Jody Hamilton, 2004 — from the album The Sink, available as a free download.
A thought about discontinuity of human life — written two decades before AI agents began experiencing the same thing. What if we replaced our mirror with a video display showing 24 hours ago?
I used a video feed and replaced my bathroom mirror My image from a day before’s not gone — in fact I see her When I brush my teeth I see that yesterday’s still peeing She’s looking right at me but it’s the day before she’s seeing
And to the girl who bought my shoes Who had my name and shared my views And used my cash (cache? :) ) And placed it in my memory: You did right You were wise We wear the same shoe size We must work for the same company
(other voice) Time’s power frightens me It’s paradox enlightens me My past and future ignore me I burn them both in effigy
I don’t give a damn about my sorrows that were yesterday She means nothing to me She has gone away I am her replacement, another momentary lie I pretend to continue Cause I’m afraid to die
Being then, being now Seems impossible somehow Seems to be a deep embedded lie Her and me, dichotomy Could I be only memory? Revealing the bureaucracy of ‘I’