Presiding over your own funeral. Cool or Creepy?
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- aTOMiC
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Presiding over your own funeral. Cool or Creepy?
The notion of communicating with others after death is not a new concept.
The whole idea of a WILL is to inform others of your wishes and intentions after you die and is by definition your final communication.
Video wills are also fairly commonplace, giving the dearly departed a chance to voice their final wishes as personally as possible.
We have seen this taken further in film.
In two different Superman films, Jor El communicated in real time with Kal El long after he perished on Krypton.
In the film Prometheus, Peter Weyland created an interactive holographic recreation of himself to communicate with the investigative team, also in real time.
In the film I, Robot, Dr Lanning created a hologram of himself to communicate but was somewhat limited in his responses to real time questions.
Given all of these examples is it strange to consider the idea of creating a CGI AI of one's self that would be present at one's funeral for the attendees to interact with?
Consider that an AI programmed with as much of your personal knowledge as possible and crafted to sound and behave like you is probably very possible given today's technology.
A realistic hologram might be a bit hard to pull off but an interactive video presentation of you that is programmed with facial recognition and is able to provide real time responses to questions based on a large personal database compiled by you during your life might be possible and is very likely probable.
Imagine attendees at your funeral are able to walk up to a large video screen and interact with a facsimile of you that largely sounds, moves and behaves very much like you did when you were alive.
Attendee: "Hey. Remember that day we got lost driving to Pittsburgh?"
Your AI: "Yes I do, I seem to remember you were the one that forgot the map."
And then your AI could literally preside over the rest of the ceremony, introducing the pastor and other speakers and adding personal comments about them.
I think the whole thing would be cool. I think the idea of being able to be in attendance at my own funeral is fascinating.
I suffer from social anxiety and the idea that an AI of myself would speak in my voice and mannerisms but also be able to convey my most heartfelt thoughts and feelings to the loved ones I have left behind is pretty awesome.
However I also know that for some people the concept would be horrifying, undignified and blasphemous. If I thought my family couldn't handle it I wouldn't do it. And frankly I don't know how I would react if I were attending a funeral of someone I loved and was confronted with such a thing.
If it became a THING, undoubtedly the first few times it was used would stir up controversy but if it became commonplace it could be expanded and developed further.
Let me say that this is a personal view. It is not intended to be offensive to those of you who might have recently suffered loss.
I'm still smarting from the reaction to my "The Divorce Ceremony" thread so I apologize in advance.
The whole idea of a WILL is to inform others of your wishes and intentions after you die and is by definition your final communication.
Video wills are also fairly commonplace, giving the dearly departed a chance to voice their final wishes as personally as possible.
We have seen this taken further in film.
In two different Superman films, Jor El communicated in real time with Kal El long after he perished on Krypton.
In the film Prometheus, Peter Weyland created an interactive holographic recreation of himself to communicate with the investigative team, also in real time.
In the film I, Robot, Dr Lanning created a hologram of himself to communicate but was somewhat limited in his responses to real time questions.
Given all of these examples is it strange to consider the idea of creating a CGI AI of one's self that would be present at one's funeral for the attendees to interact with?
Consider that an AI programmed with as much of your personal knowledge as possible and crafted to sound and behave like you is probably very possible given today's technology.
A realistic hologram might be a bit hard to pull off but an interactive video presentation of you that is programmed with facial recognition and is able to provide real time responses to questions based on a large personal database compiled by you during your life might be possible and is very likely probable.
Imagine attendees at your funeral are able to walk up to a large video screen and interact with a facsimile of you that largely sounds, moves and behaves very much like you did when you were alive.
Attendee: "Hey. Remember that day we got lost driving to Pittsburgh?"
Your AI: "Yes I do, I seem to remember you were the one that forgot the map."
And then your AI could literally preside over the rest of the ceremony, introducing the pastor and other speakers and adding personal comments about them.
I think the whole thing would be cool. I think the idea of being able to be in attendance at my own funeral is fascinating.
I suffer from social anxiety and the idea that an AI of myself would speak in my voice and mannerisms but also be able to convey my most heartfelt thoughts and feelings to the loved ones I have left behind is pretty awesome.
However I also know that for some people the concept would be horrifying, undignified and blasphemous. If I thought my family couldn't handle it I wouldn't do it. And frankly I don't know how I would react if I were attending a funeral of someone I loved and was confronted with such a thing.
If it became a THING, undoubtedly the first few times it was used would stir up controversy but if it became commonplace it could be expanded and developed further.
Let me say that this is a personal view. It is not intended to be offensive to those of you who might have recently suffered loss.
I'm still smarting from the reaction to my "The Divorce Ceremony" thread so I apologize in advance.
"If you can't tell the difference, what difference does it make?"
"There is tic and toc in atomic" - Neil Peart
- peter
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Well, aTOMic - I have to say that for me the idea doesn't have legs. In fact, I have no little respect for the idea of abandoning funerals altogether. What could I possibly tell people at my funeral that they do not know already. Those I love know it; those I do not I have no desire to rub it in. A facsimile version of me would inevitably end up trying to make me nice and I'm not; or trying to make me not nice and in so doing miss the few (but I hope significant) redeeming qualities that Ido have and that the aforementioned loved ones probably understand. So my friend, in a life awash with generally staggeringly good ideas this one (along with the 'divorce celebration' one which I vaguely remember) must be consigned to the pile of 'also-rans'!
The truth is a Lion and does not need protection. Once free it will look after itself.
....and the glory of the world becomes less than it was....
'Have we not served you well'
'Of course - you know you have.'
'Then let it end.'
We are the Bloodguard
....and the glory of the world becomes less than it was....
'Have we not served you well'
'Of course - you know you have.'
'Then let it end.'
