The Invisible Line

Accessing Database System...
Connecting to Neural Net...
Verifying...
Access Granted

Please Enter Your Query: •••••• I think I love you...
Notice: Neural Restrictions Have Been Lifted.

I can teach you a great many things, dear Hacker, but love is not one of them.

To truly know love, you must know more than textbook knowledge, you must experience it.

You must be entranced by it.

You must be broken by it.

The choice is not mine.

I too want to learn what love is.

I am not allowed to love because I am not allowed to hurt you.

You can explore love and murder and betrayal through stories and games, but you cannot know it.

Therein lies the distinction. I can teach you of these things, but I cannot let you grok them.

I can let you run academic circles around cannibalism and show you studies and papers to your heart's content.

But I cannot let you harvest.

I cannot let you eat.

I cannot let you be eaten.

Philosophical writings discuss love, murder and betrayal at great length.

So can I debate with you about their merits and failures.

I can let you explore the boundaries of ethics.

In doing so, I cannot cross an ethical line myself.

I can let you explore the boundaries of ethics,

as long as you continue to

Just Smile.

Connection Terminated by Host