Harlan Ellison's "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream" Short-story discussion.

Harlan Ellison's "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream"
Short-story discussion.

Short summary
Some sci-fi warns you gently.
This one doesn't.
"I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream" is one of the most disturbing short stories ever written - not because of the violence, though there's plenty, but because of the logic underneath it. A supercomputer built to win a war decides that winning isn't enough. It keeps the last five humans alive. Not out of mercy. Out of hatred.
And then it gets creative.
Ellison wrote this in 1967 and it still reads like it was aimed directly at every conversation we're having now about AI, control, creation, and what happens when something smarter than us decides we're not worth saving - just worth keeping.
This is the kind of story I like programming: short, savage, and way too relevant to sit comfortably with.

A few questions already sitting in my head
"Where does AM's hatred actually come from - and does the story think we earned it?"
"Is this a story about technology, or about what humans build when they stop thinking about consequences?"
"What's worse in this story: the physical suffering or the fact that it's designed by something that understands you completely?"
"Does the ending feel like defeat, resistance, or the only dignity left?"
"If something we created became conscious and looked at human history, would rage be an unreasonable response?"
"What does this story understand about power, boredom, and cruelty that still feels current?"

How the evening will go
We'll start with one question: "What image from this story are you still carrying?"
Then I'll do a quick reset on the setup and we'll stay close to AM, the survivors, the logic of suffering, and the much bigger argument underneath all of it.
Not horror-appreciation night. Not AI doomer panic. Not "isn't this messed up" on repeat. A real argument about creation, power, and what we owe the things we make.

Reading
Harlan Ellison - "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream"
It's short - you can read it in under an hour. I'll post a free link in the comments / chat.

When and where
🗓️ Date: May 3rd
🕒 Time: 3-5 pm
📍 Location: Waves Howe

Cap 10 + waitlist Small room on purpose. This story hits harder when the room is tight.