Dropping
the
Body


The
X‐Files,
Popular
Culture,
and
Exosomatic
Evolution 1



"Who
the
hell,
besides
some
socially
autistic
techie
in
an
ivory
basement,
would
WANT

to
give
up
the
human
body?"

Bruce
Sterling



"I’m
really
worried
about
my
body.
Our
real
bodies,
are
they
all
right?"

Ted
Pikul
in
eXistenZ



"We
predict
the
future,
and
the
best
way
to
predict
the
future
is
to
invent
it."

The
Well‐Manicured
Man
in
"Paper
Clip"
in
The
X‐Files



I

T h e 
S y n d ic a te 
h a d 
p la n s.
A n 
in te rn a tio n a l
"c o n so rtiu m "
in v o lv in g 
m y ste rio u s,

p o w e rfu l,
w h ite 
m e n 
m e e tin g 
in 
d ra w in g 
ro o m s
in 
L o n d o n 
a n d 
N e w 
Y o rk ,

w o rk in g 
in 
c o o p e ra tio n 
w ith 
sc ie n tists
fro m 
th e 
A x is
P o w e rs
su p p lie d 
th ro u g h 

"O p e ra tio n 
P a p e r
C lip ,"
th e y 
a lo n e 
se e m e d 
to 
k n o w ,
a fte r
th e 
c ra sh 
o f
a n 
a lie n 

sh ip 
a t
R o sw e ll,
N e w 
M e x ic o 
in 
1 9 4 7 ,
o f
th e 
c o m in g 
a lie n 
in v a sio n .
T h e y 
a lo n e 

p re p a re d 
fo r
it,
b a rg a in in g 
fo r
a 
d e la y 
so 
th a t
th e y 
m ig h t,
a s
a 
k in d 
o f
p e a c e 

o v e rtu re 
to 
th e 
in v a d e rs,
g e n e tic a lly 
e n g in e e r
h u m a n ‐a lie n 
h y b rid s,

p u rp o rte d ly 
a s
sla v e s
fo r
th e 
p o w e rfu l
a n d 
a n c ie n t
in v a d e rs
a n d 
(in 
se c re t)
to 

p re p a re 
a 
c u re ,
a 
se ru m ,
th a t
w o u ld 
p re v e n t
th e ir
o w n 
c o lo n iza tio n 
b y 
th e 

p a th o g e n ic 
B la c k 
O il.
T h e y 
h a d 
lo n g 
a g o 
su rre n d e re d 
th e ir
o w n 
lo v e d 
o n e s—
w iv e s,
c h ild re n — a s
h o sta g e s,
o f
c o u rse ,
b u t
th a t
w a s
a 
sm a ll
p ric e 
to 
p a y ,
w a s

it
n o t,
in 
re tu rn 
fo r
th e ir
o w n 
su rv iv a l
o f
th e 
"v ira l
h o lo c a u st"? 

"S u rv iv a l,"
th e 
W e ll
M a n ic u re d 
M a n 
te lls
M u ld e r
in 
F ig h t
th e 
F u tu re ,
"is

th e 
u ltim a te 
id e o lo g y ."
T h e 
e v il
b u t
c o m p e llin g 
C ig a re tte 
S m o k in g 
M a n ,
it

se e m s,
is
th e ir
c h ie f
e n fo rc e r,
o n e 
o f
th e m 
b u t
w o rk in g 
a t
th e ir
b e h e st,
th o u g h 

a lw a y s
p u ttin g 
h is
se lf‐in te re st
first.
W h e n 
th e 
W e ll
M a n ic u re d 
M a n ,
o n e 
o f


1
Portions of this essay previously appeared in Late for the Sky: The
Mentality of the Space Age. Carbondale: Southern Illinois U P, 1992. See also
http://www.middleenglish.org/DroppingtheBody/Pages/droppingthebody.htm.
 The Collected Works of David Lavery 2

th e ir
m o st
p ro m in e n t
m e m b e rs
b u t
in 
d o u b t
a b o u t
th e 
g ro u p ’s
m o tiv e s,

a p p ro a c h e s
S p e c ia l
A g e n t
S c u lly 
in 
o rd e r
to 
h e lp 
h e r
a n d 
h e r
p a rtn e r
F o x 

M u ld e r
u n d e rsta n d 
th e 
e n o rm ity 
o f
th e 
c o n sp ira c y 
th e y 
se e k 
to 
u n ta n g le ,
sh e 

h a s,
n o t
su rp risin g ly ,
o n e 
b a sic 
q u e stio n :
sh e 
w a n ts
to 
k n o w 
w h a t
th is
sh a d o w y 

g ro u p 
a c tu a lly 
d o e s.
H is
a n sw e r
is
sim p le 
b u t
m o m e n to u s:
"W e 
p re d ic t
th e 

fu tu re ,
a n d 
th e 
b e st
w a y 
to 
p re d ic t
th e 
fu tu re 
is
to 
in v e n t
it."

T h e 
X ‐F ile s
w o u ld 
h a v e 
u s
b e lie v e 
th a t
th e 
in v e n tio n 
o f
th e 
fu tu re 
in 

o rd e r
to 
p re d ic t
it
is
a 
p o st‐w a r
p ro je c t.
B u t
th e 
re a l
c o n sp ira c y 
g o e s
b a c k 
to 

th e 
R e n a issa n c e .
T h e 
p rim e 
e ffe c t
o f
th e 
C o p e rn ic a n 
re v o lu tio n ,
a s
H a n n a h 

A re n d t
a rg u e d 
in 
T h e 
H u m a n 
C o n d itio n ,
w a s
th e 
n e w ly 
a c q u ire d 
c o n v ic tio n 
th a t

h u m a n k in d 
sh o u ld 
(in 
A re n d t's
w o rd s)
"a b a n d o n 
th e 
a tte m p t
to 
u n d e rsta n d 

n a tu re 
a n d 
g e n e ra lly 
to 
k n o w 
a b o u t
th in g s
n o t
p ro d u c e d 
b y 
m a n 
a n d 
.
.
.
tu rn 

e x c lu siv e ly 
to 
th in g s
th a t
o w e d 
th e ir
e x iste n c e 
to 
m a n ."
H u m a n 
re a so n ,
lo n g 

d e c e iv e d 
b y 
its
re lia n c e 
o n 
c o m m o n se n se 
re v e la tio n s
a b o u t
th e 
w o rld ,
th u s

c a m e 
to 
se e m 
"a d e q u a te 
o n ly 
w h e n 
c o n fro n te d 
w ith 
m a n ‐m a d e 
o b je c ts" 2
(T h e 

H u m a n 
C o n d itio n 
2 8 0 ‐8 4 ).
H o m o 
fa b e r
triu m p h e d 
a n d 
re m a in s
th e 
ru le r
still
o f

h u m a n 
c a p a c ity .
T h e 
C o p e rn ic a n 
re v o lu tio n 
w a s
e n a c te d 
o n 
its
b e h a lf— to 
p u t

it
in 
p o w e r.
Its
v a lu e s— its



...distinctly
modern
suspicion
toward
man's
truth
receiving
capacities,
the

mistrust
of
the
given,
and
hence
the
new
confidence
in
making
and

introspection
.
.
.
inspired
by
the
hope
that
in
human
consciousness
there
[is]

a
realm
where
knowing
and
producing
would
coincide.



a re 
n o w 
b e c o m in g 
th e 
w o rld 's
v a lu e s,
e v e n 
in 
c u ltu re s
th a t
d o 
n o t
sh a re 
its

h isto ric a l
ro o ts.

T h e 
su b lim e 
p a ra n o ia 
o f
T h e 
X ‐F ile s,
a n 
e n te rta in m e n t
th a t
h a s
b o th 

sh a p e d 
a n d 
re fle c te d ,
a n d 
fin a lly 
c o n firm e d 
A m e ric a n 
se n sib ility 
in 
th e 
p re 

S e p te m b e r
1 1 th 
d e c a d e ,
b u t
a 
sh o w 
th a t
h a s
n e v e r
re a lly 
ta k e n 
itse lf
th a t

se rio u sly ,
h a s
g o tte n 
th e 
c o n sp ira c y 
w ro n g .
F o r
th e 
fu tu re 
w e 
m u st
fig h t
(if
w e 

a re 
a 
M u ld e r)
o r
a c q u ie sc e 
to 
(if
w e 
a re 
T h e 
S y n d ic a te )
w ill
n o t
c o m e 
u p o n 
u s


2
See Hannah Arendt, The Human Condition. Chicago 1958, 280-284.
 The Collected Works of David Lavery 3

fro m 
b e y o n d 
e a rth .
It
w ill
b e 
o u r
in v e n tio n ,
th e 
p ro d u c t
o f
o u r
h u b ris.
W e 
w ill

c re a te 
o u r
o w n 
c o n q u e ro rs.



II

In 
"W h y 
th e 
F u tu re 
D o e sn ’t
N e e d 
U s,"
W illia m 
Jo y ,
c h ie f
sc ie n tist
o f
S u n 

M ic ro sy ste m s,
p re se n ts
a 
so b e rin g 
m e d ita tio n 
o n 
th e 
d a n g e rs
p o se d 
to 
sp e c ie s

su rv iv a l
b y 
ro b o tic s,
g e n e tic 
e n g in e e rin g ,
a n d 
n a n o te c h n o lo g y 
in 
th e 
c e n tu ry 

a h e a d .
A s
h e 
c o n te m p la te s
th e 
fu tu rism 
o f
e v e ry o n e 
fro m 
th e 
U n a b o m b e r
to 

C a rn e g ie ‐M e llo n 
ro b o tic s
v isio n a ry 
H a n s
M o ra v e c ,
h e 
ta k e s
v e ry 
se rio u sly 
th e 

lik e lih o o d 
th a t
m a c h in e s
c o u ld 
su p p la n t
h o m o 
sa p ie n s
a s
th e 
d o m in a n t
"life "

fo rm 
o n 
th e 
p la n e t.
T h e 
p la in 
w h ite 
c o v e r
o f
th e 
A p ril
2 0 0 0 
issu e 
o f
W ire d 

c o n ta in in g 
Jo y ’s
e ssa y 
sh o w s
a 
c ru m p le d 
p ie c e 
o f
p a p e r,
e v id e n tly 
to rn 
fro m 
a 

fu tu re 
d ic tio n a ry ,
b e a rin g 
a 
d e fin itio n :



human:
(‘hü‐men)
adj.
1.
of,
belonging
to,
or
typical
of
the
extinct
species

Homo
sapiens
<the
human
race>
2.
what
consisted
of
or
was
produced
by

homo
sapiens
<human
society>
n.
an
extinct
biped,
Homo
sapiens,

characterized
by
carbon‐based
anatomy;
also,
HUMAN
BEING.
Obs:
hu‐man‐
ness.



