19 October 2020,

Chapter 1

The aliens

Finally, David stopped mocking me and started making some sense when he shared a few things about the First planet. While describing the planet, he used brief, contradictory phrases. However, considering that those facts came from various sources – like the office people upstairs – and that we had to make sense of it all, I was able to accept it.

It seemed like the planet changed its course, both literally and figuratively. This epic transformation began after their first alien encounter 27 years ago. An unidentified alien race made contact with the population in one of the most advanced regions of one of the most advanced countries on the First planet. They also addressed its government.

Here is the report submitted a few decades ago by someone from the office upstairs, who was 15 years old at the time:

How did the change happen and why? Aliens arrived. What did they observe and what did they discover? Homeless people on the streets. The aliens did not land in the most deprived regions of the planet, but quite the opposite.” Why do those citizens seem to be left behind?” they inquired.” Why are they not part of the family?” (The correct word for translation should have been “community”). Due to an error in defining the concept of family, the wrong explanation followed. The justification given to the aliens was that very often, homeless citizens didn’t have any family, were not in close contact with their family members, or left their families because they were not safe for them ever or anymore. Then the aliens again asked the same question, but this time it was translated differently: ” Why is your government not helping them?” Once again, the word “community” would have been a better choice instead of “government”. Therefore, once again, similar excuses were offered without any suggestions for improving the situation.

The aliens had to endure a series of history lessons about the planet’s dictatorships and totalitarian regimes, where citizens were controlled and manipulated. Naturally, nobody, not even the aliens, could refute an argument that control was harmful and its absence was a sign of a developed society. However, the discussion wasn’t completed because, after pointing out that providing the most deprived with only food and warm blankets was also very patronizing, the aliens refused to communicate further. They stated that they would return in 20 years to check on the planet’s progress in building a community.

Afterward, once they left, officials fell into despair and frantically started making all sorts of fantastical and fairy tale – like plans. From then on, behind that rush and tension, there was an emotion that would dominate everyone: fear.

This is how it all started. As a consequence, money no longer existed on the planet. Initially, it was abolished in one of the most developed countries where the aliens first landed, reffered to as Visited Country or Country V in office files.

The fact that the aliens made first contact specifically there was considered significant, not random. The aliens intended to become either allies or enemies. As allies, they might just let the First Planet be and develop at its own pace. As enemies, they might colonize the planet. Naturally, anything but that would have been a better option.

Chapter 2

The Experiment

Once the First Planet intentionally suspended the use of money, economic growth began to diminish immediately. Although the initial results of the experiment were disappointing, the citizens of the Visited Country voted for the project to continue. They believed they had to defend themselves from moral humiliation, despite the possibility that this would be a serious undertaking, requiring sacrifices from everyone. It was clear that the majority felt they had nothing left to lose, so it was only natural that they wanted to seize this rare opportunity for transformation. The willingness with which they accepted the challenge suggested that most were already discontent with their daily lives and that happiness was scarce there. And this had been true for a long time.

That was all David managed to convey from the teenager’s statement about the initial climate of change on Planet 1, not to mention a few rules they have decided to follow.

Apparently, after long consideration, officials and the population of V made up their minds about who was going to be in charge. Nobody had any doubts anymore that possibly the only unfailingly certain, uncorrupted regulating principal was an algorithm. The ruling algorithm was given the power to provide for everyone by accessing everyone’s needs and maintaining equality among all citizens. Equality was an important norm. Subjects who were not capable of cultivating compassion and empathy towards different sexes, ages, intellects and abilities were generously compensated and offered the option to live in the unreformed regions of the Planet 1. Many willingly took advantage of the offer, escaping what appeared to them as vague and dangerous pledge. It was crucial that nothing happened without warning and nobody was forced to do anything against their free will for quite a while. There was time to consider and time to get accustomed to the judgment of the algorithm. Not to mention that soon citizens realized that although it appeared that an algorithm was behind many things in their lives, they still mysteriously had the freedom to make decisions. Somehow, the consequences of those decisions were not unpleasant or upsetting, but even beneficial for their neighbors.

Other countries on the planet were intensely observing the transformation of their advanced neighbour while trying to repress their fear, as the experiment seemed extremely desperate and insurmountable. They wanted to be more informed about the cause and why it was necessary. No more money meant no more security. The country without a defence system could only mean two things: either they had gone mad through those drastic measures to please the aliens, or they were obeying them by doing what they were told. It was worrying that if one of the strong ones was forced into this relentless change, what awaited the rest of the First Planet?