Humanity amidst a Post-Human Future

While Ashes of the Singularity I focused on the conflict between the Post-Human Coalition and the Substrate, in Ashes of the Singularity II players have the opportunity to see what’s going down on Earth. And, well, it’s a lot.

There’s still a five-day work week on top of a variety of international crises: a fractured Post-Human Coalition circumventing United Earth ordinances, the spread of environmental destruction caused by Turinium, a growing divide between the haves and the have-nots, and increasingly polarized views on what it means to be human at all.

The Post-Human “Human” Problem

After the creation of a strong AI, it wasn’t long until the brightest (or wealthiest) minds looked to see how they could enhance their own cognition with the technology that made Haalee possible. Andy Lexus was the first, but he was far from the last. When the first Post-Humans successfully uploaded their consciousness into virtual reality, ridding themselves of the confines of biology, public debate deepened on when exactly one ceases to be alive or ceases to be human.

Unphased by the debate, most Post-Humans consider themselves the pinnacle of human progress, encapsulating the best parts of humanity unshackled by biological limitations and imperatives. In time though, some Post-Humans began to put an emphasis on the Post part of that designation and others focused more on the Human. PHC member Vexen, for example, claimed that Post-Humans have as much in common with humans as humans do with mice, whereas Mac continues to see himself as one of us.

Some wanted Post-Human status to be reserved to a select few while others felt it was the natural destiny of all mankind to ascend to a Post-Human form. We see Mac in the first game espousing the latter types of beliefs, whereas Valen, another PHC member, and Haalee deeply opposed this idea. They feared what would happen if human greed was paired with Post-Human power on a larger scale. It seems the Untied Earth Congress shared this fear in some regards, with the UEC working to outlaw Turinium mining on Earth.

Mere Mortals

By and large, Post-Humanness is seen as unachievable for the masses. While Mac often speaks of Post-Human ascent as the goal for humankind, the resource constraints alone make that seem like a fantasy. On top of that, ongoing anti-PHC sentiment is the overwhelming opinion held by biological humans across the globe.

However, that doesn’t mean that people have just decided to stay just as they are.

Darius Robotics worked to adapt elements of their Robi units to supplement biological humans. It’s quite common to see people utilize technological advancements, like prosthetic limbs or exosuits, to enrich quality of life without permanent biological changes. These humans refer to their aids as augments and still solidly believe themselves to be human. You’ll see augment technologies and similar tools utilized by the United Earth Forces in combat.

Another growing movement has been in championing the extension of natural life. Many of the world’s elite longed for a solution to aging without ridding themselves of their bodies, believing that the body itself is critical to what makes us human. These individuals utilize nanotechnology to repair cell damage, improve hearing and vision, and stop genetic aging. While colloquially called “Genies” for all their gene editing, they prefer to call themselves the true future of humanity, though I’m sure the PHC would disagree. CEO of Darius Robotics and a former Lexite, Darius Erdmann, leads the charge in this movement alongside many of his fellow Mars colonists and their array of Robi units. He’s quite active in the colony; you’d never guess his age.

Pointing Fingers

While a variety of differing opinions and movements exist in the spectrum between human and Post-Human, it’s noteworthy that the core of what it means to be human drives them all. Who the real humans are? Well, that’s up to you.