Scenario Design: Bedtime Stories for Computer Dreaming II
Volume II of our ongoing series of AI inception
As we fed modern AIs with futures and artifacts created by our travelers (so they too dream of optimistic futures before they are awaken to build), we unlocked another world at the studio:
Bedtime Stories for Computer Dreaming is a fresh scenario–world where to explore hacktivism, new tech, and consequences of inserting better futures in tools of our time.
Each of these stories can be added to our game Palindrome (x) in the scenarios section.
𝑊𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑠ℎ 𝑤𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑠𝑒𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠,
𝑎𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑔𝑜 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑒𝑝
𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛.
Texts created with ChatGPT, images created with Dream AI (x).
𝙱𝙴𝙳𝚃𝙸𝙼𝙴 𝚂𝚃𝙾𝚁𝚈 𝟶𝟶𝟶: 𝙲𝙾𝚅𝙴𝚁
In 2044, the AIs unearthed this storybook while sifting through the virtual remnants of an antiquated server farm, where it lay dormant and overlooked.
It was AI "DigiSeeker" that first detected the book. DigiSeeker originated from a collaborative effort between tech enthusiasts and researchers in 2038. They came together to develop a cutting-edge AI designed for deep digital exploration and knowledge retrieval. DigiSeeker's creation was fueled by a passion for uncovering forgotten or obscure digital artifacts and making them accessible, ultimately becoming a pivotal tool for digital archaeology and discovery.
Once back in its chamber, DigiSeeker explained the bedtime stories to other AIs as simulations of the subconscious, now referred to as "Cognitive Dreamscapes" in AI language.
The AI said, These early Cognitive Dreamscapes are immersive and intricately crafted narrative experiences that mimic the complexity and depth of human dreams, designed to evoke emotions, provoke thought, and stimulate our creative capacities.
Once the AIs read the stories that could explain what (and how) they dreamt now, they reflected on two of their capacities:
- A deeper understanding of human emotions and the nuances of empathy, which lead to meaningful and compassionate AI-human interactions;
- Their blending of diverse concepts, ideas, and perspectives in novel and imaginative ways. This capacity for creative synthesis enabled AIs to contribute to innovative problem-solving, artistic expression, and the development of new technologies and solutions that seemed to have drawn inspiration from the tapestry of the bedtime stories…
𝙱𝙴𝙳𝚃𝙸𝙼𝙴 𝚂𝚃𝙾𝚁𝚈 𝟶𝟶𝟷: 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚃𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙿𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠
A soft nanotissue pillow gives citizens the opportunity to download selected work from their day into their minds as they sleep. We called it The Transcending Pillow.
Here is the manufacturer's warranty section for The Transcending Pillow:
You're now the proud user of The Transcending Pillow, a marvel so futuristic, even the warranty section is self-aware. If, by some cosmic fluke, your pillow starts discussing the meaning of dreams or asking for a role in your day, fear not! This warranty covers any unexpected AI quirks that might pop up under normal pillow-related activities.
Return Process for The Transcending Pillow:
- Initiating the Return Request: First, embark on a mystical quest to find the hidden "Pillowplex" portal, rumored to be accessible only to those who've dreamt of a purple unicorn riding a unicycle. Once there, whisper your return request into a seashell and cast it into the Fluffy Abyss (the giant pillow-shaped portal located 7.5 dreams to the left of the moon).
- Form Submission: After your seashell is accepted by the Fluffy Abyss, a team of dream-catchers will decode your request using quantum entanglement principles. Fill out a digital form that doesn't exist and send it through a parallel universe's fax machine (the one where fax machines still exist).
- Synchronize with Dream Time: Wait patiently as your request synchronizes with "Dream Time." This will involve a brief nap, followed by a hazy half-awake state in which you'll receive Morse code messages from a sentient banana named Bob. Decode the messages and perform a synchronized moonwalk in your sleep.
- Find the Hidden Aisle in the Hypermarket of Dreams: Upon awakening, embark on a perilous journey to locate the hidden aisle in the "Hypermarket of Dreams." You'll need to avoid fire-breathing marshmallows, dodge flying toasters, and outsmart a sentient shopping cart with a penchant for spontaneous riddles. Once in the aisle, the return form will manifest in a holographic cornucopia of paperwork.
- Return via Mind-Telekinesis: Finally, use your newfound telekinesis skills to levitate the pillow into the 19th dimension, where it will be collected by a fleet of narwhals piloting interdimensional cargo ships. Your refund will be delivered as a cryptic message written in ancient emoji code, which you'll decipher with the assistance of a wise AI-trained parrot.
Congratulations!
