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Cave Computer

Today was a frustrating day. My computer was experiencing “technical difficulties.” I still don’t know why, or whether any of the tricks I tried actually fixed anything, or whether these difficulties will return. As Chris put it, these computers are like people. They have personalities of their own.

So true – and in fact I was experiencing the cranky side of my computer, nick named “Baby” this morning. Baby was having a tantrum this morning and Mommy wasn’t happy at all.

What is it about human beings that we feel the need to attribute human qualities to non-sentient objects? We’ve done it since the cave days when some humans thought Gods lived in the trees or the rocks or the camp fire. Are we so different, so progressed? I’m convinced there’s somehow intention behind it when this machine crashes.

Does it somehow make it easier for us to understand malfunction if we can attribute feeling to it?

I wonder, do the technically gifted, more versed in the malfunctions of machines, feel the same need, or is it just a superstitious tradition left for us technophobes?
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