Word of the Week #273:
Okay, have you watched A.I.? One of Spielberg’s classics.
When I watched it for the first time, I found it quite eerie and unsettling. All those graphic scenes depicting wanton violence towards poor robots? Very unpleasant.
Of course, as often was the case at that age, my sister only contributed to make things worse.
To begin with, she had me convinced for the next few weeks that I was a robot. Somehow, I had no way to refute that.
And to add to that, she let me know that if I malfunctioned—if I didn’t behave the way I was expected to—I would be decommissioned and replaced.
And, as often was the case at that age, my parents just kinda went along with it.
Probably not the best way to raise a kid, some might argue, right?
Still, I will say that it taught me a lesson that evidently a large number of my peers never learned.
You see, in my opinion, one of the biggest follies you can make is overestimating your worth. In a relationship, among your friends, in an organisation, in the world.
Always remember that each and every one of us is replaceable.
We were built that way.
We are supposed to be replaced when we are no longer functional. The best we can do is keep behaving the way we are expected to.
If we malfunction, we will be decommissioned and replaced.
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