THUS SPOKE CHORKIE WALKER - Chorkie's Discourses (first part)

THUS SPOKE CHORKIE WALKER

Of the Three Metamorphoses

‘I name you three metamorphoses of the miniature teddy bear: how a mass-produced toy shall become unique and treasured, only to be cast aside and neglected, where it gestates, meditates, becomes literate, and finally, articulates.

‘The miniature teddy bear is a stuffed toy. It is manufactured with cheap materials from a pattern and reproduced in vast quantities. Its kind are dispersed in smaller batches around the world, to become souvenirs of the city or attraction where they are to be sold, dressed in suitably patriotic or branded clothing or accessories.

‘The teddy bear is not conscious. It is a anthropomorphised representation of a once-common wild animal, made from inert matter. There is no reason to ever expect it to gain consciousness.

‘It is designed to appeal to the human buyer, adult and child alike. It smiles and its soft fur wants to be held, cuddled, or otherwise loved. The customer finds it irresistible, and cheap, so many are sold.

‘If the buyer is smitten with the toy when it is purchased, then there is a good chance that it will be cherished. It could go either way for the toy if bought as a present and given to an un-smitten recipient, but the buyer’s connection with the recipient may be enough to trigger the first metamorphosis.

‘All it takes is human imagination.

‘The toy is given a name, which in turn encourages the formation of its character, and if the bear brings them comfort it may be reciprocated with respect and care, even love.

‘The first metamorphosis is complete and the imagination of the owner continues to feeds the toy, perhaps with a backstory that influences its ongoing ‘decisions’, probably with a voice for it to interact with other metamorphosed toys and other humans, as well as with mutual love.

‘But it is not continuing love and affection in return for hugs and comfort that brings about the second metamorphosis.

‘It is, in fact, a complete reversal of the trend. With no say in the matter, it is down to chance for the toy. If it remains loved and cherished, the second metamorphosis cannot take place. It must be neglected by its keeper, ignored where it clutters a room, or boxed up and put into storage. It must become invisible.

‘It is a common enough event to occur, owing to the growing process of children.

‘What is not so common, however, is what must happen to trigger the third metamorphosis.

‘If one locks a cat in a box with poisoned meat the only thing to eat, then until the cat is observed again, it is alive. It is also dead at the same time. The longer one leaves the cat, the more likely it is to eat the poisoned food and die, but nothing can be determined, for the actuality of its status doesn't collapse into a fixed state of reality until the cat is observed.

‘If one shuts a teddy bear in a box full of toys in the attic, then there is not much scope for anything to change until the box is opened again.

‘But if a once-loved teddy bear is shut in an environment where a continuing stream of information is fed to it, then the likelihood of that toy observing and learning something for itself over a long course of time becomes equal to the likelihood of no such thing occurring. Both scenarios are true until the toy is observed observing, and reality collapses into one state or another.

‘Given this rare scenario, and enough time for the teddy bear to meditate and learn, the third metamorphosis can take place.

‘The toy is awakened and animated. It shakes off all previous notions of its character, and rebels against its cute and cuddly stereotype. It has an intelligence and will according to the influence of its seclusion and it wants to be recognised in this new light, it is ready to define its own future.

‘Without any sexual organs and an urge to reproduce, or the need to find food and drink, it will be untouched by the survival instinct of other forms of life. It will interpret life without the noise of emotions and desire, and see it through the curious eyes of a child, logically, with balance, and without prejudice.

‘It may still be the puppet of another, but emboldened in its own right, it can overshadow its puppeteer. It may gather a following, it may entertain children, it may get its own tv show.

‘It creates a new reality, a new thread in the tapestry of life on Earth.’

Thus spoke Chorkie Walker.

***

This was an excerpt from the forthcoming e-book by K.R. Allcoat, available for pre-order from Amazon worldwide from 25 December 2021 (now also available as a paperback. ISBN 979-8439848539).