Coupland’s characters use computer jargon and technical terms to describe all aspects of their lives. Furthermore, majority of their conversations are linked to technology. For example, Karla and Daniel casually discuss artificial intelligence and the future of the “Entity” that it will create and whether or not it will be only human. Also, when Dan goes to hang out with the Nintendo geeks, they talk about “what sort of software dogs would design if they could” (Coupland 14). The characters are self-described geeks who have no lives because their lives revolve around their work, therefore it only makes sense that computer jargon and computer related topics have seeped into their everyday lives making it hard for them to talk about anything else. This is not entirely uncommon for professionals in any field. I am a premed student and hope to go to medical school. Often when my other premed friends and I get together, we talk about which medical school is the best, argue about the ideal MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test) score, and whether or not prosected cadavers are better or not. This always seems to annoy our other friends that are in different fields because many of them don’t even know what the MCAT is or what the grading system is like. When one is on the outside looking in, as we the readers are in Microserfs, they realize what it feels like to be an outsider in a world that seems so foreign or different than their own. It also makes us as readers realize, that perhaps we too have our own jargon or technical terms relating to our specific field of interest.
Karla says, "computers will continue to be developed . . . an 'entity is going to be created that has its own intelligence." What is Karla saying about artificial intelligence (AI)? What are your perspectives on AI?
Karla is suggesting with time, advances in technology may be able to come up with computers that have their own intelligence, like humans. However, because they will not be humans, they will be separate “entities.” I personally agree with Karla in that the future of technology is headed in that direction. I recently read an online article that articulates that by the year 2040 there will be robots that are “able to assist humans with their every…emotional and physical need” (Windsor). According to the author, a robot already exists in Japan that can breath, walk, and blink like humans, however this is just the beginning. He claims that researchers are in the process of creating a robot that “bonds with humans and provides all that our individual urges require” (Windsor). Although, I don’t know that this change will come about in the next thirty years, as Windsor suggests, I do think it is a possibility within the next 100 years. However, with
the benefits that come with it, I am sure there will be many drawbacks; creating “entities” that can emotionally and physically bond with humans is treading on uncharted waters and may have consequences. For example, when having this conversation in Microserfs, Todd says, “the Entity is what freaks out his ultrareligious parents. He said that they’re most frightened of the day when people allow machines to have initiative—the day we allow machines to set their own agendas” (Coupland 34). But its not only the “ultrareligious” people, the idea of machines having power to make their own decisions and do things on their own, makes even someone like myself very skeptical and fearful.
Douglas Coupland seems to be on some kind of spiritual journey. Where do religion and spirituality fit into Microserfs?
Religion and spirituality are a recurring theme in Microserfs. Throughout the book, Daniel seems to be in a constant quest to fine some kind of truth. He says, “I have no pictures of an afterworld for myself. In the past I have tried to convince myself that there is no life after death, but I have found myself unable to do this, so I guess intuitively I feel there is something. But I just don’t know where to begin figure out what these pictures are” (Coupland 15-16). Dan further says how it death is one of the things all the Microsoft employees are not willing to talk about. When he asks any of them about death or the afterlife, he gets no answers. This may be because they are in the same quest to figure it out like Dan, or that their faith lies in the machines they work on and the future of possibilities of these machines. Not only that, as mentioned above, Todd claims how his “ultrareligious” parents have a problem with technologically advanced computers and the like, suggesting that it would be difficult for someone of religious faith to be in this field. Furthermore, throughout the book, Dan is trying to come to some sort of piece with the death of his young brother, Jed. The book emphasizes the expiry date that exists with everything; he industry that these characters work in, which is emphasized by Dan’s dad losing his job and more importantly, life.
Works Cited
Coupland, Douglas. Microserfs. New York, NY: Regan Books, 1995.
Windsor, Michael. "Love and Marriage - Robots Designed to Replace Humans in Next Five Years?" Ezine Articles. 12 Oct. 2007. 10 Dec. 2008
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