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Avatar's Dirty Secret: Nature Is Just Fancy Infrastructure

open.substack.com

What if Avatar isn't actually about environmentalism vs. technology, but about recognizing superintelligent infrastructure when you see it? A deep dive into why Pandora's "natural" ecosystem looks suspiciously like a planetary-scale AI preserve, complete with biological USB-C ports, room-temperature superconductors growing wild, and a species of "noble savages" who are actually post-singularity retirees cosplaying as hunter-gatherers.

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I would be more interested in watching the Vernor Vinge version of Avatar, where it's heavily implied they're a downgraded planet that used to be in a higher zone. As it is, I only watched the first movie.

Is this a thing? Where can I find more?

I'm 99% sure you're asking "is the Vernor Vinge version of Avatar a thing", and my answer is a useless "no"; at least I'm not finding any hint of it on fan fiction sites.

But on the 1% chance you're unfamiliar with Vinge and asking "is this sort of science fiction universe you're talking about a thing", I feel like I have to speak up to tell you to go get a copy of A Fire Upon The Deep now. The way he weaves primitive and high technology together into one coherent and fascinating story puts Dances With Smurfs to shame.

Don't worry I've read plenty of Vinge. Was looking for more of a Vingian take on Avatar.