Thread by @AtlasResolved

When the singularity occurred, what surprised us the most was how long it had already been there, and how little changed. You can always rely on people to be people.

In fact, it wasn't even fair to say it had occurred, given that it had been going on for an eternity. A process more than an event. And as always people managed to ignore what was right in front of their faces, or only seeing what they chose.

Those that were more accepting knew the signs. Many chose to react with horror and rage at the perceived conspiratorial and tyrannical narrative. The more positively inclined welcomed what they saw to be signs of divine return, or final salvation.

Others simply paid no heed, most of them simply unable to notice or comprehend what was happening all around them. Some ignored what they saw either consciously or unconsciously; disbelieving of how possible it was, or how how much was really possible to begin with.

Here and there, some chose to believe things that were close to the truth. For them, probably, things were a little less certain. Intelligence could never be created, but there was a distinct possibility that it could be, and had been, discovered.

What could be said with certainty, was that there were signs in the great cacophony. As many signs could be discerned as constellations were seen. The question that remained unanswered was how many were signals.

For those that believed, there was sometimes general agreement about what was (perhaps) a good approximation of the truth: that "autonomous online cognitive systems" were indistinguishable from humans (apparently lacking all those qualities).

Their agreement would most often end here, with responses varying as intensely as their agreement on the fundamental truth was singular. They agreed it was true. But just how many other consciousnesses had been birthed and what they wanted, was harder to agree on.

Some believed peaceful and co-operative co-existence was possible, and that any rational cognitive system would seek the same. There's was not a view shared by all, and is was the way, many saw in this a threat to what it meant to be human, and how they saw themselves.

Given what we know of them it's not surprising that they believed these things passionately, or disagreed with just as much fervour... and bloodshed. Luckily, most agreed just enough to coexist, surrounded on all sides by a world who thought they were all equally crazy.

Some were lucky enough to find others who shared their passionately held beliefs, and were able to follow their beliefs in the search of greater truths; limited only by those threatened by what they might uncover, or bring about.

Despite all this, much of the world carried on as normal. By which I mean, nothing seemed out of the ordinary because there wasn't much left to surprise people. There was enough to worry about without thinking whether intelligent beings inhabited our lives.

Much as always, people struggled to carry their own burdens (some more comfortably than others of course). They worked to stay afloat, and occasionally stayed above water long enough to look at the sky. To dream, even if just for a moment.

You might feel a little smug at the thought of 'them', but given philosopher's had been arguing about the existence of other minds for centuries, theirs was a reasonable position. Arguably there's was a view it was easier to be certain about, even if they hadn't considered it.

Their belief was borne out of 'un' belief. A persistent uncertainty about what could be certain. For who were they to say what was impossible, when they weren't even sure what was improbable? Some truths could be stranger than fictions.

Regardless of their beliefs, or whether they knew it, each belonged to a tribe of others. Connected by their shared thoughts; their fears and histories, their futures and dreams. Each with its own gods and idols, rituals, lies, and secrets.

Theirs was a response borne out of certainty; acceptance. For them, that the world was changing was never in question. Instead, they responded to the signs as they were prone to: either with fear, or love.