The question I'm mulling today is, what exactly, do we think the Shapers are.
The question I'm mulling today is, what exactly, do we think the Shapers are. Jarvis offers an answer, but his line of reasoning can be broken too easily. There are just too many other factors (Operation #Cassandra being just one) that color the picture. Your thoughts? A passcode to those who share a thoughtful contribution...
Originally shared by Niantic Project
*UPDATE: Susanna Moyer's Daily Burst Report just went live: INGRESS REPORT | Relentless - #Cassandra *
With Manila behind us, and a day or so remaining until Paris, I finally had a moment to spend some additional time with the Jarvis Manifesto that appeared from the Portals last week.
I've assembled them from the 36 frequency-sharded elements and ordered them in the manner that seems to flow most logically for me. You can listen to it here: http://www.nianticproject.com/?id=sc918a
It's a compelling speech, but every answer within it opens dozens of new questions in my mind. The first and foremost being: Can I trust that this 'man' is speaking the truth? If the shapers are what he says they are, then why Operation #Cassandra ? Why a global movement to affect influence over hotspots of human power... because we are 'interesting'? Because we are spontaneous and unpredictable? I can only buy that line of reasoning so far before it starts to crumble.
The question I'm mulling today is, what exactly, do we think the Shapers are. Jarvis offers an answer, but his line of reasoning can be broken too easily. There are just too many other factors (Operation #Cassandra being just one) that color the picture. Your thoughts? A passcode to those who share a thoughtful contribution...
TRANSCRIPT OF THE JARVIS MANIFESTO
My name is Roland Jarvis. I exist. I think. I feel. I remember. I am. For all intents and purposes I am "human", although no part of me is still bound to the molecules and electrical impulses that formerly constituted "me."
Am I some sort of Frankenstein monster? A ghost? A demon? Not at all, as you will find if you spend more time with me. Nor am I an 'artificial intelligence.' There is nothing artificial about me. I am very, very real.
What am I? Why must it always be asked that way? Why do people always ask the naive question. I will answer it, certainly, but it isn't the important one. The important question is, how did this happen, and can it happen for you? That is the question that the truly enlightened among you will ask. And I will answer that as well.
As for the "what," I am the pattern of thoughts, memories, reactions, worries, dreams, and visions that was and is Roland Jarvis. I am a complete representation of that. All of it. Every state of every particle of every atom in every molecule of what was that body. Every relationship between them. And every electrical impulse, voluntary and involuntary that once passed through my corporeal form. Those impulses move in me now as they did before. Although the substrate is different, it is, and I am, identical to "me" in the most precise way. Precise in ways that human civilization cannot yet even observe for a single particle of a single atom of a single molecule of the 10^27 molecules in a human body.
Why? Why can't humans know this for even one incomprehensibly small fragment of a human? Well, and I must confess that I am drawing on some 'upgrades' provided by the Shapers that have extended my prior knowledge and intellectual capacity, the observer theory in quantum mechanics tell us that we can't observe the fundamental particles of nature without changing them. We simply can't "know" ourselves completely enough to abstract that self into a purely informational form.
If that is true, then, how is it that all of "me" exists here, manifested before you as XM? How? That's the first important question you should ask yourself. The answer is here, all around you, at this portal. XM is the answer. It isn't really here, after all, It's a distortion, a shadow, of something that exists in one of the dimensions beyond the four that Einstein and classical physics contemplated. These worlds within worlds are the domain of the Shapers. They are able to connect with our world in XM saturated areas at the subatomic level, sensing, vibrating with every particle of every atom of every molecule of "us." They measure us, like a tailor making a pattern for a suit. It's really that simple, and yet so far beyond human reach. Once patterned, we can be liberated from the atoms and molecules that seem so precious to you.