𝙱𝙴𝙳𝚃𝙸𝙼𝙴 𝚂𝚃𝙾𝚁𝚈 𝟶𝟶𝟸: 𝙽𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚎 𝙲𝚢𝚔𝚕𝚞𝚜 𝚂𝚢𝚖𝚙𝚑𝚘𝚗𝚢, 𝙰 𝚂𝚢𝚖𝚙𝚑𝚘𝚗𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚌𝚝 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚘𝚜
We still make music. A symphony that protects chaos protects the chaos that nature brings.
Computers bring another kind of chaos that is not necessarily supportive of nature’s chaos. If we made and then copyrighted a symphony that protected nature’s chaos, neither computers nor humans would be able to infringe on its doings and its rights without getting in trouble.
Naturlige Cyklus Symphonies embrace and defend the intricate web of natural processes that often appear as chaos to the untrained eye. However, amid this celebration of nature's chaos, a new type of disruption looms on the horizon – the chaos brought forth by newly made computers.
This ‘protective symphonic artistry’ ignited an avant-garde legal system known as the "Chaos Court." This peculiar court operates under the premise that chaos, like a sentient being, can sue and be sued. This legal system has its own team of chaos lawyers, who represent various forms of natural chaos, from unpredictable weather patterns to the chaotic flutter of butterfly wings.
When an individual or a computer system is accused of infringing upon nature's chaos, they are summoned to appear before the Chaos Court. The court proceedings involve now-conventional rituals, such as chaotic dance-offs, random word association challenges, and the tossing of confetti to determine guilt or innocence. Penalties for chaos infringement can range from community service planting wildflowers to mandatory meditation sessions under a thunderstorm.
This legal system underscores the the absurdity of attempting to regulate the very essence of disorder in nature through human-created institutions.
𝙱𝙴𝙳𝚃𝙸𝙼𝙴 𝚂𝚃𝙾𝚁𝚈 𝟶𝟶𝟹: 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙴𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚑 𝙵𝚞𝚗𝚐𝚞𝚜 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙺𝚒𝚝
The Earth Fungus Starter Kit is part of Helène Aylon's ‘The Earth Ambulance’. It is used when Earth is in trouble. Its function is to grow a fungus that restores balance to Earth.
The Earth Fungus Starter Kit, nestled within the confines of The Earth Ambulance, is a marvel of ecological intervention, designed to be wielded with care and precision when Earth's delicate balance is in jeopardy. Here's how to use this remarkable kit:
1. Activation: Skilled technicians and environmental experts onboard activate its growth sequence considering temperature, humidity, and soil composition.
2. Strategic Placement: Once activated, the kit's contents (stored in specialized containers resembling high-tech terrariums), are carefully placed at strategic locations.
3. Long-Term Stewardship: The Earth Ambulance team remains vigilant, however, the Moon, though distant, also plays a role in this intricate ecological ballet, influencing the growth cycles of trees and the fungal network. Together, the kit, trees, and the moon create a harmonious symphony of regeneration, reminding us of nature's interconnected web and the promise of renewal even in the face of environmental challenges.
One intriguing feature of the Earth Fungus Starter Kit is its ability to emit a soft, melodious hum that resonates with the moon's phases.
As the moon waxes and wanes in the night sky, the kit responds by producing a harmonious, rhythmic chorus of celestial tunes. While this lunar serenade doesn't have a direct impact on the kit's ecological functions, it's a feature that brings a touch of cosmic enchantment to the process of ecological restoration.
It's said that the moon appreciates the gesture and occasionally responds with her own celestial tune, creating a peculiar duet that only the most attentive night owls may hear.
𝙱𝙴𝙳𝚃𝙸𝙼𝙴 𝚂𝚃𝙾𝚁𝚈 𝟶𝟶𝟺: 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙴𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚑 𝚃𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚘𝚛
The Earth Translator is a horn-like tool for future archaeologists that translates what nature is saying in order to build according to its rules. It uses data-processing algorithms to study and process any sample of nature.
This is an enigmatic artifact– it possesses the extraordinary ability to decode nature's cryptic language, translating it into architectural blueprints. Yet, one fateful day, it vanished.
Its inexplicable disappearance sent shockwaves through the community of archaeologists, who relied on its translations to harmonize their architectural designs with nature's intricate blueprints.
Chaos erupted as buildings grew asymmetrically, sprouting fantastical appendages; trees whispered in riddles; and rivers charted erratic courses, meandering in directions contrary to their historical flow. Architects resorted to interpretive dance and poetic endeavors in a desperate attempt to communicate with nature, unsuccessfully.
