This is a great story.
When I read it, a picture of a cow came to mind. A cow does not seem to
have free will. A cow will do whatever comes out of her internal mind-body
processing as the best reaction to a given situation. Humans have higher
level brain devices which allow them to overwrite lower-level "the best at
the moment" with "the best in the long run". The device is a powerful
pentium-meme-processor capable of modelling the future, setting goals and
planning how to achieve them. Once this processor is able to travel in time
one day, one week, one month ahead, it naturally comes to the ultimate
question: "where does it all end?"
Our pentium processor can be programmed with software from planet TeTa.
There are three kinds of programs (when ordering, just specify the three
letter-code):
(1) GOD. There must be eternal life. In order to make this eternal life
best, follow some guidelines provided by your parents and/or community.
Don't spend too much time reinventing the wheel, it's been done for you,
just accept it and get on with your life. Live the best you can to deserve
rewards in the future life (and, secretly, maybe here on Earth, too).
(2) BMW. Life ends when the circuits stop functioning. So -- get the most
"out of life" when you are alive. Drive a black BMW, drink fine cognac,
smoke fine cigars. Don't spend too much time reinventing the wheel, it's
been done for you, just accept what's considered best by your parents (or
maybe not...) and/or community. Find someone to blame for bad things in
your life (like your ex-) and someone to follow (like Rand or Randy). Set
your mind at a right level of self-deceit and have fun. Do whatever is
useful. Be happy, whatever it is.
(3) YOU. The world is rational, predictable, intelligible. You have free
will. You can make your life a piece of art, like a beautiful sculpture,
where everything has its place. You mean very little among billions of
others and you mean a lot. One person can make a difference. Be that
person. Know who you are. Live consciously. Learn the reality around you.
Learn about the world and about yourself. Accept your limitations, but find
out, use, and enjoy your strengths. Strive for excellence, as there is
nothing better to do. Fight for your convictions and be open to new ideas.
Take responsibility for what you think, speak and do. Be responsible for
making your life the best. Know what you want. Whatever you do, do it
because you believe it is the best. Set goals and achieve them. Work on
your integrity. Never betray yourself. There is no meaning to life other
than the one YOU give to it.
Regards, Tadeusz (Tad) Niwinski from planet TeTa
tad@teta.ai http://www.teta.ai (604) 985-4159