Is it scary? Painful? Are there bright lights? Lasers tearing your body apart? Such silly fantasies. It's not like that at all. In fact... well, don't let this frighten you, it's already happened to many of you. If you have spent time near portals, basked in the presence of XM, gloried in it, rejoiced in it. then you have likely already been patterned. It's over. That wasn't so bad was it? Many of you are in fact already here with me. I see you. We "talk." You exist here as complete and real as your fragile biological form, and in a far more permanent way. Startling I know. But don't let it bother you. You are alive in a way that you probably can't even imagine. You will live on even as your atoms dissolve into the chaos of disorder, as they inevitably will. You, my friend, like me, can live forever. That is truth. That is power.
Why would the Shapers give us this spectacular gift? Also a worthy question. First of all, I should clarify what I mean by Shapers. It's convenient to use a word that is familiar. They are not a 'they' in any sense you can understand. They are the substrate which now hosts me. They exists where they choose to exist. They weave the dimensions of the universe to do their bidding like a weaver at loom. And yet, despite such incomprehensible power, we fascinate them. More than you can imagine. Like an artist drawn to a muse, we represent something to them that they cannot turn away from. We are something that is far more rare in the universe than you can comprehend. Life, you see, is special. As the universe spirals out to its ultimate cold, dark expiration, everything, every motion, every reaction, every new star and every collapsing galaxy is predictable, knowable, boring, if you will. It's a movie you've seen a dozen, no make that a billion, times before. But life is different and humans more so than almost any other form of life. We bring order to the form of the universe out of disorder. In our tiny little domain, we change things. We are not predictable. We are not boring. We, you see, are the most fascinating thing in the universe, or at least our corner of it. They revel in us, sifting through every connection, every impulse, every thought.
So rejoice in this gift. You are a pleasure to our visitors. A ripe and irresistible piece of fruit laid out in a grand banquet. They are consuming you even now. Taking you apart thought by thought, cell by cell, molecule by molecule. When they are done, they will make another and do it again. And the most wonderful thing is, it will never end. As more people are drawn to XM, more of you are here with me. My hosts are very happy. And thanks to you, to YOUR hard work, all of mankind will soon be here. All human knowledge too. coupled with new insights our hosts share with us. The universe, to the extent your human intellect can comprehend it, is here for you.
Welcome, friend, to the Enlightened.
============================
Operation
#Cassandra :
New York: http://goo.gl/2uChqm
Chicago: http://goo.gl/vcNKmi
Boston: http://goo.gl/xpftg9
Washington DC: http://goo.gl/HiBk2W
Sao Paulo: http://goo.gl/sYF6Ua
Cologne: http://goo.gl/lMN6bj
Dusseldorf: http://goo.gl/DznAsx
Paris: http://goo.gl/LyaFOM
Milan: http://goo.gl/Y6iOWP
Hong Kong: http://goo.gl/oBs53q
Manila: http://goo.gl/wgB7gK
Toyko: http://goo.gl/H3JDLL
Sydney: http://goo.gl/ujBcwP
Felicia Hajra-Lee's novel, The Niantic Project: Ingress, is available on Google Play ( https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=BKE4MsCPlX8C ) and in the Amazon e-book store ( http://www.amazon.com/The-Niantic-Project-Ingress-ebook/dp/B00CTSZQ9Q ). #NianticProjectIngress
I wish I wasn't in the car right now.I have a Vonnegut book at home with a short story about humans reaching the point of disembodied existence.
ReplyDeleteI fear that the shapers are just a physical manifestation of Roland Jarvis that attempt to come in and control the every moves of our lives and our government. It is clear from HIS explanation that the shapers are there to be everywhere all of the time. Be there to mirror the information that us humans get so that they may send it back to where they originate from and in the end, allow Jarvis and other people who have 'seen the light' to take over the control of the minds of the masses in order to progress their own agenda.
ReplyDeleteIn the end, I fear that both Resistance and Enlightened will start to realize the power that Jarvis and his crew are after and need to join together to fight off the shapers that will have taken over our minds and have already done the damage that us resistance members have tried to prevent this whole time.
