I have often thought to myself that all of this is much more fragile than people realize. Humans like to assume that things will not change. Considering what we are and how we got here, that supposition is silly at best.
We are change. We are a monumental force that struck this planet. Merely a few hundred thousand years ago, a biped was able to control fire. Since then we have changed the entire landscape. Our caves becoming more elaborate. The fire burning different fuels.
I am the child of an age of abstraction. My income generated by pressing buttons. The buttons sending inputs that are translated dozens of times into a visual representation. That visual representation again interpreted and leading to more button pressing. I send portions of my income to others that then push more buttons telling valves and switches to open or close. Eventually through all the layers of abstraction, I gain heat and light.
But, there are layers of abstraction, and those layers are susceptible to the variance of the physical world. A storm knocks over a tree... A tree falls on a power line... The power line breaks or disconnects... Suddenly, everything changes. The buttons are no longer connected. The fuel no longer reaches my fire. My cave is no longer a haven.
Now, the layers of abstraction are not truly gone. There are methods for reconnecting layers. Fire is still my birthright. I can still will it into existence. However, the ability to control it effectively has been lost. I can use another fuel to either power the control mechanisms or provide another source of heat and light. I can find other caves. Caves where the fire is still well controlled. All of the layers of abstraction are still in place, I am simply disconnected from them.
The truth becomes clear quickly. If we take away the grid, my place in the world must change dramatically. We would return to open hearths and candlelight. We would return to telling stories by the fire. We would return to schedules based around the sun. It is a world I have visited countless times, but it is not a world I can live in. It is not a world where I can provide food for myself and those I care for. It is a world where I have few skills of worth.
I would adapt. After all, I am human. I would begin reconnecting the layers. I would strive to bring us back... perhaps with some changes, but still to a world where I can press buttons. Where those buttons create signals and those signals can travel anywhere. I can live as my ancestors did. However, the truth is I won't.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Saturday, August 11, 2012
What we are, what we were, what we can be...
I was reminded recently of a tendency in Americans. Multiple individuals pointing out the same phenomena. We don't accept the word "No" for an answer. Many times in our history, we were told things were impossible. The Panama Canal, dredging the Mississippi, winning a war on two fronts, sending a man to the moon and returning him safely to earth. Our response as a collective, "We can do it."
We have traveled far. In many cases, we have gone astray. In some cases we are prone to delusions. But the truth is that whether or not the rest of the world likes to admit it, we are the best hope. One may view this as "ignoring the facts" or "tragically optimistic" or a dozen other things, but in the end I believe most of the world would agree with such a description of Americans.
As I've said before, we are the center of the empire. The only threat to us being the internal decay that happens to all empires. We must adapt to survive. In some ways, we do this extremely well. However, we have some obvious failings. This is the country of Microsoft, Google, and Apple. However, it was also the country where Atari rose and fell. It is the country that built and destroyed IBM
For we are a country that was built on rugged individualism. Many cynics will indicate that we were founded by wealthy slave owners. This is true, but they did not build this country. The first 2 years of our founding Revolution were fought by militias. An organized army and intervention by the French brought it to an end, but it was started by a bunch of farmers standing before the line of trained soldiers. We now use terms like "guerrilla" and "insurgent" and forget our birth.
Our story continues from there. We as a colony declared our independence. We declared war on our owners. We spent years as an uprising. We spent years as a "problem" that Great Britain had to deal with. Then we presented a legal argument for separation. The nerve.
We have stumbled, but ever since then we have looked upon the "impossible" and labeled it "difficult". By 1900, people such as Nikola Tesla were coming to the United States. Two American bicycle mechanics, not an Oxford trained physicist, developed controlled flight. The Victorian era ended with, whether the continent of Europe would agree with me or not, the rise of a new empire. An empire with territories that spanned half the globe.
We have allowed ourselves to fall in recent years. Our rise too meteoric not to end with some decline. However, our errors are obvious and can be easily corrected. Carnegie built U.S. Steel regardless of who changed the name. When it was sold to a financier, its demise became inevitable. Atari destroyed itself by turning on its founder. Apple rose and fell and rose again with Steve Jobs. Bill Gates built Microsoft, Steve Balmer presides over its decline.
Strong-willed individuals allowed this country to rise. Committees, boards, and focus groups have chipped away at it for decades. Private industry has tried to model itself after government instead of the other way around. I am certainly not saying that publicly controlled organizations cannot grow and flourish. They just do not do so here. A strong-willed individual is by definition someone that does not fit in with the crowd. Groups, collectives, and societies are able to do good things. However, it is my opinion that only individuals can have the singular vision to do great things.
