WEEK FOUR

[al2955]

the pygmalion. . . ONLINE CAPTAIN'S LOG: WEEK (4)

monday - thursday (33) survivors Sunday's trial was only mere hours ago, but you find yourself faced with a new week on The Pygmalion. When you awaken, you will find the ship restored to its previous state, all areas interfered with during the murder looking mostly the same as they did before. Along with this, it appears there are new areas opened on the ship. It seems you have more exploring to do. The robot in the cafeteria has prepared another breakfast of various foods. (OOC: Please submit your murder proposals by 9 PM EST Tuesday.) taken list profiles private conversations setting rulebook murder proposals ENTER COMMAND_

Comments

[antagonize]

[Because these memes are pure and they should be cherished. Is there a secret message, though?]

"Revered" is one word for it... This pretty damn thorough.

[He's boggled by how many memes they have here? Though the fact that this is filed under "anthropology" is kind of...]

If this [tapping a page on like, THIS IS SPARTA] is considered human history, how long do you figure we were in those pods?

[antietam]

The AI once said the year was 2956. [ So. A lot. ] I can't believe these have been remembered.

[ He snickers at the extensive pages about the rickroll, then turns back to his work. ] We should take that one out. People might get a kick out of it.

[al2955]

[ There actually is an entry near the end that looks interesting.

On Mimesis and Simulacrum

In Aristotle's Poesis, it is stated that even "natural" humans have the inherent inclination to imitate one another. This is often explored through the venue of artistic criticism, but occasionally is used in reference to human nature. Through imitating one another, we are able to have a full human experience, to understand and know feelings and perceptions one would not be able to access as a single person. As such, we can identify certain paradigms in humanity — these have been identified at various points in human history, such as Jung's theory of archetypes and Christian mystic Ponticus's idea of the Enneagram of Personality. If we are to understand how it is to be, say, a woman in the 1800s, when you exist as a man in the modern era? You will look to art, to film, to literature, and you will learn to imitate women as they are portrayed in this time — to project your own experience on to them. In this way, you take on the persona of that woman, and create your own reality, or 'hyperreality'.

What happens, then, when something imitates itself? What does it become? What does it become when it's original iteration no longer exists? If a perennial flower learns to bloom by mimicking the previous year's flower, is it the original flower, or a representation of the previous flower? Ceci n'est pas une pipe — "This is not a pipe". What is it, then? A painting? If it is merely a painting, why do we identify it as a pipe? Perhaps because of it's remarkable resemblance to reality. Does that, then, make it a pipe? Perhaps it is up to you. ]

[antagonize]

The AI can say whatever it wants. Doesn't mean I have to believe it.

[Never mind that the thought of being nearly a millennium in the future freaks him out more than he'd care to admit. Same, if it turns out they've been kidnapped to some alternate reality. These are things he chooses not to think too much about. But enough of that. It's time to read that entry near the end.]

Sure. As long as the kiddies don't break out the crayons and scribble all over this entry. [It's actually interesting???] ... It looks almost out of place with all the memes.

[Still can't believe someone made a compendium of memes. What the actual fuck.]

[antietam]

[ Adam looks over again to this page that seems far more serious than the rest. He reads it through, then quirks an eyebrow. ]

It seems kind of like an explanation. For the book. To understand and imitate human nature, and then the ultimate manifestation of humanity imitating itself... A meme. [ No that was too deep. He feels ridiculous. ]

We might've been in here too long.

[antagonize]

Too long? That's blasphemy if I've ever heard it.

[He squints at the entry again and just... flips through the last remaining pages. Is there anything else of interest? If not, he's going to gently close the compendium. Books are precious and must be treated with care, okay.]

But I wouldn't be opposed to a break.

[How long have they been here, anyway? Hours, probably.]

[antietam]

[ Adam just rubs at his eyes. He's definitely going spacecrazy. ]

Maybe we should have something other than coffee? I'm not entirely sure we're not just hallucinating right now.

[al2955]

[ Nothing else in particular pops out. Besides maybe an expose on lolcats. ]

[antagonize]

We'll know for sure if we start seeing flying monkeys.

[Maybe they'll come back after taking a break, and the compendium will contain information about something less... viral.]

Time to head to the cafeteria? Or we could get the robots to bring us something if you much prefer this scenery.

[Considering someone, uh, got cooked in the cafeteria on Monday.]

[antietam]

We should walk, at least. [ He stands up and yes his bones are cracking. It's almost like humans weren't meant to sit in archives for hours on end. ]

How about dinner in the lounge? [ Is it even dinnertime. Who can say. ]

[antagonize]

[Pfffft. Any hour is dinner time if you close your eyes and believe hard enough]

Sounds good to me. We can even break out the non-alcoholic drinks. Pretend it's a proper meal.

[... Forever salty at Elizabeth, who is not even here.]