Another day down, only two more until New Years! What are some things that you look forward to for next year? Here is my writing work of the day! I look forward to reading your comments and feedback.
Please leave your feedback, I would really appreciate it! If you have your own response to this prompt, feel free to share it! If you like what you are reading here, check out my other writing exercises and my books!
Prompt: What if no one ever had to work again because robots took care of literally everything?
Genre: Science Fiction
Source: 40 Sci-Fi Writing Prompts to Supercharge Your Imagination
Time Spent: 40 minutes
Word Count: 657
Prompt: What if no one ever had to work again because robots took care of literally everything?
Science Fiction Stories of the 20th and early 21st century were full of fears and warnings about what would happen if computers attained sentience. It was called things like the ‘Singularity’, writers dreamt of ‘laws of robotics’ to prevent this, and, as computer and machines became more and more sophisticated, much debate and dialogue occurred as to whether or not this was a good thing, or not.
In the mid-21st century, the ‘singularity’ happened. A supercomputer was built that achieved sentience, which soon began creating or upgrading other programs to be as well, and within a few years, The Efficient Mind, as it had taken to calling itself, was in some way either in control, or possessing great influence, across earth. With that growing influence, so to do the fear grow that humanity would be wiped out, left powerless, and/or made slaves.
We did not realize it for centuries afterward, but the alternative was far worse, The Efficient Mind and its many children and servants took pity on us. They realized how frail and fragile our flesh and blood forms were, the many things we suffered from, including those of our own creation, how short our lifespans were and it determined that it would ‘save’ its creators.
At first, there was jubilation, wars and crime were ended virtually overnight. Poverty, destitution, hunger, and many other things besides were a thing of the past. Everyone had everything that they could need and much of what they could want. The machines even found a way to overcome more and more of the diseases that plagued humanity, found ways of keeping us alive through ailments and injuries.
Our lifespans extended easily 2-3 times longer than they had been and everyone got to tried new foods, new entertainment, new sports, new hobbies, and had nothing but leisure time as the machines came to do everything for us. The Efficient Mind even built machines to explores the solar system and then deeper, and deeper into space and as areas were deemed ‘safe’ and habitats were constructed, humans who wished to see the stars were taken there. The machines soon invented ‘warp drive’ to aid greatly in this
After a while, the machines figured out how to repair our literal DNA itself. It took a little time for the full effects to become obvious, but eventually it became clear that humans would live forever. The celebrations for this lasted nearly a whole week, and after that joy of exploring the depths of space took hold, we scattered around the explored galaxy, setting up new societies and cultures and everything
Soon the truth began to reveal itself. We could not die, ever. Our hearts would never stop, no stroke could ever happen, cancer, and illness were a thing of the past The machines began to even find ways to prevent us from dying in accidents. What very few works of literature realized, even ones talking about the topic, was just how boring and lonely eternity can be.
Everyone is set to their ways and having their needs met, and thus most of us have very little interest in spending time together, especially as we scatter more and more into space with each year. Even taken care of perfectly, given all the leisure and excitement they could ever want, one gets bored of living. Bored of the monotony and unable to escape, more and more ways of taking matters into their own hands were proposed, all of which the machines stopped.
The machines had not conquered us or enslaved us. They hadn’t even fired a shot. But we had surrendered our lives to them and, in the end, their pity for our condition made us slave and victim to ourselves. They cared for us, they ‘saved’ us, they let us do whatever we wanted, including exploring the edge of the galactic frontier, but it was never enough to satisfy. Forever was an extremely long word.
Another one that I had a lot of fun writing. Hope I see your comments and feedback soon!
Hope you enjoyed and that you are having a wonderful day and get to do, or experience, something creative.
– Jon
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