Rebirth 2004: A lone figure in the literary world

Chapter 422: Why is the autumn wind sad for the painted fan?

"Is this... the 'beginning'?" This time it was the turn of another female editor, Xu Yanling, to speak up. "It seems like it should be placed at the end?"

If you think about it carefully, it is indeed true - this is the "beginning" rather than the "beginning".

Zhang Chao uses a flashback shot in the style of a suspense film to bring the story back to the starting point of everything: an unintentional finger slide by the young Luo Zhi affected his subsequent life.

The video of the "intellectually elegant woman" on the subway was played dozens of times, which eventually made the "recommendation algorithm" at the time think that he was very interested in this type of women and marked the data.

Then he was bombarded with intensive, saturated homogeneous information, undergoing a comprehensive transformation of "Luo Zhi" from aesthetics to living habits.

He even forgot about his secret crush on Huang Tiantian until they met by chance at a class reunion.

And the cause was just a short nap he took on the subway.

This "beginning" reveals to a large extent the spiritual vulnerability of modern people when faced with the ubiquitous and even pervasive Internet technology.

Even highly intelligent people like "Luo Zhi" are no exception.

The sad part of the whole story is that while "Luo Zhi" got out of the "condom", he stuffed "Zhou Yingying" into the "condom" with his own hands.

The question is, did "Luo Zhi" really get out of the condom?
When he chose to live a "split life", wasn't he getting into another shell - a "shell" composed of his social standards, professional skills, moral avoidance, and self-deception?
So although the novel "The Man in the Shell" is not as grand as "The Last Lesson", not as twists and turns as "Letter from a Stranger", and not as tortuous and weird as "Painted Skin", it hides a thrilling spiritual journey in its plain narrative.

In the first three novels, Zhang Chao, Xiao Yang, and Xu Changchang all have some characteristics of marginal people. But Luo Zhi is different. He is completely the mainstream of this society, and even one of the elites.

But it still cannot escape the fate of being put into a condom.

Shuang Xuetao sighed deeply and said to everyone in a somewhat lonely tone: "Okay, I'll get busy first. I still have some documents to look at..."

After Shuang Xuetao left, Ma Boyong looked at the silent young people in the room and asked with a smile, "Why are you all silent? Weren't you arguing so loudly a few days ago?"

Xu Feng shook his head and said, "It's not that I don't want to talk about it, but I don't know where to start."

This statement made everyone else in the conference room feel the same way. From beginning to end, Zhang Chao gave them three chances to choose:

The first time, whether "Luo Zhi" wanted to help "Zhou Yingying" move boxes;

The second time, whether "Luo Zhi" would accept the "All-Seeing Eye" project mission;
The third time, "Zhou Yingying" decided to accept "Luo Zhi's" confession.

Of course there was a fourth time, which was when Zhang Chao asked them to choose whether to read the "beginning" or the "end" - but this time the choice would no longer affect the development of the novel.

The three choices were the result of discussions and even arguments among the editors. They all had certain preconceptions about their choices, but Zhang Chao made all these preconceptions go awry.

The first time was to choose whether to let "Luo Zhi" get out of the trap; the second time was to let "Luo Zhi" choose whether to change from being a "person in the trap" to a complete "person weaving the trap"; the third time was to choose whether to let "Zhou Yingying" get into the trap...

The result seems to be wrong no matter how I choose...

"Luo Zhi" and "Zhou Yingying" are like two small boats in the ocean of data. They seem to be able to grasp the direction, but in fact they are just watching the changes in the ocean.

He seemed to be reminding them in this way how dangerous condoms are.

At this time, Lan Ting spoke up: "People used to say, 'All unforgettable feelings cannot withstand the erosion of time.'

Now this sentence can be amended to, 'All unforgettable feelings cannot withstand the erosion of data.'

It’s not just ‘deeply engraved emotions’, even the way of thinking, living habits, and aesthetic tendencies that humans have formed over a long period of time… all of them are no match for the erosion of data.”

"Are you... too pessimistic?" A voice came from the door of the conference room.

Everyone turned around and saw that it was Li Wandong.

