Through the crowd a familiar face smiles
and though it beckons me to sit at its table
share a drink and play a hand of cards or two
I see beyond the empty eyes, the crooked smile
to a stillwater darkness I dare not breach
not for fear of what lies beneath the surface
but of what waits along the shore
So close the curtain on this scene of horror
and flood the audience with light
The stage was empty when the show began
and long after the watching eyes have gone
the pianist will remain, playing a refrain for the night
—
I listened to a conversation with a scientist who, among others, theorizes that it’s overwhelmingly likely that our world is a simulation. I don’t want to get too much into it–the logic and statistics are probably sound, but I won’t pretend to be anything near an expert. My only question is: if the “people” (i.e. us) within a simulation cannot ever know for certain whether they’re real or simulated, then what functional difference does it make?
—
Photo by Sharosh Rajasekher on Unsplash
The Light is On 
6 responses to “Along the Shore”
That’s a relatively old conjecture, I first read it in Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy. I agree with you that it makes no difference. Within a Biblical worldview the entire universe was created by God, exists within him and is upheld by him. In his simulation we are certainly real, as the world is real, and he has granted us moral agency and accountability and the ability to enter into an eternal relationship with him through Jesus Christ. Am I a “simulation?” Perhaps of a sort, but one in which God is the simulator, and upon his word he will never destroy me or discontinue me, and in fact he loves me. Anyway, my perspective for what it’s worth. Take care!
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Very interesting, thanks! I guess our own perspective/humanity’s perspective is all we can really hope to understand, so we might as well stick to it!
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Hi. What I have come to understand to call real or always life is life that is aware continuosuly to either an agreeable or understandable completely experience of sight and sound. Life that is differrent or that is simulated is not experiencing (there is nothing they feel) and is not understanding something to it continuosuly (separated consciousness/attention span) akin to artificial intelligence. Life that is different is taking on pressure and being separated from pressure back and forth and not participating at peace or knowledge, but taking in information only. Both are functional, however, with always life providing what keeps happening and gets added to and different life providing what is changing and being broken down.
From your poem and related to your discourse: Always life, or real life, appreciate the familiar, doing what is interesting, doing what is knowledgable, being around genuine people. They are aware to the surface area and not interested with digging inside integrating beneath the surface for buried things. They get along with others who do what they can keep doing like the pianist in your poem.
For those that are different/simulated, may you find some plesant places to see about while understanding continuously united with your always self…known to happen!
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Interesting take, thank you! I agree that no matter what the truth is it doesn’t change what we need to do—just keep on living!
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Yes, nothing else exist consciously…living is all there is either in an appreciated way or inside of something else.
Enjoy your day. May it be supreme. Have some cream 🙂
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Thank you! The same to you (:
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