Month: November 2012

November 29, 2012

Does The Universe Have A Purpose?

“I don’t know anything, but I do know that everything is interesting if you go into it deeply enough.” ~Richard Feynman

The Meaning Of Life:

What is it that we think we know? And why do we ask? And why is it important that we have an answer? Humans have an inherent, it seems, ability to question their purpose of being. Which seems a bit odd to me, as what is wrong with Just Being? What difference or relevance does the answer make when just being would remain? I like being, love being alive, I think existence is the bee’s knees, if you will. Yes, I question, but this does not subtract from the beauty that is Life, only adds to it.

Richard Feynman Uncertainty

Does the universe have a purpose?

What if

The Fibonacci in Lateralus

The Big Electron

“We absolutely must leave room for doubt or there is no progress and no learning. There is no learning without having to pose a question. And a question requires doubt. People search for certainty. But there is no certainty. People are terrified — how can you live and not know? It is not odd at all. You only think you know, as a matter of fact. And most of your actions are based on incomplete knowledge and you really don’t know what it is all about, or what the purpose of the world is, or know a great deal of other things. It is possible to live and not know.” ~Richard Feynman

*Image Credits–
Artwork is a photomanipulation created by NIKOtheOrb
Tesseract Stock (blue cube) by Sheridan Johns
Self-Portrait taken by NIKO

Let’s Start A Conversation: So, does the universe have a purpose? If it does, what do you think that purpose is? If it doesn’t, what do you think of the idea that it doesn’t? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

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November 26, 2012

Dystopia

D Y S T O P I A: a visual poem

One Day in the Future —

What if humans were extinct? What would the planet be like then? This isn’t a nightmare or a dream because there is no dreamer. Imagine a future world in which humans are gone, extinct, what record would remain to memorialize our existence. With current technology, it is already possible to record human thoughts and memories, using a digital camera/camcorder. The true dystopia would be this kind of environment, video memories/thoughts/dreams/ambitions still floating around and playing randomly throughout the world. This is how I would imagine a future Dystopian world.

DYSTOPIA: A Visual Poem (a part of Videotry series, video + poetry = Videotry. Videotry is a new style of poetry using moving images rather than written or spoken words to convey a meaning. Prose is in the form of film, a new way of ambient writing. Instrumental music and images illustrate the concepts, creating a flowing architecture)

More Visual Poetry:
Soar

Credits–
Film Clips* (all film clips from Vimeo.com and used with permission through CC license):
Where Are All The People by Jonatan Lerche, Sr.
To Wall Street by Benjamin Dewey
Still There by Hotaka Matsumura
*[All footage filmed in HD, recommend 720p or 1080p for optimal viewing]

Sound clips (all samples from FreeSound.org and used with permission under CC attribution license from the following):
“Play Ball” CGEffex
“Highway Urban” Cognito Perceptu
“Deep Bass Rumble 3” ERH
“Primary School Children Playing Interior” Nick Pursehouse
[all other clips under CC licence public domain]

Music:
“Tenebrous Brothers Carnival–Snake Lady” & “Peace of Mind” by Kevin MacLeod, Incompetech.com

Other Footage:
Swings & Cage in Field filmed by NIKOtheOrb

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November 24, 2012

The Other Side: Part Two

Ain’t a story. It’s the truth. My friend told me. He doesn’t lie, man. He ain’t got no need to. He’s made it three times. He’s free, man. He can do whatever he wants.”

“And the guy who made it’s brother, what about him?”

“He was ahead of us. He went in already.”

“Did he come back out?”

“Do you really want to know?”

“No. I guess not.”

They waited in silence, taking hits off their cigarettes and watching the line shrink until they were at the front and someone else was way back there where The Roulette looked like a gray dot on the horizon.

The taller boy envied those behind him. He wanted to go join them, start other forbidden conversations with another kid, and hear another truth. But he couldn’t. They, the guards, would get him for sure if he stepped out of line. At least by waiting, he had a chance.

