Still

It has achieved a stasis. But just a small disturbance is enough to rock it out of stability. It’s fragility in balanced contrasts its resolute lattice structure. Exothermic. Isolated. Stainless but scratched and marked by water. What does it do in this world?

It is a tool. Semantically, a utensil. It is the last inorganic terminus of nutrition. It controls the stream of composite particles once belonging to living organisms in to a singularity. It is a technology of digestion, an expansion of the body. There are many variations on its kind which are labeled based on utility originating from the exceptions of outside bodies. But this one remains the standard among its kin. No large concave appendage in proportion to its length, that feature is better thought of as tools intended for transportation from a basin of prepared foods to a final docking station. Not a deep well, this is seen by those same parties to be more becoming of meals which are mostly liquid based. This is an unremarkable thing to this collective mind; a totally average and wholly uninteresting being. And yet, it is a requirement in homes all around the globe. If its presence is missing from a dwelling, suddenly the ordinary is deified. What was once but a citizen of the quotidian suddenly crashes the entire ecosystem if it is removed.

Even so, its importance is by no means universal. To some its existence is so trivialized that it is seen as at best unnecessary. To others still, away from this specific meta-hive-mind, such a trinket is never considered as a possibility, let along a necessity. Not out of ignorance but out of desire to move arcross the smallest tract on the path between harvest and digestion. Why use one concave vessel to extract nutrients out of yet another larger concave vessel? Why the intermediary? Instead the terminus is moved further up the line. In reality, this standard is really an abstraction and a detour. And yet, it continues to exist.

Atomic

Its skin is preferred for its aesthetics. Its glimmer is inviting. It matches the look of the fridge and the stove and the Moscow mule mugs. The collectives associates its shine with cleanliness. They are reminded of medical procedures. The cold and stale atmosphere of the locales these are conducted are paired with tools of the same grey reflective metals. And yet this is merely another abstraction. While a lack of shine would suggest a lack of cleanliness, the presence of it is no fool-proof marker of hygiene. It will shine on the floor. It will shine in the sink. Perhaps the those among the microscopic know of this flaw in logic of the macro world. Maybe they know that if their presence influences the surface of these tools in such a way that the macro-scale can detect it, then their lives will be cut short and they will not find a bountiful harvest further along the digestive system. It is in their best interest to remain undetected. This device may be one additional interface for them.

But what of the utensil in this instance? Its glimmer is a quality which more greatly insures its use among a crowd of its kin. If it fails to draw the eye of its handler it shall be rejected. At best, it will find itself in a well with kin and other species which were accepted, entered into the workforce, and then terminated the meal prior. At worst, it may be disposed of. If its glimmer is unable to be reestablished it may be tossed out with other rejected vessels. But it has some extra skills to prevent this from happening.

The outermost layer of this vessel are full of free-flowing electrons. Their vibrations resonate in such a way to reflect back the protons bombarding the vessel. This is inherit of its atomic structure, a stacked series of chromium, nickel, iron and carbon. This combination makes it resilient to outside forces. For instance, it does not transfer heat well. It blocks out hydration which would cripple its integrity and fracture its structure. Furthermore, its outer fill is even self-healing when supported by oxygen, rebuilding its shield where it has been perverted. And yet, some attacks are simply too overpowering for it. High heat may deplete its rigidity and cause it to warp. Its narrow neck is a weak point where lever forces can also lead to warping or even total decapitation. It and its kin are just one scoop of exceptionally frozen dairy product away from a catastrophic malfunction. Lastly its porous body and thin scooped appendage do not play well with radiation in the micro spectrum, often engendering tremendous heat and even ignition in the air. It feels so easy to see it is purely at the mercy of its environment. But this only accounts for the vessel, not the essence. This is but one aspect of the superposition.

Social

It is in competition with species similar to it. Worse still, its main competitors are able to work together in such a way to make them ideal for larger portions, for they are able to atomize and rescale in ways that it can not. Its transportation method lacks security as it relies on surface tension and balance in order to be successful. Its cousin has friction forces in a linear plane in its arsenal. But it also is performant at certain events: whole courses are often dedicated to it at these gatherings. Its ability to gather many smaller pieces together works to its advantage as well. Because of its existence liquids, loose vegetables, and non-Newtonian specimens can all be prepared and enjoyed. While it is not able to do all that its compatriots showcase, it is still able to hold its own and maintains a literal place at the table.

Its design is ancient and influenced by two simple machines: a lever and a wedge. It bisects and lifts. It divides in such a way to make another vessel seemingly more manageable. But it also acts as a far more complex machine: one capable of altering the rate of time. This is not meant in such a way to suggest that it speeds up or slows down the Universe. Instead, the time being altered here is the time dedicated to the repetitive need for some mammals to be filled with more nutrients throughout the day. First, it must be acquired. This vessel is crafted by man and machine, shipped and sold. It is standardized and intended to be a clone. It is purchased and transported to a new more permanent dwelling. It is a part of an economy of vessels like any other. It must be cleansed prior to its initial use and after each subsequent use. It must be retrieved upon its shift’s beginning. All these things increases the time needed in order to eat. Furthermore, its ability to more efficiently divide food both makes up on some of this time spent in preparation while opening the opportunity for it to stifle the flow of meal time down even more. One one hand: partitioning portions permits particularly proficient processing. On the other: dividing decedent delicacies delays delivery in favor of debauchery. This tool has the power to slow human consumption by means of adding extra steps to the digestive process. This can engender more time for socialization among feasting humans which, as a result, slows the meal even more and creates a sort of feedback loop. Furthermore, this process of making a larger meal smaller allows for a prolonged time of enjoyment of the meal itself before the operator. More instances are created for the meal to be tasted, examined, and admired. Soon a longing may be created for the meal to become larger as smaller portions are taken with each bite on an infinitesimally decreasing scale, perhaps without the very conscience of the consumer having any bearing.

Still (Repriesed)

In all, this is a spectacular being. Its vessel resists its own destruction and even actively fights to repair its wounds. It has been able to make itself an invaluable member of the dining assemblage, with dedicated meals and dishes only it can excel at and the flexibility to be used for a great many applications. It is an extension of the human digestive system which enables more efficient eating as well as which stifles the relationship between feed and the fed. Its ability to atomize increases the control of a meal in such a way to paradoxically speed up the physical eating of a meal while increasing the meals set up and welcomes an opportunity to slow the pace of the meal in favor of socialization and enjoyment.