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Limericks, Nr.06 — Algorithmic Meat-Machines
There was a young man who considered
just who is this “I” in a dither? —
I’m making decisions
an act of derision
by shrinking my “self” to a slither.
just who is this “I” in a dither? —
I’m making decisions
an act of derision
by shrinking my “self” to a slither.
Written by
Josh
(Joshua Bond)
Published 17th Jan 2021
| Edited 11th Mar 2024
Author's Note
Limericks, Nr.05 can be found here:
https://deepundergroundpoetry.com/poems/379740-whenever/
(photo credit: Joshua Bond)
https://deepundergroundpoetry.com/poems/379740-whenever/
(photo credit: Joshua Bond)
All writing remains the property of the author. Don't use it for any purpose without their permission.
likes 12
reading list entries 4
comments 15
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Commenting Preference:
The author encourages honest critique.
Re. Algorithmic Meat-Machines
Anonymous
17th Jan 2021 4:48pm
You had me at the title, Josh!
![Anonymous](/images/avatars/_nopicmini.gif)
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Re: Re. Algorithmic Meat-Machines
17th Jan 2021 10:22pm
Thank you for getting drawn in - title is my summary of how Science views humans (`a la Richard Dawkins, etc)
Re. Algorithmic Meat-Machines
17th Jan 2021 4:54pm
Re: Re. Algorithmic Meat-Machines
17th Jan 2021 10:24pm
Thank you A; I'm not sure what a doozy is in English { :)) } ... but I take it as a good sign.
Anonymous
- Edited 17th Apr 2021 8:45pm
17th Jan 2021 9:00pm
<< post removed >>
![Anonymous](/images/avatars/_nopicmini.gif)
Re: Re. Algorithmic Meat-Machines
17th Jan 2021 10:27pm
Hi Andres, thank you for visiting and commenting. Please do feel free to write and post your own poem inspired by mine. It's part of what DUP is about, sharing and kickstarting ideas for other poets. And thanks for the RL too. Best regards, Josh.
Anonymous
- Edited 17th Apr 2021 8:45pm
17th Jan 2021 11:48pm
<< post removed >>
![Anonymous](/images/avatars/_nopicmini.gif)
Re: Re. Algorithmic Meat-Machines
18th Jan 2021 3:22pm
Hi Andres, You've got me a bit confused now. Did you want to post your own poem, and reference mine as an "idea-starter/inspiration" for it? Or did you have something else in mind? Josh.
Anonymous
- Edited 17th Apr 2021 8:45pm
18th Jan 2021 5:32pm
<< post removed >>
![Anonymous](/images/avatars/_nopicmini.gif)
Re: Re. Algorithmic Meat-Machines
19th Jan 2021 5:22pm
Anonymous
- Edited 17th Apr 2021 8:45pm
19th Jan 2021 6:35pm
<< post removed >>
![Anonymous](/images/avatars/_nopicmini.gif)
Re. Algorithmic Meat-Machines
19th Jan 2021 9:48am
Dear J,
You’ve mixed a charming format with a serious thought wonderfully. To me, the notion of being some twisty thing in the universe is humbling, that I actually am expendable and it’s those I’m surrounded by that change that outlook of myself. I’ve probably taken this way beyond your intended meaning but as I considered what a slither was that’s where my mind went. I appreciated how this poem made me think. H🌷
You’ve mixed a charming format with a serious thought wonderfully. To me, the notion of being some twisty thing in the universe is humbling, that I actually am expendable and it’s those I’m surrounded by that change that outlook of myself. I’ve probably taken this way beyond your intended meaning but as I considered what a slither was that’s where my mind went. I appreciated how this poem made me think. H🌷
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Re: Re. Algorithmic Meat-Machines
19th Jan 2021 6:18pm
Thank you H, and for the RL. As far as I can see, Artificial Intelligence (in which there is massive investment) is based on humans being nothing more than a toad, a piece of music, or a flower -- itself based on the theory that everything is patterned to (driven by) algorithms.
Computer scientists, assuming that the brain is all there is to humans, think of us as processing-units (meat-machines in my language).
I kinda baulk at that, and have been wondering "what am I?" that is "more" than how science defines me. (I find reading Alan Watts helpful, even though his books were written mainly in the 1950s/60s/70s)
(I had a run-in with algorithms a couple of years back -- https://deepundergroundpoetry.com/poems/317090-job-application-filtered-by-an-algorithm/)
Computer scientists, assuming that the brain is all there is to humans, think of us as processing-units (meat-machines in my language).
I kinda baulk at that, and have been wondering "what am I?" that is "more" than how science defines me. (I find reading Alan Watts helpful, even though his books were written mainly in the 1950s/60s/70s)
(I had a run-in with algorithms a couple of years back -- https://deepundergroundpoetry.com/poems/317090-job-application-filtered-by-an-algorithm/)
Re. Algorithmic Meat-Machines
20th Jan 2021 9:34pm
Josh, you always bring your A-game with witty and thought provoking writes, let alone with a limerick.
Great work.
Great work.
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Re: Re. Algorithmic Meat-Machines
21st Jan 2021 8:30pm
Thank you Wally. I've been reading Yuval Noah Harari's "Homo Deus; (a brief history of tomorrow)" which catalysed writing the poem.
It seems algorithms are set to change our personal internet and real worlds much more than we reckon. Science now considers humans as mere algorithms, with computers soon far superior. The idea of humans as mere 'meat machines' goes back 30 years to the earlier days of computers when the race was on to beat the human world champion at chess
It seems algorithms are set to change our personal internet and real worlds much more than we reckon. Science now considers humans as mere algorithms, with computers soon far superior. The idea of humans as mere 'meat machines' goes back 30 years to the earlier days of computers when the race was on to beat the human world champion at chess