“Hey, man, you all right?” the smaller boy asked. “You’re shakin’.”

“I’m just cold, man. I’m just cold.”

“Okay. This your first time through?”

“Yea. You?”

“Nah. Third. Last time, man. Then I’m free. Free, man, free! You know what that means, man? Freedom? You can go anywhere. Do anything you want, man. You never have to worry about nothin’. Jesus, man. Free. I want it so bad, I can taste it.”

“You’ve come out the other side two times? What’s it like on the other side?” the taller boy asked, awed.

“It’s wonderful. Sometimes you got family over there, sometimes not. But the third time, man, they say everybody’s over there. Even the President, man. The President. He gives you this award or some card that says you’re a free man. And then you party, man. Party `til your legs fall off, man. Damn, I want that.” The smaller boy fell silent, seeing his party; the President, giving him his free papers. He free to roam, untouched by anything. Free.

“Do you think you’re going to make it?” the taller boy asked the smaller boy.

“Huh? Oh, yea, man. Definitely. I come from a family of lucky kids, man. My two older brothers made it, hell, even my sister made it. They’re all free and they’ll be waitin’ for me on the other side.”

“How can you be sure, man? It’s all chance. You might not make it. The guy in front of you might.”

The smaller boy was suddenly angry. He grabbed the taller boy by the front of his T-shirt, snatching him down to his level.

“When did you become such a fuckin’ expert? Don’t you ever fuckin’ say that to me again, man. Ever. I’m gonna make it because I’m lucky, man. And I’ll spit on you, man. So, fuck you, man. FUCK YOU!” He released the taller boy, shoving him a step out of line, warranting them their first and only warning from one of the guards along the line.

They waited in silence once more. They were so close now that the taller boy could smell the pungent odor of sweat and fear The Roulette burped from its throat. Faintly beneath that, he could smell the other side. The sweet, summer honey smell of freedom. He shivered in spite of himself.

“You cold, man? Here.” The smaller boy handed the taller boy his jacket. Beneath he was bare-chested.

The taller boy put on the jacket thankfully. The smaller boy didn’t apologize for his outburst, and the taller boy didn’t ask for one.

The line moved and they moved with it. It was terribly silent now that the two boys had stopped talking. The taller boy watched the bodies swallowed by The Roulette and wondered if they will make it. He thought of their families, of his family. His mom, really. She was his only family. He’d had a father, he had been shot by one of the guards when he tried to run. And an older brother, but unlike the smaller boy’s lucky lineage, he never saw the other side.

. . .to be continued.

Part One here and Part Three here.

More short short stories here.

*Image credit: “Desert Tree” by StockF8.

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November 23, 2012

Thanksgivings To Come

“Technology is destructive only in the hands of people who do not realize that they are one and the same process as the universe.” ~Alan Watts                 

–BEGIN TRANSMISSION–

this is not a clock

After much deliberation, I decided to spend Thanksgiving with my family. . . my future family. How is this possible, you ask? Ask and the Internet provides. I found these instructions (thank you, internet), followed them, and with a few minor adjustments, ended up with with a time machine. . . I set my alarm clock, settled my affairs and took off. I was back before I left, but I did experience some interesting shenanigans with my future self. I should say that Planet Earth is now Planet Hollywood and is owned by BG (the big corporation, corporations have consolidated and there is [was?] now only one.

Contrary to scientific belief, it was easy to get around with all the data influx using my new spectacles (made in about an hour).  AR is great, but can be disconcerting at first. However, without much trouble [I got lost only once], I was able to find Future Me.

what traveling through time looks like, if you’re conscious. . . and your eyes are open

Arriving just in time for dinner, with a few moments to spare, everyone was gathered around The Screen watching the game. It took some time before I realized what was so strange about sports in the future. Namely, there weren’t any people, or any reality at all, but I didn’t let this stop me from thoroughly not understanding the rules of this game either. Also,  I didn’t know who [what?] to cheer for, but Future Me didn’t either so we got on great. Before the game was over, we were called to dinner [apparently, Future Me still doesn’t cook, must have become genetic], but that wasn’t problem as we feasted on imports from one of the aquaponic colonies on Mars and home-prepared meals provided by the FPU,  one of the standard amenities in my future home.

