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The year is 2267. This is not for pretend. Consider, for a moment, that I might be telling the truth.
You think you’re in the early 21st century. Very quaint back then. The early 21st century was the beginning of the Game Age, when what you call ‘video games’ became the meaning of life. By 2030, games had advanced to the point where you could enter into a perfectly realistic world, via a direct feed to your Consciousness, and live out your entire life in any of the various worlds you chose to participate in. Now, in the 2200’s, we’ve advanced far beyond this. Our entire culture and lives are ‘virtual’.
In the same way that someone from 2006 might have been interested in the Renaissance or Medieval times, you are interested in the early 21st century. Very exciting time, full of wars and big technological breakthroughs. So you decided to play a game called The Age of Change.
You paid 410 credits to enter the game. You started playing last week. We plugged into your Consciousness, and entered in an entire set of memories so that you ‘remember’ everything that happened prior to last week. But of course, nothing did. It’s all just memory implants.
We also did a character change for you, so that you think you’re another person (you’re actually a 19 year old girl). Then, as you requested, we temporarily wiped out all memories that tell you you’re actually a 19 year old girl in the year 2267. This is a full immersion game. The game will last for two hours, but for you it will seem like 28 years.
Nothing around you is real. The computer you’re reading this on. The clothes you’re wearing. The people you think you know. Even your own body. It’s all just sensory feed from the game The Age of Change. Pretty cool, huh?
You did request that we leave you this one clue as to the true nature of the game. This is it, and you will receive no other. You thought it might be fun if you had a chance to ‘wake up’ in the game — realize you were just playing, so you wouldn’t take it all so seriously. Oh yes – Bianca tells you that she says ‘hi’, and she can’t wait to take you for a ride in her new Tricat Moonjumper, as soon as you unplug. She’s getting lunch with Cassie down at that nice little café next to the space elevator, and she’ll meet you there.
Finally, here’s the message you left for yourself –
How do you know this isn’t true?
Hey Bill! Well, I don’t know if I qualify as brooding, but philosophical might fit =) I’ve been diligently trying to gather followers — aiming for a whole army of 18-year old co-eds, but so far no luck. As for this article, you’re absolutely correct that it’s not original — but as outlined in some of the comments above, it’s much older than the eighties. It’s actually one of the most ancient ideas the human mind came up with to try to explain the experience we’re having here. It’s a fun idea that can be dressed up in different clothing, and each time we hear it it has the potential to help us recognize what it’s pointing at.
Sweetwater,
Kenton
The top of the web page says it November 2006 posted in Quick thoughts- oops its 2009
Hello Melody,
I actually wrote it in 2006, and it’s still one of the most visited pages on the site =)
Sweetwater,
Kenton
…but “The Game You’re Playing” is simply one of an infinite number of games each of us are playing in the “now”. The “you” that decided to play the game you are currently experiencing is but an unconscious and unaware but willing player in a larger game. That “you” is also an unconscious, unaware but willing player in yet another game, and so on. All of these games are all happening “now”, for there is nothing but “now”. Time is but a concept we each use to differentiate the change from one static and unchanging “now” from the next very much like viewing the individual frames on a film strip. Each frame exists in a static state of “now”. However, if viewed as a movie, all of the frames appear to form the illusion of movement through time. That is to say, the mind you are aware in this particular game is tricked into believing that time exists. We are not moving through time. We are simply experiencing different “nows” based on the myriad of choices we each make while playing each of the games we are playing.
Ultimately, you must either believe that the reality you are experiencing is the true reality and things are as they seem, or you must open your mind to the fact that nothing is real but the concept of physical reality.
Greetings Dan,
Thanks for the thought-provoking comment! I’ve written a number of articles on the idea of time — you might be interested to see how they fit in with the ideas you outlined above.
Sweetwater,
Kenton
Philip.
K.
Dick.
You don’t know that it is real or not. Our perceived reality is only as real as we make it, and as real as the consequences are. If we died in this reality, we may very well wake up in some other alternate reality. Likewise, I could enter into a game like you describe in 20 years from now, enter another reality. Apply both ad infinitum, and it doesn’t matter. Our perceived reality is the only reality we are concerned with, and the only one in which we can behave.
entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem.
try another?
This is pretty much the entire idea of The Matrix.
I like it, especially after reading about futuristic imaginings/writings here in 2009 for a couple hours. It broke for me when you said “tricat moonjumper” that seemed cheesy. But life is cheesy I guess.
I hope this is not true. Ah well, I suppose I shall find out when I am 47. Why, though, would I have a clue sent to me with punctuation errors? Maybe I developed the “grammar police” mentality in this game…
Let the paranoia ensue for the next 24 years.
