Obelisk: Warnings
Warnings
The Obelisk isn’t a fantasy. It’s engineering under uncertainty.
Don’t assume the reader is “friendly”
If the message contains power, someone will try to control it.
- Avoid single points of failure.
- Avoid instructions that require rare materials.
- Prefer principles over “press this button.”
Don’t assume the reader shares your values
Write as if the reader is intelligent but culturally alien.
- Use visuals.
- Repeat key concepts.
- Show examples.
Don’t overfit the future
The future might not have:
- electricity
- precision tools
- your units
- your language
Make the first layer survivable without them.
Ethical line
This Codex aims to preserve capability and understanding, not recipes for harm.
If something is dual‑use, prefer the version that teaches fundamentals and safety constraints.