Scanning brain waves for communication is everyday stuff here, so I haven’t had to talk much. Or do much of anything really, since the robots and robotic appliances take care of all that. Thankfully, I didn’t have to say much during dinner. Mind flexing is weird at first, but soon I got the hang of it and even dueled with the house champion. I am now no longer on speaking terms with Future Cousin, but I figure no one will remember as soon as the past catches up to the present [my future present, your past present…or…whatever].

not exactly a holodeck. . .

After dinner, I suggested we take a walk as I was anxious to see some of the scenery around these parts, but I was quickly overridden for fear of shear stupidity [I mean, I had to keep a low profile, I wasn’t really invited to dinner was I? Which was weird because everyone apparently knew I was arriving before I did. NOTE: In the future, the concept of time-space travel is common knowledge, and there’s an app for all due arrivals. Buy stock now, it’s my only advice]. Instead, Future Me suggested we just step into the Virtualizer; apparently, exposing oneself to the actual elements is out of style. The earth is still healing from all the pollution, so fossil fuels were replaced by new forms of energy.

In case you’re wondering (weren’t/aren’t you?), I’m using qubits to beam this blog post back. If my calculations (you’ll have to forgive me, I’ve only had one semester in quantum information; it’s standard here)  are correct and the foam holds this should have [will have] arrived 22 November 2012, give or take a day (I’ve always had trouble with decimal points, still do).  I won’t be/haven’t been/should already have been back just yet; I think I’m going to stick around. Future Me promised to let me try out tachyon jumping to a different galaxy; apparently we have some relatives there and my clothes are drastically old fashioned. A virtual trip to the NanoShop and I’ll be normal in no time.

Happy [belated] Thanksgiving Everyone! See you in the past (or the future, if you follow the above instructions carefully).

–END TRANSMISSION–

“I have realized that the past and future are real illusions, that they exist in the present, which is what there is and all there is.” ~Alan Watts

*With a friendly nod to H. G. Wells

Image Credits–
Top image: “The Time To Process” by Dennys Kien Yotl
Second image: “Industrial 21” by Dawn
Third image: “Connectivity” by Zananeichan
Final image: “Cube Key” by Zananeichan

*Transmission links lead to more information on the technology as it is known today, click for some fun.

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November 20, 2012

Time To Pretend

“All the great empires of the future will be empires of the mind.” ~Winston Churchill

What I mean by hard-wiring caused by years and generations of socialization is that genetically humans are now predisposed to suffering. Suffering, in the social environment, has become normalized, and anyone who should deviate too far from this standard is considered “crazy” or abnormal.

Now, before I continue, let us come to an agreement about what constitutes suffering? Not a definition of suffering but what can be called suffering in the human condition (as we exist in a societal environment). In what form does suffering come? Suffering can be called an intangible state of being, that is, one’s being exists in a state of suffering. Suffering, once had a definite and easily determined cause, i.e., racism (but let us not veer off into efforts of indoctrination or further observations at this movement through sociology’s eyes just yet), womanizing, immigration (and by immigration, I mean, in the early days of Europeans arriving in America and their efforts at rising out of poverty), etc. [NOTE: I purposefully chose social movements, that is large acts of deliberate oppression enacted upon other groups of humans by other humans within a society. I could not go to an indigenous culture for several reasons, but mainly, because I don’t consider myself well-versed enough in indigenous culture to do so and I think much of human suffering that we are talking about stems from western culture and western society constructs. Further note: I am looking at human suffering solely from an anthropological perspective]. Okay, these kinds of mass suffering no longer effects western society as deeply, save only in a mass destructive way, i.e. Hurricane Sandy, and human suffering suddenly comes to the forefront.