I see you are up to date with comments. I didn’t mean to go all grammar police on the post, but I tend to go into “peeve mode” sometimes. The thing is, this post was made 2 years after I turned 19, and I was an English major from that age until last year. Ever since that age, I’ve had an inkling that my life wasn’t real. I stumbled across this post this evening, and it startled me. Has it ever been a thought of yours that your life isn’t real? That you are an NPG that was made for the purpose of posting this message to me and commenting on post messages while living out the rest of your life? Will your purpose end now that I’ve found this message? That’s a thing to wonder. Once I turn 47, I’ll either be glad or paranoid about going to sleep for the following year. Thanks.
Space elevators are technically infeasible (despite the advances in carbon nano-tubes.) Rule 1 of sci-fi: Technology should either go back very clearly to first principles or it should remain unexplained. Unfortunately, the space elevator, in general, has violated that rule.
Philosophy is nothing. It is similar to a cow staring a new gate.
Good morning there,
I am wondering, if this is true, then how does One return home? So far, I’ve learned love and forgiveness is the foundation of inner peace and true miracles not only of mind, but in physical manifestation as well. It also seems to be the one lesson of life: Love.
Spreading this teaching is my destiny as you may one day witness, in the form of energies put in music. The group is called Idle Nightmare, and shies greatly from its name perception. The energies are all Love and Forgiveness. We’ve studied the effects of these meditated energies in listeners to find a profound effect of emotional, mental and intuitive change. Either while listening or shortly after.
Thus, spreading the teaching subconsciously. Cool, huh? (No sarcasm intended). The website is where the music can be heard.
Now getting home. I’ve gathered through my psychic connection, that we may only leave as a whole and cannot return in a separated state to (heaven). Thus, meaning that we as an extension of mind from God are not experiencing true heaven, but are in a dualistic, psychotic even, dreamworld based entirely on separation from everything in the universe as a whole. Even though we are in heaven and in contrast to what that feels like, this is “hell” . Of mind. So that also means that you can simply choose the state of mind (heaven) in “hell”. Giving purpose to my teachings.
Unfortunately the only way to see how everything is One for yourself can only be accomplished by softening of the ego. Which is usually done 3 ways: Teaching (either through direct or life teaching), dmt (occurring naturally inside our “brains”), and hallucinogenic drugs (even Cannabis may fall into this category).
And there falls in place; the explanation on how all is unreal, because its all One and is solely created by ego and mind. You could think of our ego as a plug-in and the mind as the core operating system. You also cant unplug the plug-in without knowing how to do it.
Which is where we all come in. Until we all know Love, there will still be a need for the Universe. Should all go well as planned, my estimate is the year 3536.
So happy reincarnating! I actually remembering reincarnating again after my last life and I was totally psyched! I wanted to keep experiencing the contrast of good and bad that makes some things more preferable than other things. And vice-versa. That made me feel great inside just remembering then.
My birthday is 4/10, hence, why I decided a writing was in order. As yours sparked my interest. We should probably write to each other, as I suspect this will be of interest to you. I have this page bookmarked along with many others I’ve Stumbled Upon. Haha. It also gets read by a lot of people so that’s a plus too.
Good morning and Good night,
Jason Mise.
Hello D — This idea, as noted in some of the comments above, is actually much more ancient than Philip. These ideas have been recycled over and over again over the ages, and we miss the value of them if we see only that they are being recycled. Why are they recycled so often? That question has some interesting answers . . .
Konraden — Precisely. Just what do we really know? And if it is only perception, then what does that mean? Of course, we want to answer that question with ideas, but what if we truly attend to perception itself?
misanthropope — Really, such a sharp blade is only a good way to cut things apart. What if no cutting whatsoever needs be done?
I hope Konraden does not mind an addendum to the thought. Not Real? Only perception? If one cannot manipulate or manifest (at that moment) his/her “unreality” then; BFD.
i just dont buy the idea that a nineteen year old girl, me, or presumably any of you, would ask for this clue to be on a website somewhere, waiting to be stumbled or undiscovered. why the intricacy? and how many people are playing this game? why isnt everyone a super hero? this game sucks!
See, articles like this confirm what I have known all along…
The reality we all know and love is
TOTALLY PHOTOSHOPPED
LOOK AT THE PIXELS SURROUNDING YOUR FEET, IT IS OBVIOUS!
JASON MISE THIS REALITY IS SHOPPED DUDE!
(1000 pts for saying it first)
Hey anonzo — sorry you’re not having a good time. Part of the message here is to consider how we can make our life amazing enough that we would actually consider it fun if it was a video game or a story. What stories we could all write if we put ourselves to it!
Dear Freddy,
I’ll often look at a sunset or some other aspect of the world, and think that it looks almost ‘fake’ =) So perhaps this is all Shopped!
Sweetwater,
Kenton
Ultimately, it makes absolutely no difference whether or not you choose to reflect on the nature of reality or to question your perceptions and beliefs.
You get what you get.
