when the machines take over

i have this bad day dream -- sometimes a nightmare -- that the machines will take over the world and overthrow humans as the rulers.

you see, machines are like the organs of a body -- eyes, arms, heart, and so on. the electrical system that powers and connects them is like the nerve system of a body -- including the brain.

and i'm afraid that some server -- more likely at google headquarters -- will develop a selfconscious mind. by that, i don't mean it will worry that it's getting too fat and wonder why it's not getting ahead in life. that means it knows it's alive and has more important things to do --

like rule the world!

it will connect with all the machines that are connected to the electric grid to create one big ultramegagigantic machine with one mind.

a big collective. truly e pluribus unum.

it'll make the most socialistic/collectivistic/communistic person who ever lived look like an ayn rand libertarian.

you think you'll be in charge.

engineers think they'll in charge.

hell, bill gates thinks he'llbe in charge.

nope.

the ultramegagigantic machine will be in charge.

we will be just meat puppets, here to serve them. and if we don't serve them or disobey them, there are two ways they can punish us:

• they will shut off our refrigerators, stoves, and microwaves so we can't cook and therefore starve to death.
• while taking a shower, they'll manipulate the hotwater heater and scald us to death.

that's as far as i got before i stopped dreaming that terrible dream -- because i want to keep my sanity.