"Please help to find a book about alien AI disabling violence in humans"
https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/1al2fg5/please_help_to_find_a_book_about_alien_ai/
"Hello fellow redditors,"
"A long time ago, in a country far, far away I started reading a book...
and didn't have an opportunity to finish it."
"Now, for the life of me, can't remember neither the title nor the author."
"Premise: alien AI orbits Earth and disables the ability to carryout
violent acts in human population. Thoughts about violence are still
possible, but acts of violence are "disabled". The story followed
several protagonists."
" Suggestions with stories following similar (or same) premise are
also welcome!"
I am fairly certain that it is not "Childhood's End".
Lynn
"Premise: alien AI orbits Earth and disables the ability to carryout
violent acts in human population. Thoughts about violence are still
possible, but acts of violence are "disabled".
On 2024-02-07, Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:
"Premise: alien AI orbits Earth and disables the ability to carryout
violent acts in human population. Thoughts about violence are still
possible, but acts of violence are "disabled".
Intriguing. What exactly counts as violence? Can you build a death
trap for your unwary neighbor to perish in?
laws without violence? What's your mechanism to sanction nonviolent
crime?
"Premise: alien AI orbits Earth and disables the ability to carryout
violent acts in human population.
Intriguing. What exactly counts as violence? Can you build a death
trap for your unwary neighbor to perish in?
I think you will have to wait and try it for yourself after the alien AI arrives.
Also, how do you enforce
laws without violence? What's your mechanism to sanction nonviolent
crime?
Ostracisation? Yes, certainly intriguing.
People could be punished with fines, and in a world where most money
is electronic (if you can imagine that), physical damage or threats
wouldn't be needed. Fines are especially appropriate since a lot of >nonviolent crime is financial.
"Please help to find a book about alien AI disabling violence in humans"
https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/1al2fg5/please_help_to_find_a_book_about_alien_ai/
"Hello fellow redditors,"
"A long time ago, in a country far, far away I started reading a book...
and didn't have an opportunity to finish it."
"Now, for the life of me, can't remember neither the title nor the author."
"Premise: alien AI orbits Earth and disables the ability to carryout
violent acts in human population. Thoughts about violence are still
possible, but acts of violence are "disabled". The story followed
several protagonists."
Not same, but some elements apply:
Stanislav Lem, Transfer
On Thursday, February 8, 2024 at 1:47:19 PM UTC-7, Lynn McGuire wrote:
"Rejoice, A Knife to the Heart. Steven Erikson."
"I believe this is the right answer. There are several acts of violence
in the book shown to be stopped, mid violence. ie, hot oil tossed at an abusive husband splatters harmlessly in the air directly in front of him."
"Edit: the AI also is in Earths’ orbit, and the story has several protagonists. A female scifi writer is the lead protagonist and goes to space before coming back to hover over the UN in a custom made Klingon warship to make a point."
I found a review of the book. The author is a Canadian.
In addition to violence between humans being prevented, exploitation
of the Earth's resources is also prevented by force fields. Apparently, though,
this is a temporary condition: the focus of the book is on the conversation between the aliens and the sci-fi writer; apparently, the aliens are simply preventing us from digging ourselves in any deeper while they figure out how they can help us.
However, preventing the exploitation of the Earth's resources is likely to create
panic, and interfere with our ability to *feed everyone* in the interim. It makes me
inclined to dismiss the book, sight unseen, as about aliens who are more interested
in grandstanding than helping.
John Savard
On Feb 10, 2024, Quadibloc wrote
(in article<9b9ca8d3-6d0e-437c-8b01-56ab1485e86en@googlegroups.com>):
On Thursday, February 8, 2024 at 1:47:19 PM UTC-7, Lynn McGuire wrote:
"Rejoice, A Knife to the Heart. Steven Erikson."
"I believe this is the right answer. There are several acts of violence
in the book shown to be stopped, mid violence. ie, hot oil tossed at an
abusive husband splatters harmlessly in the air directly in front of him." >>>
"Edit: the AI also is in Earths’ orbit, and the story has several
protagonists. A female scifi writer is the lead protagonist and goes to
space before coming back to hover over the UN in a custom made Klingon
warship to make a point."
I found a review of the book. The author is a Canadian.
In addition to violence between humans being prevented, exploitation
of the Earth's resources is also prevented by force fields. Apparently,
though,
this is a temporary condition: the focus of the book is on the conversation >> between the aliens and the sci-fi writer; apparently, the aliens are simply >> preventing us from digging ourselves in any deeper while they figure out how >> they can help us.
However, preventing the exploitation of the Earth's resources is likely to >> create
panic, and interfere with our ability to *feed everyone* in the interim. It >> makes me
inclined to dismiss the book, sight unseen, as about aliens who are more
interested
in grandstanding than helping.
John Savard
Given certain attitudes in the more extreme green/animal rights fringe, the fact that preventing the explotation of the Earth’s resources causes mass starvation would be a plus, as it would get rid of the ‘excess population. And the prevention of violence would prevent the starving hordes from trying to do something about it. Win-win.
I suspect that I will not be going out of my way to find this book.
The first answer in the reddit thread seems to fit the description exactly. /Rejoice, a Knife to the Heart/ by Steven Erikson.
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