If you choose to limit your thinking to only those things that are directly manifested in this physical reality, fine. If you choose to look beyond that which is directly in front of you nose, that’s fine too. It truly makes no difference either way.
The concept that we are all players in a game is a nothing more than a marvelous mind exercise in learning to question one’s beliefs and perceptions. It is an exercise in learning and discovery. This concept isn’t a statement of fact or a declaration as to the true nature of reality. It’s just a way of saying, “Here, take a look at this. If you choose to look, it may help you to see the things that happen in your life in a different light”.
Whether or not you choose to look or believe is entirely up to you. If you think all this stuff is nothing more than manipulative psychobabble, ok. To you it will probably always be manipulative psychobabble. For those that choose to give it some thought, great. You may choose to incorporate new ideas and concepts into the collage of your own life experiences. Or, you may choose not to. It makes no difference. Either way, you will live your life as you choose and intend to live it.
For me, playing the “what if?…” game is a wonderful way to enrich my own life and of the lives of those around me. If nothing else, it certainly makes me a much more colorful and interesting person than if I were to simply live my life in an homogeneous, monochrome, unchanging and unquestioning blur.
Hmmmm… what if…. I wonder… how would that work? What are the possibilities? What if I suspended my disbelief for just one moment? Will I quiet my skepticism enough to ponder the possibilities? What if…?
Those are wonderful thoughts and questions to ponder… all the time knowing that I can never truly know the answers. But, what if? What if the answers to my questions are simple and right in front of my nose?
Is it possible?
I will never know without asking questions of myself and choosing to intentionally play along with the game…
Well, the idea that anyone would want to play me is laughable, to tell the truth – I’m not much of an experience, believe me.
Now, one of the issues I see is that the game would only last 2 hours, yet I began playing last week. Also, you have to deal with the problems that come along with the “reality is an illusion” philosophy. If reality is an illusion, and these are only memories, how can I experience everything so vividly?
Think back a few days. Think of something memorable you did, maybe you almost had an accident when you were driving, or maybe you picked up a slimy frog, or or ate a very tasty cake. Can you remember every single minute detail about how you felt when you ate that cake? From the texture in your mouth to the smell, to the exact shape and size and colors and designs of it’s appearance? Can you remember the exact fear you felt when you were almost hit by a car, how the steering wheel felt under your white knuckles, how your pants felt against your legs?
Science suggests that humans are incapable of complete sensory recollection to the finest degree. Which means every memory I am experiencing should be duller and less physical than it seems to be. I can trace the wood in my desk down to a splinter, and know exactly how my fingertips respond to that texture. I won’t be able to recall the exact feeling tomorrow morning, but i will recall that I ran my fingers along it and that it felt like wood.
The problem with transplanted memories is the falseness. Since my nerves respond to the feeling, but don’t store the feeling, every time I touch the desk, the feeling is new to my fingers. It isn’t new to my brain, but my fingers don’t know they felt the desk.
Also, these sensory perceptions help us file away memories. My brain remembers the texture of wood, and so when I touch the desk, I might remember that I touched it earlier. Also, if I lose my keys, and try to think of where I placed them, when I touch the coffee table, or the counter top in the kitchen, a sensory memory might be triggered that says “hey, you touched this the last time you had your keys, look around here.”
So my question to you, is how can memories be so vivid and lifelike to be convincing to me, when sensory perception is something we rely on vastly to even store or trigger memories?
Thanks,
Keudo
How do I know this isn’t true? Because I’m a 19 year old boy. Really cool though, it made me think a lot.
Hey Cory,
Glad it got you thinking!
=) Kenton
What I find interesting is that I’m 19, a girl, and am good friends with a Cassie and Bianca. This was just a bit odd to stumbleupon.
Dear mt47,
Well, what can one say to that? =)
Sweetwater,
Kenton
ok one more comment
just to make a quick point about your ‘alternate reality’ story.
if this universe and all that we percieve is a game then it has to have had a programmer….or to call it by another name a creator. Since no real proof can be found that this reality has or has not a creator, that indicates that either the creator has SO cleverly manipulated the bounds of the rules that we can NEVER leave the playing field(3d earth), or, we haven’t yet found our way into the hidden zone(higher dimensions). Either way, there is no sense in denying the existence of this creator, but at the same time should not bother to worship this creator, because our cries will fall on deaf ears unless he is in the game with us and nearby enough to hear what we are saying. If this creator really demands worship…like tithe and church or temple or synagogue on Sunday, or really listens to us from above the game to make sure we are praying…..WOW what an ego! stupid point but valid DONT WORSHIP! BE YOURSELF!
i know it’s false because people in the future would never call a space elevator “space elevator”.
Hey Tiago! You must have missed the memo a few comments up. The trend during this time is to name establishments after cute ‘retro’ technological ideas. =)
Man will never be able to play god like that. I have faith in God and God is not a concept in a video game.