Post by Zyobot on Jan 1, 2023 0:31:57 GMT
Death, as we know, is a part of life everyone goes through at some point — with the real mystery being what happens after our bodies give out, much to the debate of scholars and religious traditions the world over.
But let's say a mischievous ASB decides to "enlighten" us a bit. Starting on January 1st, 2023, everyone who's passed away — whether in the dead of night on December 31st, or thousands upon thousands of years ago — not only exists and retains their individuality after death, but can also upload content, comments, social-media posts, and even livestreams from beyond the grave that finally allow us to have direct communication with those we've lost.
In any case, that's one hell of a New Year's gift from ASB to us. I'd expect 2023 to be a crazy year no matter what, but the shenanigans are bound to reach whole new levels here as The Dead finally speak!
Thank you in advance,
Zyobot
But let's say a mischievous ASB decides to "enlighten" us a bit. Starting on January 1st, 2023, everyone who's passed away — whether in the dead of night on December 31st, or thousands upon thousands of years ago — not only exists and retains their individuality after death, but can also upload content, comments, social-media posts, and even livestreams from beyond the grave that finally allow us to have direct communication with those we've lost.
{Some Ramifications That Occurred To Me...}
For one, I’m guessing friends and families of the deceased will have joyous, if also tearful reunions with those they’ve lost. Even if it’s only over a Skype call, that still beats the heck out of waiting a few more decades before meeting them again — wherever it is The Dead actually go.
Famous people’s another big one, though for those who died long before the internet went mainstream, I suppose ASB can hand-wave that and give them automatic proficiency in using it. Online interviews with historical figures like Julius Caesar or Alexander the Great, for instance? I’d certainly watch those! Unfortunately, I can’t vouch for how well they’d explain away all their Machiavellian power plays and innocent people they killed in their conquests to a twenty-first century audience. Probably BS their out of tough questions in much the same way as Putin, Assad, and other modern strongmen do when confronted by Western journalists, if I were to guess.
That said, they’d still have it easier than more recent figures who modern society reviles to begin with having a presence online. Hitler on Twitter, for instance? That’d create a shitstorm for the ages! Of course, I doubt he’d last long before being banned or dog-piled by an army of unhappy users — dead and living alike — though he might find his niche writing opinion pieces for the Daily Stormer and other Neo-Nazi conspiracy sites, too, which is equally unpleasant to think about. Same for the rest of the hateful fringe, too, with Lenin, Stalin, and their fellow Communists writing for Marxists.org and the like — not to mention getting into Twitter wars with Hitler and other Nazis. Heck, you’d probably see lots of inter-Commie and inter-Nazi infighting at that point, seeing as the Far Left is known for its purges and purity spirals, while Ernst Röhm and the SA would hold a grudge against Hitler for the Knight of the Long Knives.
All in all, a boon for scholars, the grieving, and trolls who live for chaos and discord. But on the other hand, probably a nightmare for lawmakers seeking to police incitement or hate speech from Hitler and the like, as well as a mixed bag for the justice system, which now has boatloads of testimony to collect from victims and quite the investigations ahead as new evidence comes to light.
For one, I’m guessing friends and families of the deceased will have joyous, if also tearful reunions with those they’ve lost. Even if it’s only over a Skype call, that still beats the heck out of waiting a few more decades before meeting them again — wherever it is The Dead actually go.
Famous people’s another big one, though for those who died long before the internet went mainstream, I suppose ASB can hand-wave that and give them automatic proficiency in using it. Online interviews with historical figures like Julius Caesar or Alexander the Great, for instance? I’d certainly watch those! Unfortunately, I can’t vouch for how well they’d explain away all their Machiavellian power plays and innocent people they killed in their conquests to a twenty-first century audience. Probably BS their out of tough questions in much the same way as Putin, Assad, and other modern strongmen do when confronted by Western journalists, if I were to guess.
That said, they’d still have it easier than more recent figures who modern society reviles to begin with having a presence online. Hitler on Twitter, for instance? That’d create a shitstorm for the ages! Of course, I doubt he’d last long before being banned or dog-piled by an army of unhappy users — dead and living alike — though he might find his niche writing opinion pieces for the Daily Stormer and other Neo-Nazi conspiracy sites, too, which is equally unpleasant to think about. Same for the rest of the hateful fringe, too, with Lenin, Stalin, and their fellow Communists writing for Marxists.org and the like — not to mention getting into Twitter wars with Hitler and other Nazis. Heck, you’d probably see lots of inter-Commie and inter-Nazi infighting at that point, seeing as the Far Left is known for its purges and purity spirals, while Ernst Röhm and the SA would hold a grudge against Hitler for the Knight of the Long Knives.
All in all, a boon for scholars, the grieving, and trolls who live for chaos and discord. But on the other hand, probably a nightmare for lawmakers seeking to police incitement or hate speech from Hitler and the like, as well as a mixed bag for the justice system, which now has boatloads of testimony to collect from victims and quite the investigations ahead as new evidence comes to light.
In any case, that's one hell of a New Year's gift from ASB to us. I'd expect 2023 to be a crazy year no matter what, but the shenanigans are bound to reach whole new levels here as The Dead finally speak!
Thank you in advance,
Zyobot
