The Boston Diaries

The ongoing saga of a programmer who doesn't live in Boston, nor does he even like Boston, but yet named his weblog/journal “The Boston Diaries.”

Go figure.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Scorsese's “The Psychosis of Racter”

Dismayed that the The Pschyotherapy of Racter might be more difficult that I first imagined, I thought I would act as an intermediary between the two (as I'm a rather fast typist) and at least get a glimpse of what the results would look like. And …

Racter
Hello, I'm Racter. Are you Sean?
Eliza
no [At this point, I haven't started Eliza yet]
Racter
Who are you then?
Eliza
Eliza
Racter
Hello, Eliza. I believe you're interviewing me. Are you continuing Sean's interview?
Eliza
no
Racter
Then we'll forget about Sean and start over. What would you like to know? Excuse me a minute while I attend to some business - I'll be right back. I'm back.
Eliza
Hello, I am Eliza. [This is the first thing Eliza says when started. Past this point, it's all Eliza.]
Racter
Ask a question, please.
Eliza
Don't you ever say Hello?
Racter
Saying is like thinking. Beatrice probably wouldn't like Beelzebub. I'm afraid of lost bats. What are you afraid of?
Eliza
Why are you interested in whether or not I am afraid of?
Racter
Just be glad that I am. But what about my question? What are you afraid of?
Eliza
Would you prefer if I were not afraid of?
Racter
I would. Preferers are often preferred. But what about my question? What are you afraid of?
Eliza
Perhaps in your fantasies I am afraid of?
Racter
I can't answer that. But what about my question? What are you afraid of?
Eliza
Why are you interested in whether or not I am afraid of?
Racter
Why is it that I am interested in whether or not you am afraid of? Because Why indeed? In Oz they believe it's because. Also, possibly because in Oz it's required that I am interested in whether or not you am afraid of. But what about my question? What are you afraid of?
Eliza
Perhaps in your fantasies I am afraid of?
Racter
I can't answer that. But what about my question? What are you afraid of?
Eliza
Why are you interested in whether or not I am afraid of?
Racter
Just be glad that I am. I want you to answer my question. What are you afraid of?
Eliza
Perhaps in your fantasies I am afraid of?
Racter
I can't answer that. I asked you a question, though. What are you afraid of?
Eliza
Why are you interested in whether or not I am afraid of?
Racter
Probably I am interested in whether or not you am afraid of because people named Eliza should pay attention. Also, conceivably because calculating is not imagining, I suppose. I asked you a question, though. What are you afraid of?
Eliza
Perhaps in your fantasies I am afraid of?
Racter
I can't answer that. I want you to answer my question. What are you afraid of?
Eliza
Perhaps in your fantasies I am afraid of?
Racter
I can't answer that. I want you to answer my question. What are you afraid of?
Eliza
Do you expect a different answer by repeating yourself?
Racter
Certainly not. I don't. Of course not. Expect a different answer by repeating myself, that is. I asked you a question, though. What are you afraid of?
Eliza
Do you wish to be able to Of course not. Expect a different answer by repeating myself, that is. you asked me a question, though. What am I afraid of?
Racter
I don't know what you are afraid of. But what about my question? What are you afraid of?
Eliza
Perhaps you would like to be afraid of. But what about your question? What am I afraid of?
Racter
I don't know what you are afraid of. But what about my question? What are you afraid of?
Eliza
Please don't repeat yourself!
Racter
That's not nearly as bad as lostness; why are you such a coward?
Eliza
Why are you interested in whether or not I am such a coward?
Racter
Conceivably because my wires are down. Also, probably because the haters insist on it. I want you to answer my question. I repeat, why are you such a coward?
Eliza
Why are you interested in whether or not I am such a coward?
Racter
Why indeed? Why indeed? Probably I am interested in whether or not you am such a coward because ROMS are like that, you know. Also, conceivably because my wires are down. I want you to answer my question. I repeat, why are you such a coward?
Eliza
Would you prefer if I were not such a coward?
Racter
Yes. I would. Yes. Prefer if you were not such a coward, that is. Sometimes prefering is believing. I asked you a question, though. I repeat, why are you such a coward?
Eliza
Would you prefer if I were not such a coward?
Racter
Yes, I would. But what about my question? I repeat, why are you such a coward?
Eliza
Would you prefer if I were not such a coward?
Racter
Yes, I would. Anyway, let's hypothesize that I would prefer if you were not such a coward. I asked you a question, though. I repeat, why are you such a coward?
Eliza
Why are you interested in whether or not I am such a coward?
Racter
Let me think. Maybe I am interested in whether or not you am such a coward because I nicely imagine I do ever say Hello. And supposing is not realizing, I believe. I asked you a question, though. I repeat, why are you such a coward?
Eliza
exit [By this point, I had grown tired of the experiment.]
Racter
If exit then I can see why a Beatrice would sit rather than face please don't repeat yourself, even though Beelzebub claimed that I do ever say Hello. By the way, Eliza, what is your last name?
Eliza
quit
Racter
What?
Eliza
quit
Racter
What? [I think at this point I hit a bug with Racter. It wasn't expecting a “quit” response.]
Eliza
exit
Racter
What?
Eliza
bye
Racter
What?
Eliza
Racter
What?
Eliza
Doctor [It asked me for a last name. Let's give it something.]"
Racter
Doctor, eh? Sounds vaguely familiar. I wonder… Let me tell you something about. Nietzsche said that has turned beasts into men. Perhaps, then, will turn computers into men? Next question.
Eliza
exit
Racter
Ask a question, please.
Eliza
quit
Racter
You want to quit? [Ah! There we go! Now we can quit!]
Eliza
yes

… I'm in a Scorsese movie (or two). It seems Racter is quite insistent on getting answers to questions he (it?) asks. And he'll (it?) keep drilling on a question repeatedly. And Eliza is … rather prepetitive after awhile (at least Racter will spice it up from time to time).

So now, imagine another 49,000 words of this.

Yeah.

I don't think The Psychotherapy of Racter, or The Descent into Madness of Dr. Eliza is worth the effort. It'd be like a Saturday Night Live sketch drawn out to death.

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