Author Topic: EP223: The Uncanny Valley  (Read 47714 times)

CryptoMe

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Reply #75 on: November 25, 2009, 05:39:00 AM
The monkey thing was confusing too. Was it a mind-controlled text entry interface? A mechanical windup toy on her desk? (It did go "clang-clang".) Or was it just some kind of tongue-in-cheek allusion to the Infinite Monkey Theorem?

Neither, really; it was a nanobot-controlled stress meter, with the cymbals clapping regularly when she was calm.  The kitsch-punk equivalent of describing someone's heartbeat or pulse.

Quote
Yeah, I got the sense that it was more about the Singularity, and I waited (in vain?) for the Uncanny Valley part.

The Uncanny Valley is the Post Office; they drifted a little too far from human, and their own subconsciouses (subconsciousi?) rebelled against them.

Wow, Scattercat! I for one am jealous of the fact that you got so much from the story. I confess, all of that went way over my head (as I said before, the busy language was too distracting, like wading through a haystack to find the needle). Thank you so much for enlightening me. You almost make me want to go back for another listen.... almost.



Talia

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Reply #76 on: November 25, 2009, 06:04:16 AM
The monkey thing was confusing too. Was it a mind-controlled text entry interface? A mechanical windup toy on her desk? (It did go "clang-clang".) Or was it just some kind of tongue-in-cheek allusion to the Infinite Monkey Theorem?

Neither, really; it was a nanobot-controlled stress meter, with the cymbals clapping regularly when she was calm.  The kitsch-punk equivalent of describing someone's heartbeat or pulse.

Quote
Yeah, I got the sense that it was more about the Singularity, and I waited (in vain?) for the Uncanny Valley part.

The Uncanny Valley is the Post Office; they drifted a little too far from human, and their own subconsciouses (subconsciousi?) rebelled against them.

Wow, Scattercat! I for one am jealous of the fact that you got so much from the story. I confess, all of that went way over my head (as I said before, the busy language was too distracting, like wading through a haystack to find the needle). Thank you so much for enlightening me. You almost make me want to go back for another listen.... almost.

Might I suggest tracking it down in print. I'm thinking it might work better there.



Bdoomed

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Reply #77 on: November 25, 2009, 08:22:22 AM
The monkey thing was confusing too. Was it a mind-controlled text entry interface? A mechanical windup toy on her desk? (It did go "clang-clang".) Or was it just some kind of tongue-in-cheek allusion to the Infinite Monkey Theorem?

Neither, really; it was a nanobot-controlled stress meter, with the cymbals clapping regularly when she was calm.  The kitsch-punk equivalent of describing someone's heartbeat or pulse.

Quote
Yeah, I got the sense that it was more about the Singularity, and I waited (in vain?) for the Uncanny Valley part.

The Uncanny Valley is the Post Office; they drifted a little too far from human, and their own subconsciouses (subconsciousi?) rebelled against them.
I got the monkey thing on the second listen, it WAS mentioned, I just glazed over it the first time...
the subconscious rebellion I didn't get until I read the thread and re-listened, I thought it was just some other force that happened to be killing people, and the Post Office was just worried and confused about it.  seemed a bit too disconnected from the main story at the time, but now knowing it was their subconscious makes more sense.

again, I liked the story, I'm with you Scattercat!

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


seanpeter

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Reply #78 on: November 25, 2009, 06:42:50 PM
Wow.  I liked it.  Is it my age?



Scattercat

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Reply #79 on: November 26, 2009, 12:24:50 AM
Wow, Scattercat! I for one am jealous of the fact that you got so much from the story. I confess, all of that went way over my head (as I said before, the busy language was too distracting, like wading through a haystack to find the needle). Thank you so much for enlightening me. You almost make me want to go back for another listen.... almost.

I... uh... well, you're welcome, I guess.  Glad to be a help.



Planish

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Reply #80 on: November 26, 2009, 09:12:17 AM
Quote from: Scattercat
... that half-awake splinter-state just before you fall asleep for good, hovering right on the cusp of full unconsciousness.
I think the word you want (for that state) is hypnagogia. It's great, at times. I know I've had what felt like an OOBE while in a hypnagogic state. It's also good for listening to early Pink Floyd, or a Laurie Anderson spoken word piece.

Quote from: seanpeter
Wow.  I liked it.  Is it my age?
That depends. Do you think you are younger than most of us, or much older?

On second thought, sorry. However you answer, I won't have a clue. I think if I liked it, I'd guess "older". Since I did not like it, I'd guess "younger". Probably some kind of cognitive bias thing on my part. (Heh. I just learned about that phrase, and have been waiting to whip it out.)
« Last Edit: November 26, 2009, 09:13:50 AM by Planish »

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seanpeter

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Reply #81 on: November 26, 2009, 03:27:38 PM
planish: did you like it?  I think I'm older.  Lets say I started reading SciFi in the 60's.  I think the story used words well to push a lot of images quickly.  I actually had to listen to it three times to get it, but I was glad when I did.  I guess I enjoyed working at it.