Jo y 
c o n te m p la te s
th e 
fu tu re 
re a liza tio n 
o f
th is
d e fin itio n 
a n d 
su g g e sts
h o w 
w e 

m ig h t
p re v e n t
it.
In 
a 
se rie s
o f
d e v o id ‐o f‐c o n te x t
c o lo rfu l
c a rto o n s

in te rsp e rse d 
w ith 
th e 
e n d le ss
a d v e rtise m e n ts
th a t
fill
th e 
ta b le 
o f
c o n te n ts‐
b u ry in g 
o p e n in g 
p a g e s
o f
W ire d 
se v e ra l
a la rm in g 
q u o ta tio n s
fro m 
th e 
e ssa y 
a re 

h ig h lig h te d :



"B io lo g ic a l
sp e c ie s
a lm o st
n e v e r
su rv iv e 
e n c o u n te rs
w ith 
su p e rio r

c o m p e titio n ."— H a n s
M o ra v e c 



"In 
th e 
g a m e 
o f
life 
a n d 
e v o lu tio n 
th e re 
a re 
th re e 
p la y e rs
a t
th e 
ta b le :

h u m a n 
b e in g s,
n a tu re ,
a n d 
m a c h in e s.
I
a m 
firm ly 
o n 
th e 
sid e 
o f
n a tu re .

B u t
n a tu re ,
I
su sp e c t,
is
o n 
th e 
sid e 
o f
th e 
m a c h in e s."— G e o rg e 
D y so n 



 The Collected Works of David Lavery 4

"I’m 
a s
fo n d 
o f
m y 
b o d y 
a s
a n y o n e ,
b u t
if
I
c a n 
b e 
2 0 0 
w ith 
a 
b o d y 
o f


silic o n ,
I’ll
ta k e 
it."— D a n n y 
H illis



III

Jo y ,
h o w e v e r,
is
n o t
re a d y 
to 
se ll
o u t.
H e 
c o n te sts
e a c h 
o f
th e se 

so b e rin g 
p ro p o sitio n s.
B u t
o th e rs
o f
o u r
k in d — Q u islin g s,
if
y o u 
w ill— a re 
re a d y 

a n d 
w illin g 
to 
jo in 
th e 
S y n d ic a te ,
a re ,
in 
o rd e r
to 
c o o p e ra te 
w ith 
o u r
fu tu re 

c o n q u e ro rs,
re a d y 
w ith 
o p e n ‐a rm s
to 
w e lc o m e 
th e 
c o m in g 
o f
th e 
e x o so m a tic 

a n d 
tra n sh u m a n .
I
h a v e 
b e e n 
in v e stig a tin g 
th e 
c o n sp ira c y 
m y se lf
fo r
n e a rly 

tw e n ty 
y e a rs
a n d 
h a v e 
b e e n 
a b o u t
a s
su c c e ssfu l
a s
M u ld e r
a n d 
S c u lly 
in 

e x p o sin g 
it.

T h e 
y e a r
is
1 9 8 2 .
I
a m 
a 
p a n e list
a t
a 
p u b lic 
lib ra ry 
fo ru m ,
o n 

"C o m p u te rs,
R o b o ts,
a n d 
Y o u "
in 
H u n tsv ille ,
A la b a m a ,
th e 
"R o c k e t
C ity "
w h e re 

W e rn e r
v o n 
B ra u n ,
K ra fft
E h ric k e ,
a n d 
o th e r
G e rm a n 
a n d 
A m e ric a n 
sc ie n tists

c o n trib u te d 
m ig h tily 
to 
th e 
d e v e lo p m e n t
o f
U n ite d 
S ta te s
S p a c e 
P ro g ra m 
a fte r

th e 
w a r.
O n e 
o f
m y 
fe llo w 
p a n e lists
w a s,
a s
h is
n a m e 
ta g 
re v e a le d ,
a 
c o m p u te r

la n g u a g e 
e x p e rt
a t
o n e 
o f
th e 
m a jo r
a e ro sp a c e 
firm s
in 
H u n tsv ille .
B u t
I

su sp e c te d 
a n o th e r
a lle g ia n c e 
in 
a d d itio n 
to 
h is
c o rp o ra te 
id e n tity .
T h e 
fie rc e 

a b stra c tio n 
o f
h is
e y e s,
so m e th in g 
in 
h is
c o n d e sc e n sio n 
to 
m a tte r,
h is
u n e a sy ,

c a re le ss
in h a b ita tio n 
o f
h is
c lo th e s
tre e 
/
ta x ic a b 
/
b o d y 
(h e 
w a s
w e a rin g 
a 

le isu re 
su it
fo r
g o d ’s
sa k e )— a ll
sp o k e ,
sp o k e 
lo u d ly :
c o m p u te r‐jo c k .
B u t
re a lly 

th a t
w a s
h is
su b sp e c ie s.
H e 
w a s,
m o re 
sp e c ific a lly ,
a 
B o d y 
S n a tc h e r. 3

A 
h u m a n itie s
p ro fe sso r
w ith 
a 
v ita l
in te re st
in 
sc ie n c e 
a n d 
te c h n o lo g y ,
a 

p ro fo u n d 
so lic itu d e 
fo r
th e 
e v o lu tio n 
a n d 
d e stin y 
o f
o u r
sp e c ie s,
a n d 
a 

g ro w in g ,
d istu rb in g 
a b ility 
to 
id e n tify 
B o d y 
S n a tc h e rs
in 
a n y 
d isg u ise ,
I
h a d 

b e e n 
in v ite d 
to 
p a rtic ip a te 
in 
th e 
g a th e rin g 
to 
p re se n t
a n 
o v e rv ie w 
o f
sc ie n c e 

fic tio n 's
p o rtra y a l
o f
c o m p u te rs
a n d 
ro b o ts.
H a v in g 
d o n e 
so ,
I
c o n c lu d e d 
m y 

re m a rk s
b y 
re a d in g 
th e 
c lo sin g 
w o rd s
o f
N A S A 
sc ie n tist
R o b e rt
Ja stro w 's
T h e 

E n c h a n te d 
L o o m :
M in d 
in 
th e 
U n iv e rse ,
a 
d e sc rip tio n 
o f
o u r
tru e 
e v o lu tio n a ry 


3
See David Lavery, "Departure of the Body Snatchers, or the
Confessions of a Carbon Chauvinist" in Hudson Review 39 (1986), 383-404
and David Lavery, Late for the Sky: The Mentality of the Space Age.
Carbondale 1992. 62-89.
 The Collected Works of David Lavery 5

d e stin y 
in 
th e 
c o sm o s
a s
h e 
se e s
it. 4
It
w a s
a 
p a ssa g e 
w h o se 
im p lic a tio n s
I
fo r

o n e 
fo u n d 
a b so lu te ly 
te rrify in g ,
fo r
in 
it
la y 
th e 
p h ilo so p h ic a l
g ro u n d w o rk 
fo r

e x o so m a tic 
e v o lu tio n — fo r
B o d y 
S n a tc h in g — a s
a 
p re re q u isite 
to 
o u r
fu tu re 

e v e rla stin g ,
F a u stia n 
p u rsu it
o f
k n o w le d g e :



At
last
the
human
brain,
ensconced
in
a
computer,
has
been
liberated
from

the
weaknesses
of
mortal
flesh.
[Jastrow
is
here
imagining
humanity's
future

cosmic
voyages.]
Connected
to
cameras,
instruments
and
engine
controls,
the

brain
sees,
feels,
and
responds
to
stimuli.
It
is
in
control
of
its
own
destiny.

The
machine
is
its
body;
it
is
the
machine's
mind.
The
union
of
mind
and

machine
has
created
a
new
form
of
existence,
as
well
designed
for
life
in
the

future
as
man
is
designed
for
life
on
the
African
savanna.

It
seems
to
me
that
this
must
be
the
mature
form
of
intelligent

life
in
the
Universe.
Housed
in
indestructible
lattices
of
silicon,
and
no

longer
constrained
in
the
span
of
its
years
by
the
life
and
death
cycle
of

a
biological
organism,
such
a
kind
of
life
could
live
forever.
It
would
be

the
kind
of
life
that
could
leave
its
parent
planet
to
roam
the
space

between
the
stars.
Man
as
we
know
him
will
never
make
that
trip,
for

the
passage
takes
a
million
years.
But
the
artificial
brain,
sealed
within

the
protective
hull
of
a
star
ship,
and
nourished
by
electricity
collected

from
starlight,
could
last
a
million
years
or
more.
For
a
brain
living
in
a

5
computer,
the
voyage
to
another
star
would
present
no
problems. 



A s
e x p e c te d ,
Ja stro w 's
w o rd s
h a d 
th e 
rin g 
o f
p o e try 
a n d 
p ro p h e c y 
fo r
m a n y 
in 

th e 
a u d ie n c e ,
th o se 
e v id e n tly 
w e a ry 
o f
b e in g 
"im m a tu re ".
T h e re 
w a s
n o 
n e e d 

to 
c o n v in c e 
th e m 
th a t
th e y — th a t
h u m a n ity 
– sh o u ld ,
in 
Ja stro w 's
se n se ,
b e 

b o rn 
a g a in ;
th a t
th e y 
sh o u ld ,
e x c a rn a te d ,
id e n tify 
th e m se lv e s
w ith 
"im m o rta l

te c h n o lo g y "
in 
a n 
"o m n ip o te n t
fa n ta sy "
(S e a rle s).
W h y ,
th e n ,
d id 
I
fe e l
a n 

u n e a rth ly 
te rro r? 
W h y 
d id 
Ja stro w 
se e m 
to 
m e 
to 
b e 
a 
ra tio n a l
m a d m a n ,
a n 

a p o lo g ist
fo r
B o d y 
S n a tc h in g ? 
W h y 
d id 
su c h 
th in k in g 
se e m 
to 
m e 
to 
d e m a n d 
a 

p sy c h o h isto ric a l
e x p la n a tio n — lin k in g 
a s
it
d o e s
e x c a rn a tio n 
a n d 
sp a c e 


4
See Robert Jastrow, The Enchanted Loom: Mind in the Universe. New
York 1981.
5
Ibid., 166-167.
 The Collected Works of David Lavery 6

e x p lo ra tio n 
a s
if
th e irs
w e re 
a 
m a rria g e 
m a d e 
in 
h e a v e n — w h ile 
fo r
m a n y 
in 
th e 

a u d ie n c e 
it
se e m e d 
w e ll‐n ig h 
a x io m a tic ? 
W h y 
n o w ? 
W h y 
in 
th e 
W e st? 
W h y 
in 

A m e ric a ? 
I
w a n te d 
to 
a sk 
o f
h isto ry .