The founder of a company will always be referred to as such. He or she is the individual with vision. Now as none of us can continue a task indefinitely, the titles of Chairman, President, CEO, etc. are passed on, but the title of Founder cannot be. A founder creates something. We often find founders simply leaving companies after they have reached stability. They are inventors. They are visionaries. Their replacements can be well chosen. The do not seem to have been often in the last 50 years. A venture capitalist should never be involved in day-to-day operations. An accountant should only run an accounting firm. An investor should be bought out as soon as possible. Money does influence many things in our culture and many will say that the purpose of business is simply to make money. If this is the case than "businesses" are lifeless things that will never create or adapt.
Money keeps the doors open so you can do what you do. The moment an organization forgets that, it has resigned itself to failure.
We have traveled far. In many cases, we have gone astray. In some cases we are prone to delusions. But the truth is that whether or not the rest of the world likes to admit it, we are the best hope. One may view this as "ignoring the facts" or "tragically optimistic" or a dozen other things, but in the end I believe most of the world would agree with such a description of Americans.
As I've said before, we are the center of the empire. The only threat to us being the internal decay that happens to all empires. We must adapt to survive. In some ways, we do this extremely well. However, we have some obvious failings. This is the country of Microsoft, Google, and Apple. However, it was also the country where Atari rose and fell. It is the country that built and destroyed IBM
For we are a country that was built on rugged individualism. Many cynics will indicate that we were founded by wealthy slave owners. This is true, but they did not build this country. The first 2 years of our founding Revolution were fought by militias. An organized army and intervention by the French brought it to an end, but it was started by a bunch of farmers standing before the line of trained soldiers. We now use terms like "guerrilla" and "insurgent" and forget our birth.
Our story continues from there. We as a colony declared our independence. We declared war on our owners. We spent years as an uprising. We spent years as a "problem" that Great Britain had to deal with. Then we presented a legal argument for separation. The nerve.
We have stumbled, but ever since then we have looked upon the "impossible" and labeled it "difficult". By 1900, people such as Nikola Tesla were coming to the United States. Two American bicycle mechanics, not an Oxford trained physicist, developed controlled flight. The Victorian era ended with, whether the continent of Europe would agree with me or not, the rise of a new empire. An empire with territories that spanned half the globe.
We have allowed ourselves to fall in recent years. Our rise too meteoric not to end with some decline. However, our errors are obvious and can be easily corrected. Carnegie built U.S. Steel regardless of who changed the name. When it was sold to a financier, its demise became inevitable. Atari destroyed itself by turning on its founder. Apple rose and fell and rose again with Steve Jobs. Bill Gates built Microsoft, Steve Balmer presides over its decline.
Strong-willed individuals allowed this country to rise. Committees, boards, and focus groups have chipped away at it for decades. Private industry has tried to model itself after government instead of the other way around. I am certainly not saying that publicly controlled organizations cannot grow and flourish. They just do not do so here. A strong-willed individual is by definition someone that does not fit in with the crowd. Groups, collectives, and societies are able to do good things. However, it is my opinion that only individuals can have the singular vision to do great things.
The founder of a company will always be referred to as such. He or she is the individual with vision. Now as none of us can continue a task indefinitely, the titles of Chairman, President, CEO, etc. are passed on, but the title of Founder cannot be. A founder creates something. We often find founders simply leaving companies after they have reached stability. They are inventors. They are visionaries. Their replacements can be well chosen. The do not seem to have been often in the last 50 years. A venture capitalist should never be involved in day-to-day operations. An accountant should only run an accounting firm. An investor should be bought out as soon as possible. Money does influence many things in our culture and many will say that the purpose of business is simply to make money. If this is the case than "businesses" are lifeless things that will never create or adapt.
Money keeps the doors open so you can do what you do. The moment an organization forgets that, it has resigned itself to failure.
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Inescapable...
The beach reminds us of the inescapable... the inexorable... The constant march of waves, the sand going where it pleases, the annual return of tourists.
I think of power whenever near the ocean... A power beyond our control. I also see a future. a chance for my young species... A doorway to the rest of this world... The other 70%...
We are of water. It is our birthplace. I do not spend much time with it. My body seems ill designed for it. I feel uneasy in its presence. I always have. Whether it be the power or the possibility something always makes me uncomfortable in its embrace. I am an invader. It is an ecosystem in which i have no niche... No place.
