What if I were something else?
If I were an atom, I would not recognize my entire amino acid. I would hold on to a few electrons per my charge, and stick around to complete the molecule. I would not know what rules the molecule followed, what it thought, produced, or that it was even a whole thing that was more than the sum of its parts - an amino acid. I am holding on to my little friends, and that's it. I would not know that the thing I am making is just as alive, self-aware, and active as I am. Someday, I would be replaced, and the whole would go on as though nothing had happened, because it is more alive than I am.
If I were an amino acid, I would not recognize my entire protein. I would hold on to a few other molecules per my place, and stick around to complete the protein. I would not know what rules the protein followed, what it thought, produced, or that it was even a whole thing that was more than the sum of its parts - a protein. I am holding on to my little friends, and that's it. I would not know that the thing I am making is just as alive, self-aware, and active as I am. Someday, I would be replaced, and the whole would go on as though nothing had happened, because it is more alive than I am.
If I were protein, I would not recognize my cell organelle. I would hold on to a few other proteins per my place, and stick around to complete the organelle. I would not know what rules the organelle followed, what it thought, produced, or that it was even a whole thing that was more than the sum of its parts - a mitochondria. I am holding on to my little friends, and that's it. I would not know that the thing I am making is just as alive, self-aware, and active as I am. Someday, I would be replaced, and the whole would go on as though nothing had happened, because it is more alive than I am.
If I were a cell organelle, I would not recognize my entire cell. I would hold on to a few other organelles per my place, and stick around to complete the cell. I would not know what rules the cell followed, what it thought, produced, or that it was even a whole thing that was more than the sum of its parts - a cell. I am holding on to my little friends, and that's it. I would not know that the thing I am making is just as alive, self-aware, and active as I am. Someday, I would be replaced, and the whole would go on as though nothing had happened, because it is more alive than I am.
If I were a cell, I would not recognize my entire organ. I would hold on to a few other cells per my place, and stick around to complete the organ. I would not know what rules the organ followed, what it thought, produced, or that it was even a whole thing that was more than the sum of its parts - a liver. I am holding on to my little friends, and that's it. I would not know that the thing I am making is just as alive, self-aware, and active as I am. Someday, I would be replaced, and the whole would go on as though nothing had happened, because it is more alive than I am.
If I were an organ, I would not recognize my entire creature. I would hold on to a few other organs per my place, and stick around to complete the creature. I would not know what rules the creature followed, what it thought, produced, or that it was even a whole thing that was more than the sum of its parts - a human being. I am holding on to my little friends, and that's it. I would not know that the thing I am making is just as alive, self-aware, and active as I am. Someday, I would be replaced, and the whole would go on as though nothing had happened, because it is more alive than I am.
If I were a human being, I would not recognize my entire society...
If I were an amino acid, I would not recognize my entire protein. I would hold on to a few other molecules per my place, and stick around to complete the protein. I would not know what rules the protein followed, what it thought, produced, or that it was even a whole thing that was more than the sum of its parts - a protein. I am holding on to my little friends, and that's it. I would not know that the thing I am making is just as alive, self-aware, and active as I am. Someday, I would be replaced, and the whole would go on as though nothing had happened, because it is more alive than I am.
If I were protein, I would not recognize my cell organelle. I would hold on to a few other proteins per my place, and stick around to complete the organelle. I would not know what rules the organelle followed, what it thought, produced, or that it was even a whole thing that was more than the sum of its parts - a mitochondria. I am holding on to my little friends, and that's it. I would not know that the thing I am making is just as alive, self-aware, and active as I am. Someday, I would be replaced, and the whole would go on as though nothing had happened, because it is more alive than I am.
If I were a cell organelle, I would not recognize my entire cell. I would hold on to a few other organelles per my place, and stick around to complete the cell. I would not know what rules the cell followed, what it thought, produced, or that it was even a whole thing that was more than the sum of its parts - a cell. I am holding on to my little friends, and that's it. I would not know that the thing I am making is just as alive, self-aware, and active as I am. Someday, I would be replaced, and the whole would go on as though nothing had happened, because it is more alive than I am.
If I were a cell, I would not recognize my entire organ. I would hold on to a few other cells per my place, and stick around to complete the organ. I would not know what rules the organ followed, what it thought, produced, or that it was even a whole thing that was more than the sum of its parts - a liver. I am holding on to my little friends, and that's it. I would not know that the thing I am making is just as alive, self-aware, and active as I am. Someday, I would be replaced, and the whole would go on as though nothing had happened, because it is more alive than I am.
If I were an organ, I would not recognize my entire creature. I would hold on to a few other organs per my place, and stick around to complete the creature. I would not know what rules the creature followed, what it thought, produced, or that it was even a whole thing that was more than the sum of its parts - a human being. I am holding on to my little friends, and that's it. I would not know that the thing I am making is just as alive, self-aware, and active as I am. Someday, I would be replaced, and the whole would go on as though nothing had happened, because it is more alive than I am.
If I were a human being, I would not recognize my entire society...