Sociology says that natural disasters are usually the times in which human beings will come together and forget about all the differences that the day before loomed so important as to cause neighbor to fight with neighbor and realize that “We are all human beings” that we bleed the same blood, etc. etc. Well, why is that? Why is it that humans only understand suffering following a natural disaster (there is a whole other element about this that disturbs me when I think upon it. In what I have been reading of late (anthropology, molecular biology, organic chemistry, which are naturally intermarried and naturally lead to consciousness) it seems as if humans do not unite because suddenly they caught a glimpse of what is really important, but out of fear and a unity in loss. Everybody understands loss)? It is as if humans require a disaster, some cataclysmic event, in order to set aside our petty differences. I think this is part of the reason why these unified acts of kindness are only temporary. Once enough time has passed, or that the event is forgotten or that some other kind of remedy has occurred, that time of bonding falls away, and we return to our “normally” suffering selves. This is a fundamental problem, I think.

I reason that there must be some deeper cause for humans’ [current] inability to understand human suffering or the suffering of others. I mean, if you believe in Kohlberg’s scale of Moral Development, there is more than one dimension, more than one scale of existence, and some humans exist on different scales. We are not all equal, in other words. Now, here is an element of reality that some are reluctant to discuss or even entertain the notion that it is true. We are not all equal. Equality can only be an extrinsic quality offered to humans in society; meaning, equal protection from police, equal representation in court, equal opportunity at law, you know, this kind of philosophy. However, it is not true biologically, psychologically, physiologically, culturally, or genetically, you know? I think we don’t fully understand this, as humans. There is a distinction in some things. It is only so on a certain level. It’s like humans try to create a unified theory of everything in everything. This would create a homogenous existence, what could be learnt from this? What use is a homogenous existence? That would be like playing the game not to lose. Risk is not necessarily a negating property, nor is chance, and I think that playing the game not to lose is to surrender risk and chance.

But, don’t get me wrong, I acknowledge that there is potential and probability that the world can be different. I think fear is a powerful obstacle. But, this too, will end. As in chaos theory and entropy, randomness slows down to order, and order slowly breaks down [entropy] and then transforms to something else, some other unrecognized pattern (what we then call chaos). We, as a race of humans, are learning that the once archetypal ways of living are outdated and obsolete. We are realizing that the acts we have and are committing upon ourselves, upon our consciences, upon our environment, upon the planet; we are now comprehending that every act has an equal and [sometimes] opposite reaction. We are learning to love what we are and then live that way. The times are changing and the time to pretend ends like a clock slowly winding down until it stops on high noon.

*Digital Art by Jeanne Masar.

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November 20, 2012

Very Inspiring Blogger Award

Major gratitude and graciousness is owed to EverydayGurus for considering me and this blog inspiring enough to receive an award. It’s my first, so forgive me a certain amount of giddiness.

EverydayGurus is an excellent blog, and, frankly, if you don’t believe me, it is but a matter of clicking the link and seeing (reading?) for yourself. How many times have you been out and about and met a stranger or an acquaintance or someone to whom you haven’t spoken in a while and in only a brief conversation you find yourself thinking wholly anew about that which you once thought? How many times have you seen a sign or your eye caught a glimpse of a random piece of urban/street art (also known as ‘graffiti’) and were suddenly filled with emotion at what you had just read? That is inspiration, that is the beauty within human nature and the human condition. The beauty and inspiration of what Kozo (EverydayGurus) does is he captures all of that on his blog. His blog apotlights regular people, your average Jane and Joe, the people you otherwise may not hear about or know of, and the incredible things they do and can teach and show the rest of us. They (We) are all everyday Gurus, Kozo says, and we all have something to inspire another with, the original social network! Thank you again, Kozo. 🙂

Full Disclosure:
Okay, there are some conditions (no worries, really good ones!)–

1. Display the award logo on your blog. [Check]
2. Link back to the person who nominated you. [Check]
3. State 5 things about yourself. [See below]
4. Pass the award onto 6 other bloggers and link to one of their specific posts so that they get notified by pingback. [see below]

Five Things About Me:

  • 1. Everyday I spend time oustide walking around in the woods. I have favorite rocks (actually giant boulders, really, or, egotistical pebbles, if you will) where I sit and often come up with the ideas that eventually end up as posts on this blog.

