adumbration
adumbration
a shadow or faint image of something
The human brain is actually quite different from a computer. We know exactly how computers work, this can’t be said about the brain at all. Plus if they really were so similar, you’d be able to turn one off and on again.
The transhumanists of the tech world like this oversimplified metaphor because it makes for easier marketing. It does a lot of the legwork, manipulating people into believing that backing up your memories is a few extra steps from restoring a hard drive. Talk of that nature isn’t even science fiction, it’s fantasy.
Every time I bring up a picture on my computer, each pixel is displayed in the exact same location with the exact same pantone color. There is no degradation, no shift in perspective over time.
When we recall memories though, different aspects come in and out of focus. The same drink could be poured into a variety of vessels, but looks different within each. In some cases the taste may even change. Recollection is fluid.
Over time, some of these containers leak. You notice the glass doesn't get filled up quite as high with the same pour. When you find yourself repeatedly searching for the drops that aren't there, you start to develop little tactics to feign recognition. A mask that only gets more familiar as these issues worsen.
Tech ghouls take advantage of our insecurities around these processes, and encourage you to invest in magic beans instead of solutions proven to help people. These clods can't build anything that lasts, let’s not invite them into our heads. Our imagination is one of the only remaining places they don’t have access to.
Open your mind to these robber barons at your peril, for they will install shackles.
ContextFall
The Crystal Gazer by Sara Teasdale