(PHOTO CREDIT: J HARDY CARROLL)
A melodious jangle from the shapely clock on the mantel piece alerted Joanne to the fact that precious time was ticking away. It was close to an hour since Mervyn had challenged her with the puzzle.
The world of 2084 allows customers to choose between two forms of self driven space pods. While the “Utilitarian” would sacrifice its owner in the event of an accident to save others, the “Egobot” would do exactly the opposite. The Egobot would crush everyone in its wake to save the owner.
If every potential customer chose the Egobot, would the world end?
(WORD COUNT: 98)
This story was written as part of the FRIDAY FICTIONEERS challenge, more about which may be found HERE
For the complete list of entries, please click HERE
The credit for the breathtaking photograph goes to J Hardy Carroll
31 comments
Dear Venkat,
That would be a tough choice. Thoughtful and evocative piece.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thank You so much Rochelle! Glad you liked the piece.
Regards
Venkat
A story from the future – and yes, maybe the world would end if everyone chose the Egobot! 🙂
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
Hmmm. Point to ponder isn’t it?
How would these pods identify who is the owner? What if a glitch kills the wrong person? If everyone chose egobot, the owner would survive, would he not? So world may not end.
I reckon the owner would be inside the pod, since he/she chooses a self-driven pod.
What? No built in swerve?
But seriously, it’s all in how many people are in which pod.
I hope it ends in a truce.
I think that we live in a world today where most people are acting like egobots…
Love the name Mervyn, reminding me of Marvin the paranoid android
Thanks Much! Indeed altruism has become more of a novelty I reckon than a norm.
Let’s just try it and see, I say.
Dear Anurag
I think we already are, and the answer doesn’t look hopeful.
This is such a thought-provoking story and so well written.
Thanks a lot for the encouraging words!
It would be a war of every Egobot. Who will survive it is difficult to portend. it would be a very lonely world to live in. A story well etched.
https://ideasolsi65.blogspot.com/2018/09/uncertain.html
Food for thought indeed. Thanks much!
You’ve shown great ingenuity in this piece, by writing the story in the form of a timed puzzle. It’s an allegory for the way mankind is treating the planet. I hope it succeeds in making readers think, and I hope it is spread widely. Good writing!
Thank you so much for the kind and stirring words!
If society ever got to that point I’d opt out of my choice. I can’t willingly select Utilitarian and not feel anxious when I’m on the road, and if I picked Egobot I’d feel the same. Especially around school buses and ambulances. Just flip a coin and don’t let me see the results.
Great story man, it really got me thinking
Thanks much!
What a choice… I enjoyed this piece of flash.
Very thought-provoking! A great read.
Glad you liked it!
The results of a moral dilemma left to the programming of AI. Sounds like a theme for a novel. Nicely done.
Glad you liked it!
A choice between self sacrifice and survival by killing. Sadly in a selfish society for many this won’t be a dilemma. Nicely done.
Thank you so much!
Sadly in this “me” generation, I fear most would choose the Egobot… Not a good sign, I fear.
Indeed!
Choosing the ego over anyone or anything else is always a disaster for others. Nice.
Thanks much!