Chasing the Dragon
The debatable merits and dangers of meddling40 total reviews
Comment from James McCorkle
A very provocative story with thoughts of what sort of experiments we might see our scientists engaging in some years from now. As happens here, perhaps we are being very foolish in allowing such ventures. Who knows what sort of demons we might accidentally set loose in our world. Science beware. James McCorkle.
reply by the author on 03-Feb-2012
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A very provocative story with thoughts of what sort of experiments we might see our scientists engaging in some years from now. As happens here, perhaps we are being very foolish in allowing such ventures. Who knows what sort of demons we might accidentally set loose in our world. Science beware. James McCorkle.
Comment Written 02-Feb-2012
reply by the author on 03-Feb-2012
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Thank you, James :-). Indeed, it's scary stuff, and an area that's too intriguing to expect it will be left alone.
Mike
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From such imaginations many new inventions are born. ( Not always good ones. ) James.
Comment from sweetwoodjax
this is very well written, fleedleflump, you did a great job writing this short story about the way the dragon recreated itself and injected itself into the dog...
reply by the author on 03-Feb-2012
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this is very well written, fleedleflump, you did a great job writing this short story about the way the dragon recreated itself and injected itself into the dog...
Comment Written 02-Feb-2012
reply by the author on 03-Feb-2012
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Thank you, SWJ - I'm so glad you enjoyed my slice of nutty sci-fi horror :-).
Mike
Comment from Rasp E
Well that's a modern day Adam and Eve style tale if I ever saw one. lol.
Yet, for me, personally, the question isn't whether humans - we - will destroy ourselves seeking knowlege. There's potential for destruction in everything we do, after all. But it brings up the question of whether we're mature enough and ethical enough to understand the abilities and choices technology can give us - and the risks that come with them. How do we get ourselves to grow up at the same pace? Because it's only moving faster. And the question of whether we can trust ourselves to base our actions on what we know, instead of hopes or intentions (which are little better than rolling the dice).
There are a ton of ethical and moral puzzles in this story, but the big, shiny, red apple of destruction is the moment when Wren asks Lance to act in the *absence* of knowlege - to unbind what they don't honestly understand. Which is a nice twist on the theme. She's too busy congratulating herself on their creation to consider the potential for harm. And she certainly doesn't consider that just because Beatrice is unique, doesn't mean there's merit to her existence or freedom. Ted Bundy was unique too. Yuck. Humans and their rationalizations...always thinking that crossed fingers and a little childish enthusiasm is an acceptable substitute for informed decisions.
Lance's 'be careful what you wish for' moment is so superficial in comparison to the discussion they ought to have had. In a way, this reminds me of the movie Splice - the scientists in that one behaved in much the same manner. Well, not just that movie - 'scientists and/or technology will kill us all' is a pretty big cultural meme. But the pair relationship and Eve-style temptation from the female character is what reminded me. Splice was, mmm, disturbing on a number of levels.
So - a question, out of curiosity - did you read an article on science philosophy somewhere and incorporate the concept or was it an invention for the story?
Thought provoking read, Mike. :)
Later,
E
reply by the author on 03-Feb-2012
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Well that's a modern day Adam and Eve style tale if I ever saw one. lol.
Yet, for me, personally, the question isn't whether humans - we - will destroy ourselves seeking knowlege. There's potential for destruction in everything we do, after all. But it brings up the question of whether we're mature enough and ethical enough to understand the abilities and choices technology can give us - and the risks that come with them. How do we get ourselves to grow up at the same pace? Because it's only moving faster. And the question of whether we can trust ourselves to base our actions on what we know, instead of hopes or intentions (which are little better than rolling the dice).
There are a ton of ethical and moral puzzles in this story, but the big, shiny, red apple of destruction is the moment when Wren asks Lance to act in the *absence* of knowlege - to unbind what they don't honestly understand. Which is a nice twist on the theme. She's too busy congratulating herself on their creation to consider the potential for harm. And she certainly doesn't consider that just because Beatrice is unique, doesn't mean there's merit to her existence or freedom. Ted Bundy was unique too. Yuck. Humans and their rationalizations...always thinking that crossed fingers and a little childish enthusiasm is an acceptable substitute for informed decisions.