I will always think of the beach as a place where everything else is paused so that life can move forward. It is a place where everything is by choice. It moves as slowly or as quickly as we do. It ignores us. It does not ponder our intentions. It reminds us to just be. We all come with our own thoughts, our own goals. The ocean remains the same. We can effect it. Everything effects evrything and no power is absolute, but we will never see our own changes.
And so the ancient one teaches... Of time... Of power... Of desire. The rest is up to us. The ocean doesn't ask where we go from here.
I think of power whenever near the ocean... A power beyond our control. I also see a future. a chance for my young species... A doorway to the rest of this world... The other 70%...
We are of water. It is our birthplace. I do not spend much time with it. My body seems ill designed for it. I feel uneasy in its presence. I always have. Whether it be the power or the possibility something always makes me uncomfortable in its embrace. I am an invader. It is an ecosystem in which i have no niche... No place.
I will always think of the beach as a place where everything else is paused so that life can move forward. It is a place where everything is by choice. It moves as slowly or as quickly as we do. It ignores us. It does not ponder our intentions. It reminds us to just be. We all come with our own thoughts, our own goals. The ocean remains the same. We can effect it. Everything effects evrything and no power is absolute, but we will never see our own changes.
And so the ancient one teaches... Of time... Of power... Of desire. The rest is up to us. The ocean doesn't ask where we go from here.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Enlightenment
There is much to say and nothing worth telling. I do not always feel the need to write. I think that perhaps separates me from those we call writers. I write now. It is not the beginning of a great work. It is not a bit of prose that will change the world. It is simply scribbling. It is the realigning of thousands of bits in a patterned way.
Yes, somewhere in the universe a collection of creatures went to work. A collection of projects, plans, and ideas allowed for another set of projects, plans, and ideas. As of this moment, this is where one of these creatures sits.... writing... pushing on a series of buttons to form symbols the other creatures recognize. These buttons are part of a communication device. His body sits some distance above the planet he calls home. He is traveling at a relative velocity many times greater than his physical form is capable.
As he does this, a thought remains held by his consciousness. The thought that the amazement should be shared. The thought that while great members of his species made this moment possible, they brought millions of others with them. Whether they understood it or not, they set the stage to move forward. The elite are not of a single stock or bloodline or group. Those that do not wonder can be the progenitors of those that do. His species ability to adapt had made them what they were. The acceptance of those around him would allow them to take the next step. The things now thought impossible would become reality. The things he now considered a waste of the power they had been given would in some cases lead to greater powers.
He felt now and had always felt that there was no limit to the power his species could wield. He had looked through their histories. Again and again he had found instances where they thought things impossible. Instances where many had thought that things could not be done only to be proven wrong by a few. His species had physical limitations, however, by some great gift or accident they had been released from them. They had been able to leave the physical world. They could envision places where the rules were different. They could dream. They could envision. They could plan. They could then make things real.
The initial vision and the resultant reality did often differ. This was the true beauty of adaptation. The craft this human traveled in was far different than its predecessors. A clear path of iterations could not be calculated from its construction. The original idea had worked but had some limitations. Rather than accept those limitations, members of his species, had reconsidered the original idea. They did this without dismissing the knowledge of their peers. In some cases, conventions and traditions had gotten in their way. However, experiences had always yielded results and it was only the interpretation of those results that need be considered suspect.
His species was relatively young when he was born. The species was an odd predator. It's untold strength appeared in subtle forms in related species. The ability to use tools. The ability to throw objects. Social instincts. When combined they had led to a relatively successful group of species that were not viable prey to other species. Bipedal movement, the opposable thumb, and larger skulls were the last components. The effect of these was monumental. A species able to repel predators became a predator. A species wielded a weapon. The previous adaptation cycle of generational selection for traits was overcome in a moment. A concept was made real. An idea was put into practice. Something that had never been tried before worked. A question was asked. Within a few thousand years, a single species had changed the pace of adaptation.
He now sat thinking of some of its pitfalls. It had let itself go astray several times. It had failed to grasp its own power. It had let itself imagine that adaptation would stop. But thought cannot be limited. The power that each member of his species possessed offered infinite possibilities. His fellows may not wish to wield that power, they could even ignore it, but it existed regardless. A thought. A dream. The next step.
Yes, somewhere in the universe a collection of creatures went to work. A collection of projects, plans, and ideas allowed for another set of projects, plans, and ideas. As of this moment, this is where one of these creatures sits.... writing... pushing on a series of buttons to form symbols the other creatures recognize. These buttons are part of a communication device. His body sits some distance above the planet he calls home. He is traveling at a relative velocity many times greater than his physical form is capable.