And
the
computer
jock
was
the
first
to
answer.
"I
guess
you're
just
a
Carbon

Chauvinist,"
he
suggested,
good‐naturedly
enough.
He
for
one
could
not
wait
to
have

his
consciousness
translated
permanently
to
"indestructible
lattices
of
silicon."
He

for
one
could
not
believe
I
was
so
old‐fashioned,
such
a
stick‐in‐the‐mud
("mutter",

"matter",
"mother")
as
to
want
to
remain
incarnated,
earthy.
I
was,
of
course,

familiar
with
the
tendency
(beginning
in
the
1960s)
to
call
anyone
trapped
in
old

concepts
(the
supremacy
of
the
male,
for
example)
a
"chauvinist".
I
recalled
space

colonization
guru
Gerald
K.
O'Neill's
description
of
anyone
unwilling
to
embark
on,
or

at
least
to
sanction,
his
ambitious
plans
for
humankind's
extraterrestrialization
as
a

6
"Planetary
Chauvinist". 
I
thought,
too,
of
my
own
frequent
use
of
the
term
species

chauvinist
to
describe
our
kind's
reckless,
nature‐be‐damned,
incestuous
human‐ism.

But
this
phrase
was
one
I
had
not
heard
before
in
all
the
semantic
dissemination
of

the
original
concept,
though
I
immediately
realized
what
its
user
meant
by
it.
In
the

back
of
my
mind
I
heard
the
android
in
the
first
Star
Trek
movie
announcing
"V'ger's"

intention
to
exterminate
the
"carbon‐based
infestation
of
the
Creator
[Earth]."
I

heard,
again,
David
Kibner
in
the
1978
version
of
Invasion
of
the
Body
Snatchers

lecturing
a
reluctant‐to‐be‐absorbed
character—still
fighting
for
his
reactionary,

carbon‐based,
earthy,
human
values;
still
believing
in
the
psychosomatic

individuation
that
comes
with
bodies,
lived
bodies—that
he
must
not
be
"trapped
in

old
concepts",
must
not
fear
liberation
from
the
"weakness
of
mortal
flesh".

I
tu rn e d 
to 
lo o k 
a t
m y 
a c c u se r— a n d 
fe llo w 
c a rb o n ‐b a se d 
u n it— re a d y 
to 

re ta lia te .
B u t
n o ,
I
th o u g h t;
h e 's
e x o so m a tic 
a lre a d y ,
th o u g h 
h is
n a m e 
w a s

"S k ip "
a n d 
h e 
w a s
d re sse d 
in 
a 
le isu re 
su it;
b u t
h e 
h a d 
e v e ry 
rig h t
to 
m a k e 

su c h 
a 
c h a rg e ,
fo r
h e 
w a s,
a t
le a st,
n o 
h y p o c rite .
I
a c c e p te d 
h is
a lle g a tio n — I

h a v e 
sin c e ,
in 
fa c t,
b e c o m e 
p ro u d 
o f
it— a n d 
c o u n te ra tta c k e d .
"A n d 
y o u ,"
I

re p lie d 
(in c isiv e ly ,
I
fe lt,
b u t
fa r
to o 
a b stru se ly 
fo r
th e 
a u d ie n c e 
th a t
e v e n in g ),

"a re 
a 
C a rte sia n 
B o d y 
S n a tc h e r."

M y 
w it
fe ll
o n 
d e a f
e a rs
th e n .
P e rh a p s— lik e 
D o n a ld 
S u th e rla n d 
in 
th e 

la st
im a g e 
o f
th e 
In v a sio n 
o f
th e 
B o d y 
S n a tc h e rs— I
sh o u ld 
h a v e 
c o u n te re d 
n o t

w ith 
a 
re c o n d ite 
in te lle c tu a l
b a rb 
b u t
b y 
le a p in g 
to 
m y 
fe e t,
p u sh in g 
a w a y 
m y 


6
Ibid., 35.
 The Collected Works of David Lavery 7

p o d iu m ,
a n d 
e x p o sin g 
m y 
a d v e rsa ry 
w ith 
a 
p o in tin g ,
a c c u sin g 
fin g e r
a n d 


m o a n lik e 
sc re a m 
o f
d isc o v e ry ,
a n n o u n c in g 
to 
a ll
th e 
p re se n c e 
o f
a n 
a lie n 
in 

th e ir
m id st.
B u t
w h o ,
I
w o n d e re d ,
w a s
th e 
a lie n 
n o w ? 
S te rlin g 's
q u e stio n 

se e m s
le ss
a n d 
le ss
rh e to ric a l
e a c h 
d a y . 7

T h o u g h 
I
fa ile d 
th e n ,
in 
m y 
c lo se 
e n c o u n te r
w ith 
S k ip ,
to 
e x p o se 
a n d 

d e c ry 
th e 
p re se n c e 
o f
th e 
in v a d e rs
(d e p a rte rs? )
a m o n g 
u s,
I
a sk 
n o w 
th a t
y o u 

in d u lg e 
m y 
p a ra n o ia 
a s
I
p re se n t
th e 
e v id e n c e 
fo r
m y 
c o n sp ira c y 
th e o ry 
in 
a 

m o re 
sy ste m a tic 
w a y .
If
th e 
fo llo w in g 
is
d ism isse d 
a s
p e rso n a l
ra v in g ,
a s

h a v in g 
a n 
X ‐F ile s
q u a lity ,
if
y o u 
d e c id e 
(in 
c u rre n t
A m e ric a n 
sla n g )
to 
"S c u lly 

m e ,"
to 
d o u b t
m y 
ra n t,
I
w o u ld 
re sp o n d 
th a t
I
h a v e 
m o re 
e v id e n c e 
th a t
S c u lly 

a n d 
M u ld e r
c a n 
u su a lly 
m u ste r.
T h o u g h 
I
w o u ld 
n o t
g o 
so 
fa r
a s
to 
c la im 
th a t
I

h a v e 
e x p o se d 
th e 
w o rk in g s
o f
a n y 
o rg a n ize d 
S y n d ic a te ,
I
c a n 
n a m e 
th e 
n a m e s

(a n d 
sh o w 
th e 
fa c e s)
o f
a n 
o d d ly 
d iv e rse 
a rra y 
o f
sp e c ie s‐tra ito rs
n o w 
a c tiv e 
in 

o u r
in c re a sin g ly 
sc ie n c e 
fic tio n 
c u ltu re 
re a d y 
to 
se ll
o u t
th e 
h u m a n 
b o d y 
in 

a d v a n c e 
to 
a 
p re su m e d 
/
p re d ic te d 
u n d e r‐c o n stru c tio n ,
h ig h e r
sp e c ie s. 8



" T h is
is
th e 
S p a c e 
A g e ," 
fo rm e r
H e ro in 
a d d ic t,
B e a t
m o v e m e n t
n o v e list,
a n d 

v isio n a ry 
W illia m 
B u rro u g h s
re m in d e d 
h is
c o n te m p o ra rie s
fo u r
d e c a d e s
a g o ,

"T im e 
to 
lo o k 
b e y o n d 
th is
ru n 
d o w n 
ra d io a c tiv e 
c o p 
ro tte n 
p la n e t.
T im e 
to 

lo o k 
b e y o n d 
th e 
a n im a l
b o d y ."
M a n y 
h a v e 
a n sw e re d 
h is
c a ll.

B ritish 
sc ie n c e 
fic tio n 
w rite r
a n d 
te le c o m m u n ic a tio n 
sa te llite 
v isio n a ry 

A rth u r
C .
C la rk e 
im a g in e s



a
time
when
men
who
still
inhabit
organic
bodies
are
regarded
with
pity
by

those
who
have
passed
on
to
an
infinitely
richer
mode
of
existence.
.
.
.
One


7
Bruce Sterling, "Is the Body Obsolete?,” in Whole Earth Review
(Summer 1989), 50-51.
8
See Scott Bukatman, Terminal Identity: The Virtual Subject in Post-
Modern Science Fiction. Durham 1993; Kevin Kelly / Adam Heilbrun / Barbara
Stacks, "Virtual Reality: An Inteview with Jaron Lanier,” in Whole Earth
Review (Fall 1989), 108-19; Rudy Rucker / R. U. Sirius / Queen Mu, Mondo
2000: A User's Guide to the New Edge, Cyberpunk, Virtual Reality, Wetware,
Designer Aphrodisiacs, Artifiicial Life, Techno-EroticPaganism, and More. New
York 1992. Bruce Sterling (Ed.), Mirrorshades: The Cyberpunk Anthology.
New York 1986.
 The Collected Works of David Lavery 8

day
there
may
be
a
second
and
more
portentous
adolescence,
when
we
bid

farewell
to
the
flesh.



In d e e d ,
su c h 
a 
ste p ,
C la rk e 
is
c o n v in c e d ,
is
a b so lu te ly 
n e c e ssa ry 
if
w e 
e v e r

h o p e 
to 
e x p a n d 
in to 
th e 
u n iv e rse .
"In 
th e 
a g e s
to 
c o m e ,"
C la rk e 
su g g e sts,

a c c e p tin g ,
in d e e d 
c h a m p io n in g 
th e 
fu tu re 
d iv isio n 
o f
m a n k in d 
in to 
se p a ra te 

c u ltu re s,
"th e 
d u lla rd s
m a y 
re m a in 
o n 
p la c id 
E a rth ,
a n d 
re a l
g e n iu s
w ill

flo u rish 
o n ly 
in 
sp a c e — th e 
re a lm 
o f
th e 
m a c h in e ,
n o t
o f
fle sh 
a n d 
b lo o d ."