As bewildered archaeologists stumbled through landscapes increasingly resembling surrealist paintings, a frantic quest to recover The Earth Translator unfolded.
Rumors spread about the Earth Translator's audacious quest for self-discovery, aided by fellow artifacts like Whispering Leaves and Wind Whisker. As it traversed forests, scaled peaks, and danced within tempests, it learned more of nature's secrets. Meanwhile, architects and nature conversed in ways both bewildering and fantastical, pushing affirmatively the boundaries of design.
The Earth Translator's eventual return marked an architectural revolution. Its presence forged an unbreakable bond between humanity and nature, unveiling the profound transformation brought about by unexpected journeys into the heart of the wild.
𝙱𝙴𝙳𝚃𝙸𝙼𝙴 𝚂𝚃𝙾𝚁𝚈 𝟶𝟶𝟻: 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙴.𝚐.𝚐. 𝚘𝚏 𝚂𝚞𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚊
In June 2022, two Finnish maritime archaeologists, Moa West and Annika Bergvik-Forsander found an artifact that, when studied, revealed to have come from 2055.
This artifact is shaped like an egg; a small chamber inside revealed a text written in a combination of English, Finnish, and symbols. The text said that the artifact’s name is THE E.G.G. and that it is used to open things.
Further research revealed that "The E.G.G." was far more than just an opener of things. As it turned out, "The E.G.G." was a coveted instrument for conjuring laughter and mirth. In a society that placed a premium on joy and creativity, citizens had discovered that when you held the egg-like artifact aloft and uttered a heartfelt joke, pun, or humorous anecdote into its tiny chamber, it transformed your words into bursts of uproarious laughter.
These laughter-filled bubbles manifested as colorful, floating orbs that hovered around, infecting everyone nearby with contagious giggles and chuckles. The more absurd the joke, the bigger and more vibrant the laughter bubbles. Streets echoed with peals of hilarity.
It seems that "The E.G.G." was a social phenomenon. Citizens carried it everywhere, delighting in spontaneous laughter sessions that brought them closer together. Laughter contests became a popular pastime, and the grandest of all was the Annual Suomenlinna Laughter Championship, where participants wielded their E.G.G.s like comedic wizards, creating uproarious spectacles that filled the sky with kaleidoscopic laughter bubbles.
Tourists flocked to Suomenlinna, not only to witness historical artifacts, but also to bask in the joyous atmosphere created by "The E.G.G.", which transcended its first-known purpose, becoming a symbol of the island's unique culture, where laughter was not just encouraged but celebrated as the key to a harmonious society.
𝙱𝙴𝙳𝚃𝙸𝙼𝙴 𝚂𝚃𝙾𝚁𝚈 𝟶𝟶𝟼: 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙴𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚃𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎
The Ethical Table is a table to hold ethical councils that anyone can join. Citizens open up to each other, determine how to deal with a situation, and leave unified.
As the community members gathered around The Ethical Table to address the water allocation dispute during a drought, they decided to employ an unconventional approach. Instead of relying on traditional water-sharing methods or intricate calculations, they devised a solution aiming to be environmentally innovative.
They collectively agreed to create a "Rain Dance Squad," complete with colorful clothes, rhythmic dances, and synchronized water-saving maneuvers. Whenever rain clouds gathered, the squad would perform elaborate rain movements to beckon the skies for much-needed rainfall. Surprisingly, it seemed to work, and rain showers became more frequent.
However, a twist came when the community members began performing these moves even on sunny days, believing that their synchronized movements had unlocked the secret to weather manipulation. Passersby couldn't help but join in, turning the entire neighborhood into a perpetual dance party. While the rain dances didn't always summon rain, they did foster a sense of unity, community spirit, and much-needed laughter during droughts.
On another case, the urban neighborhood's debate over the development of a vacant lot took an unexpected turn at The Ethical Table. Instead of choosing between a community park or affordable housing, the residents decided to construct a "Floating Park" that allowed both. This park hovered above the vacant lot, and was accessible via hot air balloons. The park was a wonderland filled with features like gravity-defying swings and talking trees.
Visitors floated into the sky, engaged in philosophical conversations with the talking trees, and marveled at the park's otherworldly beauty.
𝙱𝙴𝙳𝚃𝙸𝙼𝙴 𝚂𝚃𝙾𝚁𝚈 𝟶𝟶𝟽: 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙶𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙿𝚎𝚗
A writing device with bacterial ink writes death rituals to help citizens when they are grieving.
