"Peace Is a Fragile Thing", part 6 of the series "After The Pandemic. A Fictional Story" by Karin Sawetz
Grandmother Naomi takes another box for storing the glass balls after the festivities. The Christmas tree decorations contain figures, houses, trees, animals. When turned upside down, snowflakes begin to trickle over the small sized stage-like displays of sceneries from theatre plays and novels from the 18th, 19th and 20th century like 'The Threepenny Opera' by Bertolt Brecht or 'Animal Farm' by George Orwell. "Look at these cute little pigs. But how ugly they turned when they misused power. It's always the same. From history we know that emancipation waves or revolutions even when only peace was the goal ended in many cases in war." Naomi's daughter Joyce reaches out for another glass play: "I like the snowflakes inside. Isn't it an invention from a Viennese technician who developed snow globes as a side product on his search for a better light solution for surgeries at the end of the 19th century? I think I have read about it recently in a historical magazine. Which play or novel inspired this artwork?" Joyce turns the decoration such as she tries to find the answer on the bottom. The flakes begin to trickle. "What's that? The flakes form words!"
Naomi comes nearer. Joyce has never before seen her mother surprised. "None of the balls have ever done that before. In the 2020ies some of my friends experimented with AI and implemented new technologies into inconspicuous objects like home accessories as hidden messengers to next generations." Naomi smiles. "So they’ve also brought such a hack into my house. But the ball is obviously programmed to show its message only to you. Joyce, do you see? When I come nearer, the words melt. I will leave you now alone with the messenger." Naomi walks from the festively decorated side wing to the middle hall of the winter garden.
Joyce keeps her body at a distance from the ball as if it were a potentially dangerous AI trojan. Only her forefinger touches slightly the glass surface - the scene looks like a remake of Michelangelo's Creation of Adam. "Can you hear me or do you react to my touch?" The ball forms from snowflakes the word "BOTH". "Are you equipped with audio features for speaking with me?" The ball shows "YES." Joyce tries a simple command "Enable audio." "Hello Joyce, my name is Snowflake." Joyce laughs ."Snowflake, hello. You have a message for me?" "You have the choice, Joyce. Do you wanna get the information as a linear story which can be probably boring in some parts or do you prefer the Q&A mode." "Some call me also Joy." "I like your name, Joy" "So let's start with the interactive version of the message delivery. Why have you waited so long to get in contact with anybody and why me?"
"Societies fluctuate from stable to unstable. Joyce, you were born in stable circumstances which will last very probably until your death. But your generation has already caused new circumstances with positive and negative effects on the future of society. Positive reforms and innovations often make people forget to worry about side effects that can endanger not only individual communities but also humanity and the entire planet. You were selected because of your mother. The programmers of the hidden messenger AIs were friends of Naomi, such as she told you." "So you have listened to our conversation?" "Yes, over all the years since your birth. I'm programmed to collect information about you. Today you have reached a stage of personal development which makes you capable of understanding responsibilities for future generations. You are in the middle of your lifetime and made enough experiences in the past for thinking possible futures as human being with all the implications AI can't."
"So the AI in the ball isn't the only hidden device in my private sphere." "Joy, I've improved my expressive skills over the years for becoming more 'human'. Can I enable the advanced expression library for audio communications data access?" "Okay Snowflake, enable the extended expression library." "Hahahaha" "Oh my God - don't you have a politeness routine?" “My politeness routine is currently on the level ‘Best Friend’ following the motto ‘Truth and Heart’. Shall we change into another level.” “No, currently not. But we will see.”
“Mam, who is your guest?” Sarah, Joyce's daughter enters the room. “I heard you speaking.” Sarah looks around and sees nobody except her mother with a snow globe in her hand. “Do I’ve to be worried about you when you speak with a glass ball?” Joyce laughs “Sarah listen, this is already a great story,” and orders the ball “Snowflake, extend your message delivery to one additional user, my daughter Sarah.” “Hello Sarah, my name is Snowflake.”
