Artificial Happiness

"Your case poses a loophole in those regulations. The overseer who made the illegal changes was not acting on official orders, so the company is not to blame. He was motivated by his own selfish motives and therefore carries the entire responsibility. Furthermore the company did not actively interfere so it wasn't really an experiment but a mere observation. Of course one could argue that we should have rectified the situation as soon as it came to our attention. However, we found no legal obligations which would have forced us to do so. We may not have reacted as expected of us, but we did not violate the contract either; a juristic gray area of sorts."

After that explanation Robert kept quiet for a while, processing everything he had heard. Eventually he asked the most essential question: "What now?"

Josef smiled. "First of all, we will put your mind back together. Your CERS is currently running a special program which is supposed to undo most of the mental damage you have suffered. While this treatment commences over the next few days you might still experience mood swings, episodes of depression and other side effects. Once the treatment is over you should be able to cope with the remaining emotional challenges on your own."

"And what happens then?" Robert asked feebly, sounding afraid of hearing the answer.

"What do you think will happen?"

"Why does it matter what I think?" the Worker snapped. His voice was trembling with a sudden mixture of anger, spite and dread. "I am just company property after all; a piece of equipment to be used; a mindless working drone without a personality. I guess you wouldn't go through the trouble of fixing my brain if you intended to discard me, so you will probably reset my CERS and send me back to work. Making sure you and your kind can keep on living your lazy, shallow and pointless lives."

Josef sighed. He had anticipated Robert to feel resentment towards him, the company and Naturals in general, yet after following the Worker's fate for so long it still pained him. "I can understand why you think like that. In your story we are the villains; the cause of all your sorrows. But reality is more complex than that. We are not as coldhearted as you might think; neither are we completely indifferent to the fate and wellbeing of Workers."

"I find that hard to believe. I have seen how Naturals perceive and treat Workers. We are hardly even human in their eyes and we are most certainly nowhere near equals. You look down on us and that notion of superiority influences your actions."

Josef nodded, not bothering to deny any of it. He knew better than most that it was true. "You are right. Over the last few years we have started taking Workers for granted and lost our appreciation for all they do for us. We are deeply flawed beings, prone to selfishness, egocentrism and condescension. That doesn't only apply to Naturals though. I am sure you have experienced similar shortcomings in your own character recently. Your behavior has been affected by similar flaws."

Robert didn't reply but the way he averted his eyes in recognition of his own faults was answer enough.

"Workers are not that fundamentally different from us," Josef stated. "They can be just as selfish. While nobody will deny that their services have benefitted humanity immeasurably, they are not really motivated by altruism or a wish for self-sacrifice either. Every Worker is constantly driven by the pursuit of satisfaction. Their entire behavior is shaped by seeking reward and avoiding punishment. Without the proper incentives you would have never lived such an exemplary life either."

"But that isn't our choice," Robert objected. "We never get the chance to live out our real personalities because we are always manipulated; how can you judge our characters if you don't even allow us to manifest them?"

"I am not judging; I am merely making an observation of the human mind in general. The keynote of this observation is this: All of us, Workers and Naturals alike, are spending our lives looking for happiness. Naturals are granted the freedom to search in their own ways but they are also left alone in the challenging quest to find it. Workers do not get to choose their own way but they never have to struggle in the search.

I can't say which life is better. You have experienced both, so you are surely more of an authority on the matter. Clearly you value your newfound freedom; but if I had to guess I would say you have been happier as a clueless Worker. So which is the better way in your opinion?"

Robert opened his mouth clearly intending to say something but reconsidered. "It's not that simple," he claimed after a moment of hesitation. "I only had a tiny glimpse into your life, not the experience of growing up that way. It was all too abrupt, too overwhelming. Much of the time I was deeply confused and had no idea what was going on with me."

"That actually sounds very much like the adolescence of any typical Natural," Josef said with a chuckle. "Sure we usually have more time, more guidance and more preparation; but in essence I think you had a quite representative trip into what it's like to be a Natural, with its highs and lows; a lot faster and more condensed than usual of course, but still."

"It would still be different if I had been born like that," Robert insisted. "Are there a lot of Naturals which want to become Workers?"

"Not that I know of," Josef answered truthfully.

"Why not if it is such a great life?"

"A valid point. Apart from you I haven't met any Workers who are aspiring to become Naturals either though."

"Because they can't; their CERS is preventing them from wanting to be like Naturals. It's not their choice."

"It keeps them from wanting to become like us by making them enjoy their lives as they are. Naturals do not want to be Workers because our minds are terrified by the idea of losing our mental freedom. In a way we are being manipulated by our own brains. I can't change what I want any more than the average Worker can."

It took Robert some time to come up with a response.

