It’s the fixed determination in their faces that gives it away—clearly they’re leading double lives as remote controlled avatars, turning corners in virtual landscapes, and firing digital weapons at artificial enemies. 12 Minutes “Unseen Forces” by Justin Walter, “Poa Alpina” by Biosphere  and “Blown-Out Joy from Heaven’s Mercied Hole” by A Silver Mt. Zion

“Having been enlisted to take a picture of the happy pair in front of the city, to serve as social media trophy and prosthetic memory, I suddenly feel the weight of my duty. Maybe this is to document a special anniversary. Perhaps it’s his birthday. After briefly familiarizing myself with the gadget, I hold it … Continue reading 9. My Selfie Hurts

It’s the fixed determination in their faces that gives it away—clearly they’re leading double lives as remote controlled avatars, turning corners in virtual landscapes, and firing digital weapons at artificial enemies. 12 Minutes “Unseen Forces” by Justin Walter, “Poa Alpina” by Biosphere  and “Blown-Out Joy from Heaven’s Mercied Hole” by A Silver Mt. Zion

“I look up at the hotel and wonder which of the fifteen stories of windows it might’ve originated from… The windows are dark and they all look the same. I can’t see into any of the rooms, though I’m certain that anyone looking out can see me.” 00:00 —Tonight on a very special episode of … Continue reading 8. The Way Home

The clock tower rings in the background . . . 11:30 minutes “Unseen Forces” by Justin Walter and “Pathologically Bored” by Deru

“Who is this God that keeps sending wounded messengers? Is this God deranged? Or are the codes getting scrambled in some kind of cosmic game of telephone?“ 0:00 —The Day the Sirkis Took Over 01:00 —Crow-nies in the park 03:27 —Notes on the stenographer and the sign-language interpreter 09:03 —Escape from Reality Island: memoirs of … Continue reading 7. Interpreting the Interpreters

Or are the codes getting scrambled in some kind of cosmic game of telephone? 22 Minutes “Unseen Forces” and “Following” by Justin Walter, “Kontakte” by Karlheinz Stockhausen, “Spiral Insana” by Nurse with Wound, “Untitled” by Constance Demby, and “Pathologically Bored” by Deru

“The real problem is that his problem is real. His screams of pain are real, making the electric ray gun as real as anything else. This is the real problem because it leads to the next problem, which is that the ray gun is not real for his neighbors… or management… or, I assume, the … Continue reading 6. Sound Reasoning

Sound travels funny in these apartments. What sounds like it’s coming from one side is often coming from the other side. 17 minutes “1979” by Deru and “Blown-Out Joy from Heaven’s Mercied Hole” by A Silver Mt. Zion

“A machine has yet to officially pass such a test, and though it’s still a talking point in the dialogue about artificial intelligence, many argue that passing the Turing test doesn’t prove intelligence as much as an ability for mimicry. Which leads to the question: how much of what we call human intelligence is actually … Continue reading 5. The “Real” Question