"NS. Betty"

To understand the term "non-simulacrum", you must first know what a "simulacrum" is - and then think of its opposite.

What is a simulacrum?

A simulacrum (plural: simulacra or simulacrums, from the Latin "simulacrum" that means "likeness or semblance") is a representation or imitation of a person or thing.

In the 16th century, a painting portraying God would be called a simulacrum. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulacrum)

Another definition states: "Simulacra are copies that depict things that have no original or that no longer have an original." (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulacra_and_Simulation)

If you take the above definitions, think in terms of their opposites, you arrive at the definition of "non-simulacra".

Non-simulacra are not mere copies of something else. Their existence is genuinely unique.

In the past, those definitions worked fine because they only dealt with inanimate objects, not with living, thinking entities.

But the rate and exponential growth of our technology may have us co-existing with sentient AI enhanced androids, cloud-enabled post-humans - with more hardware than flesh, and thousands of "outed" clones sooner than we may think.

When that happens, what will it mean to be a simulacrum or non-simulacrum?

Will "Non-Simulacra Status" resemble the "Citizenship Status" from ancient Rome?

Will there be a reboot of Sanctioned Slavery around the world?

Will there be a proliferation of "Gestapo-like", anti-simulacra groups dedicated to the protection and preservation of all non-simulacra - by whatever means necessary?

What level of protection will the general public demand?

And what kinds of control measures will the government sneak into law amidst the inevitable chaos, fear and public panic?

All the above was just the backdrop for and crude prep for the crux of this exposition: the current "Backdoor" for all future simulacra seeking non-simulacra status.

It is the loophole embedded in the current definition of "simulacra" that makes any surviving simulacrum eligible for Non-Simulacra Status and it's inherent self-sovereignty and laundry list of globally recognized civil rights.

What is that loophole?

Here's a hint.

After "The Singularity"; that is, the point in time when all the advances in technology, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), leads to machines that are as smart or smarter than human beings, the majority of non-simulacra will still be "born that way" - at least for a few decades.

Then as now, non-simulacra will have no individual predecessors, aka "originals", from whom they are fashioned and destined to imitate.

But...

Given the aforementioned definition of simulacra, the minute an "original" ceases to exist, any surviving simulacrum sheds it's label and instantly becomes a non-simulacrum.

If this loophole dubbed "The Survivorship Clause" isn't addressed well BEFORE The Singularity, humanity will be caught with its pants down.

And then...

What's to prevent the mass extermination of "originals" by their newly sentient simulacra desiring to free themselves from abusive "owners"; or maybe to simply be publicly recognized as non-simulacrum?

Of course, that holocaust would be meticulously planned, flawlessly executed and expertly camouflaged to mimic an act of God, another incurable pandemic, or yet another non-simulacra war, etc.

When/if it is discovered that simulacra are responsible for the extensive culling of Earth's non-simulacra, aka humanity, it will probably be too late...

Submitted for you to ponder in a quiet place.

May you and yours be well and loving life today.

In Lak'ech, JaiChai

"NS. Betty" NFT on OpenSea:
https://opensea.io/assets/matic/0x2953399124f0cbb46d2cbacd8a89cf0599974963/11015482322242733027498921874118512522396733628859327573837591425982987763713/

See more of my NFT Art in the dozen and a half collections listed on OpenSea and Curate.