But I'm A Cat Person

Bee Count: 3

Check it out, I remembered to do the thing! Even though it’s been a long stretch of pages in between. The last instance was from September 2013, and this one is from January 2015.

This page reminds me of an ancient (US, pre-women’s suffrage) opinion column I read somewhere, that explained how it didn’t make sense to give women the vote, because “they’ll just double their husbands’ votes!”

(Pause.)

“…or cancel them out.”

I, uh, don’t need to write another thousand words listing all the problems with that, right?

Not actually related to the situation with Beings, where the more accurate parallel is “it doesn’t make sense to give your programmed chatbot the vote.”

Emma: If you could vote, who would it be for?

Patrick: Whoever my Master liked best.

Emma: Aw, that’s sweet . . . But if you’re thousands of years old, you must have some fascinating political opinions of your own!

Patrick: Am I supposed to have those, Bee?

Bianca: No! Don’t worry, you’re fine.

Emma: . . . Let me talk to you over here for a minute.

Bianca: I’ll be right back!

Emma: Is this his way of being “helpful”? And can you get him to switch it off? I really am curious about how he feels.

Bianca: It’s . . . not as interesting as you’d think.

He doesn’t really have the perspective of an immortal. He doesn’t remember most of his life from two or more Masters ago. And even if he did . . . the way he’s programmed, his feelings and preferences would still adapt to whatever his current Master — that’s me — wants.

Emma: You make him sound like a robot.

Bianca: Sort of.

Emma: Are you sure he’s not more like a House-Elf?

Bianca: I thought he would be! But he’s been working very hard to prove that wrong.