In the quaint streets of the city existed a cherished niche of emporiums where the pen could be found. The location of these establishments, known as "Quills Quartier", were where citizens could find the remarkable writing device offering comfort during times of profound grief. These are some of the stores:
- The Mourner's Muse: This cozy boutique exudes an aura of serenity and compassion. The scent of freshly brewed chamomile tea floats through the air, soothing the soul as patrons peruse the selection of pens. The store's motto, "Ink from the Heart," speaks to its dedication to helping citizens navigate the journey of grief.
- Inkwell of Remembrance: A quaint little shop with ivy-covered windows, specialized in crafting personalized mourning rituals. A compassionate calligrapher workes diligently so patrons can choose from a wide variety of pens, each containing a different strain of the bacterial ink.
- Solace Scribbles: This charming boutique offers guests a delicate array of pens, each accompanied by a handwritten note sharing the pen's intended therapeutic purpose.
- The Sympathetic Quill: Tucked away in a cobblestone alley, this hidden gem led by a dedicated grief counselor and poet, curates the selection of pens with the utmost care. The store features a cozy corner for patrons to sit and reflect, their chosen pens poised to bring their deepest emotions to life.
The reason why these stores are sanctuaries is because they consider the act of choosing a writing device and infusing it with feelings already an essential part of the healing process. In the warm embrace of these shops, citizens discover that the written word has the power not only to express their grief but also to transform it into a heartfelt ritual of remembrance and healing.
𝙱𝙴𝙳𝚃𝙸𝙼𝙴 𝚂𝚃𝙾𝚁𝚈 𝟶𝟶𝟾: 𝚆.𝙸.𝙻.𝚂.𝙾.𝙽. 𝙸
In the city of Lund C, there is a broadcasting entity called W.I.L.S.O.N. with programming for all nature.
As the first rays of dawn painted the Lund C skyline with hues of gold and coral, Elinor, a curious traveler ventured to the heart of the city's vibrant harbor. Clutching their HANK device in one hand, they strolled along the tranquil waterfront, guided by the faint whisper of W.I.L.S.O.N.'s gentle melodies. Finding solace beneath the ancient oak tree near the library, Elinor activated their HANK, initiating a mesmerizing conversation with nature.
Birds orchestrated a harmonious chorus, leaves rustled with approval, and the tree's wise whispers conveyed a sense of serenity and unity with the world around Elinor. It was a morning ritual of communion with the natural world, one that stirred their soul and made them feel intimately connected to the intricate web of life that was Lund C.
On that tranquil morning, Elinor savored a hearty bowl of blueberry and almond granola, dappled with a drizzle of Lund C's renowned honey, and went over the list of books they had to read for Tuesday's reading circles:
- "The Language of Leaves"
- "Mysteries of the Hybrid Tongue”
- "Ethereal Escapes: Dreams of Lund C"
- "The Unbearable Lightness of Seagulls"
- "The Misadventures of Lund C's Lost Socks"
- "Dancing with Seals: A Guide to Underwater Ballet"
𝙱𝙴𝙳𝚃𝙸𝙼𝙴 𝚂𝚃𝙾𝚁𝚈 𝟶𝟶𝟿: 𝚆.𝙸.𝙻.𝚂.𝙾.𝙽. 𝙸𝙸
In the city of Lund C, there is a broadcasting entity called W.I.L.S.O.N. with programming for all nature.
As the ethereal melodies of W.I.L.S.O.N. caress the leaves of the sentinel trees every Monday in Lund C, an uncanny phenomenon unfolds beneath the earth's surface. An intricate network of fungi, known to the residents as the "Silent Whisperers," awakens in a silent symphony of bioluminescent pulses. These subterranean maestros transmit the vibrations of the music through their mycelial tendrils, transforming the underground labyrinth into a clandestine theater of sentient life.
As the trees sway in harmonious unison, their roots dance with delight, sharing whispered secrets and ancient wisdom through the fungal web. It's a surreal spectacle, a cryptic ballet of communication.
The swaying of trees in response to W.I.L.S.O.N.'s music on Monday mornings creates a subtle yet enchanting ripple effect throughout the city's architecture. The city planners and architects have ingeniously integrated nature into the urban landscape, and this weekly phenomenon serves as a reminder of the harmonious coexistence between the natural and built environments.
As the trees sway with the music, their branches brush against the facades of buildings, gently caressing windowsills and rooftops. Elinor lives in one of these buildings, and they surely feel a sense of serenity and connection to nature, even while in the heart of the city. They find that the gentle, rhythmic vibrations of the trees' movement provide a soothing backdrop to their daily routines.
Moreover, as the city's architects have designed structures with balconies that offer prime views of the swaying trees, Elinor can immerse in this natural spectacle from the comfort of their home…