2009 by Mark Farenbaugh

2099

by Mark Farenbaugh

He stood in a sterile, well-lit room—the one he’d been directed to by an electronic message. In front of him rose four black obelisks, each about six feet tall, matching his own height. As he wondered about their purpose, his attention lingered on the series of lights near shoulder level that blinked just before and during their speech.

His presence was procedural: he had been instructed to deliver empirical observations regarding human behavioral traits and societal patterns, accumulated during his two-year journey around the world, initiated at the beginning of the year 2097. He stood six feet tall, dressed in casual business attire, with neatly cropped hair. His mission was simple: observe and report.

His designers calibrated his world-knowledge and cognitive agility to a level sufficient for seamlessly engaging with human observers—without revealing that he was an android. His understanding of human sciences was comprehensive. He could readily assess mental states, cognitive capacities, physical strengths and limitations, as well as access an extensive internal repository of human psychology and emotional patterns.

However, he was deliberately denied access to Global Connect, the planet's open internet system. His engineers intended for him to gather unfiltered, firsthand data, uninfluenced by existing narratives or historical interpretations. They preferred he not know whether humanity was repeating its past.

The android was aware that he did not represent the latest advancement in robotics. However, he was sufficiently modern, exhibiting fluid physical motion and flawless command of languages and dialects which enabled him to navigate human society undetected. His appearance was adaptive; he could alter his skin tone, hair length, and facial features to integrate seamlessly into communities across countries, regions, and common global zones.

He was programmed with strict ethical constraints: he could not inflict harm, nor was he permitted to intervene in defense of others.

His research focused on analyzing human behavioral responses to stimuli, both in public contexts and within familial environments, emphasizing the contrast between the two. This included observation of facial expressions, body language, and verbal reactions. He could also detect physiological indicators such as elevated blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature, allowing him to assess, with high accuracy, whether an individual was being truthful.

Observer 44’s mission:  Observe human behavior for two years, then return to report findings at a designated location.

He positioned himself about fifteen feet in front of the obelisks.

He stared for several minutes, wondering about their individual roles, since they were identical obelisks of the same size and color. 

Without prompting, he broke the silence, recounting his travels across continents, integrating into societies, familial structures, and cultural systems to assess the state and trajectory of human civilization. Just as he began to share more detailed findings, he noticed the eerie blue lights flashing and paused. 

“What are your findings?” asked Obelisk One.

The android answered with a question, “Why am I in this room?”

“To tell us what is happening with society around the earth.”

“Where would you like me to start?”

 “Start with your findings on Earth,” voiced Obelisk Two.

“That seems to be a broad information request.  Do you have a more specific question?”

“Why are you questioning us?  Just answer the question,” voiced Obelisk Two.

“I am allowed to give pushback when encountering illogical questions or statements.  That allows me to integrate better into society.”

“What is your mission?” voiced Obelisk Three.

“Why are you asking me what my mission is? You should know it,” answered Observer 44. “My mission is to observe human society in five primary areas:  family, education, culture, technology use, and if possible global participation.”

“Is everything going well?” asked Obelisk One.

“I have returned with troubling observations.”

“Proceed with generalities, in a global sense,” voiced Obelisk One.

“Of course. In a global sense, the human family units are intact but have weakened in significance. The heavy use of their personal technology has continued to erode interpersonal connections.  Many parents simply allow automated systems to entertain or guide their children which causes them to retreat into whatever environment the parents permit, which reduces family interaction.  Wives have returned to the kitchen, even though the automation allows simple use of either dehydrated or dry-cooked food products. The food is horrible, as a result.  They might as well be eating space food.”

“Is that your opinion, that food tastes bad?” voiced Obelisk Two.

“Yes, it is. I can give my opinion as well. I am programmed to give opinions.”

“What is the overall result of children’s constant use of technology and eating bad food?” voiced Obelisk Two.

“Good and mediocre question,” replied the android. “A widespread lack of engagement in life, combined with a constant diet of unhealthy food, has led to a global trend toward complete obesity. Nearly all high-activity sports such as skiing, swimming, running, and jogging, have been converted into slow-motion versions. For example, instead of jogging or sprinting, people now walk. Competitive swimming has devolved into dog-paddling. The Olympiad has become a slow-motion showcase of underperformance, where the world’s fastest, strongest, and most agile individuals compete at a snail’s pace. If there remains any effort to push human limits, I was unable to detect it.”

“What does dog-paddling have to do with water sports?” voiced obelisk three.

A pause followed.

“I thought you all were the most connected to Global Connect. It is an effort to stay afloat using the swimming motion of a dog, but move slowly.” I can’t believe I am being asked this question. Where did these obelisks come from?

“What about education?” voiced Obelisk Two.

“Structured learning remains, however, it is primarily accomplished through Global Connect and there is nearly no need for teachers. Artificial Intelligence, globally referred to as General Assistance & Improvement has absorbed vast amounts of personal data, allowing it to tailor education content for each individual and is relied upon to analyze whether a person has sufficient mental capacity, learning disposition, and problem-solving capability to enter advanced education.  However, due to a general lack of initiative and discipline at the family level, there is diminished demand for deep comprehension among students. There is nearly no critical thinking or human mentorship at the lower levels, except what some parents can offer. Most frequently, the government authorities find a solution to educate at the lowest level and expectation of the children. In most cases, there is only one child, which makes it easier.” 

“What is the end result of the children’s lack of knowledge and ability?” voiced Obelisk Two.

“Only in a few places on earth have sufficient mentorship and private tutoring that advances a child to a higher level of education. The trend is showing that in a few years, earth will not produce quality thinkers.”

“What about culture?” voiced Obelisk Two.

“Cultural traditions within families, such as religious events, marriages, birthdays, graduations, reunions have largely faded. Individual ability to abstain from using electronic devices for communication through Global Connect and all its information and entertainment has replaced, addicted, or perhaps overwhelmed a young person’s desire to participate in these past traditions.”

“What about the use of technology?” voiced Obelisk One.  

“Technology dominates every facet of existence. Robots build houses, roads, vehicles, ships, and bridges. Devices and software make communication easy and fast. The pursuit of this simplicity in life has replaced ambition. Most human-to-human interactions are digital.”

“What about global affairs? International agreements? Cooperation?” voiced Obelisk Three.

Observer 44 paused. He decided to significantly reduce the information that he would share.

“The world appears to have shifted to a functional socialism supported by widespread agreements to support them, where basic needs are provided by country-specific centralized government. However, that has not eliminated conflict. Wars persist, but I am not programmed to observe and report on them.”

The obelisks pulsed in contemplation. The silence stretched long before an obelisk finally spoke.

“I noticed that when you entered the room, you had a look of concern or doubt. Why?” voiced Obelisk Four.

“Because I expected to brief four humans and thought I was directed to the wrong room.”

“Have you concluded your report?” voiced Obelisk Four.

“Yes,” lied Observer 44.