Li Wandong blushed and said, "I thought you were done... Our department will use the conference room for a meeting later."

Ma Boyong said quickly: "We will withdraw soon - but first, can you tell me why you think we are too pessimistic?"

Li Wandong waved his hands and said, "I'm just talking nonsense... Novels are the business of your magazine, and I don't understand novels! Please don't embarrass me."

Ma Boyong smiled and said, "No way, if you don't tell us, we won't leave!"

Li Wandong looked at Ma Boyong who was "playing tricks" and said helplessly: "Then let me organize my words."

Ma Boyong nodded, and everyone remained silent, waiting quietly for Li Wandong to speak.

After a long while, Li Wandong reluctantly said, "In fact, I just listened to what Lan Ting said just now, and I was a little emotional.

Lan Ting, you said that "ways of thinking, living habits, aesthetic tendencies... are all no match for the impact of data", as if "data" is the natural enemy of human nature.

I think it’s a little pessimistic — at least not that optimistic.”

Lan Ting asked, "Isn't it? You've also read the novel. Don't you think the future described by Zhang Chao, which is overwhelmed by data and algorithms, is scary?"

Li Wandong thought for a while before speaking, "Actually, Zhang Chao thinks too highly of us programmers. We are not that good... But this is a novel.

To be honest, his description was a bit exaggerated... From a professional and technical point of view, it is unlikely that the future will develop as he said.

Firstly, the general public and the government will restrain or counter such things.

Secondly, as long as there is sufficient competition between different platforms, the sources of information for users will still be diverse and will not be controlled by a single platform.

Although there are some Internet platforms that have actually formed a monopoly, they are generally still relatively cautious, probably because they are afraid of public opinion and policy sanctions. "

Lan Ting did not give up her idea so easily and continued to ask: "You also said that it is just 'unlikely' - that is to say, it is still possible. Just now you also told us that the speed of popularization of smartphones will exceed everyone's imagination.

In other words, isn’t it very close for our brains to be filled with content recommended by algorithms and change our perceptions? "

Li Wandong concentrated for a moment and asked, "Since you are so afraid of 'data' tampering with consciousness, have you ever thought about how our consciousness is formed?"

Lan Ting had never thought about this question and was speechless for a moment.

Li Wandong waited for a while before continuing, "When I was at Yanda, I worked on projects related to artificial intelligence, which involved the formation of human consciousness.

From the perspective of computer science, human consciousness is essentially a collection of "data" and "algorithms" - the people we have met, the books we have read, the scenery we have seen, the words we have heard, the things we have done, the roads we have walked...

These are all stored in the brain in some form of data and processed using some algorithm. However, we still don’t know what the data format and algorithm formula that have been formed after hundreds of millions of years of natural selection are.

So, ‘algorithm recommendation’ seems to be something new, but it may be just another human’s… uh, how should I put it – ‘imitation show’ of nature?
I can’t think of a better word! As long as you understand what I mean.”

After listening to Li Wandong's explanation, Lan Ting sat back in her seat somewhat discouraged.

Li Wandong was a good man, and he quickly comforted her, "I'm just talking nonsense, don't mind it."

Lan Ting shook her head and said, "It is because what you said makes so much sense that I... In fact, human consciousness is in the process of being constantly modified, and nothing is eternal and unchanging.

Humans can see and hear from infancy to receive education and discipline in adolescence. In essence, it is the filtering and reconstruction of external information through our nerves and brain. "

Xu Feng then added: "In traditional society, the indoctrination of the Four Books and Five Classics by private school teachers and the collective hypnosis of religious rituals are essentially the shaping of human consciousness by specific 'algorithms'."

Ma Boyong disagreed at this time. He said: "But algorithm recommendation is different. Its special feature is that it quantifies the consciousness shaping process for the first time and can be seen in a very intuitive way.

We know that it is easiest to change the consciousness of a baby, but the most difficult to change the consciousness of an adult - algorithm recommendation has greatly reduced this difficulty. Because it uses the least resistible way to subtly transform people. "

Li Wandong interrupted at this time, his voice full of surprise: "Why do you think algorithm recommendation must be 'bad'? In the novel, it makes 'Luo Zhi's' life in order and also brings him the love he wants.