    2. For about 7 months I lived outside, by choice. Like outside, outside, as in out of doors, in the wild, sleeping on the ground beneath the stars and open sky, animals invading my provisions (talk about pesky neighbors!), walking miles everywhere, carrying everything I owned in a pack strapped to my back. It was one of the best journeys I’ve ever embarked upon in my life. I’ll never forget what I saw and the amazing people with whom I encountered and spoke.

    3. I love reading comics. Everything from Jhonen Vasquez to Robert Crumb to Alan Moore. I’m always looking for 60s and 70s comics (especially of Robert Crumb) and comics by Harvey Pekar.

    4. I have read many, many books. My curiosity takes me to neurology to quantum mechanics to psychology to philosophy to technology to jurassic park. Three of the most brilliant minds that I have stumbled upon are Alan Watts, Richard Feynman and Nikola Tesla.

    5. I often have many projects I’m working on simultaneously. Currently, I am juggling three videos, a soundscape, more binaural beats, a gregorian chant/dubstep mix, two photomanipulations, another collaboration (that I just finished actually–to be posted soon!), and some others.

Six Bloggers who have been very inspiring for me:

  • 1. PhysicsForMe — If you are a follower of astronomy, physics, cosmology, and other areas of science, you will love this blog. This fellow takes some of the most up to date and upcoming discoveries occuring currently in the world today, and blogs about them, complete with links and diagrams. I follow this blog to keep me abreast on all my favorites in science. This blog can be highly technical, so it is not for the faint of heart, but it is definitely well worth the read, even if you’re only slightly interested in what happens in the universe.
  • 2. Just Dharma Quotes — I love quotes, and this blog has some of the best. All the quotes are along the lines of philosophy and buddhism, and there are some right inspiring ones among them, often times more than one. I can’t really go through this blog on my reader without liking just about every quote. This blog probably has many of your favorites, check it out.
  • 3. Carla R. Herrera — WordPress has some of the best writers I have ever read, and for some reason they are not #1 booksellers. Carla R. Herrera is definitely of the ilk that deserves to have an entire shelf dedicated to her work at the local bookstore. She is a prolific science fiction writer with a knack for descriptive artistry with her words (her words will take you on journeys you didn’t think were possible) and a penchant for the unusual idea that wraps you up and makes you want to visit some of these faroff places and intricate innovations that spill forth from her imagination. She is a rare one, indeed. Her work inspires me to improve in my writing and to let loose with my imagination. In addition to her Tesla Machine series, you definitely need to read the book she’s working on right now as part of National Novel Writing Month (November). I’ll say no more…now scoot!
  • 4. Holistic Words — I don’t remember how I found this blog, but I am glad that I did. This blog is run by Andrea Elliot and this woman tackles the intricacies of quantum physics like she were explaining how to color. If you think quantum physics can’t be understood, then you haven’t read Holistic Words. She sees the subtle areas in our lives that are connected and can amplify those connections in a way that you can see clearly and you get that “Of Course” moment. This is what is most inspiring about her blog, when you read it, you realize that these thoughts you had already thought but just didn’t know it.
  • 5. The Liberated Way — I have been following Alex’s blog for a while now (both off and on WordPress) and each day his posts never cease to amaze me. Alex manages to open our eyes to the familiar so that we can perceive it in a new way, from a new perspective. His posts are often motivated by nature and the ways of nature and how those ways can be applied to humanity, because, after all, we are part of nature. He teaches as he inspires, also, and he does this in a way that you don’t know it, but somehow the lesson is integral and tantamount to your daily existence. He is definitely one of those gurus, Kozo talks about.
  • 6. The Sistah Vegan Project — Run by A. Breeze Harper, a graduate student at UC Davis, the Sistah Vegan Project looks at health-living and healthy-eating (a plant-based lifestyle) through the eyes of someone who lives this each day (as well as raises her children under this philosophy and lifestyle) and what she faces before an otherwise traditional, don’t rock the boat, kind of mainstream culture. Much of her blog is the work of theses she may be working and lectures that she gives, but don’t let this fool you into thinking that it is not worth visiting. Her stories and videos of her children loving and downright clamoring for Kale Drinks is enough to pull your heart strings, and one of her first forays into humor comics is some of the best. She inspires for anyone to keep doing what they’re doing even before those who would rather you stopped. One of my favorite posts by her is partially titled, “Spirulina Helps Me Poop.” Seriously . . . go see.

