Free Official Intelligent Beings: How Our Devices Became Us, And The World Consumed Itself by Josh Greenfield

lips, or the aroma as Shera peeled back its skin. Or what about the feeling of peeling the orange and smelling my fingers as I place a fresh slice into my mouth? No, this isn’t right. This isn’t an orange at all. This is a computer simulated version of what a machine thinks an orange must taste like. It’s all wrong. I need real food!
    He got up from the Chook, disappointed, and picked up his device, ready for his latest Quack. He was not ready to share everything just yet, but he promised himself that he would when he woke up the next morning.
     
    The act of eating, does it seem natural to you? Being hooked up into a machine, chewing on a piece of material, choosing what we want to eat, having access to anything we want, yet not anything at all. The other day I had my first real peace of fruit in as long as I can remember. It was an orange and it was the best thing that I have ever eaten. Since then, I have struggled to enjoy the “food” coming out of my Chook. Has anyone out there eaten any actual food lately? If so have you had a similar experience?
     
    Jagz released his Quack and fell fast asleep.
     
    When his eyes opened, he looked around and pieced together that he was in a familiar place, in the middle of a field he recognized. He had a sudden burst of excitement, thinking that he must be back with Shera before realizing that this was not the same field he shared a passionate love-making experience. No, this was a much thicker sort of grass. All he could see for miles was greenery, plants, and trees like he had never seen before. All swaying to the natural rhythms of the world. The trees and plants were slowly moving, as though in slow motion, in the cool but gentle breeze. The smells were sweet and fresh and the sun felt warm on his skin. This must be the place I’ve been searching for , thought Jagz.
    Jagz got up from the grass and started walking through the field, following the sound of what seemed to be running water. He traveled through the grass, swatting what appeared to be insects and looking at some small winged creatures above his head that reminded him of feathered versions of a roasted pigeon dinner that he had. He began to hear voices and squinted his eyes to try and see in the distance.
    The voices, which turned out to be the noise of insects and birds chirping, led him to a large pond surrounded by tall grass and plants covered with every vegetable and fruit one could imagine. Lettuce, tomatoes, mangoes, corn, eggplant, oranges, apples, zucchini, watermelon, lettuce, green beans, watermelon, peppers, all there, all together in one place. Breathtaking, he thought.
    Jagz noticed a figure near one of the mango trees, picking the fruit gently. Eager to have a taste for himself, Jagz walked closer and, as soon as he was close enough, the figure turned and revealed his true identity.
    “Welcome to Mother Nature. I am Redemet, the Official Intelligent Being of Food. Would you like some fresh mango?”
    “Are you kidding me? I would love nothing more,” Jagz eagerly stretched his hand forward.
    “But ah, you see, you can’t have this mango. No, this mango is not for you. In fact, it is not for anyone anymore.”
    “Like noneweb, it’s not! What kind of intercrap is this?”
    “You must understand, there was a time when anyone that had the desire could get their hands on such a tantalizing and succulent treat, but that time has long since passed. Now, as you know, just about all of the humans on Earth get their sustenance by way of machine.”
    “I know, but recently I had some real fruit and now I can’t get enough. I need more. I can’t go back to the chook. I can’t!”
    “Not so fast, Jagz. If you start developing a taste for real food, there is no telling what will happen.”
    “What do you mean? It was the most delicious thing I have ever tasted. How can you take that away from me, or anyone, that makes no sense. 
    “Relax. Let me take you back to an earlier time and show you how