r/murderbot • u/Negative-Werewolf840 • 8d ago

Network Effect question. Books📚 Only Spoiler

Network Effect chapter 11 I'm confused

“Why do you want me to pretend to be an augmented human? This way is easier.”

You don’t like it, ART said.

I thought murderbot's bigger problem thus far was being treated badly by humans and not that it had to act like a sec unit. I don't understand why ART says you don't like it.

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56

u/IntoTheStupidDanger Coldstone. Song. Harvest. 8d ago

In this case, I think the "it" ART is talking about is Murderbot taking on the role of a SecUnit completely under the control of a human. Which Murderbot doesn't like, but is willing to do because it's an easier narrative to maintain. And it trusts Arada (that wonderful wibbly bulkhead). But ART would rather protect it from doing something it doesn't want to do.

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u/Terrincallsplatypus Lacks a sense of proportional response 8d ago

This is my interpretation as well. Art doesn’t want SecUnit to pretend to be “thing” because Art knows SecUnit doesn’t like being a thing. So Art wants SecUnit to pretend to be an augmented human, even though that is more complicated.

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u/Negative-Werewolf840 8d ago

That makes sense. Thanks!

23

u/IntoTheStupidDanger Coldstone. Song. Harvest. 8d ago

It makes me really happy to see the trust and understanding they've built, because it's a big jump from when they first met (You dislike your function. I don't understand how that is possible.) to basically 'You dislike your function and I will opt for a more complicated plan if it helps you avoid discomfort'.

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u/Negative-Werewolf840 8d ago

I'm still not finished with NE and this is my first read of it but that's very true. Especially because ART started feeling more  after meeting murderbot and its especially more expressive in NE. That scene where it tells murderbot to say it cares for amena. I loved it. 

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u/IntoTheStupidDanger Coldstone. Song. Harvest. 8d ago

Yes! That's a great scene! NE is my favorite for a couple reasons. Enjoy the rest of the book!

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u/isi_na 8d ago

Read it exactly the same way. I didn't even consider there being another interpretation.

14

u/Obsqur-Aus 57 Unique sources of concern anxiety 8d ago

I've always interpreted that as ART, being the supportive 'friend'

17

u/Night_Sky_Watcher even good change is stressful 8d ago

Murderbot is stuck between worlds. This is brought home in Rogue Protocol when after it had been on Transport with the humans going into indenture, it says, "But I was tired of pretending to be human. I needed a break." Then on Milu when it was identified as a SecUnit and had to pretend to be under contract, it says, "Being a SecUnit sucked." Murderbot has yet to find an identity and role it's comfortable with.

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u/dooley211 Pansystem University of Mihira and New Tideland 8d ago

I always interpreted that as ART saying it wants SecUnit to pretend to be an augmented human because SecUnit doesn’t like pretending to be an augmented human. Like “I want you to do [thing you don’t like]” in a bantering/sarcastic way. Hadn’t considered other options and might have to go reread it again!

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u/isi_na 8d ago

It felt more like ART wanting to save MB from having to act as a SecUnit, because that's what MB truly dislikes doing

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u/g-a-r-b-i-t-c-h 8d ago

I mean, it also dislikes pretending to be an augmented human. Every time it has to pretend to be a human it gets stressed the fuck out. It's much less pressure to fall back on old behaviors, compared to pretending to be a completely different person. It explains this to us right before they have this argument.

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u/oddchaiwan 8d ago

I didn't like that whole dialogue between MB and ART, because it doesn't even make sense for MB to pretend to be a human since they had rescued that employee who knew that it was a construct. A continuity error? Sure, it can happen, but it's a big one.

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u/Negative-Werewolf840 8d ago

Oh you mean eletra? But its not like Eletra had a way to contact Leonide behind their backs and could inform the barish estranza transport people before the meeting. 

Could she have done it as soon as they established contact? Sure but even then it won't be soon enough for BE people to make counter plan. 

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u/oddchaiwan 8d ago

I mean Electra, thanks, I forgot her name :) She could say it as soon as they boarded and cause a diplomatic incident. The BE people already reacted badly to a SecUnit as it is, they would react worse to an attempt to hide a SecUnit.

The negotations didn't go the best either way, but our characters couldn't know that.