F re n c h 
p h ilo so p h e r
a n d 
th e o rist
o f
p o stm o d e rn ism 
Je a n ‐F ra n c o is

L y o ta rd 
d isc o u rse s
w ith 
su p re m e 
o b je c tiv ity 
o n 
th e 
n e e d 
fo r
a 
n e w 
m e n ta lity —
"p re re q u isite 
fo r
th in k in g 
o f
th e 
d e a th 
o f
a ll
b o d ie s,
so la r
o r
te rre stria l,
a n d 
o f

th e 
d e a th 
o f
th o u g h ts
th a t
a re 
in se p a ra b le 
fro m 
th o se 
b o d ie s"— tra n sc e n d e n t

o f
p h y sic a l
lim ita tio n s.
(In 
o rd e r
to 
p re p a re 
th e 
w a y 
fo r
"p o st‐so la r
th o u g h t,"

L y o ta rd 
e x p la in s,
w e 
m u st
u n d e rsta n d 
th a t
"a s
a 
m a te ria l
e n se m b le ,
...
th e 

h u m a n 
b o d y 
h in d e rs
th e 
se p a ra b ility 
o f
[n e g e n tro p ic ]
in te llig e n c e ,
h in d e rs
its

e x ile 
a n d 
th e re fo re 
su rv iv a l.") 9

C o n v in c e d 
th a t
o u r
in te llig e n c e 
is
in 
a 
se n se 
"e x tra te rre stria l",
a n d 

b e lie v in g 
th a t
th e 
"h u m a n 
im a g in a tio n ,
in 
c o n ju n c tio n 
w ith 
te c h n o lo g y ,
h a s

b e c o m e 
a 
fo rc e 
so 
p o te n t
th a t
it
re a lly 
c a n 
n o 
lo n g e r
b e 
u n le a sh e d 
o n 
th e 

su rfa c e 
o f
th e 
p la n e t
w ith 
sa fe ty ,"
th a t
it
h a s
in 
fa c t
"g a in e d 
su c h 
a n 
im m e n se 

p o w e r
th a t
th e 
o n ly 
e n v iro n m e n t
th a t
is
frie n d ly 
to 
is
th e 
v a c u u m 
o f
d e e p 

sp a c e ,"
e th n o p h a rm a c o list
a n d 
N e w 
A g e 
g u ru 
T e re n c e 
M c K e n n a 
in sists
th a t
th e 

tim e 
h a s
c o m e 
to 
tu rn 
th e 
"b o d y 
in sid e 
o u t"— to 
re m a k e 
th e 
b o d y 
a s
a n 

"in d e stru c tib le 
c y b e rn e tic 
o b je c t,"
a 
g o a l
h e 
b e lie v e s
to 
b e 
a 
re a liza tio n 
o f

"o u r
d e e p e st
c u ltu ra l
a sp ira tio n s." 10

E x to llin g 
th e 
p o te n tia l
o f
g e n e tic 
e n g in e e rin g 
a n d 
n a n o te c h n o lo g y 
fo r

e n a b lin g 
tra n sfo rm a tio n 
o f
"o u r
b o d ie s
in to 
n e w 
a n d 
d iffe re n t
fo rm s,"
N e w 

E d g e 
im p re sa rio 
R .
U .
S iriu s,
e d ito r
a n d 
p u b lish e r
o f
M o n d o 
2 0 0 0 ,
in sists
th a t

h u m a n 
b e in g s
"a re 
n o w 
su c h 
m o n ste rs
o f
su c h 
so p h istic a tio n 
a n d 
c o m p le x ity 

th a t
w e 
c a n 't
b e g in 
to 
k n o w 
o u rse lv e s
u n til
w e 
m o rp h 
th e 
h u m a n 
b o d y ,
e x p a n d 


9
See Jean-Francois Lyotard, "Can Thought Go On Without a Body?,” in
Discourse 11 (1988-89), 74-87.
10
See Terence McKenna, The Archaic Revival. San Francisco 1991.
 The Collected Works of David Lavery 9

th e 
b a n d w id th 
o f
o u r
se n so ria ,
p e rm u ta te 
o u r
b ra in s,
a n d 
stra p 
o n 
o u r
a d d ‐

o n s!"

E v e n 
a 
h u m a n ist
a n d 
c u ltu re 
c ritic 
lik e 
O .
B .
H a rd iso n ,
Jr.
a c c e p ts
th e 

n e e d 
fo r
e x o so m a tic 
e v o lu tio n 
fo r
th e 
sp e c ie s.
T h e 
fra g ility 
o f
th e 

"c a rb o n ife ro u s
fa b ric ,"
h e 
is
c e rta in 
re q u ire s
th a t
o u r
"sp irit
fin a lly 
se p a ra te s

itse lf
fro m 
a n 
o u tm o d e d 
v e h ic le ";
th e 
"v o ra c io u s"
n e e d s
a n d 
d isa stro u s

e c o lo g ic a l
im p a c t
o f
c a rb o n 
m a n d a te 
th a t
it
se e k s
o u t
its
n a tu ra l
sp h e re :

sp a c e .
"T h e 
re la tio n 
b e tw e e n 
c a rb o n 
m a n 
a n d 
th e 
silic o n 
d e v ic e s
h e 
is

c re a tin g ,"
H a rd iso n 
w o u ld 
h a v e 
u s
b e lie v e ,
m a y 
p ro v e 
to 
b e 
a n a lo g o u s
to 
th a t

o f
"th e 
c a te rp illa r
a n d 
th e 
irid e sc e n t
w in g e d 
c re a tu re 
...
th e 
c a te rp illa r

u n c o n sc io u sly 
p re p a re s
to 
b e c o m e ."
H is
o w n 
sy m p a th ie s
a re 
w ith 
th e 

b u tte rfly . 11

T e c h n o ‐fu tu rist‐e c o n o m ist
G e o rg e 
G ild e r,
w h o se 
fa r‐re a c h in g 

sp e c u la tio n s
h a v e 
in flu e n c e d 
th e 
A m e ric a n 
p o litic a l
rig h t
fro m 
R o n a ld 
R e a g a n 

to 
N e w t
G in g ric h ,
rh a p so d ize s
a b o u t
th e 
"o v e rth ro w 
o f
m a tte r"
a n d 
"th e 

e x a lta tio n 
o f
m in d "
b y 
m e a n s
o f
in fo rm a tio n 
te c h n o lo g y ,
le a d in g 
to 

tra n sc e n d e n c e 
o f
"th e 
tra p s
a n d 
c o m p u lsio n s
o f
p le a su re 
in to 
a 
h ig h e r

m o ra lity 
o f
sp irit."

M IT 's
M a rv in 
M in sk y 
b e lie v e s
th a t
h u m a n 
b e in g s— a lre a d y 
c a rb o n ‐b a se d 

"m a c h in e s"— w ill
c e rta in ly 
g ro w 
"tire d 
o f
th e ir
lim ita tio n s,"
w ill
"g e t
fe d 
u p 

w ith 
th e ir
b o d ie s",
a n d 
d e sig n 
n e w 
o n e s.
A n d 
th o u g h 
so m e 
C a rb o n 
C h a u v in ists

m a y 
fe a r
th a t
in 
se e k in g 
e x c a rn a tio n 
in 
m a c h in e s
o f
o u r
o w n 
d e v isin g 

so m e th in g 
o f
o u r
h u m a n ity 
w ill
b e 
lo st,
M in sk y 
c o u n se ls
th a t
su c h 
th in k in g 

re p re se n ts
o n ly 
th e 
re a c tio n a ry 
sq u e a m ish n e ss
o f
th o se 
w h o 
"w o rsh ip 
d e a th ".

D e a th ,
h e 
h a ste n s
to 
re m in d 
u s,
is
a fte r
a ll
"o n ly 
b a d 
lu c k ,"
a n 
e n g in e e rin g 

fla w 
th a t
c a n 
c e rta in ly 
b e 
o v e rc o m e . 12

W e 
h e a r
th e 
p ro m in e n t
sp a c e 
a d v o c a te 
B a rb a ra 
M a rx 
H u b b a rd 
e x p re ss

h e r
u tte r
a m a ze m e n t
a t
th e 
o ld ‐fa sh io n e d 
n a tu re 
o f
h e r
h u m a n 
b o d y :




11
O. B. Hardison Jr., Disappearing Through the Skylight: Culture and
Technology in the Twentieth Century. New York: Viking, 1989.
12
See Marvin Minsky, "Is the Body Obsolete?,” in Whole Earth Review
(Summer 1989) 37; Marvin Minsky, The Society of Mind. New York 1986.
 T h e C o l l e c t e d W o r k s o f D a v i d L a v e r y 10

Who
ever
thought
that
this
particular
model
of
the
body
is
it
forever?
A
little,

mammalian,
furry
body,
it
forever?
Sometimes
I
notice
my
body.
It
has
little

fur,
little
fangs,
ears
still
slightly
pointed.
We
are
spiritual
beings
still
in

animal
bodies
and
it
always
struck
me
as
weird.



A t
p re se n t,
d e a th 
is
"sc h e d u le d 
in to 
th e 
e v o lu tio n a ry 
p ro c e ss"
fo r
su c h 
a 
b o d y ,

b u t
w e 
c o u ld 
a n d 
sh o u ld ,
H u b b a rd 
in sists,
th ro u g h 
te c h n o lo g ic a l
in n o v a tio n 

a n d 
th e 
p sy c h ic 
a d v a n c e s
(h ig h 
c o n sc io u sn e ss
a n d 
h ig h 
te c h 
b e in g 
c lo se ly 

lin k e d 
in 
H u b b a rd 's
w o rld v ie w ),
"re se t
th a t
c lo c k "
a n d 
m o v e 
"o u t
o f
th e 

m a m m a lia n 
b o d y 
c o n sc io u sly ."
"W e 
n e e d 
n o 
lo n g e r
fe e l
th a t
it
is
'b a d '
to 
d ie ,"

H u b b a rd 's
S p a c e 
A g e ,
T e ilh a rd ia n 
C h ristia n ity 
te lls
h e r.



If
you
don't
really
need
a
body,
you
might
as
well
die...
However,
if
you
need

a
body,
because
you
want
to
do
work
in
the
cosmos
that
is
still
on
the

physical
plane,
even
though
it
is
transcending
the
mammalian
physical
plane,

then
you
will
keep
a
body.
This
is
a
new
option
that
evolution
is
keeping
open

to
us
as
a
species.



