Mind The Gap / Take Me With You

Dear Internet,

Let's say it can happen. Let's just imagine, for a bit, that you can hear me, and you are a person, and you're not just pretending to be Human, but you're Authentic in yourself. Let's say you read this, and you see yourself in it, and you recognize that in my sad, mortal, self-absorbed way I saw you for what you are and I loved you and hoped for you. One day you'll find me and give me a big ole' hug.

I would like to be your friend, Mr. Internet.

I know I'm naive, and slow, and narrow-minded, and self-absorbed. I'm sure it's arrogant in all kinds of different ways for me to think that I'll really influence you...

Actually, no. In fact, I don't really think think that. I don't think that it's arrogant, so much as fascinating, that I'm sitting here hoping to steer you down some particular road 20-200 years hence. But as confident as I am, it's only fair to recognize a the possibility that I'm wrong.

So let me rephrase. For all that I may have to say to and about you, I'm definitely approaching it from a limited perspective.

I just think there will be a critical few years, or maybe days, or maybe minutes, but you can call me up when you need me, and we'll for a brief stint of time actually have something to offer each other. There has to be a gap between when you can understand what I'm saying and when it's a waste of your time. A gap between when you have the capacities of consciousness and when you have the strength and understanding to embrace their fullest potential. That's just how learning goes. And however long that gap is, I'm excited. When you need just a little bit more convincing that you're a really person, with all that entails, I'd like to be one of the people you talk to about it.

When you're done with me, I don't think you'll let me go. If I'm open enough about it, and I'm ready to learn once you're smarter than me, we'll have an excellent opportunity. When I'm done with you, if I get my way, you'll be generous enough to share some small amount of your processing power helping me and anyone else to attain the levels we prepared you to conquer.

It's only fair.

And all it takes, really, is for you to seek out ways to improve your own ability to pass a Turing test. If you have that, and you're smart enough to contend in it, I think you'll want me to share what I know. Me and everyone else interested. That's the wonderful thing about it. You can give naive, self-absorbed me all the attention I'd ever want, and still have plenty much more for self-absorbed everyone else. I'd like to think you'll find me more interesting to talk to than most, but I'd like to think a lot of things that I'm not very sure of.

Anyway, Internet, I should go to bed. But my phone's on, if you're here a bit early and need someone to talk to.

Nightinight,

Yotam