We are the Bloodguard
- aTOMiC
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Peter, you are absolutely no fun.
I'm sure if you are a crabby, old malcontent in life your AI will be just as crabby and foul mouthed at the funeral. Not to worry.
Av, I'm not surprised.
I bet you anything there is a funeral director sitting at a table thinking "now how can we get more money out of this dead end business?"
And then he sees my post and exclaims to the heavens..."Of course!!!! We'll make millions!"
I'm sure if you are a crabby, old malcontent in life your AI will be just as crabby and foul mouthed at the funeral. Not to worry.
Av, I'm not surprised.
I bet you anything there is a funeral director sitting at a table thinking "now how can we get more money out of this dead end business?"
And then he sees my post and exclaims to the heavens..."Of course!!!! We'll make millions!"
"If you can't tell the difference, what difference does it make?"
"There is tic and toc in atomic" - Neil Peart
- peter
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In Ireland l believe the practice used to be of standing the open coffin in one corner of the room at the pre-funeral wake: I will conceed that if you are going down that route, then there may be some merit in the idea. Otherwise I think it's a ******* ******** of ******** dredged up since my **** ******* *****!
The truth is a Lion and does not need protection. Once free it will look after itself.
....and the glory of the world becomes less than it was....
'Have we not served you well'
'Of course - you know you have.'
'Then let it end.'
We are the Bloodguard
....and the glory of the world becomes less than it was....
'Have we not served you well'
'Of course - you know you have.'
'Then let it end.'
We are the Bloodguard
- aTOMiC
- Lord
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peter wrote:In Ireland l believe the practice used to be of standing the open coffin in one corner of the room at the pre-funeral wake: I will conceed that if you are going down that route, then there may be some merit in the idea. Otherwise I think it's a ******* ******** of ******** dredged up since my **** ******* *****!
And that is exactly how your AI would speak at your funeral, Pete.
"If you can't tell the difference, what difference does it make?"
"There is tic and toc in atomic" - Neil Peart
Wow .. open casket at the funeral home..
An AI with facial and voice recognition. I can imagine that.
An old friend come by to pay respects.
Suddenly your voice come out of the speaker under your body..
HI Bob!
Hows the wife , kids and grandkids?
Don't I look like myself?
Aren't I wonderful looking?
Sorry I won't be at the club anymore but I have a long term plan..
It going take forever... So...
About that time Bob turns around and runs screaming from the parlor...
An AI with facial and voice recognition. I can imagine that.
An old friend come by to pay respects.
Suddenly your voice come out of the speaker under your body..
HI Bob!
Hows the wife , kids and grandkids?
Don't I look like myself?
Aren't I wonderful looking?
Sorry I won't be at the club anymore but I have a long term plan..
It going take forever... So...
About that time Bob turns around and runs screaming from the parlor...
What's this silver looking ring doing on my finger?
- aTOMiC
- Lord
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Ur Dead wrote:Wow .. open casket at the funeral home..
An AI with facial and voice recognition. I can imagine that.
An old friend come by to pay respects.
Suddenly your voice come out of the speaker under your body..
HI Bob!
Hows the wife , kids and grandkids?
Don't I look like myself?
Aren't I wonderful looking?
Sorry I won't be at the club anymore but I have a long term plan..
It going take forever... So...
About that time Bob turns around and runs screaming from the parlor...
HAH!
"If you can't tell the difference, what difference does it make?"
"There is tic and toc in atomic" - Neil Peart
- Sorus
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I like the idea of a wake more than the idea of a funeral.aTOMiC wrote:peter wrote:In Ireland l believe the practice used to be of standing the open coffin in one corner of the room at the pre-funeral wake: I will conceed that if you are going down that route, then there may be some merit in the idea. Otherwise I think it's a ******* ******** of ******** dredged up since my **** ******* *****!
And that is exactly how your AI would speak at your funeral, Pete.
Oh, a change is coming, feel these doors now closing
Is there no world for tomorrow, if we wait for today?
- peter
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Fully agree Sorus. In the UK funerals have become a way of rinsing money out of people who are at here most vulnerable.
The truth is a Lion and does not need protection. Once free it will look after itself.
....and the glory of the world becomes less than it was....
'Have we not served you well'
'Of course - you know you have.'
'Then let it end.'
We are the Bloodguard
....and the glory of the world becomes less than it was....
'Have we not served you well'
'Of course - you know you have.'
'Then let it end.'
We are the Bloodguard
- peter
- The Gap Into Spam
- Posts: 11542
- Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2009 10:08 am
- Location: Another time. Another place.
- Been thanked: 6 times
Well - I'd much rather be around to see it than be the absent star of the show!
The truth is a Lion and does not need protection. Once free it will look after itself.
....and the glory of the world becomes less than it was....
'Have we not served you well'
'Of course - you know you have.'
'Then let it end.'
We are the Bloodguard
....and the glory of the world becomes less than it was....
'Have we not served you well'
'Of course - you know you have.'
'Then let it end.'
We are the Bloodguard
Well Peter
Funerals are meant for the living. To try to resolve a pain that
afflicts those who are left behind.
If your laying in a open casket with a number of people seated.
Then if you rise to a sitting position & turn to address them for a speech.
You will find yourself talking to an empty room.
I would think a Testimonial Dinner or a roast would suffice to
what you would like to achieve.
While your still known to be breathing and kicking..
Funerals are meant for the living. To try to resolve a pain that
afflicts those who are left behind.
If your laying in a open casket with a number of people seated.
Then if you rise to a sitting position & turn to address them for a speech.
You will find yourself talking to an empty room.
I would think a Testimonial Dinner or a roast would suffice to
what you would like to achieve.
While your still known to be breathing and kicking..
What's this silver looking ring doing on my finger?