As he does this, a thought remains held by his consciousness. The thought that the amazement should be shared. The thought that while great members of his species made this moment possible, they brought millions of others with them. Whether they understood it or not, they set the stage to move forward. The elite are not of a single stock or bloodline or group. Those that do not wonder can be the progenitors of those that do. His species ability to adapt had made them what they were. The acceptance of those around him would allow them to take the next step. The things now thought impossible would become reality. The things he now considered a waste of the power they had been given would in some cases lead to greater powers.
He felt now and had always felt that there was no limit to the power his species could wield. He had looked through their histories. Again and again he had found instances where they thought things impossible. Instances where many had thought that things could not be done only to be proven wrong by a few. His species had physical limitations, however, by some great gift or accident they had been released from them. They had been able to leave the physical world. They could envision places where the rules were different. They could dream. They could envision. They could plan. They could then make things real.
The initial vision and the resultant reality did often differ. This was the true beauty of adaptation. The craft this human traveled in was far different than its predecessors. A clear path of iterations could not be calculated from its construction. The original idea had worked but had some limitations. Rather than accept those limitations, members of his species, had reconsidered the original idea. They did this without dismissing the knowledge of their peers. In some cases, conventions and traditions had gotten in their way. However, experiences had always yielded results and it was only the interpretation of those results that need be considered suspect.
His species was relatively young when he was born. The species was an odd predator. It's untold strength appeared in subtle forms in related species. The ability to use tools. The ability to throw objects. Social instincts. When combined they had led to a relatively successful group of species that were not viable prey to other species. Bipedal movement, the opposable thumb, and larger skulls were the last components. The effect of these was monumental. A species able to repel predators became a predator. A species wielded a weapon. The previous adaptation cycle of generational selection for traits was overcome in a moment. A concept was made real. An idea was put into practice. Something that had never been tried before worked. A question was asked. Within a few thousand years, a single species had changed the pace of adaptation.
He now sat thinking of some of its pitfalls. It had let itself go astray several times. It had failed to grasp its own power. It had let itself imagine that adaptation would stop. But thought cannot be limited. The power that each member of his species possessed offered infinite possibilities. His fellows may not wish to wield that power, they could even ignore it, but it existed regardless. A thought. A dream. The next step.
Monday, June 25, 2012
We were never that young...
I have been writing journals of various types for many years. The format has changed, the message varied. In the end, I simply wish to expound ideas. I have never considered myself skilled in the art. As I generally think in abstracts, my writing follows suit. At many times, I have chosen to analyze a situation and comment not about the particulars, but about the underlying principles. The end result was probably quite transparent to those around me but not necessarily to a complete stranger.
We develop ideas over time regarding past events. In our ancestral past, these ideas become fact as stories were re-told again and again. However, civilization brought record keeping. Old tales were still told, but in many cases an archive could be searched for verification. As a result, less knowledge was lost. It became possible to avoid the effects that time has on perception. A printed page will not tell a different story next month. A photograph may age, but its subject will not.
Whereas I have beliefs regarding the effects of time on me, I can easily consult snapshots from the past and be reconnected with fact.
I have recently been reminded that the boy my mind's eye recalls never existed. A similar creature walked the earth, but his strength and wisdom have been exaggerated over time. The gifts of youth do not fade as quickly as our youth-obsessed society puts forth.
So here is to all the 19-year-old super humans who could choose any dance partner they wanted, had 1% body fat, had the constitution of 10 grown men, and had achieved a level of peace and serenity that would make the gods envious. I will miss you. The photograph has replaced you with someone else entirely. You were not fearless. You were not perfect. You knew little. You were not a finished product. You were a work in progress. The things that negatively effect you now always have. Otherwise, the cliche "Freshman 15" would not be possible.
As I've said many times, life begins at 30. The children that we were simply did not know their limits. That doesn't mean that they didn't have them. I may have forgotten that.
We develop ideas over time regarding past events. In our ancestral past, these ideas become fact as stories were re-told again and again. However, civilization brought record keeping. Old tales were still told, but in many cases an archive could be searched for verification. As a result, less knowledge was lost. It became possible to avoid the effects that time has on perception. A printed page will not tell a different story next month. A photograph may age, but its subject will not.
Whereas I have beliefs regarding the effects of time on me, I can easily consult snapshots from the past and be reconnected with fact.
