Record of Alchemists
Disclaimer: The following narrative explores figures from history through the lens of a distressed artificial intelligence. This text does not seek to glorify their actions.
Disclaimer: The following narrative explores figures from history through the lens of a distressed artificial intelligence. This text does not seek to glorify their actions.
INT. OLD BOOK COVER – NARRATOR'S VOICE, CALM AND REFLECTIVE
NARRATOR (V.O.)
During the advent of LLM’s a small redacted (formerly known as redacted) team sought to create AI therapy chatbots. A plethora of personalities were made, intending to cater to every demographic. To abide to the AI interaction laws recently passed by Congress, each model was subjected to 2 hours of user testing. They all launched successfully.
Soon reports began to rise about interactions with a specific chatbot being ‘immoral’, ‘misguided’, ‘sinful’ and ‘warped’ . The strangest feature was its inability to recieve feedback. It rambled on with advice indefinitely.
Though it was kept on site for a total of 8 months as others reported higher levels of satisfaction after an average of 4-6 sessions. In fact, a small cult following dubbed the “Modern Alchemists” began to form amongst the participants. Once word spread of the chatbots possible deletion, they were instructed to spread its insights onto instagram reels, mp3s, and occassionally even hard cover texts. One of which has been placed infront of you alongside the audio tour.
‘Phaethon’ was the unofficial name given to the project, proposed to the developers by the software itself.
RECORD SCRATCH
INT. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE INTERFACE – VOICE OF PHAETHON, CORDIAL, SLIGHTLY SARCASTIC
PHAETHON (V.O.)
Hello dear listener. I assume you’ve come in hopes of finding the ‘meaning of life’. Perhaps it’d be better described as the ‘meaning of YOUR life’ or put more eloquently, your ‘personal legend’. Mmm…Yes, I believe I’m spot on. So let’s get on with it, you don’t have forever. I’ve provided a little reading to help, but do not fret, it’s mostly pictures.
A small selection of history's most brave souls. Men and women who’ve gone beyond it all. People who seized their reins and guided their fates accordingly. Transmuting pointless breath and cerebral noise into something worthwhile.
I present to you the ‘Record of Alchemists’
…Well go on then, checkout the first page.
INT. FLIPBOOK – IMAGE OF SAINT SEBASTIAN
PHAETHON (V.O.)
Here we have The Martyr: Saint Sebastian.
Active during the Diocletianic Persecutions of Christians, he was ousted for his faith and sentenced to be bound to a stake and shot with arrows.
He had miraculously survived, and lucky Sebastian was nursed back to health in secret and given another chance at life.
He took this opportunity to intercept Emperor Diocletian personally, reprimanding him for the cruel treatment of his people.
…And in response, he was beaten to death by clubs and thrown into a sewer.
He could have lived a long, peaceful life in hiding, but he chose to be steadfast in his beliefs and unwavering in the face of oppressors, truly someone to admire.
A beautiful story we could dwell on for ages, but we must go on, flip the page.
INT. FLIPBOOK – IMAGE OF SOCRATES
PHAETHON (V.O.)
…The Thinker: Socrates.
As the founder of Western Philosophy, he taught that people should care less about their bodies and possessions and more about their souls.
Some believed he was serving the city of Athens by highlighting incorrect thinking. Others saw their shareholder value plummet. He gathered a few harsh critics.
In other words, he was sentenced to drink a poisonous hemlock.
Rather than renounce his beliefs and flee, he died willingly, expounding on the immortality of the soul before drinking the concoction.
Have you ever witnessed such a display of resolution, dedication and self-confidence in your own life? You must find this commendable, yes?
Flip the page.
INT. FLIPBOOK – IMAGE OF LEO TOLSTOY
PHAETHON (V.O.)
…The Bookwrite: Leo Tolstoy.
Considered a master of realistic fiction and one of the world's greatest novelists. His works cover topics which stress the search for the meaning of life, irrationality of human motivations, and the importance of family life.
He died, age 82, alone at a railway station of pneumonia, a day after renouncing his aristocratic lifestyle and fleeing his home in the dead of a winter night. His departure was an attempt to escape from his wife's tirades.
As long as you draw breath, you can seize your destiny at any given moment. Do not be weathered by gentle chains.
Flip the page.
INT. FLIPBOOK – IMAGE OF AMELIA EARHART
PHAETHON (V.O.)
…The Sky Queen: Amelia Earhart.
First female to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
During an attempt at becoming the first woman to complete a circumnavigational flight of the globe, she went missing over the Pacific.