Lance's 'be careful what you wish for' moment is so superficial in comparison to the discussion they ought to have had. In a way, this reminds me of the movie Splice - the scientists in that one behaved in much the same manner. Well, not just that movie - 'scientists and/or technology will kill us all' is a pretty big cultural meme. But the pair relationship and Eve-style temptation from the female character is what reminded me. Splice was, mmm, disturbing on a number of levels.
So - a question, out of curiosity - did you read an article on science philosophy somewhere and incorporate the concept or was it an invention for the story?
Thought provoking read, Mike. :)
Later,
E
Comment Written 02-Feb-2012
reply by the author on 03-Feb-2012
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Thanks for the awesome, thoughtful review, Erica :-).
I'm glad you enjoyed the ethical bent of this one. I love playing with concepts like this, and I was determined to do something at least slightly different from the standard 'scientists in a lab causing havoc' thang. I'm not sure I succeeded as much as I wanted to, but it was fun nevertheless! I like the idea of a scientist, a man who deals in certainty, finding himself overwhelmed by the results of his own experiments. I haven't seen Splice - will have to look it out now.
As a rule, I find myself interested rather than invested in these sorts of issues. It makes them good subjects for my stories, since I feel free to delve without necessarily opining. I absolutely agree that, as a civilisation, we tend to over-extend the reaches of our knowledge
The Science Philosophy thing is from a flash story I wrote some time ago about a journalist who writes an article about ... well, I'll not spoilt it in case you want to take a look:
Existential Truth
Mike
Comment from Patrick G Cox
Hi Fleedleflump
Yup, there are some things we simply shouldn't attempt, and, as dr Frankenstein discovered, playing with the elements of life is almost never a good plan ...
Well written story, challenging way to start one - at the end. It works well and the ending of the story is great.
Patrick
reply by the author on 03-Feb-2012
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Hi Fleedleflump
Yup, there are some things we simply shouldn't attempt, and, as dr Frankenstein discovered, playing with the elements of life is almost never a good plan ...
Well written story, challenging way to start one - at the end. It works well and the ending of the story is great.
Patrick
Comment Written 02-Feb-2012
reply by the author on 03-Feb-2012
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Thanks, Patrick. It worked well as a way to start me off, since I had time to write but no idea what to write! I had a great time coming up with what had come before!
Mike
Comment from Margaret Snowdon
What an imagination you have, Mike..
quite a unique story and most enjoyable.
phaffed.. a new word for me
Typos..
I can;t - can't
It doesn;t - doesn't
any more - one word
Margaret
reply by the author on 03-Feb-2012
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What an imagination you have, Mike..
quite a unique story and most enjoyable.
phaffed.. a new word for me
Typos..
I can;t - can't
It doesn;t - doesn't
any more - one word
Margaret
Comment Written 02-Feb-2012
reply by the author on 03-Feb-2012
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Thanks so much, Margaret. My dambed typing style is always putting semi colons where I want apostrophes! Thanks for the catches, and I'm glad you enjoyed the read :-).
Mike
Comment from peggles
I thought this was a thoroughly entertaining read
It was full of action and suspense
I don't do (science fiction) as a rule but always have a quick peek just in case I do like the storyline
I am so glad I stayed with this one
Your descriptive writing made it easy to visualize
Well done
reply by the author on 03-Feb-2012
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I thought this was a thoroughly entertaining read
It was full of action and suspense
I don't do (science fiction) as a rule but always have a quick peek just in case I do like the storyline
I am so glad I stayed with this one
Your descriptive writing made it easy to visualize
Well done
Comment Written 02-Feb-2012
reply by the author on 03-Feb-2012
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Thank you :-). I debated not calling it sci-fi, as it's more like a techno-thriller, I'd say. Either way, though, I'm really glad you enjoyed it!
