’s strongest rebuke to theatrical naturalism.” The statement seemed to be trying to deny musical theater is theater. Of course, I recognize the magazine was provoking its readers. It is good to be provoked; it makes us think, re-think and sometimes act. The intention of drama, of the theater in general, of art as a whole is to provoke us. It attacks our hearts and our brains. If we accept that good theater should move us or affect us in some profound way, should we compare musicals under that same standard? It is, after all, a variation of the same art.

Before we jump to conclusions, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is not a “fluff” musical, nor is it “bad” by any stretch. Any brilliant production, including the “fluff” can be as artful in its own way as long as we measure using the right scale. A musical that makes a point can fail or succeed as well, but if its writers give us ideas and affect our hearts with songs all the better for us. Give me a musical that has a story, interesting characters, songs that say something significant and play a role in moving the story or affecting the characters and I’m hooked. The first musical that ever did that for me was “A Chorus Line.” And there are some similarities here. Add in terrific satire, elements of ethos and pathos both in song and dialogue, a well-written book (the Broadway play was nominated for six Tony’s and won two—one for best book), and an ensemble cast that never steps out of character and seamlessly schmoozes with audience volunteers who are asked on stage to experience the Bee first hand, and you have this show.

The show is not a long one, but just the right length, and you’ll discover you don’t want to say good bye to these characters brought to life on stage. Is it the best score ever written? Perhaps not, but it works wonderfully with the well-crafted words. The actors’ ad libs were so good and in character every time it was hard to tell who wrote what. The choreography took up the whole stage and used it beautifully with purpose.

I entered the Putnam County gym and came to that event when I entered the auditorium. The set and decorations made me feel at home. I found it refreshing to note that theater said its program: “Please Note: This production is most enjoyed by audience members 15 years of age and older.” The audience was a great mix of ages, and surprisingly, leaning toward the younger side. Lights up. Announcements. A request was made that the audience stand and sing the Star – Spangled Banner in honor of 9/11. I make no complaint here. The request seemed appropriate for the day and was accomplished smoothly and professionally. Since we were in the “gym,” the Pledge of Allegiance wouldn’t have seemed out of place either. The small orchestra, tucked neatly out of the way, performed excellently as well.

From the moment Jillian Starr-Renbjor, (Rona Lisa Peretti), and Matt Becker (Chip Tolentino/Jesus) opened their mouths I knew I was in for a treat. I cannot single out a single actor as dominating the show; they were all excellent and that is not a cop-out. I was close enough to see total immersion of character and the characters all in synch. The neat part was that I got to know each of the characters pretty well and care about them.

The characters developed and honed by the original collaboration (with additional collaboration here, I’m sure), are performed here with hilarious results. I immediately accepted the children played by adults. I anxiously anticipated the next song and dance number. I’ve never done that before. Why now? Because each song brought me a deeper understanding of the characters in front of me, making me laugh, yet feeling sad for their woes and fears, and made me happy for their victories overcoming the obstacles of life.

So, we come to the end and the word I promised you. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee attacks our brains and hearts and in its perfection gives us art. The Word is “Art,” Baby! Good art. Enjoy it while it lasts.