Do sheep dream of electric humans?

Welcome to the first Voices Across the Stack where we bring together the sharpest and wildest minds across Substack to take apart one topic.

We’re kicking off with Digital. What else?

This month we have writers, artist, poets and happily uncategorisables showing up.

contributors to Digital Minds Collide

First up: Tate Ellis

Tate Ellis: Explainer

We’re at a moment when sci-fi is becoming sci-fact. It’s getting serious. So, I thought to kick this off with something light. The key dystopian sci-fi film of my generation is getting a sideways glance.

In this future every job is up for grabs, and it’s not the humans who reminisce at the good ‘ole times.

It’s fine if we get an upgrade…but what if we are replaced altogether….

Digital Minds Collide 02

Do sheep dream of electric humans?

(They’ll miss us when we’re gone)

Damn these robots are always on time.
No sheepdog snapping at my heels,
no booming barrels into smokeless skies.

Sometimes we’d smell cooking from the house,
sweet savouries, buns, and baked bread.

Deliveries and containers, of all sizes,
that yard, full of the used and unused,
rusted trickery towed behind.
Left behind.

We miss them and their damned dogs,
but with them at least there was hope.

An open gate our ticket,
we’d dream of it:
Running free through pastures new,
We’d be together, our fleeces floating as clouds in winter time.

Tate Ellis

More Voices Across the Stack: Coming Soon…

If I told you who was contributing, you wouldn’t believe it. You’re just gonna have to get with it. Plug in the implant, graft the senso-touch pad, give your USB finger a clean - make sure you get right under those nails.

From here, the expose of digital culture goes deeper into the dirty data centres and through the undersea cables. Piped up by those who piped up and gave their time.

Share it with the lonely nodes who know something’s burning…