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.
