Official Intelligent Beings: How Our Devices Became Us, And The World Consumed Itself Read Online Free PDF

Mr. Herd said as he tilted his head back and held his hands high, as if praising the ceiling.
    “How do you really know their real intentions?”
    “To understand that you must first understand a bit more of our history. You see, this world of ours was built on an idea, a way of life that was first actualized by our ancestors in the pre-device era, and that idea is freedom of speech.”
    “Freedom of speech? Was speech not always free?”
    “Not always,” he paused to let Jagz think for a moment. “During P.D. the people were not ready for what freedom of speech really meant. How could they have been? It was a new idea that no one had thought of before. So for over 300 years, humans tried and tried to figure how to to live in a world that existed on free speech.”
    “What is there to really figure out? Speaking doesn’t cost anything.”
    “Maybe not to you or me now,” said Mr. Herd, flicking his nose, “but there was a time when it could cost you your life.”
    “Your life? For speaking? That sounds rid-iculous.”
    “Hard to imagine, I know. One of the many reasons of how the Beings have helped us. But in the past, if someone spoke up against authority, it would often mean big trouble for them. They could be thrown in jail, beaten, or worse, they could have their life taken away…” 
    “Woah. I had no idea. So how did they implement freedom of speech?”
    “They knew the idea was good, that it was one step closer towards equality for all. But every way they tried to grant the people free speech failed miserably. There was no system in place and while some felt free, others felt cheated and caused problems. Slowly, over time, messages of free speech spread around the world through the interweb and, one by one, other nations’ youth became infected with the idea of free speech and equality. These children eventually became the leaders, trying to put into effect all that each individual country believed to be laws governed by freedom of speech. Each of them struggled and each country had uprising after uprising, massive wars, endless fighting, it was awful. They were unable to find balance in such a simple, yet complex idea. An idea that can be quite contradicting if coming from the wrong place.”
    “I am not sure I follow.”
    “Think about it. It may be hard to imagine a time before now, but you must know some of our history. There was a time when freedom of speech really meant the possibility of freedom for some and oppression for others. How is it possible to have freedom of speech for all, yet have a higher power or ruler who would shut you down for speaking up against them?”
    “How did they do that?”
    “Simple. Through deception. You see, it was the illusion of freedom that gave most of the people peace. But it was also this illusion that gave other people a reason to rebel and fight. And that only caused chaos. The higher ups in power were playing everyone else, tricking them into believing that they had their freedom, while actively diminishing it. Believing you are free is just as good as the real thing, at least it is when that is the only life you know. ”
    “And so how did that all change?”
    “You know as well as I do that we would be nothing close to what we are now without the Beings. They have found a way to create peace amongst almost all of the people in this world, albeit a few.”
    “Yes, of course,” said Jagz, well aware that he may have been one of those few .
    “Now we are blessed to have actual freedom without any rulers or higher ups trying to control and manage our every move, to convince us that we have something that we do not. Now people have a way of speaking for themselves. There is no one to be afraid of. We all do our part. We can say what’s on our minds, we can listen to what others think, we can be what feels right, without fear of losing our freedom so someone else can keep theirs’. Could you image being locked up or killed for sharing a