Mike
Comment from kiwigirl2821
Hi Mike,
Hey what's wrong with "pleasuring intruders to death" sounds like a good plan to me ... lmao
oops sorry back to the serious review ...
ok this is seriously some spooky stuff there Mike. I wonder at where your mind lives but where ever it does, I'm glad I get to read about it. Awesome! xoxo Kiwi
reply by the author on 02-Feb-2012
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Hi Mike,
Hey what's wrong with "pleasuring intruders to death" sounds like a good plan to me ... lmao
oops sorry back to the serious review ...
ok this is seriously some spooky stuff there Mike. I wonder at where your mind lives but where ever it does, I'm glad I get to read about it. Awesome! xoxo Kiwi
Comment Written 02-Feb-2012
reply by the author on 02-Feb-2012
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Thank you so much, my friend :-). lol, that would be quite a discovery to make in the morning; a suspiciously-dressed intruder with their trousers round their ankles, dead with an exhausted smile plastered on their face!
As for my mind, you remind me of a Terry Pratchett quote:
"People don't live on the Discworld any more than, in less hand-crafted parts of the multiverse, they live on balls. Oh, planets may be the place where their body eats its tea, but they live elsewhere, in worlds of their own which orbit very handily around the centre of their heads."
Mike
Comment from Rdfrdmom2
Oh, Mike:
Nobody ever catches the dragon, but the dragon can sure
play hell with our lives, can't it? Sometimes when we
write faster than our minds can process, we paint our-
selves into a corner; however, you extricated yourself
well in this one,
thanks for sharing
love,
jan
reply by the author on 02-Feb-2012
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Oh, Mike:
Nobody ever catches the dragon, but the dragon can sure
play hell with our lives, can't it? Sometimes when we
write faster than our minds can process, we paint our-
selves into a corner; however, you extricated yourself
well in this one,
thanks for sharing
love,
jan
Comment Written 01-Feb-2012
reply by the author on 02-Feb-2012
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Thank you, Jan :-). Yes, I've written myself into many corners! Having said that, I've also spawned much of my favourite work when I've just let the fingers go and left my thoughts to catch up later. I'm so happy you liked it :-)
Mike
Comment from Veronica Grace
Whew! This was an explosion of words from start to finish. I'm exhausted keeping up! And a great conjure it was indeed! The artwork was a great choice. Nothing to change or crit
reply by the author on 02-Feb-2012
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Whew! This was an explosion of words from start to finish. I'm exhausted keeping up! And a great conjure it was indeed! The artwork was a great choice. Nothing to change or crit
Comment Written 01-Feb-2012
reply by the author on 02-Feb-2012
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Thank you, Veronica - I'm so glad you enjoyed the read :-)
Mike
Comment from jlsavell
Mike, I do not have a six, but wow, no not wow, but what a brilliant score, tension, suspense, vivid details, accomplished scene setting, drawing.. once the reader walked in your door there was no turning back... curiosity led the reader through the whole complete scene.. allegory and allegorical.. I am just astounded. It is just like man to not leave well enough alone, is it not? We are creatures of curiosity and daring and most oft, to our own folly, asinity.. you are brilliant sir.. top-notvch dialogue, superb climax, first rate anti climax and the ending resolution was well.. supreme.. jimi
reply by the author on 02-Feb-2012
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Mike, I do not have a six, but wow, no not wow, but what a brilliant score, tension, suspense, vivid details, accomplished scene setting, drawing.. once the reader walked in your door there was no turning back... curiosity led the reader through the whole complete scene.. allegory and allegorical.. I am just astounded. It is just like man to not leave well enough alone, is it not? We are creatures of curiosity and daring and most oft, to our own folly, asinity.. you are brilliant sir.. top-notvch dialogue, superb climax, first rate anti climax and the ending resolution was well.. supreme.. jimi
Comment Written 01-Feb-2012
reply by the author on 02-Feb-2012
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Thank you so much, Jimi :-). What an awesome review - I'm sitting here at lunch time with a broad smile on my face!
Mike