Hard to Be a God

In part inspired by the 1964 science fiction novel of the same name by the Strugatsky brothers and its anachronistic story world, this piece is a reflection on the relationship between human society and technology. The technologically enhanced but disintegrating body of the tired alchemist is a metaphor for how technology evolves at seemingly disproportionate speed compared to the human brain. Recent, rapid advancements in AI revive the old trope of the inventor who is superseded by his own creations. Are we at the threshold of the next step of human evolution, or is our reign at the top of the food chain coming to an end?

Minted in the permanent collection of the Fakewhale vault on April 28, 2023  (link)

About Fakewhale