Microserfs Reading Response

*What do you think Coupland is saying when he includes random information, random keyboard hits, and snatches of gossip among the journal and e-mail?
In the novel, Microserfs, Coupland inserts many pages with random, nonsense words or keyboard hits. There were many instances where Dan inserted different fonts, sizes, bolded words and italicized words for what seemed to be no apparent reason. At first, the randomness of Dan’s thoughts were scattered and seemed very irrelevant. Dan says, “I’m creating a file of random words that pop into my head and am feeding these words into a desktop file labeled subconscious (Coupland 45). Dan is basically taking all of his random thoughts that he has throughout his days and logging them just to keep track what he thinks. The random information was added so that Coupland could make the reader feel engaged and feel as if the words are in their own subconscious. Throughout our day, there are many random words and thoughts that we really do not express. Coupland helped us as the reader understand Dan a bit better by getting us into his subconscious and let us know what he is thinking and what types of thoughts run through his head. Some of the words or phrases that Dan writes down really get the readers thinking. It helps us understand the character of Dan a bit more than we originally would without the randomness. In essence, instead of reading like a book, the novel read as if it were a journal. Reading it as if it were a journal made the novel a more interesting read, as well as a bit easier to understand.
*Karla says, "computers will continue to be developed... an 'entity' is going to be created that has its own intelligence." What is Karla saying about artificial intelligence (AI)? What are your perspectives on AI?
When it comes to intelligence, I believe that there is no limit to any person’s intelligence. Karla says, “Long after we’re dead, computers will continue to be developed and sooner or later—it is not a matter of if, but when an ‘Entity’ is going to be created that has its own intelligence” (Coupland 34). What Karla is saying is that there is no limit to an individual’s intelligence, and because human intelligence is unlimited, they can create artificial intelligence that is just as unlimited. Humans create artificial intelligence to in a sense outlive human intelligence. Karla believes that the humans who create computers and artificial intelligence are working to make sure that computer intelligence indeed to advance far beyond human intelligence. Both, humans and computers progress throughout the years, neither of them get dumber in a sense. What that means is that there is no way the intelligence of computers will one day come to an end, humans will keep advancing computers until possibly, computers will outsmart humans. Karla believes in this, she says “we cannot de-invent computers”(Coupland 34). I believe with advances in computers and artificial intelligence, humans have become lazier, and expect computers and machines to do all the work for them, causing them not to have to think. Advancements in technology are always a good thing, but when we come to a point where computers and artificial intelligence are taking over the work of humans, we know that society has taken a disregard to human intelligence. No matter how advanced artificial intelligence may be, humans must always be more intelligent, in order to have control over the artificial intelligence.
*The binary code in the middle of Microserfs is a "hymn" or credo to "My Computer." What do you think is the purpose of this hymn?
The binary code in the middle of Microserfs was by far one of the most interesting portions of the novel. Decoding the binary code was something I tried accomplishing using a website. On the website you can enter the binary code and it decodes it and tells you the meaning. The meaning of the code “My Computer” is that Dan is nothing without his computer, and vice versa, the computer is nothing without Dan. Throughout the novel, Coupland has changed topics and inserted random information throughout the whole novel really without any warning. At one point, Coupland was talking about Dan and Karla, in regards to Karla’s past eating disorder. Once the page is turned, the numbers 0 and 1 go on for two pages. These two pages messages are a hymn. It’s a hymn because it gets the reader thinking about what is being said by using the numbers instead of actual words. Using the numbers instead of words, Coupland presents the readers with a completely different style of writing, one that causes the readers to put more thought and effort into trying to figure out what message Coupland is trying to convey, or simply, what Coupland is trying to say with the hymn. The binary coding is a language in which Dan understands clearly, to him its merely common sense, and he would never have to second guess the message of the coding or the meaning of it. I believe Coupland inserts this in the novel to show how coding plays such an important role in society and how to some people; it is their way of understanding and communication.