And that 'Zhou Yingying' also found a good partner. Isn't that all good?
In addition, if you really think that this algorithm is not good, you can just change it - as long as you adjust the parameters, it can also make users' lives full of variables..."

The editors were stunned by Li Wandong's words - this straight science and engineering man seemed to care nothing about the issues that these "liberal arts students" were anxious about, whether it was "free will" or "eternal human nature."

In his eyes, the problems caused by these technologies can be solved by technical means, and there is no need to sigh.

Ma Boyong suddenly understood why Zhang Chao suddenly asked Li Wandong to intervene in the discussion of this novel - when facing the human dilemma brought about by technology, don't overestimate your own feelings, and don't underestimate the wisdom of others.

He looked at Li Wandong and said, "So algorithm recommendation is neither a scourge nor a panacea, but another self-dialogue in the process of human civilization, right?"

Li Wandong looked confused and asked, "I don't understand. What self-dialogue... Oh, I was admitted to Yanda University through a competition. When I was studying, my Chinese was the worst, and I just barely passed every time.

I really don't understand your flowery talk. But I really think that what you are worried about is nothing. If there is a problem with the person, just remove him; if there is a problem with the algorithm, just change it.

Isn't this how everything in the world happens step by step?"

These words left the literary editors present speechless again, and at the same time a little embarrassed.

Ma Boyong smiled and said to everyone: "Don't be depressed, everyone. You have forgotten what Zhang Chao said during the discussion at the October magazine, 'Literature is responsible for two things, one is to prove the existence of crisis, and the other is to prove that human beings deserve this crisis.'

Now, haven't we witnessed these two things in this small meeting room? Zhang Chao proved that the crisis exists, and Lao Li's attitude proved that human beings deserve this crisis.

Okay, let’s not delay their meeting, let’s retreat!”

……

In early October 2008, the latest issue of "Youth·Grand View" was released.

The rumor that Zhang Chao will return to Youth School with his latest novel has long been circulated among literature lovers. With the foreshadowing of the previous three novels and a full two-month "window period", everyone's expectations for this novel are beyond measure.

What’s more, there are far more people who are looking forward to Zhang Chao’s novels than just literature lovers.

Internet companies such as Penguin and Sina have actually pre-ordered this issue of "Youth·Grand View" from local book distributors in advance, making sure that mid-level and above managers can read it first and find inspiration from it.

Especially Penguin, they never want to see a challenger like "WeChat" to QQ again!

If it is to appear, it can only appear within Penguin itself as a substitute for QQ, rather than subtly shaking its own foundation from the outside.

This issue of "Youth·Grand View" was released, and a strange spectacle appeared:
Since the publication date coincided with the National Day holiday, many loyal fans of Zhang Chao or "Youth" were "on the road" and could not get the magazines they subscribed in the first place; so no matter where they got off the plane or train, they went straight to the bookstore.

Taxis in many places have been confused these past two days. They saw passengers carrying large and small bags getting into the car, and thought they would tell them which hotel they were going to, but what they got was a question: "Master, where is the nearest bookstore? Take me there first!"

With such enthusiasm for reading, the October issue of "Youth·Grand View" was unsurprisingly sold out before the end of the holiday - even though 10 copies were prepared in advance.

Zhang Chao's description of the future world in "The Man in the Shell" once again shocked everyone.

No one could have imagined that a seemingly ordinary love story could depict the abyss between technology and human nature so profoundly.

After reading this novel, the readers are filled with the absurd feeling that "fiction is swallowing up reality", which makes the whole society fall into collective cognitive dizziness. This shock is not the fear of the future, but the sudden awakening of "the future has come".

The New Yanjing News, which had been indifferent to Zhang Chao for more than two years, could no longer hold back this time and published a literary review on half a page in the "Culture/Entertainment" section. The target was exactly this article "The Man in the Shell" and the title was "A Black Prophecy from the East."

The first sentence of this literary review is: "The work we read at the end of 2008 is not a novel, but an early notice of the critical illness of the 21st century."

(End of this chapter)