# They're Made Out of Meat by Terry Bisson

17 Hacker News commenters recommended They're Made Out of Meat by Terry Bisson and 4 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 4 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** A short, witty story about aliens puzzling over humans that people reread and recommend for its sharp commentary on AI. Critics find the 'made out of meat' wording and the short film adaptation weaker.

## Why people recommend it

- Memorable story people keep returning to (4 comments): "I love this short story, it's one whose memory visits me unbidden from time to time." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47692693)) "That is one of the better reads of my life, and I'm a serious reader." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47703218)) "Just read this for the first time. Wow." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47703457))
- Witty and funny throughout (3 comments): "Earlier I found it awe-inspiring. Nowadays I find it funny because we have yet to even remotely approach the complexity of meat." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47691324)) "It was a good reading, he really knew how to land a joke." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47692510)) "I like that the bearded one can't help cracking up" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47691760))
- Short, quick, delightful read (3 comments): "Terry Bisson's delightful 1991 short-short story," ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49153304)) "That is one of the better reads of my life, and I'm a serious reader." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47703218)) "Just read this for the first time. Wow." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47703457))
- Sharp take on AI debates (2 comments): "It has something to say if you compare it to the traditional arguments against the possibility of AI" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47693980)) "Earlier I found it awe-inspiring. Nowadays I find it funny because we have yet to even remotely approach the complexity of meat." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47691324))

## What people warn about

- Short film adaptation doesn't work (3 comments): "The short film adaptation doesn't quite work for me" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47694210)) "this particular adaptation doesn't work for me" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47694185)) "But it doesn't mean it has to work..." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47691716))
- Feels dated or reductive now (3 comments): "Earlier I found it awe-inspiring. Nowadays I find it funny because we have yet to even remotely approach the complexity of meat." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47691324)) "it’s become increasingly hard for me to understand how anyone can read such comical reductionism as enlightenment" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47690374)) "isn't as fun today as it was when first printed" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47690283))
- Misses the mark, doesn't make sense (2 comments): "I think this story is tacky and doesn't really make sense." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47693115)) "in this particular case it completely misses the mark" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47691093))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [The Last Question by Isaac Asimov](https://hackerapproved.com/p/last-question.md): 50 recommend
- [There Will Come Soft Rains by Ray Bradbury](https://hackerapproved.com/p/there-will-come-soft-rains.md): 27 recommend
- [Lena by qntm](https://hackerapproved.com/p/lena.md): 16 recommend
- [The Machine Stops by E. M. Forster](https://hackerapproved.com/p/machine-stops.md): 15 recommend
- [The Library of Babel by Jorge Luis Borges](https://hackerapproved.com/p/library-of-babel.md): 11 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "They're Made Out of Meat by Terry Bisson", https://hackerapproved.com/p/they-re-made-out-of-meat/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).