 

*Image credit: “Chakra” by Dario Cogliati

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November 19, 2012

You Must First Invent The Universe. . . To Laugh At It

“If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.” ~Carl Sagan

© Damien Bouchard / StockProject1

“An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend – or a meaningful day.” ~Dalai Lama

“Once we rid ourselves of traditional thinking we can get on with creating the future.” ~James Bertrand

“Life stands before me like an eternal spring with new and brilliant clothes.” ~Carl Friedrich Gauss

“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things.” ~Steve Jobs

“The more you find out about the world, the more opportunities there are to laugh at it.” ~Bill Nye

 

*Image Credits–
(in order of appearance)

“Cosmos8_0007” produced by Funerium and distributed through Resurgere Stock resources;
“Mountain Lake” by Damien Bouchard, distributed through StockProject1;
“The Future Is Now” produced by Kuschelirmel Stock;
“Premade Background 1478” by AshenSorrow;
“Zebra Profile Fractal” by Nicholas Raymond; and
“Feather Dreams” by Mohamed Raoof.

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November 16, 2012

Soar

New ideas, new perspectives, new ways of living can add vitality to existence; when we embark upon new adventures it reminds us that we are alive. . . and that life does not have to be squandered in drudgery. I try to do something new each day.

As such, I conceived poetry from a new perspective. How else can we express poetry, if we don’t use the written or spoken word? Motion picture. I imagined that I could use video as poetry, rather than words, allow the images to express and convey meaning. I felt this added a new level of sensation and ambience to poetry. Suddenly, poetry is alive. It is in motion, new senses are involved, for a fuller experience of meaning.

“Soar” was filmed in HD, select 720p or 1080p for optimal viewing.

More Visual Poetry:
Dystopia (also in HD)

Credits —
Film Footage:
Forest Footage captured by NIKOtheOrb
Float (bird footage) captured by Manuela Donoso.

Music:
“Orion 300XB” by Kevin MacLeod.
(NIKOtheOrb added effects/mix to the music using Audacity and Power Sound Editor).

*Header image from Resurgere Stock Resources.

All footage, music, and images used with permission under Creative Commons attribution license or public domain.

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November 12, 2012

The Other Side: Part One

“How long you been waitin’?” the tall boy asked the smaller one ahead of him.

“About two hours. You?”

“About the same.”

The two boys glanced down the line ahead of them. Fifty or more people snaked out of the doorway of The Roulette. They didn’t mind. They were in no hurry.

“What’s your name?” the taller boy asked.

“Jason. Yours?”

“Terry. Nice to meet you.” They shook hands.

“Yea,” Jason agreed.

“Know anyone been through and made it? Cigarette?” The small boy pulled a crumpled, nearly empty pack of Smokes from his jacket pocket.

“Nah,” Terry said, taking a cigarette. “Thanks. You?”

“Yea. Had a friend, knew this kid once, his brother.” He lit their cigarettes. He took a long drag, and then said, “About ten years back when they first opened The Roulette here. `S been about half a dozen or so around, but this was the first one here. This kid’s brother was part of the first bunch of kids to be selected after they stopped takin’ adults and started using kids. He was about, oh, I don’t know, think he was about the twentieth person in line. He was behind this red-haired kid. But uh, they got to talkin’. You know, small talk. Don’t really mean nothin’. Just talkin’ so’s not to have to think about what you’re in line for, right? They get to be about fourth or fifth in line, and this red-haired kid starts freakin’, right? This kid’s brother’s like trying to keep him movin’, right, hollerin’ and cryin’, prayin’ and all that, man. This kid’s brother starts getting’ nervous, you know? Starts thinkin’ that if they think he’s with ‘im, and just take `em both now, you know? They can do that” The small boy paused to take a hit off his cigarette.