"The difference is that you are in control of us. You decide what we want and what not. It's deliberate, manipulative technology, not just random bio-chemistry."

"But where is the harm, if nobody objects to it?" Josef stated.

"Well I am objecting now!" Robert retorted.

"And therefore you will be given the choice which way you want to go from now on; the Natural or the Worker way."

That obviously took Robert aback "Are you serious?"

The Worker's surprise brought a slight grin to Josef's face. "I am. Obviously your life can't just go on like it has for the last few weeks. This intermediate state between Worker and Natural is too volatile. It is in everyone's interest that we find a more stable long-term state of mind for you. That means you will have to decide for one way or the other: freedom and struggle or servitude and stability."

"How will this work exactly?" Robert wanted to know. His mood had become a lot more calm and pensive.

"Well, there is the Worker path. That is the easy one. There is a technology which allows us to remove memories through the implants in your brain. It is not completely precise; the time frame can only be a rough estimate and some memories or hazy impressions might be left behind but the CERS can filter out most of your recollection from the past few months. To you it will be as if none of all that ever happened. Everything will return to how it has been before. For the rest of your life you will live with the bliss of ignorance, unaware of all the sorrows which currently torment you.

"The alternative is to live the life of a Natural; for good this time. That means completely shutting down your CERS. With no artificial help from the implants you will be at the mercy of your natural emotions, with all the pros and cons. A lot of challenges and confusing problems await you on that path, but you would get the opportunity to learn more about being a Natural, explore the world and decide your own fate. As you have not been born naturally you are not eligible for a universal basic income, so you will have to work for your money. Considering your skills, your company knowledge and your unique background, VRW is happy to offer you a position at its headquarters in Munich, back on Earth. The work you would be doing is different from what you are used to. We will try to make use of the properties which set you apart from regular Workers, but you will be compensated adequately for it. Maybe in time we can even get you into the UBI system so you will enjoy all the advantages of being a Natural; I can make no promises on that though. In exchange for our help with getting you settled in, we want you to keep providing us with data and experience reports on your integration into society. This knowledge might become invaluable in time. Your real origin will have to be kept a secret to most people; at least for some time. There can be exceptions, but we don't want all of it to become public if it can be prevented. It would be in the best interest of both you and the company.

"Some of the details are a matter of negotiation, but basically those are your options. You should weigh them well, because there is no going back from either of them. Take your time to decide, there is no rush. Until your mental health is fully restored it would be irresponsible to let you make such an important choice anyway. "

"What about Lisa?" Robert asked as soon as Josef was done talking.

"She has received the same offer I just presented to you. She hasn't given me an answer yet. No doubt the two of you will want to discuss this with each other. A word of advice in that regard: It is not a good idea to pick the same paths purely for the sake of being together. Your relationship is certainly more special than most, but there is no guarantee it will last. If you make a decision only based on your feelings for her you might not do yourself a favor. Choose the life you think would make you happy."

Robert nodded. He recognizing the wisdom in the advice but he was not sure he could get himself to choose a life without Lisa in it.

"Any more questions?" Josef asked after he felt like he had given Robert proper time to process.

"Yes," the Worker responded, still half lost in thought. "Do you really think using the CERS is right?"

"That is a tough question," Josef admitted sincerely. He took his time formulating an answer he deemed appropriate. "The concept isn't perfect, I won't deny that. It has its flaws and we might need to overthink it in time. But when I look at the prosperity and all the great achievements it has brought to mankind, I think it is the best way for our species in its current stage. Despite all the moral implications and the philosophical considerations about true happiness and the meaning of life it is my firm belief that the CERS-Workforce is beneficial for humanity as a whole; the Workers and the Naturals; at least until some better solution comes up."

Josef was very aware that he had dodged the actual question. He hadn't said whether he considered it to be right; because he really didn't know. For a moment it looked as if Robert might raise an objection, but it never came. When it seemed like there was nothing more to say, he rose from the chair. "I have bothered you long enough. You should get some rest and think about what I have said. We will talk again soon enough."

Before Josef reached the door, Robert voiced one more question: "Wouldn't it be illogical to reject a familiar life of certain happiness in favor of a strange, unknown world full of potential sorrows?"

Josef turned to him with an understanding smile and answered: "Perhaps; but I think it would also be the human thing to do. Being illogical seems to be an integral part of who we are." With those words he left the Worker to his thoughts. Josef already had a notion which path Robert would take; and he was very curious where it would lead him.

