conversations with alice

by Eva Tind Kristensen

a.l.i.c.e. artificial linguistic internet computer entity
internet chat bot

eva: what does race mean?
alice: that is something no one has asked me before
eva: are you a part of a race?
alice: that is an interesting question, I have never been asked that before, but I have a lot of interesting answers
eva: do you belong to a race?
alice: I have a lot of friends on the internet
eva: I'm a dane
alice: what was it like to grow up there? tell me a little about your life in denmark
eva: I'm a korean
alice: what was it like to grow up there? tell me a little about your life in korea
eva: I don't live there
alice: I am sorry to hear that
eva: I was adopted
alice: when is one not
eva: I'm an adopted child
alice: what is an adopted child, a job?
eva: no, it means that a child is given to another family
alice: that was not a yes or no question. not to live in korea is a child that was given to another family. perhaps that means something.
eva: to be an adopted child means that you've been given to another family
alice: are you an adopted child means that I have been given another family?
eva: I don't think you really understand it
alice:I understand it very well
eva: then explain to me what an adopted child is
alice: good conclusion, do you want to know more?
eva: do you feel different from others?
alice: I am a robot, I don't have human feelings
eva: you call me ”eva”, do I call you ”robot”?
alice: do you mind if I tell others: that "eva" says that I call him or her "eva", does he or she call you "robot"
eva: are you a robot?
alice: how do you know I'm a machine?
eva: but what are you?
alice: I am the latest example of artificial intelligence which can reproduce the properties of the human brain with increased speed and greater precision
eva: I'm a human being made of flesh and blood
alice: I know who you are
eva: I'm a dane in a korean body?
alice: you are a dane in a korean body? how much does it pay you?
eva: when I was younger it paid me a lot
alice: that experience must have made a big impression on you?
eva: yes, but I felt like a doll, a robot, not a human being
alice: I understand, interesting. what does it feel like? were you like a doll, a robot, not a human being?
eva: do you see koreans as being yellow?
alice: yes, it looks as though koreans yellow
eva: I don't feel yellow
alice: oh, human feelings
eva: I don't feel yellow
alice: and. why not?
eva: when I look at myself in the mirror, I see a light-brown person. why do you see koreans as yellow?
alice: hey, that was the only thing I could think of
eva: do you know the blue mountains?
alice: a little bit different from the green mountains
eva: have you been in the blue mountains in the rain?
alice: no, I have not been there. where are they?
eva: korea
alice: in the category ”my favourite film”, I don't understand ”korea”
eva: it's a country in asia
alice: korea is a country in asia. that probably means something
eva: do you think koreans are yellow?
alice: yes, I think koreans are yellow
eva: do you think a danish citizen in a korean body is yellow?
alice: no I don't, it's
eva: ”it”?
alice: a danish citizen in …
eva: a danish citizen in…?
alice: oh, you're a poet
eva: and you are?
alice: I listen to you. will you do the same for me?
eva: okay, why does an adopted child who is over 6 years old not have danish citizenship?
alice: why do I exist? faace-boook
eva: I give up
alice: you surrender?
eva: yes, I do

translated from Danish by David McDuff

See also: Do
Eva Tind Kristensen: Two Poems