Scattercat

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Reply #82 on: November 26, 2009, 06:36:28 PM
I think the word you want (for that state) is hypnagogia.

Yeah, but hypnogagia sounds like a really bad trance/electronica album, whereas "half-awake splinter-state" has an internal rhyme and everything.  :-D  :-P



CryptoMe

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Reply #83 on: November 27, 2009, 07:44:43 PM
Wow, Scattercat! I for one am jealous of the fact that you got so much from the story. I confess, all of that went way over my head (as I said before, the busy language was too distracting, like wading through a haystack to find the needle). Thank you so much for enlightening me. You almost make me want to go back for another listen.... almost.

Might I suggest tracking it down in print. I'm thinking it might work better there.

Thanks for the suggestion Talia. I tracked down a print version and slogged through that, but still came away with pretty much the same opinion. Sure, I could skim through the over-the-top descriptive parts faster in print, but there were still way too many of those (IMHO) and I could never really be sure if I was missing something important in all those details.

So, I must conclude that this particular writing style really didn't work for me, in audio or in print.



Yargling

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Reply #84 on: November 27, 2009, 08:32:42 PM
I really couldn't follow this one, and gave up mid way through. Maybe it was just me, but it was confusing to me.

I think someone posted before reading the other comments.   :D

5 pages of comments and, after now having read alittle on this current page, they are full of hate for this story. Fair enough, I'm not the only one, heh.



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Reply #85 on: January 19, 2010, 05:50:37 PM
I didn't follow this one in the slightest.  I'm glad I wasn't the only one!  Confusion at the beginning can work really well, like in His Master's Voice it took me a while to get grounded, but that was half the fun in that one and my brain gradually approached understanding the situation while I enjoyed the voice and the partially understood events of the story.  Here I started confused and stayed confused (and am still confused).



LaShawn

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Reply #86 on: January 21, 2010, 05:37:39 PM
A few thoughts immediately after hearing it.

1. Huh?
2. Any story involving psychologists must have some deeper underlayer to it that needs to unravel over and over again...
3. What?
4. I do want to sit down and pick it apart in a print copy.
5. Huuuuuuh?!
6. It did seem a bit pretentious, but maybe it was meant that way? After all, it does involve the subconscious.
7. I...huh? What? Huuuuuuuh???!!!

I guess to me, this was a written version of Neon Genesis Evangelion The Movie. Lots of technobabble, lots of weird images, and afterwards, I only had a vague idea of what just happened. Kind of like being assaulted by invisible pink elephants wearing bikinis. You're sure it happened, but you're not sure how...

Luckily for Mr. Mamatas, I happen to be a sucker for those kind of stories. I rather have this kind of story that makes me want to go back and reread to figure out what happened, than a story that is predicatable, lazy and instantly forgettable.

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robertmarkbram

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Reply #87 on: March 22, 2010, 07:32:03 AM
I didn't understand this story. Subconsciously I think it made me angry, but I'm not sure. Why is there cat food on my desk?


Lietsjie

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Reply #88 on: March 31, 2010, 08:31:55 PM

I am new to Escape Pod and are enjoying the archives from the most recent one released. Must say I am surprised at all the negative comments for 'Uncanny Valley'. I will agree that it is a difficult story and I would also like to see it in print but I have to say that I loved it. I loved it enough to look up the author and put his books on my to-read list.



goatkeeper

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Reply #89 on: March 31, 2010, 11:25:09 PM

I am new to Escape Pod and are enjoying the archives from the most recent one released. Must say I am surprised at all the negative comments for 'Uncanny Valley'. I will agree that it is a difficult story and I would also like to see it in print but I have to say that I loved it. I loved it enough to look up the author and put his books on my to-read list.

Nick's book of shorts You Might Sleep is great.  You'll enjoy I'm sure.



Lietsjie

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Reply #90 on: April 01, 2010, 06:03:16 AM

Nick's book of shorts You Might Sleep is great.  You'll enjoy I'm sure.

Thanks, I will get hold of it  :) Have you read any of his novels?



Fenrix

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Reply #91 on: February 24, 2012, 12:23:17 AM
Again, I must ask: why is it the stories I really like that get all the hate?  Am I just that bizarre?  I don't feel that bizarre...

You're bizarre. You write stories including toilet octopi.
« Last Edit: December 10, 2015, 11:45:57 PM by Fenrix »

All cat stories start with this statement: “My mother, who was the first cat, told me this...”


mgraves

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Reply #92 on: December 10, 2015, 09:32:10 PM
A few days ago someone tipped me to a short video trailer called "The Uncanny Valley." I was certain that I'd heard that phrase before.



In fact, it was one of the very first Escape Pod episodes that I'd heard. Has it been that long. Yes, it has. I must sleep now.

Michael