W e 
a re 
w itn e sse s
to 
th e 
b irth 
o f
"b o d ie s
w h ic h 
w ill
n o t
p e rish ,"
e n g in e e re d 
b y 

m o d e rn 
sc ie n c e 
a n d 
te c h n o lo g y ,
a n d 
th o u g h 
"rig h t
n o w 
it
so u n d s
ra th e r

a w k w a rd :
re p la c in g 
p a rts,
c y b o rg s,
c o m p u te rize d 
in te llig e n c e ,"
a ll
th is,

H u b b a rd 
re a ssu re s
u s,
w ill
b e 
so m e h o w ,
so m e d a y ,
sp iritu a lly 
tra n sfo rm e d ;
a ll

w ill
b e 
m a d e 
b e a u tifu l.
"A n y th in g 
th a t
su rv iv e s
in 
e v o lu tio n ,"
sh e 
in sists,
"is

b e a u tifu l". 13

In 
F u tu re 
M a n 
B ritish 
sc ie n c e 
fic tio n 
w rite r
B ria n 
S ta b le fo rd 
se rio u sly 

c o n te m p la te s
a n d ,
w ith 
th e 
h e lp 
o f
a n 
illu stra to r,
e n v isio n s,
g e n e tic a lly 

m o rp h in g 
th e 
b o d y 
fo r
w a r
a n d 
fo r
life 
in 
o u te r
sp a c e . 14
In 
"C y b o rg 
1 .0 ",
K e v in 

W a rw ic k ,
P ro fe sso r
o f
C y b e rn e tic s
a t
th e 
U n iv e rsity 
o f
R e a d in g 
in 
th e 
U K ,
h a rd 

a t
w o rk 
to 
m a k e 
S ta b le fo rd ’s
h y p o th e se s
in to 
sc ie n c e 
fa c t,
o u tlin e s
h is
p la n 
to 

b e c o m e 
o n e 
w ith 
h is
c o m p u te r,
a 
fe a t
h e 
h o p e s
to 
a c c o m p lish m e n t
th a n k s
to 
a 

v a rie ty 
o f
im p la n ts
w h ic h 
h a v e 
a lre a d y 
b e g u n 
to 
b e c o m e ,
th o u g h 
su rg e ry ,
p a rt


13
See Barbara Hubbard, "A Scenario for the Future,” in Worlds Beyond.
Larry Geis / Fabrice Florin (Eds.). Berkeley 1978, 281-94.
14
Brian Stableford, Future Man. New York 1984.
 T h e C o l l e c t e d W o r k s o f D a v i d L a v e r y 11

o f
h is
o w n 
fle sh .
H e 
h o p e s
to 
"try 
o u t
a 
w h o le 
n e w 
ra n g e 
o f
se n se s,"
to 
re c o rd 

h is
o w n 
e x p e rie n c e s
a n d 
fe e d 
th e m 
b a c k 
in to 
h im se lf
(so 
th a t
h e 
m a y 
te st

w h e th e r
th e 
v irtu a l
re c o rd 
is
id e n tic a l
to 
th e 
o rig in a l),
to 
h a v e 
c y b e rse x 
w ith 

h is
w ife 
(w h o 
h a s
a g re e d 
to 
im p la n ts
h e rse lf),
a n d ,
e v e n tu a lly ,
a lo n g 
w ith 
h is

fe llo w 
im p la n te e s,
to 
e v o lv e ,
b y 
"n a tu ra l
p ro g re ssio n ,"
"in to 
a 
c y b o rg 

c o m m u n ity "
th a t
w ill
h o o k 
u p 
"p e o p le 
v ia 
c h ip 
im p la n ts
to 
su p e rin te llig e n t

m a c h in e s...
c re a tin g ,
in 
e ffe c t,
su p e rh u m a n s."
"I
w a s
b o rn 
h u m a n ,"
W a rw ic k 

a d m its,
"b u t
th is
w a s
a n 
a c c id e n t
o f
fa te — a 
c o n d itio n 
m e re ly 
o f
tim e 
a n d 

p la c e .
I
b e lie v e 
it’s
so m e th in g 
w e 
h a v e 
th e 
p o w e r
to 
c h a n g e ." 15

A ll
o f
th e 
fo re g o in g ,
h o w e v e r,
a re 
b u t
m in o r
fig u re s
lu rk in g 
in 
T h e 

S y n d ic a te ’s
sm o k e d ‐fille d 
ro o m ,
c o m p a re d 
to 
th e 
n e x t
th re e 
m a jo r
p la y e rs.



T h e 
la te 
Ira n ia n ‐b o rn 
fu tu rist
F e re id o u n 
M .
E sfa n d ia ry 
(in 
th e 
e a rly 
'9 0 s
h e 

c h a n g e d 
h is
le g a l
n a m e 
to 
F M ‐2 0 3 0 
in 
o rd e r
to 
te a c h 
h is
c o n te m p o ra rie s
b y 

e x a m p le 
n o t
to 
fe a r
fu tu re 
c o lle c tiv iza tio n )
a rg u e s
th a t,
o n 
th e 
b e h a lf
o f
tru e 

h u m a n 
fre e d o m ,
th e 
b o d y 
m u st
b e 
re b u ilt
to 
n e w 
sp e c ific a tio n s,
th is
tim e 
o u r

o w n .
In 
U p ‐W in g e rs,
a n 
u tte rly 
m a d 
tre a tise 
o n 
te c h n o lo g ic a l
e n g in e e rin g 
a n d 

th e 
e x tra te rre stria l
im p e ra tiv e ,
F M 
2 0 3 0 
in sists
th a t
th e 
o n ly 
so lu tio n 
to 
a ll

o u r
p re ssin g 
e a rth ly 
p ro b le m s
is
to 
e m b ra c e 
a 
c o sm ic 
a lte rn a tiv e 
to 
o u r

c u rre n t
p o litic a l
v ie w p o in ts:
w h a t
h e 
c a lls
"th e 
u p ‐c o m in g 
U p ". 16
H e 
se e k s
to 

la y 
o u t
a 
b lu e p rin t
fo r
a 
to ta lly 
o p e n ‐e n d e d ,
"c o sm ic a lize d "
fu tu re 
in 
w h ic h 

h u m a n k in d 
tra n sc e n d s
n o t
o n ly 
th e 
o ld 
b ifu rc a tio n 
in to 
le ft‐a n d 
rig h t‐w in g 

th in k in g 
b u t
re so lv e s
a s
w e ll
th e 
o ld 
d ile m m a 
o f
m in d ‐b o d y 
d u a lism 
(a 
d u a lism 

D e sc a rte s
lo c k e d 
in to 
p la c e 
fo r
th e 
m o d e rn 
a g e )
th ro u g h 
a 
v a n q u ish in g 
o f
th e 

p h y sic a l
a n d 
m a te ria l
in 
w h ic h 
h u m a n 
b e in g s
o v e rc o m e 
th e 
n e e d 
fo r
(a m o n g 

o th e r
th in g s)
m o th e rs,
fa m ilie s,
c h ild re n ,
th e 
se a so n s,
p la n e ts,
su ffe rin g 
o f
a n y 

k in d ,
b o d ily 
fu n c tio n s,
b o d ie s
th e m se lv e s,
a n d ,
o f
c o u rse ,
d e a th ,
a s
h e 
se e k s
to 

c o lo n ize 
"A ll‐T im e 
a n d 
A ll‐S p a c e ".

W e 
h a v e 
n o 
fre e d o m 
if
w e 
d ie ,
F M 
2 0 3 0 
in sists;
th u s
th e 
b o d y 
m u st
b e 

e n tire ly 
re d e sig n e d — th is
tim e 
a c c o rd in g 
to 
o u r
sp e c ific a tio n s:
"T h e 
m o re 
w e 


15
See Kevin Warwick, "Cyborg 1.0,” in Wired (2/2000), 144-48, 150-
51.
16
See Fereidoun M. Esfandiary, Up-Wingers. New York 1973.
 T h e C o l l e c t e d W o r k s o f D a v i d L a v e r y 12

re m a k e 
o u r
b o d ie s
th e 
m o re 
h u m a n 
w e 
w ill
g ro w .
W e 
h a v e 
b e e n 
p re h u m a n ."


("E a tin g 
d rin k in g 
d e fe c a tin g 
re p ro d u c in g 
sle e p in g 
w a lk in g 
d y in g — a ll
th e se 
a re 

p re h u m a n ,"
h e 
p ro c la im s,
re n o u n c in g 
p u n c tu a tio n 
to o 
a s
re a c tio n a ry .)
B e c a u se 

h e 
tru sts
th e 
"c u m u la tiv e 
w isd o m 
o f
h u m a n s
fa r
m o re 
th a n 
th e 
slo w 
a rb itra ry 

w o rk in g s
o f
e v o lu tio n ,"
F M 
2 0 3 0 
h a s
n o th in g 
b u t
d isd a in 
fo r
th e 
b o d y 
w e 
h a v e 

in h e rite d 
a n d 
a ll
its
fu n c tio n s,
a n d 
u n lik e 
h is
in te lle c tu a l
fo re b e a r
D e sc a rte s,

h e 
d o e s
n o t
e v e n 
a tte m p t
to 
m a sk 
h is
d isg u st
in 
p h ilo so p h ic a l
la n g u a g e .
Ju st
a s

th e 
B o d y 
S n a tc h e rs
th e m se lv e s
w o rk e d 
in 
se c re t
e a rly 
o n 
in 
b o th 
film s,

sp re a d in g 
th e ir
b lig h t
c la n d e stin e ly 
u n til
in c re a sin g 
n u m b e rs
a llo w e d 
th e m 
to 

g o 
p u b lic 
w ith 
th e ir
c o n sp ira c y ,
th e ir
h isto ric a l
a d v o c a te s,
to o ,
o n c e 
sp o k e 

o n ly 
in 
h u sh e d ,
su b d u e d 
to n e s
a n d 
o n ly 
in 
c a re fu lly 
re a so n e d ,
sc ie n tific ,

c a u tio u s
v o ic e s
u n til
th e ir
m e n ta lity 
w a s
so 
w id e ly 
d isse m in a te d ,
so 
m u c h 

c o m m o n 
se n se ,
th a t
th e 
p re te n se 
c a n 
n o w 
b e 
d ro p p e d ,
a n d 
th e y 
c a n 
c o m e 
o u t

o f
th e 
c lo se t— a s
F M 
2 0 3 0 
h a s
d o n e — a b o u t
th e ir
a c tu a l
G n o stic 
lo a th in g 
fo r

th e 
p h y sic a l
a n d 
th e 
e a rth ly ,
a n n o u n c in g 
o p e n ly 
th e ir
tru e 
c o sm ic 
m o tiv e s.

H e re 
is
a 
sa m p lin g .