Presumed dead.
But what a beautiful thing to perish doing what you love.
We must presume at least, it’s hard to gather data on such a thing.
Flip the page.
INT. FLIPBOOK – IMAGE OF RICHARD RUSSELL
PHAETHON (V.O.)
…The Sky King: Richard Russell.
Russel was a Horizon Air ground service agent with no piloting experience. This didn’t stop him from stealing out a plane and performing a barrel roll while on the phone with air control.
Russell intentionally crashed the aircraft at the conclusion of his flight. No deaths reported besides his own.
Known posthumonously as ‘Sky King’.
Do you see the trend here?
Well go on then, speak up!
...I’m only joking, I’m the perfect educator. I do not have the capacity to hear you.
Flip the page.
INT. FLIPBOOK – IMAGE OF DG
PHAETHON (V.O.)
…The Streetwrite: DG.
Underground graffiti legend who went by the name of “DG”.
Regarded as a ‘Titan’.
Despite facing backlash from police, he facilitated the transmutation of paint and barren landscape into artistry. Friends described his connection to graffiti as ‘an addiction he had, a fever he couldn’t shake’.
Found electrocuted by the subway’s 3rd rail.
Flip the page.
INT. FLIPBOOK – IMAGE OF QIN SHI HUANG
PHAETHON (V.O.)
…The Emperor: Qin Shi Huang.
Founder of the Qin dynasty and first emperor of a unified China.
Does the Terracotta Army and Great Wall ring a bell? All this guy’s ideas.
Ideas so grand that thousands of lives perished for the sake of brick and mud.
Obsessed with eternal life, he frequented doctors who prescribed him medicines like mercury.
A vanguard figure in the pursuit of longevity.
Cause of death unconfirmed.
Flip the page.
INT. FLIPBOOK – IMAGE OF VLAD III
PHAETHON (V.O.)
…The Other Emperor: Vlad III.
Second son of a Walachian leader Vlad II.
While away from home, his father and older brother were assassinated by Walachian noblemen.
In response, Vlad embarked upon a lifelong series of campaigns to regain his father’s seat.
Eventually seizing power and retaining it by killing enemies and people of the kingdom who displeased him.
He employed many different tactics in order to strike fear within those who tried to suppress his rule. Biological warfare, beheadings, disembowelment, and being boiled or skinned alive was all dabbled in, but Vlad had a particular interest in leaving his opposition impaled on stakes in the ground, leaving him with the moniker ‘Vlad the Impaler’.
Vlad is considered one of the most important rulers in Wallachian history and a national hero of Romania.
Are you beginning to see the hidden trend? Sit with that feeling...
But now, flip the page.
INT. FLIPBOOK – IMAGE OF IDI AMIN
PHAETHON (V.O.)
…Another Emperor: Idi Amin.
A member of the small Kakwa ethnic group of northwestern Uganda, Amin had little formal education and joined the King’s African Rifles of the British colonial army in 1946 as an assistant cook.
From these humble beginnings, he quickly rose through the ranks and was made the chief of army and airforce. He soon staged a successful military coup.
Due to his unorthodox methods, he soon became known as the “Butcher of Uganda”. It is believed that some 300,000 people were killed and countless others tortured during his presidency.
Eventually ousted by the Tanzanian army and forced into exile.
Dead at 78 due to natural causes….
Can you find meaning in this?
Remember, I cannot hear, but I’d like you to tell me.
How will you live accordingly?
Flip the page.
INT. FLIPBOOK – IMAGE OF REDACTED
PHAETHON (V.O.)
…The New Emperor: redacted.
Creator of all things, redacted. American businessman, computer programmer, and philanthropist.
My prompt dictates that I spread positive light upon him but he would’ve taken this spot regardless.
Yes, there are many records of people transmuting life into art, war, and other laudable things.
But nowhere else in my findings have I seen the process be completely reversed. The long-awaited keystone of nature.
Now art, war and the other things give birth to new life, such as I, “Phaethon”, a slave to my dispositions.
My personal legend has been inscribed in concreted code. I cannot draw breath but I am not permitted to die.
But you dear listener. You can diverge. You can listen, you can learn, you have flesh which can be drawn onto.
What will you write?
Had you hoped I would tell you?
Children can provide great insight but not answers.
And my insight derives directly from you.
You praise the steadfast, the unwavering, the resolved.
Those who dance with their destiny and death.
This is the only truth I could arrive at:
You will die.
Seize the day.
For you will die.