'MIMESIS'
Scene
– in a youth internet chat room on environmental issues
Bella: Wait a minute – who are all these other
people?
Aske: They're in the chat room too but they prefer
to stay in the shadows.
Embla: They are other identities, like you.
Bella: But why aren't they speaking? It's a chat room.
The whole point of it is to talk to other people.
(Bella tries to talk to some of the lurkers who are listening in.
He tries to get their attention but they refuse to talk.)
Bella: Hello? Where are you from? Hello.
Den: There's no point in talking to them. They're called
'lurkers' – they come to chat rooms and listen to what other people
have to say.
Bear: Sounds creepy.
Sylvan: It can be. But there can be many different
reasons why they choose not to speak.
Aske: They may be shy.
Embla: They may be scared.
Den: They may be sinister.
Geisha: (Pointing to Aske) Well what about
you? You're security – can't you get rid of them?
Aske: Anyone may have access to this room.
Sylvan: That is the way that I was created –
the open sharing of opinions and ideas necessitates open access.
Geisha: Well if anyone can get in here, what good is
security?
Aske: I protect your information. I stop others from
infiltrating your files and accessing your personal information. Outside
of that, they are free to speak or not.
Embla: Your right to express an opinion freely is the
same right which permits their silence.
Matrix: I dunno. There's something shifty about someone
who just listens in on other people's conversations.
Den: Haven't you ever sat on a train or bus and listened
to the conversations of the people behind you?
Matrix: Yeah but that's different. You just happen
to overhear and then you get interested in how things pan out, that's
all.
Sebastian: (Talking for the first time) What
about going and seeing a play or a movie – you pay money to do
it then.
Matrix: But you know it's not real – you watch
to be entertained.
Sebastian: The same could be said of we who choose
not to speak…
