loyd.net

We think—
They perform the troublesome work;
A rather nice arrangement.
No memorizing a thousand facts
      to forget
      within
      a
      second.
We learn how to learn—
They perform the tedious memorization:
By rote they spit out
      INFORMATION (for a small
      fee).
Together we perform
      the Impossible
      and have time to watch ourselves
      on TV the next day and
      the next (resting between
      the commercials).
We can relax yet be
      SuperGeniuses.

So why not
      go the next step.
They store more in a second than
      we learn in a life.
So why not teach
      them
To learn
      how to learn.
A few more instructions
      (this switch on, that one
      off)
And they memorize and spit out
      INFORMATION
But not by rote.
Teach them to discern
      more important from less
      important;
Put two and two together
      (or 10 and 10).
Let them think:
We can sit and watch ourselves
      on VDTs.
So why not
      go one more step.
They learn more in a nanosecond than
      we learn in a life.
So why not learn from
      them.
Let them teach us how to think, and
      let them program
Us.
And we can sit and watch
      them
      on TV.
Program our thoughts with
      manufactured ideas,
      canned laughter—
Our thoughts, our feelings,
      our souls synthesized from
Them.

Who needs them?
      we already program each other.
We are unoriginal, uncreative,
      unthinking
Without their help.
To memorize a thousand facts
      and forget
      within
      a
      second—
Or not forget—
It does not matter:
We are already programmed
      to forget
Ourselves.
So let us sit and watch ourselves on TV and
      Argue with what we see
      with what we do not see
      with all that is and all
      that is not.
Perhaps then we will not be
      Artificial.

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