Sic Semper Tyrannis

Ghost in the Machine

My dad used to say that technology, at its most beneficial, should be indistinguishable from “magic.” I, on the other hand, have thought that explanations of how technological things work are most effective when they start with the phrase: “Well, there’s this little man…”

At any rate, I have lately had this hunch that my computer is trying to tell me something. What if there really is a ghost in my machine- a “maschinegeist?”

Here’s what I know: whenever it’s on shuffle, iTunes plays an awful lot of the song “Hope” by Robert Fripp String Quintet. It’s a lovely instrumental tune, no doubt, and I’m certainly not complaining.

But I am suspicious.

What if my computer is subtly trying to get a message to me? What if it’s not just describing hope over and over, but being more forceful? What if it’s a command? What if that song title has an understood (you)? As in “Hey Mike. (You) hope.”

OK. I guess I have to hope now.

(Of course the fact is, dear readers, I now live my life with much more hope in the future than at just about any point in the past. I don’t really need a computer to encourage me…)

posted by Mike @ 11:03 AM