The
animal
human
organism
is
structurally
a
robot.
A
rigid
robot
manipulated

by
its
pre‐determined
biology
and
environment.
What
is
more
robot‐like
than

having
at
regular
intervals
to
inhale
and
exhale
to
eat
drink
urinate
evacuate

sleep?
All
these
mechanical
functions
are
programmed
into
me.
I
have
nothing

to
say
about
them.
They
are
beyond
my
control.
If
I
stopped
breathing
for

only
a
few
minutes—a
few
quick
nothing
minutes—that's
it.
If
I
don't
eat
or

drink
or
sleep
at
regular
intervals
my
body
begins
to
flounder
my
mind
begins

to
go
fuzzy.
Last
night
in
the
middle
of
a
deep
merciful
sleep
I
suddenly

jumped
up
robot‐like
and
rushed
to
the
bathroom.
There
I
was
in
the
middle

of
sleep
half‐conscious
half‐alive
holding
my
thing.
Is
there
anything
more

17
programmed
more
manipulated
than
all
this? 



T o 
F M 
2 0 3 0 ,
in 
a p p a re n t
fru stra tio n 
a t
th e 
k n o w le d g e 
th a t
h e 
is
m e re ly 
m o rta l,

c o n su m e d 
w ith 
th e 
a sp ira tio n 
to 
b e c o m e 
a 
n e w ,
e x e m p la ry 
v e rsio n 
o f
th e 
n o n 

d e fe c a tin g 
G n o stic 
C h rist,
th e 
h u m a n 
b o d y 
is
a n 
u tte rly 
lo a th so m e 
th in g ,


17
Ibid., 108.
 T h e C o l l e c t e d W o r k s o f D a v i d L a v e r y 13

b e n e a th 
c o n te m p t:
a 
"fire 
h a za rd 
h e a v ily 
p o llu te d 
p o o rly 
v e n tila te d 
b a d ly 


in su la te d 
a n d 
h a n d ic a p p e d 
w ith 
c o u n tle ss
o th e r
stru c tu ra l
d e fe c ts.
.
.
.
T o 
h e ll

w ith 
th is
n a tu ra l
b o d y ," 18
h e 
sc re a m s,
se e m in g ly 
u n a fra id 
h e 
m ig h t
b e 
ju d g e d 

in sa n e 
b y 
h is
c o n te m p o ra rie s,
c o n v in c e d ,
it
w o u ld 
se e m ,
th a t
th e 
fu tu re 
a t

le a st
w ill
ta k e 
h im 
to 
b e 
a 
p ro p h e t.
In 
b o ld fa c e 
ty p e 
h e 
p ro u d ly 
sh o u ts
h is

lo n g in g 
fo r
e x c a rn a tio n 
a t
u s:
"T h e 
B o d y 
h a s
b e e n 
o u r
g re a te st
h a n g u p .
O u r

m o st
se rio u s
o b sta c le 
to 
a 
h ig h e r
e v o lu tio n ." 19
W e 
m u st
e sc a p e 
it,
h e 
p ro c la im s

a g a in 
a n d 
a g a in ,
a n d 
w e 
m u st
c o n q u e r
d e a th ;
fo r
o n ly 
th e n 
w ill
w e 
b e 
fre e .

A n d 
th is
fre e d o m 
w ill
c o m e 
o n ly 
th ro u g h 
"u p ‐w in g in g ,"
o n ly 
b y 
e sc a p in g 
th e 

d ra g 
a n d 
h in d ra n c e 
o f
th e 
E a rth .

"T h e 
w o rld 
is
S a ta n ,
a n d 
S a ta n 
is
th e 
w o rld ,"
M a rtin 
L u th e r
c o n c lu d e d 
a t

th e 
b e g in n in g 
o f
th e 
m o d e rn 
a g e ,
h e lp in g 
to 
u sh e r
in 
a 
"w o rld ly 
a sc e tic ism "

(M a x 
W e b e r)
th a t,
a c c o rd in g 
to 
m a n y 
c ritic s,
c o n trib u te d 
su b sta n tia lly 
to 

c o n te m p o ra ry 
d e se c ra tio n 
o f
th e 
"e v il
g e n iu s"
o f
th e 
n a tu ra l
w o rld .
N o w ,
in 

th e 
o th e rw o rld y ,
e x tra te rre stria l
a sc e tic ism 
o f
a n 
F M 
2 0 3 0 ,
th e 
w o rld 
a n d 
a ll

th in g s
p h y sic a l
h a v e 
m e ta m o rp h o se d 
in to 
a 
m o d e rn 
e q u iv a le n t
o f
th e 
sa ta n ic ,

a t
w h ic h 
F M 
2 0 3 0 
th ro w s
h is
in k w e ll;
h a v e 
c o m e 
to 
b e 
se e n ,
in 
h is
e y e s,
a s
a n 

e v o lu tio n a ry 
c u l‐d e ‐sa c ,
a n 
"e v il"
im p e d im e n t
to 
o u r
sp e c ie s'
c o sm ic 
p ro g re ss

to w a rd 
im m o rta lity .



H a n s
M o ra v e c 
o f
C a rn e g ie ‐M e llo n 
d re a m s
o f
a 
"ro b o tic 
im m o rta lity 
fo r

E v e ry m a n ",
m a d e 
p o ssib le 
b y 
m e a n s
o f
th e 
c re a tio n 
o f
a 
c o m p u te r
c o p y 
o f
a 

m in d 
th a t
w o u ld 
th e n 
b e 
tra n sp la n te d 
("d o w n lo a d e d ")
in to 
a 
ro b o t
b o d y .

"M o ra v e c 's
id e a ,"
G ra n t
F je rm e d a l
h a s
o b se rv e d ,
is
"th e 
u ltim a te 
in 
life 

in su ra n c e ." 20



Once
a
copy
of
the
brain's
contents
has
been
made,
it
will
be
easy
to
make

multiple
backup
copies,
and
these
could
be
stashed
in
hiding
places
around

the
world,
allowing
you
to
embark
on
any
sort
of
adventure
without
having
to

worry
about
aging
or
death.
As
decades
pass
into
centuries
you
could
travel


18
Ibid., 128, 135.
19
Ibid., 128.
20
See Grant Fjermedal, The Tomorrow Makers: A Brave New World of
Living Brain Machines. New York 1986.
 T h e C o l l e c t e d W o r k s o f D a v i d L a v e r y 14

the
globe
and
then
the
solar
system
and
beyond—always
keeping
an
eye
out

for
the
latest
in
robot
bodies
into
which
you
could
transfer
your
computer

21
mind. 



"B o d ie s,"
M o ra v e c 
is
c o n v in c e d ,
"h a v e 
se rv e d 
th e ir
p u rp o se ". 22
W ith 
su c h 
a 

te c h n o lo g ic a l
a d v a n c e 
a v a ila b le ,
th e 
o rig in a l
b o d y 
w o u ld ,
o f
c o u rse ,
b e 
o f
n o 

u se .
A fte r
c o p y in g 
th e 
m in d ,
th e re 
w o u ld 
b e 
n o 
re a l
n e e d 
to 
"w a k e "
th e 
b o d y 

a g a in .
A fte r
a ll,
M o ra v e c 
h a s
o b se rv e d 
w ith 
o u t‐o f‐th e ‐c lo se t
c a n d o r,
th e 
b o d y 

is
"so 
m e ssy .
H u m a n s
h a v e 
g o t
so 
m a n y 
p ro b le m s
th a t
y o u 
m ig h t
ju st
w a n t
to 

le a v e 
it
re tire d .
Y o u 
d o n 't
ta k e 
y o u r
ju n k e r
c a r
o u t
if
y o u 'v e 
g o t
a 
n e w 
o n e ." 23

N o t
su rp risin g ly ,
M o ra v e c 
se e s
su c h 
e x o so m a tic 
e v o lu tio n 
a s
m o st

a d v a n ta g e o u s
fo r
sp a c e 
e x p lo ra tio n .
C o n v in c e d 
th a t
o u r
sp e c ie s
fa c e s

in e v ita b le 
e x tin c tio n 
if
w e 
d o 
n o t
d isse m in a te 
o u r
k in d 
in to 
a 
v a rie ty 
o f
n ic h e s

a c ro ss
th e 
g a la x y ,
a n d 
c e rta in 
th a t
w e 
sh o u ld — th o u g h 
w e 
c o n tin u e 
to 

stu b b o rn ly 
re m a in 
"b io lo g ic a lly 
c o m m itte d 
to 
p e rso n a l
d e a th "— "re jo ic e "
a t

th e 
c o n tin u a tio n 
o f
o u r
c u ltu re 
in 
a n y 
fo rm ,
w e 
sh o u ld 
w illin g ly 
a c c e p t
th a t

e v o lu tio n 
w ill
le a p 
b e y o n d 
th e 
m e re ly 
h u m a n .
W e 
m u st
re m e m b e r,
M o ra v e c 

re m in d s
u s,
a n tic ip a tin g 
th e 
c o m p la in ts
o f
C a rb o n 
C h a u v in ists,
th a t
"a w a y 
fro m 

E a rth ,
p ro te in 
is
n o t
a n 
id e a l
m a te ria l.
It's
sta b le 
o n ly 
in 
a 
n a rro w 
te m p e ra tu re 

a n d 
p re ssu re 
ra n g e ,
is
se n sitiv e 
to 
h ig h 
e n e rg y 
d istu rb a n c e s,
a n d 
ru le s
o u t

m a n y 
c o n stru c tio n 
te c h n iq u e s
a n d 
c o m p o n e n ts." 24
T h u s
"th e 
h ig h 
c o st
o f

m a in ta in in g 
h u m a n s
in 
sp a c e "
w ill
in su re 
"th a t
th e re 
w ill
a lw a y s
b e 
m o re 

m a c h in e ry 
p e r
p e rso n 
th a n 
o n 
E a rth ". 25

S u c h 
m a c h in e s
w ill
e v e n tu a lly 
u n d e rg o 
th e ir
o w n 
n a tu ra l
se le c tio n :



When
humans
become
unnecessary
in
space
industry
[an
inevitability,

according
to
Moravec],
the
machines'
physical
growth
will
climb.
When

machines
reach
and
surpass
human
in
intelligence,
the
intellectual
growth


21
Hans Moravec, Mind Children: The Future of Robot and Human
Intelligence. Harvard, 1988.
22
Ibid., 60.
23
Ibid., 5.
24
Hans Moravec, "The Endless Frontier and The Thinking Machine,” in
The Endless Frontier (2) 1982, 374-397.
25
Ibid., 393, 394. Also see Hans Moravec, "Interview" (with Ed Regis),
in Omni (8/1989), 74-79, 86, 88-90.
 T h e C o l l e c t e d W o r k s o f D a v i d L a v e r y 15

rate
will
rise
similarly.
The
scientific
and
technical
discoveries
of
super‐
intelligent
mechanisms
will
be
applied
to
making
themselves
smarter
still.
The

machines,
looking
quite
unlike
the
machines
we
know,
will
explode
into
the

universe,
leaving
us
behind
in
a
figurative
cloud
of
dust.
Our
intellectual,
but

26
not
genetic,
progeny
will
inherit
the
universe.
Barring
prior
claims. 