“Go on, man. What happened?” the taller boy urged, glancing down the line. The building loomed closer, the line shorter.

“They let the kid sniffle and scream `til they’re right at the door, man. Next, right. These huge guards snatch him outta line and take him through this other door. This kid was kickin’ and screamin’ the whole way, man. Bawlin’, right?”

“Chicken shit.”

“Yea, right? The brother watches them all the way, man. Just starin’. Just before they drag the kid through the door and into whatever hell beyond, the kid stops cryin’ and looks at this brother, man. Right in the eyes, man, and just stares. His eyes are blank, like nothin’ behind `em. He says somethin’ to him. He says: ‘I saved you.’ Freaked this guy out, man. Then they pull `im through and there’s nothin’. Just silence.”

“Wow.”

“This kid’s brother’s next now, right. And he goes in and comes out the other side, man. But the kid behind him: No.”

The line moved up. The two boys could see those ahead of them entering the dark mouth of The Roulette. They heard nervous almost insane laughter, and some tears ahead. They were the only ones talking. It was against the rules to converse with the person in front or in back of you, but no guard had been by to warn them to shut up.

“What’re you saying, man?” the taller boy questioned, his voice shaking only a little. But he wasn’t nervous, just a little cold. That’s all.

The smaller boy rolled his eyes. “I’m sayin’, if they hadn’t dragged that kid outta line, he’d’ve been the guy on the other side and this kid’s brother . . .”

“Shit, man. Shit. That’s a helluva story, man.”

to be continued. . .

Part Two here and Part Three here.

More short short stories here.

*Image credit: “Buckner Building” from Granny Moo Stock.

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November 9, 2012

Humanity is but a scale. . .

It is this hard wiring that must be reprogrammed, not so much in individual persons, but in the DNA of humanity itself. The gene must be turned back on. Like reversing the damage done by centuries of the civilized life, well, reversing it without returning to the original point, so a new point to begin evolving. In the civilized life, we forget that we are animals and start believing that we are superior. We start believing that the abilities of mental acuity makes us formidable and beyond reproach. We start thinking it makes us immortal. Although, we can possess mental acuity and we are (as energy) immortal, we are not as humans immortal, we are not untouchable, we are not an ALL KNOWING BEING. Humanity is but a scale, a dimension of existence, a level of magnification. As is consciousness.

© Damien Bouchard / Stock Project1

There are such apprehensions as infinite finitudes and finite infinities. There is limited unlimits and unlimited limits. It’s more like a spiral, and by spiral, that is to say a gradient (or levels of degrees). A growing, an expansion….not some vertical all powerful CEO. Nature knows this, the Earth knows this. Take, for instance, a spider building its web above the rapids. To put what the spider did into human terminology, he will yield the most return because he built an efficient economy. Bugs gather above the water because it is a source of food for them as well, some will inevitability be trapped in the web. Spiders build webs all over sporadically it seems. But that’s on one level of magnification. There is an intelligence here, it could be on the quantum level or on the macro level [that is should we say if the earth is conscious] which protrudes from motion as a spider that builds a web above the water. The spider knows. And humans are a scale of knowing, a way of explaining the world.

And this deep knowledge (by deep, I allude to volume of Time) is projected as instinct and awareness.

“My rule is, when you are unhappy, think about it. But when you’re happy, don’t. Why spoil it? You’re probably happy for some ridiculous reason and you’d just spoil it to know it.” ~Richard Feynman

Image Credits–
Top image, “Tech Drop” by Mohamed Raoof
Second image, “Mountain Climber” by Damien Bouchard, distributed by StockProject1

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