Dear friend Quote by Samuel Shem
““We were putting into these gomers our fear of death, but who knew if they feared death? Perhaps they welcomed death like a dear long-lost cousin, grown old but still known, coming to visit, relieving the loneliness, the failing of the senses, the fury of the half-blind looking into the mirror and not recognizing who is looking back, a dear friend, a dear reliever, a healer who would be with them for an eternity, the same eternity as the long ago, before birth.””
About This Quote
The passage reflects on humanity's projection of death anxiety onto artificial beings, questioning whether these creations might actually embrace death as a release from existential loneliness and sensory decline.
In simple terms: Explores death as a potential comfort for sentient constructs.
Key Takeaway
Death may be seen as a compassionate release.
Themes
mortality
technology
existentialism
loneliness
transcendence
Mood
melancholic
contemplative
Type
philosophical
speculative
When to use this quote
- contemplating AI consciousness
- writing sci‑fi narratives
- discussing ethical AI design
Key Concepts
anthropomorphism
death anxiety
human‑machine relation
Practical Applications
- philosophical essays on AI
- creative storytelling
Questions to Reflect On
- What does it mean to assign human emotions to machines?
- How might acceptance of death alter our treatment of AI?