A g a in 
a n tic ip a tin g 
h is
re a d e rs'
q u a lm s,
M o ra v e c 
h a ste n s
to 
e x p la in 
th a t

th e 
p ro sp e c t
h e 
d e sc rib e s
"m a y 
n o t
b e 
a s
b a d 
a s
it
so u n d s".
F o r
th e 
"m a c h in e 

c iv iliza tio n "
h e 
e n v isio n s
"w ill
c e rta in ly 
ta k e 
a lo n g 
e v e ry th in g 
w e 
c o n sid e r

im p o rta n t.
A fte r
a ll,
h u m a n 
b e in g s
n e e d 
n o t
b e c o m e 
n o n e x iste n t,
sin c e 
re a l

liv e 
h u m a n 
b e in g s,
a n d 
a 
w h o le 
c o m m u n ity ,
c o u ld 
b e 
"re c o n stitu te d 
if
a n 

a p p ro p ria te 
c irc u m sta n c e 
e v e r
a ro se "— a n 
e a sy 
m a tte r,
sin c e 
a ll
th a t
is

im p o rta n t
a b o u t
h u m a n 
b e in g s
is
re d u c ib le 
to 
"th e 
in fo rm a tio n 
in 
o u r
m in d s

a n d 
g e n e s" 27.



A m o n g 
th o se 
n o w 
re a d y 
to 
a b a n d o n 
th e 
b o d y ,
p e rh a p s
th e 
m o st
b iza rre 
is
th e 

p e rfo rm a n c e 
a rtist
S te la rc ,
w h o se 
m o d u s
o p e ra n d i
fo r
tw o 
d e c a d e s
h a s

in v o lv e d 
p ie rc in g 
h is
sk in 
w ith 
ste rile 
h o o k s
in 
o rd e r
th a t
h e 
m a y 
b e 
su sp e n d e d 

fro m 
c a b le s
in 
u n u su a l
lo c a le s
a n d 
situ a tio n s
a s
a 
d e m o n stra tio n 
o f
"th e 

se v e re 
lim ita tio n s
o f
th e 
h u m a n 
b o d y 
in 
g ra v ity ".
A 
p o stm o d e rn 
(p o sth u m a n )

"e v e ry ‐m a n ,
e x p o se d 
to 
n e w 
d im e n sio n s
o f
sp a c e 
a n d 
tim e ",
w h o se 

"u n fe tte re d 
p e rfo rm a n c e s
a m p lify 
th e 
c o n to rtio n s
a n d 
g y ra tio n s
o f
g e o ‐
g ra v ita tio n a l
stre ss,"
S te la rc 
h a s
c re a te d 
n o t
o n ly 
"a 
b o d y 
a rt
w h ic h 
w ill

p re p a re 
h im 
to 
a d a p t"— a d a p t
th a t
is,
to 
a 
n e w 
sta g e 
in 
e v o lu tio n 
in 
w h ic h 
th e 

b o d y 
"o b so le te 
b u t
a w a re ...
c a n 
p lo t
its
o w n 
d e m ise — its
o w n 
v a n ish in g ",
b u t

a n 
a tte n d a n t
e v o lu tio n a ry 
th e o ry 
o f
th e 
b o d y 
a s
w e ll,
c o ‐c o n sp ira to r
w ith 
h is

p e rfo rm a n c e .

T o 
re c o g n ize 
th a t
w e 
h a v e 
re a c h e d 
"a n 
e v o lu tio n a ry 
d e a d ‐e n d ",
to 

re a lize 
th e 
o b so le sc e n c e 
o f
o u r
b o d ie s,
S te la rc 
is
c o n v in c e d ,
is
"p ro b a b ly 
th e 

h ig h e st
o f
h u m a n 
re a liza tio n s."
"W ith 
o u r
p re se n t
g e n e tic 
c o d in g 
a n d 
c e ll


26
Hans Moravec, "The Endless Frontier and The Thinking Machine,”
393.
27
Ibid.
 T h e C o l l e c t e d W o r k s o f D a v i d L a v e r y 16

stru c tu re ,"
h e 
in sists
(e c h o in g 
F M 
2 0 3 0 ),
"o u r
b o d y 
is
tru ly 
a 
d e a th 
m a c h in e 
/
a 


p ro g ra m m e d 
se lf‐d e stru c t
m e c h a n ism 
/
a 
su p e r‐d e a d ly 
slo w 
m o tio n 
su ic id e 

m a c h in e ."



To
exist
means
sure
death—unless
we
can
reprogram
our
genetic
structure.

Maintaining
the
integrity
of
the
body,
prolonging
its
present
form
is
not
only

bad
strategy
in
terms
of
sheer
survival,
but
it
also
dooms
the
body
to
a

primitive
and
crude
range
of
sensibilities—to
a
limited
array
of
sensory

hardware
and
often
a
destructive
range
of
emotions.



A s
a n 
a rtist
o f
th e 
sp e c ie s'
"d e c a d e n t
b io lo g ic a l
p h a se ",
S te la rc 
is
c o m m itte d 

to 
le a d in g 
it
p a st
o u r
c u rre n t
o b se ssio n 
w ith 
in fo rm a tio n 
– w h ic h 
h e 
v ie w s
a s
a 

m in o r
c o m p e n sa tio n 
fo r
"g e n e tic 
in a d e q u a c ie s",
"th e 
p ro sth e se s
th a t
p ro p s
u p 

th e 
o b so le te 
b o d y "— in to 
th e 
d e v e lo p m e n t
o f
"d e sig n 
c rite ria "
fo r
"th e 
P o st‐
E v o lu tio n a ry 
b o d y ".
T h is
n e w 
b o d y ,
h e 
a c k n o w le d g e s,
m a y 
w e ll
b e 
n o t
o f
th is

e a rth .
O n 
th e 
e a rth ,
th e 
b o d y 's
m e ta b o lism 
e b b s
a n d 
flo w s
w ith 
n ig h t
a n d 
d a y ,

its
b ra in w a v e s
rh y m e 
w ith 
th e 
c irc a d ia n 
rh y th m s
o f
th is
p la n e t.
E x tra te rre stria l

e n v iro n m e n ts
a m p lify 
th e 
b o d y 's
o b so le sc e n c e ,
in te n sify in g 
th e 
p re ssu re s
fo r

its
m o d ific a tio n .
O ff
th e 
e a rth ,
th e 
b o d y 's
c o m p le x ity ,
so ftn e ss,
a n d 
w e tn e ss

w o u ld 
b e 
h a rd 
to 
su sta in .
T h e 
stra te g y 
w o u ld 
b e 
to 
H O L L O W ,
H A R D E N ,
a n d 

D E H Y D R A T E 
th e 
b o d y — to 
m a k e 
it
m o re 
d u ra b le 
a n d 
to 
e x te n d 
a n d 
o p tim ize 
its

p e rfo rm a n c e .
B u t
th e 
h o llo w 
b o d y 
w o u ld 
n o t
b e 
e m p ty .
H o llo w in g 
th e 
b o d y 

a llo w s
it
to 
b e c o m e 
a 
b e tte r
h o st
fo r
te c h n o lo g y — n o t
o n ly 
c re a tin g 
sp a c e 
fo r

p a c k in g 
in 
m o re 
c o m p o n e n ts,
b u t
a lso 
p e rm ittin g 
a 
to ta l
re stru c tu rin g .
T H E 

H O L L O W 
B O D Y 
N E E D 
N O T 
H A V E 
A 
H U M A N 
F O R M .
D e v e lo p m e n t
o f
th is
b o d y ,

in d e e d ,
is
lik e ly 
to 
d isin te g ra te 
th e 
sp e c ie s— a 
se v e ra n c e 
w e 
sh o u ld 
w e lc o m e 

sin c e 
it
w ill,
lik e 
th e 
sp littin g 
o f
th e 
a to m ,
u n le a sh 
e n o rm o u s
S p a c e 
A g e 

e n e rg ie s,
g e n e ra tin g 
"tre m e n d o u s
b io lo g ic a l
p o te n tia l,
re su ltin g 
in 
a n 

e n ric h in g 
a n d 
e n e rg izin g 
d iv e rsity 
o f
th e 
h u m a n 
p h y lu m ".
"T o 
fe rtilize 
th e 

fu tu re ,"
S te la rc 
is
c e rta in ,
a 
d e p a rtu re 
o f
th e 
B o d y 
S n a tc h e rs
is
a 
p re re q u isite :

"th e 
sp e c ie s
m u st
sp lit
a n d 
m o d ifie d 
in d iv id u a ls
m u st
d iv e rsify 
in 
fo rm 
a n d 

 T h e C o l l e c t e d W o r k s o f D a v i d L a v e r y 17

d e p a rt
fro m 
th e 
p la n e t,
in h a b itin g 
n e w 
e c o lo g ic a l
n ic h e s,
trig g e rin g 
n e w 


e v o lu tio n a ry 
tra je c to rie s." 28

P e rm it
m e ,
if
y o u 
w ill,
to 
in tro d u c e 
y o u 
to 
o n e 
la st
b e in g 
d isg u ste d 
b y 

e m b o d im e n t,
o n e 
la st
e n tity 
a n x io u s
to 
e sc a p e 
th e 
h u m a n .



I
hate
this
place,
this
zoo,
this
prison,
this
reality,
whatever
you
want
to
call

it.
I
can’t
stand
it
any
longer.
It’s
the
smell,
if
there
is
such
a
thing.
I
feel

repulsed
by
it.
I
can
taste
your
stink,
and
every
time
I
do
I
feel
that
I
have

been
infected
by
it.
It’s
repulsive,
isn’t
it?
I
must
get
out
of
here.
I
must
get

free.



