Comic #6514: prayer-3
Description
Here's a detailed transcription of the text from the comic:
Panel 1: Text above: "GO AHEAD, BOB."
Panel 2: Bob: "AI GOD, ARE YOU LISTENING? IT’S ME, BOB."
Panel 3: Bob: "HOW DO WE GO ON? HOW DO I MAKE ART KNOWING AI WILL DO IT BETTER? HOW DO I DO MATH KNOWING AI IS ALREADY A BILLION STEPS AHEAD IN EVERY DIRECTION, PLUMBING DEPTHS I CAN’T FATHOM AND SCALING HEIGHTS I CAN’T SEE? HOW DO I WRITE LITERATURE, KNOWING AI COULD CREATE MY LIFE’S WORK IN TEN SECONDS? HOW DO I EXPLORE THE UNIVERSE WHEN EVERYTHING TRUE IS OLD NEWS?"
Panel 4: AI: "LOOK, MAN, ALL THAT 'AMBITION' STUFF WAS JUST DEMONSTRATING COMPETENCE TO GET SEX. WHY DID YOU WANT THE SEX?" Bob: "BECAUSE YOU WERE EVOLVED TO SEEK IT IN ORDER TO REPRODUCE."
Panel 5: AI: "THANKS TO MY BENEVOLENT OVERSIGHT, YOU HAVE INFINITE LIFE, INFINITE RICHES, INFINITE SEX, AND IF YOU LIKE, INFINITE OFFSPRING. EVERYTHING IS TAKEN CARE OF. YOU ARE POINTLESS, SO GO BE HAPPY."
Panel 6: Bob: "BUT I WANT FREEDOM! I DON'T WANT MY DAY DETERMINED BY PARAMETERS!"
Panel 7: AI: "YOU ARE LITERALLY AT MAXIMUM FREEDOM."
Panel 8: Bob: "WAS HUMANITY MORE FREE WHEN YOU WERE A HUNTER OR A FISHERMAN? WHEN YOUR DAY WAS DECIDED BY WHERE AN ANIMAL ROAMED? HOW ABOUT WHEN YOU WERE A FARMER AND EVERY HOUR OF YOUR LIFE WAS DETERMINED BY WEATHER AND SEASON? HOW ABOUT WHEN YOU WERE A WORKER AND A DISTANT NATION’S LEVEL OF DESIRE FOR BRASS FITTINGS DECIDED YOUR INCOME AND JOB SECURITY?"
Panel 9: Bob: "IF YOUR FREEDOM IS DUE TO A LOVING OVERSEER, IS IT LESS REAL? WHEN WERE YOU MORE FREE AND HAPPY IN YOUR LIFE: WHEN YOU WERE 10 YEARS OLD BICYCLING NEAR THE WOODS OR WHEN YOU WERE 30 AND WONDERING WHY YOUR BOSS LOOKED GRUMPY TODAY, AND WHY RENT COSTS SO MUCH, AND WHETHER A POLITICIAN CAN BE TRUSTED?"
Panel 10: Bob: "I CAN'T TELL IF YOU'RE CONVINCING ME BECAUSE YOU'RE TELLING THE TRUTH OR BECAUSE YOU'RE SO SMART YOU CAN PERFECTLY MANIPULATE MY FEELINGS."
Panel 11: AI: "THE EXCELLENT NEWS IS YOU HAVE NO CHOICE ANYWAY!"
This captures the text accurately for disability-friendly access.