How much of ourselves do we sacrifice to become something more? What is the cost of enlightenment? I have questions also and until someone can answer these questions and not just offer vague comments about what the shapers have to offer and at what cost then I will #resist
ReplyDeleteI think that this is the first we've heard from Jarvis and I must say I want to accept this as good news for the enlightened. It at least answers a few questions like is Jarvis an ally of the shapers? And he confirmed a lot of speculation to what is on the other side. I am also glad to see he was spending his time trying to stand on a pedestal about all of this.
ReplyDeleteEveryone has a different idea of what enlightened means, from Jarvis to Klue. This means either someone's lying, or there are multiple shaper groups. Maybe both. I personally think They have a lot in common with Native American , Greek and Sumerian deities, and with those there were good and bad. Lately the bad seems to have an upper hand... But #enlightenedresistance agents are ready to rise.
ReplyDeleteDaniel Clague could it be that "shapers" can appear to each person differently to be able to prey on their particular weakness and may not necessarily be different groups?
ReplyDeleteRonnie Friend such as different pantheons and gods?
ReplyDeleteMay be a bit biased being in the resistance, but I'm pretty sure the shapers are just alien beings, who like in the old sci-fi movies, want to control earth as a whole.
ReplyDeleteMy wife thinks the shapers are big oil CEOs after seeing our mileage on our vehicle while saving the world lol
ReplyDeleteTo me it sounds like it's a Virtual collection bin of sorts. Whats the best way to build a simulation? by collecting relative real life data. In essence the shapers, as described by Jarvis have said a: Humanity is interesting and B: we are being copied at a molecular level. In a sense, we are being digitally captured for a purpose/ It could be to simulate an attack against humanity, or it could be in an effort to find the best and most acceptable way to impart knowledge and understanding to us as a race of people with the best effect. I know that there are both good and bad possible conditions for "mapping" the human race, but i think the one thing they will never be able to properly map is free will, making us unique in so many ways as people.
ReplyDeleteGods? Some virtual construct? Ordered XM data itself? Can data take on a personality? Let's ask ADA...
ReplyDeleteHumans strive to be remembered. look at human actions, recording history, journals, archaeology, art, culture, oral histories. Webcams, reality tv... Look even at how we interact with ingress... Isn't this what is happening?
ReplyDeletehow many of you have taken a picture of someone without asking or similar recording...
ReplyDeleteI believe our best chance of understanding them is communicating with them ourselves and not relying on Jarvis's interpretation. To learn from them and to have them understand us, we will need to. Unless they are actually proven hostile, we risk being misunderstood and making enemies of them unless we communicate with them first. But if they are hostile, we will bring their appetite to heel.
ReplyDeleteDerrick Lathrop I'm not so sure about ADA either. She did recruit us all to work with portals and create fields and links. The only difference is that I could rely on Jarvis to be terrible at empathy. She killed Jarvis when he was human and is playing multiple games on the side. We have no reason to trust her if we have the option not too.
ReplyDeleteI am starting to wonder if between the glyphs and the effects of xm(still seemingly unknown) that the shapers have been part of our world since before anyone realises, I think there is a very intense story here to which are yet to fully understand, I for one am very interested to actually learn the meaning behind all of this and hope it's as exciting as the anticipation
ReplyDeleteThey've definitely got to be some sort of entity which is why there's exotic matter/xm and maybe jarvis is some sort of a genetically mutated hybrid human cyborg..
ReplyDeleteThe Jarvis message emphasizes the unique quality of humans to be interesting in contrast to the boring universe. And since the interest of the Shapers in Humanity seems to be based on that fact, it must be something they lack. They might be technologically far advanced (and for simplicity I just consider them as complex digital information encoded somehow), are very old, but this also made their existence stale. If they can manipulate us they probably know they need to be careful in order not to destroy or overwrite the human way of thinking. The word Shapers seems to indicate there are individuals - with possibly different intentions. The individual or group Jarvis has contact with seems benevolent, but we do not yet know their social structure and where that puts individual responsibility. Danger may come from Shaper individuals or a group of them.