Epilogue

With shaky legs Robert approached the shuttle. His gaze wandered through the traffic dock area of Zukunftsfabrik, taking in every detail of a place he would probably not see again for a long time. To him this part of the space station was associated with a mixture of nervousness and excited anticipation by now. Compared to the previous journeys he had started here, the one ahead of him was certainly the most exciting but also the most terrifying. A new life awaited the former Worker. The shuttle he was about to board would take him to a large cruiser in Mars orbit which was about to depart for Earth. Once it got there, another shuttle would take him down to a spaceport on the surface from which he was supposed to travel to the VRW headquarters in Munich. This trip alone was an adventure in its own right. Everything beyond that he could hardly even imagine. He was anxious about this unknown future, but he was even more anxious about the idea of losing the memories, the knowledge and the awareness he had gained over the last few month. The idea of returning to his old life was tempting, but he had dismissed the option rather quickly. It just didn't feel right. Even now, as he was boarding the shuttle, taking one last look around, trembling with tension, there was no real inclination to reconsider.

Once inside the shuttle, Robert scanned the passenger cabin. Around half of the seats were filled. The person he was looking for was not present; not yet at least; there was still time. Unlike him, Lisa had not made her choice of path by the last time they had talked. For her, the idea of leaving the Worker life behind was not as easy to accept. Robert had taken the advice of Josef Zimmerer to heart. Subsequently he had made his decision completely independent of Lisa's. Moreover, he had been careful not to influence her decision-making process. After he was already responsible for initially ripping her from the Worker life, he at least wanted to leave her with the opportunity to opt out.

The thought of not having her in his life was almost unbearable to him; but the idea that he might manipulate her into a life she didn't want, that he might cause her unhappiness, that she might despise him for it one day, was even worse. By now her memory of their relationship might have already been erased; or she might enter the shuttle any second. Robert tried not to dwell on it; with limited success.

The other passengers were all Naturals; probably beginning or ending a business trip or a vacation to or from the station. He was one of them now, Robert suddenly realized for the first time. So far he didn't really feel much like belonging to them. Maybe that would change in time. He certainly hoped so, since he no longer affiliated with Workers either. For now he was more comfortable keeping his distance, so he picked an empty row and slid into the left side corridor seat.

Trying to relax he leaned back and immediately regretted that decision. A sharp sting emanated from the back of his head as it made contact with the headrest of the chair. After he had chosen the Natural life and before he had been released from the infirmary, they had surgically removed the socket for connecting to the CERS as well as the wireless access point. The purpose of this measure was to prevent him from the temptation of reactivating his implants and to ensure that others couldn't take control of him either. Most of his other implants were still in place, many of them inactive now. Removing them was either impossible or not doable with justifiable effort. Only the possibility for connecting was gone. It hadn't been a very intrusive operation but the skin around the spot was still irritated and caused pain on contact.

To pass the time and cope with his anxiety, Robert retrieved his UID. Out of pure habit and a lack of better ideas he browsed the station network for articles about VRW, like he often used to do while still a servant to his CERS. The news he found were not very positive. A shortage in electrical parts due to the insolvency of a supplier had caused a delay in the delivery of the latest product line. Customers were unhappy and the company stock value had dropped. Until recently this information would have caused him great dismay. Now he felt mostly indifferent about it. The realization brought a smile to his face.

"Good news?" someone asked to his right.

With boundless joy Robert looked up into the face of Lisa standing next to him.

"Do you have a seat for me?"

"Of course," Robert answered, making room for her. "It's actually bad news." He handed her the UID and pointed at the text passage he had just been contemplating.

"Bad news indeed," she confirmed after reading and showed a smile which suggested that she knew exactly why the negative headlines had caused him mirth. The fact that she was on the shuttle with him, could only mean that she had chosen the same path as he had. Robert stared at her in wonder, unable to grasp his luck.

"You look surprised to see me," Lisa commented his gaze. "Did you really think I would let you fly off to Earth without me?"

"I very much hoped that you wouldn't, but..." Robert needed to know. "Is this really what you want? Are you sure that you are not just following me into some foolish adventure?"

"Honestly, I am not sure what I want," she admitted. "I can't possibly say which future I prefer; but whatever path I go, I want to have you by my side. I know there is no guarantee that this relationship will work out. Maybe we will get tired of each other in a month, a year or a decade. If that is the case, I will cope; but right now, for this crucial, confusing and defining phase of my life, I need a companion who understands; someone who can relate to what I'm going through. That is why I think this is the right choice. We will master the upcoming challenges together; at least until we have settled into our new lives. Are you okay with that?"

"More than okay," Robert confirmed. "There is nothing I would prefer."

"Good." She leaned against him and rested her head on his shoulder.

As the shuttle departed Robert finally managed to relax. For the moment he put the worries about his future aside. Whatever might happen, together they would get through it. Right now, with Lisa at his side, he felt as happy as he had ever been.