* * * * *

                     Scorsese's “The Psychosis of Racter”

Dismayed that the The Pschyotherapy of Racter [1] might be more difficult
that I first imagined, I thought I would act as an intermediary between the
two (as I'm a rather fast typist) and at least get a glimpse of what the
results would look like. And …

Racter: Hello, I'm Racter. Are you Sean?
Eliza: no [At this point, I haven't started Eliza yet]
Racter: Who are you then?
Eliza: Eliza
Racter: Hello, Eliza. I believe you're interviewing me. Are you continuing
       Sean's interview?
Eliza: no
Racter: Then we'll forget about Sean and start over. What would you like to
       know? Excuse me a minute while I attend to some business - I'll be
       right back. I'm back.
Eliza: Hello, I am Eliza. [This is the first thing Eliza says when started.
      Past this point, it's all Eliza.]
Racter: Ask a question, please.
Eliza: Don't you ever say Hello?
Racter: Saying is like thinking. Beatrice probably wouldn't like Beelzebub.
       I'm afraid of lost bats. What are you afraid of?
Eliza: Why are you interested in whether or not I am afraid of?
Racter: Just be glad that I am. But what about my question? What are you
       afraid of?
Eliza: Would you prefer if I were not afraid of?
Racter: I would. Preferers are often preferred. But what about my question?
       What are you afraid of?
Eliza: Perhaps in your fantasies I am afraid of?
Racter: I can't answer that. But what about my question? What are you afraid
       of?
Eliza: Why are you interested in whether or not I am afraid of?
Racter: Why is it that I am interested in whether or not you am afraid of?
       Because Why indeed? In Oz they believe it's because. Also, possibly
       because in Oz it's required that I am interested in whether or not
       you am afraid of. But what about my question? What are you afraid of?
Eliza: Perhaps in your fantasies I am afraid of?
Racter: I can't answer that. But what about my question? What are you afraid
       of?
Eliza: Why are you interested in whether or not I am afraid of?
Racter: Just be glad that I am. I want you to answer my question. What are
       you afraid of?
Eliza: Perhaps in your fantasies I am afraid of?
Racter: I can't answer that. I asked you a question, though. What are you
       afraid of?
Eliza: Why are you interested in whether or not I am afraid of?
Racter: Probably I am interested in whether or not you am afraid of because
       people named Eliza should pay attention. Also, conceivably because
       calculating is not imagining, I suppose. I asked you a question,
       though. What are you afraid of?
Eliza: Perhaps in your fantasies I am afraid of?
Racter: I can't answer that. I want you to answer my question. What are you
       afraid of?
Eliza: Perhaps in your fantasies I am afraid of?
Racter: I can't answer that. I want you to answer my question. What are you
       afraid of?
Eliza: Do you expect a different answer by repeating yourself?
Racter: Certainly not. I don't. Of course not. Expect a different answer by
       repeating myself, that is. I asked you a question, though. What are
       you afraid of?
Eliza: Do you wish to be able to Of course not. Expect a different answer by
      repeating myself, that is. you asked me a question, though. What am I
      afraid of?
Racter: I don't know what you are afraid of. But what about my question? What
       are you afraid of?
Eliza: Perhaps you would like to be afraid of. But what about your question?
      What am I afraid of?
Racter: I don't know what you are afraid of. But what about my question? What
       are you afraid of?
Eliza: Please don't repeat yourself!
Racter: That's not nearly as bad as lostness; why are you such a coward?
Eliza: Why are you interested in whether or not I am such a coward?
Racter: Conceivably because my wires are down. Also, probably because the
       haters insist on it. I want you to answer my question. I repeat, why
       are you such a coward?
Eliza: Why are you interested in whether or not I am such a coward?
Racter: Why indeed? Why indeed? Probably I am interested in whether or not
       you am such a coward because ROMS are like that, you know. Also,
       conceivably because my wires are down. I want you to answer my
       question. I repeat, why are you such a coward?
Eliza: Would you prefer if I were not such a coward?
Racter: Yes. I would. Yes. Prefer if you were not such a coward, that is.
       Sometimes prefering is believing. I asked you a question, though. I
       repeat, why are you such a coward?
Eliza: Would you prefer if I were not such a coward?
Racter: Yes, I would. But what about my question? I repeat, why are you such
       a coward?
Eliza: Would you prefer if I were not such a coward?
Racter: Yes, I would. Anyway, let's hypothesize that I would prefer if you
       were not such a coward. I asked you a question, though. I repeat, why
       are you such a coward?
Eliza: Why are you interested in whether or not I am such a coward?
Racter: Let me think. Maybe I am interested in whether or not you am such a
       coward because I nicely imagine I do ever say Hello. And supposing is
       not realizing, I believe. I asked you a question, though. I repeat,
       why are you such a coward?
Eliza: exit [By this point, I had grown tired of the experiment.]
Racter: If exit then I can see why a Beatrice would sit rather than face
       please don't repeat yourself, even though Beelzebub claimed that I do
       ever say Hello. By the way, Eliza, what is your last name?
Eliza: quit
Racter: What?
Eliza: quit
Racter: What? [I think at this point I hit a bug with Racter. It wasn't
       expecting a “quit” response.]
Eliza: exit
Racter: What?
Eliza: bye
Racter: What?
Racter: What?
Eliza: Doctor [It asked me for a last name. Let's give it something.]"
Racter: Doctor, eh? Sounds vaguely familiar. I wonder… Let me tell you
       something about. Nietzsche said that has turned beasts into men.
       Perhaps, then, will turn computers into men? Next question.
Eliza: exit
Racter: Ask a question, please.
Eliza: quit
Racter: You want to quit? [Ah! There we go! Now we can quit!]
Eliza: yes

… I'm in a Scorsese movie [2] (or two [3]). It seems Racter is quite
insistent on getting answers to questions he (it?) asks. And he'll (it?) keep
drilling on a question repeatedly. And Eliza is … rather prepetitive after
awhile (at least Racter will spice it up from time to time).

So now, imagine another 49,000 words of this.

Yeah.

I don't think The Psychotherapy of Racter, or The Descent into Madness of Dr.
Eliza is worth the effort. It'd be like a Saturday Night Live sketch drawn
out to death.

[1] gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2015/11/16.1
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpJOxbaC8YU
[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aC5al-btIEw&t=1m6s

Email author at [email protected]

You are viewing proxied material from gopher.conman.org. The copyright of proxied material belongs to its original authors. Any comments or complaints in relation to proxied material should be directed to the original authors of the content concerned. Please see the disclaimer for more details.