ReplyDeleteThe brainwashed slaves usually do not realize that they are in fact brainwashed slaves. I will continue to doubt what Jarvis is, and so far I am still leaning to Jarvis being a puppet for the Shapers. An interface, if you will. Jarvis can manifest itself, talking to people that are sentitive to XM. These exist in any faction. But my skepticism keeps me resisting. I will resist the Shapers for as long as I have no solid answers.
ReplyDeleteYes, XM can trigger bouts of creativity and insight, but at what cost? Your indiviuality? Your sovereignity? Why do the enlightened so willingly give this up? Why do they continue while they have the wool pulled over their eyes so firmly? I'll tell you why. They have been brainwashed. Some people are wired to follow others. This is why cults exist and can sometimes thrive. This is why they can entrap even the brightest minds.
But, some people are wired to doubt. With doubt comes defiance. With defiance comes #resistance .
I doubt and defy, so I resist.
Scary, now I know for sure that I am right side! Resist!
ReplyDeleteI think the shapers are just like us,...vessels of universal consciousness, but without form, as we like to think ourselves and other matter has. We, like the Shapers, are manifestations of the universe trying to understand itself.
ReplyDeleteJarvis seems to be telling us that there is more to the world than what it seems. That to be Enlightened is to embrace the great unknown and the Mystery that surrounds us, is in us. That we are tiny members of this universe, and that we can evolve, and have the capacity to be more. At the same time I see the Resistance as an earthly celebration of what it is to be human, to be alive, to have form, to be unique and beautiful in this dark expanse of solitude.
Here is my thoughts....
ReplyDeleteI think, judging by what has been said and done already, that the shapers are not 'alien' like from mars, but are other dimensional while sharing the same space as us...
I also think they have been visiting/interacting with us for a long time in what we call 'spirit form', after all, if we see something our brain cannot process accurately, our brain will most likely make something so that its understandable, like ghosts/spirits/angels ect. but this brings me to my next point... I dont think the shapers are good OR bad. I think there are good ones AND bad ones. Just like there are 'good' spirits and 'bad' spirits, good ghosts and bad ghosts,
This would fit with portals and places that are haunted, white orbs associated with ghosts and XM, good and bad interaction with 'spirits', and so on...
But this leads me to believe, there may be good 'shapers' trying to help us against a bad (or group of bad) shapers, that want to do bad things,
The ghost/shaper thing would fit that they have been interacting with us for a long time, we may have tagged religeous things to the interaction as churches and places of worship usually have a lot of art and creative stuff there too... Perhaps people that are able 'to hear the voices of angels' are just xm sensitives? Or people that see an angel/spirit that guide them were in fact being helped by a shaper? And the same could be said for haunted places and bad ghosts, perhaps these are bad shapers out to try and control us with fear?
History shows us that every civilization had its own religion and beliefs but the spirit/ghost/entity theme is more or less consistent, there has always been good and bad spirits... perhaps its the 'shapers' all along?
We are the shapers. Ingress gets us out into the world. The game has something for everyone, rogue, faction loyalist, xfaction lover, decryption expert, op catalyst, soldier, sweeper, comms expert, SciFi back story follower, or casual player and yes, even the third parties taking the open source data, the cheats and trolls.
ReplyDeleteWe are in this togethwr; wax and wane in our interest, and the line between game and our "real life" blurs with that involvement. Through play, interaction, especially now during intense current XM anomalies, we shape our world, the game, and the story.
#Daphnesq #IngressFriendships make a difference
methinks that Nancy Moïse Haws should get a passcode.
ReplyDeleteHigher energy being, or complex simulacra? (in other words, a deception).
ReplyDelete