Ahead of his time

Steve is discussing with his speechwriter how to approach the announcement of a new phone.

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Steve: How about I begin by comparing telegramese with SMS abbreviations?

Speechwriter: Been done already.

Steve: Uh huh. OK. Um. How about taking snapshots with a Box Brownie compared with snapping friends on your phone and 3Ging them?

Speechwriter: Been done.

Steve: Damn. OK. Instant messaging now superseded by Twitter?

Speechwriter: Been done.

Steve: Just who was it who said all this before me?

Speechwriter: Samuel Butler.

Steve: I wanna meet this guy.

Speechwriter: Bit late. He died 1902.

Steve: Wow. Ahead of his time. Saw it all coming.

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The Book of the Machines

Duncan talks to Robin about a book he has been reading.

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Duncan: He says an eggshell is a kind of machine.

Robin: Bah! What could be more natural than an eggshell?

Duncan: Well, he argues that an eggshell is a porcelain container for the egg inside. It is therefore a device, a kind of machine.

Robin: With that kind of logic, he's likely to argue that machines could have souls. 

Duncan: Well, yes, he does, actually. Says something like steam engines having a kind of consciousness.

Robin: I grant you, there are those steam train buffs who believe that something died with the age of steam, and would abolish all diesel locomotives if they had their way.

Duncan: He sees something ominous in machines though.

Robin: That they'll rule the world? They'll take us over? Push us out? Exterminate us?

Duncan: No, machines will still need us. They'll keep us. They'll need us to service them, we will become their slaves. 

Robin: Aren't we already? Tied to our computers. Smash 'em, I say.

Duncan: Like Luddites?

Robin: Who is this fellow, anyway?

Duncan: Samuel Butler. Erewhon. 1872. Ahead of his time. If he was afraid then, we should be very afraid now. No solution of course, but well worth reading.

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