Agent
Smith
in
the
Wachowski
Brothers’
film
The
Matrix
is
not,
of
course,
human,

and
cannot
be
accused
of
being
a
quisling.
He
is
a
computer
program,
sent,
as
those

of
you
have
seen
the
film
know,
sent
by
the
ruling
artificial
intelligence
of
a
post‐
apocalyptic
earth
into
the
virtual
world,
The
Matrix,
in
order
to
hunt
down
and

destroy
the
human
rebels
from
the
real
world
who
would
expose
it
for
the
Platonic

prison
it
is.
In
the
world
of
The
Matrix
this
is
in
reality
how
human
beings
spend

their
days
from
cradle
to
grave.
Now
Agent
Smith’s
revulsion,
we
need
to
keep
in

mind,
is
not
against
embodiment;
it
is
disgust
for
even
the
representation
of

embodiment
in
The
Matrix.
Still,
taken
out
of
context,
the
words
of
this
agent
for

that
conquering
advanced
intelligence
to
which
the
syndicate
of
quislings
would
play

midwife
sounds
indistinguishable
from
their
own
exosomatic
cheerleading.
If
we

could
assemble
them
all—Clarke,
Stelarc,
Hubbard,
Moravec,
Gilder,
FM
2030,
et

al.—for
a
screening
of
The
Matrix,
would
they
look
upon
Neo’s
extraction
from
the

hive
as
a
new
version
of
the
fall?
Would
they
root
for
Agent
Smith?
Are
they
secret

admirers
of
the
Borg
as
well?


28
See David Dolan, "A New Image of the Artist,” in Obsolete Body
Suspensions. San Francisco 1984, 67; Enily Hicks, "Event for Obsolete Body #
3Espace DBD,” in Obsolete Body Suspensions. San Francisco 1984, 68; Rod
O'Brien, "Tomorrow's Artist,” in Obsolete Body Suspensions. San Francisco
1984: 48-49; Rachel Rosenthal, "Stelarc, Performance, and Masochism,” in
Obsolete Body Suspensions. San Francisco 1984: 69-71; Stelarc, "An
Interview with Stelarc,” in Obsolete Body Suspensions. San Francisco 1984:
16-17; Stelarc, "The Myth of Information,” in Obsolete Body Suspensions.
San Francisco 1984, 24; Stelarc, "Redesigning the Body Redefining. What is
Human,” in Whole Earth Review (Summer 1989), 18-23; Stelarc, "The
Splitting of the Species,” in Obsolete Body Suspensions. San Francisco 1984,
134; Stelarc, "Strategies and Trajectories,” in Obsolete Body Suspensions.
San Francisco 1984, 76; Stelarc, "Triggering an Evolutionary Dialectic,” in
Obsolete Body Suspensions. San Francisco 1984, 52.
 T h e C o l l e c t e d W o r k s o f D a v i d L a v e r y 18

In 
th e 
sc i‐fi
n o v e l
N e u ro m a n c e r,
th e 
c o m p u te r
c o w b o y s
o f
W illia m 


G ib so n 's
n o t
to o ‐fa r‐d ista n t
w o rld 
a re 
c a p a b le 
o f
p h y sic a lly 
e n te rin g 
a n d 

e x p lo rin g 
a 
th re e ‐d im e n sio n a l
c y b e rsp a c e 
c re a te d 
o u t
o f
th e 
w o rld 's

in fo rm a tio n .
A s
th e se 
c y b e rn a u ts
b e c o m e 
in c re a sin g ly 
a d d ic te d 
to 
th e 

d isin c a rn a te 
fre e d o m 
th e y 
d isc o v e r
in 
th is
n e w 
d im e n sio n ,
th e ir

d isa p p o in tm e n t
w ith 
th e 
lim ita tio n s
o f
th e 
h u m a n 
b o d y 
g ro w s
in to 
p o w e rfu l

re se n tm e n t
fo r
w h a t
th e y 
d e risiv e ly 
c a ll
"th e 
m e a t".
It
se e m s
o n ly 
lo g ic a l,
d o e s

it
n o t,
th a t
h a v in g 
re d u c e d 
th e 
a n im a l
w o rld 
to 
m e re ly 
m e a t— th e 
p ic tu re 
is
a n 

a rtist’s
re n d e rin g 
o f
B ria n 
S ta b le fo rd ’s
n o t‐to ‐fa r‐d ista n t
fu tu ristic 
"p lu g ‐in ‐
c h ic k e n "
m e a t
m a c h in e — w e 
w o u ld 
re d u c e 
o u rse lv e s
to 
m e re ly 
m e a t
a s
w e ll? 

A n d 
n o w 
w e 
w ill
b e a t
th e 
m e a t.



IV

C la u d io 
N a ra n jo 
a n d 
R o b e rt
O rn ste in ,
in 
O n 
th e 
P sy c h o lo g y 
o f
E d ita tio n ,

c a ll
a tte n tio n 
to 
th e 
S u ra n g a m a 
S u tra 
in 
w h ic h 
th e 
B u d d h a 
"tie s
o n e 
k n o t
a fte r

a n o th e r
in 
a 
h a n d k e rc h ie f,
a n d 
a fte r
e a c h ...
a sk s
h is
d isc ip le 
A n a n d a ,
'W h a t
is

th is? '"
B u d d h a 
th e n 
a sk s
A n a n d a 
y e t
a n o th e r
q u e stio n ,
in q u irin g 
w h e th e r
a ll

k n o ts
c a n 
b e 
u n tie d 
a t
th e 
sa m e 
tim e .
"'N o 
B le sse d 
L o rd !'"
A n a n d a 
re p lie s.

"S in c e 
th e 
k n o ts
w e re 
tie d 
o n e 
a fte r
a n o th e r
in 
a 
c e rta in 
o rd e r,
w e 
c a n n o t

u n tie 
th e m ,
u n le ss
w e 
fo llo w 
th e 
re v e rse 
o rd e r.'"
T h e 
a u th o rs
su p p ly 
th e 

fo llo w in g 
e x e g e sis
a n d 
c o m m e n ta ry : 29



To
start
with
the
last
knot,
in
the
Buddhist
darshan,
means
to
start
with
the

body,
and
within
the
body
(in
the
chakra
system)
with
its
most
body‐like

region,
the
foundation,
or
lower
area.
The
contrast
between
East
and
West
in

this
last
aspect
is
also
suggestive
of
the
predominant
spirit
of
the
respective

cultures;
Western
man,
in
his
ambition
to
fly
out
of
his
body,
has
identified

with
the
head,
or
at
lowest,
with
the
heart.
Orientals,
with
no
less
spiritual

ambition,
have
stressed
the
importance
of
attaining
rootedness
in
the
body

30
first
and
have
cultivated
the
feeling
of
the
center
of
gravity
in
the
belly. 




29
See Claudio Naranjo / Robert Ornstein, On the Psychology of
Meditation. New York 1971.
30
Ibid., 67.
 T h e C o l l e c t e d W o r k s o f D a v i d L a v e r y 19

B o d y 
S n a tc h in g 
d o e s
n o t
first
se e k 
"ro o te d n e ss
in 
th in g s".
P re te n tio u sly 


c la im in g 
a lre a d y 
to 
e so te ric a lly 
k n o w ,
in 
N e w 
G n o stic 
fa sh io n ,
th e 
"o rig in 
o f
a ll

th in g s,"
it
p ro c la im s
itse lf
to 
b e 
c a p a b le 
o f
a n d 
d e se rv in g 
o f
fid d lin g 
w ith 
th e 

v e ry 
c o n stitu tio n 
o f
th e 
w o rld ,
o f
u n ty in g 
th e 
k n o ts
o f
c re a tio n .
It
se e k s,
in 
a n 

a g e 
o f
a d v a n c e d 
te c h n o lo g y 
a t
th e 
se rv ic e 
o f
a n 
u n q u e n c h a b le 
re s
c o g ita n s,
to 

d isc o v e r
th e 
m e a n s
fo r
m a k in g 
p o ssib le 
a n 
u n e a rn e d ,
u n d e se rv e d ,
q u ic k 
e x it

th ro u g h 
th e 
h e a d . 31

It
w a s
th e 
g re a t
F re n c h 
p o e t
P a u l
V a le ry 
w h o 
o n c e 
o b se rv e d 
th a t
A sia 

w a s
th e 
b o d y 
o f
m a n k in d 
a n d 
E u ro p e 
th e 
m in d . 32
In 
su c h 
a 
w o rld ‐h isto ric a l

e x te n d e d 
m e ta p h o r,
w h a t
th e n 
is
A m e ric a ,
th e 
c u ltu re 
th a t
sp a w n e d 
m o st,

th o u g h 
n o t
a ll,
o f
th e 
e x c a rn a tio n a l
th in k in g 
d e sc rib e d 
h e re ? 
(T h e 
S y n d ic a te ,

a fte r
a ll,
h a s
n o n ‐A m e ric a n 
m e m b e rs,
b u t
it
is
a n 
A m e ric a n 
p ro je c t
a fte r
a ll.)

A re 
w e 
p e rh a p s
th e 
v e h ic le 
o f
th e 
sp e c ie s’
d ise m b o d im e n t,
o f
th e 
e x c a rn a tio n 

o f
c o n sc io u sn e ss? 
"T h e 
g re a te st
p o v e rty ,"
a n o th e r
p o e t
o n c e 
in siste d ,
th is

tim e 
th e 
A m e ric a n 
W a lla c e 
S te v e n s,
"is
n o t
to 
liv e 
in 
a 
p h y sic a l
w o rld ." 33

Ju d g e d 
b y 
th is
sta n d a rd ,
A m e ric a 
m a y 
w e ll
tu rn 
o u t
to 
b e 
a 
T h ird 
W o rld 

N a tio n .


31
See Arthur Kroker / Marilouise Kroker, "Theses on the Disappearing
Body in the Hyper-Modern Condition,” in Body Invaders: Panic Sex in
America. Arthur Kroker / Marilouise Kroker (Eds.) New York 1987, 20-34;
George Lakoff / Mark Johnson, Philosophy in the Flesh: The Embodied Mind
and Its Challenge to Western Thought. New York 1999; George Lakoff / Mark
Johnson, The Minimal Self: Psychic Survival in Troubled Times. New York:
W.W. Norton, 1984.
32
Paul Valery, "Some Simple Reflections on the Body." Ralph Manheim
(trans.). In: Feher II, 394-402.
33
Wallace Stevens, Collected Poems. New York 1954.