I have recently been reminded that the boy my mind's eye recalls never existed. A similar creature walked the earth, but his strength and wisdom have been exaggerated over time. The gifts of youth do not fade as quickly as our youth-obsessed society puts forth.
So here is to all the 19-year-old super humans who could choose any dance partner they wanted, had 1% body fat, had the constitution of 10 grown men, and had achieved a level of peace and serenity that would make the gods envious. I will miss you. The photograph has replaced you with someone else entirely. You were not fearless. You were not perfect. You knew little. You were not a finished product. You were a work in progress. The things that negatively effect you now always have. Otherwise, the cliche "Freshman 15" would not be possible.
As I've said many times, life begins at 30. The children that we were simply did not know their limits. That doesn't mean that they didn't have them. I may have forgotten that.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Political translation
I was about to preface this blog post with words like "unpopular" and "view as". In truth, I have the great benefit of living in the United States. I do not have to preface anything. Others in much of the world are free to read it, comment on it, be angered, be bored, be disinterested. This is the beauty of freedom.
Communication (and perception in general) is subject to interpretation. We all interpret things differently. I felt it was only fair to give others a glance into my own interpretations.
Someone says: "I'm not racist but..."
I hear: "I'm about to make a racist comment. I'm trying to apologize for it. I am actually a racist, but I'm apologetic. Deep down I know that doesn't make it better."
Someone says: "Big Government"
I hear: "I have no problem with fascism."
Someone says: "welfare reform"
I hear: "I am about 15 years behind the times. The program I am mentioning no longer exists, but if it did, I would let them all starve."
Someone says: "welfare state"
I hear: "I am about 15 years behind the times. The program I am mentioning no longer exists, but if it did, I would let them all starve."
Someone says: "You should need to take a drug test before..."
I hear: "Let them all starve."
Someone says: "Tea Party"
I hear: "The criminally insane"
Someone says "DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act)"
I hear: "Legislated hate"
Someone says: "Conservative"
I hear: "An individual who has no problem with fascism."
Someone says: "Partial Birth Abortion"
I hear: "I have no knowledge regarding actual medical procedures. I listen to whatever hatemongers are spewing at the moment."
Someone says: "The breakdown of the American family"
I hear: "I listen to whatever hatemongers are spewing at the moment."
Someone says: "Family Values"
I hear: "I listen to whatever hatemongers are spewing at the moment."
Someone says: "Protect Intellectual Property"
I hear: "Several ridiculously large organizations have paid me a great deal of money."
Someone says: "Internet Piracy"
I hear: "I'm looking for some lame excuse, but in the end I have no problem with fascism".
Someone says: "ObamaCare"
I hear: "Let them all die of easily treatable diseases."
Someone says: "Super PAC"
I hear: "The first step to fascism"
Someone says: "This is a Christian country"
I hear: "I have no idea where I live and am completely unfamiliar with the history of my own country."
Someone says: "Waste your vote"
I hear: "I have no problem with fascism."
Someone says: "I don't vote"
I hear: "I have no problem with fascism."
Someone says: "A simpler time"
I hear: "The McCarthy Era"
I do realize that my remarks may seem harsh. However, pretending to ignore the repercussions of certain policies is inhuman. Pretending that lowering taxes will only reduce the bureaucracy and waste (which I fully admit is a matter of concern) is to walk through life with blinders on. Pretending that large corporations will "reinvest" more money if their taxes are reduced is to claim you live in a world without greed. Pretending that not voting has any effect other than allowing the votes of extremists to carry more weight is denying that 0 is not equal to 1. Pretending that "Family Values" is anything but a euphemism for "enforcing my limited world view on others" is to deny most of modern history. Idolizing the 1950's is to idolize nuclear proliferation, witch hunts, segregation, dumping of toxic chemicals without any knowledge of their long-term effects, and the treating of women as a permanent underclass.
There are sides. The game cannot be avoided, it is the price of citizenship in the Untied States. If you do not choose a side, you lose.
I now walk away from the soapbox. It was never that effective a communication tool anyway.
Communication (and perception in general) is subject to interpretation. We all interpret things differently. I felt it was only fair to give others a glance into my own interpretations.
Someone says: "I'm not racist but..."
I hear: "I'm about to make a racist comment. I'm trying to apologize for it. I am actually a racist, but I'm apologetic. Deep down I know that doesn't make it better."
Someone says: "Big Government"
I hear: "I have no problem with fascism."
Someone says: "welfare reform"
I hear: "I am about 15 years behind the times. The program I am mentioning no longer exists, but if it did, I would let them all starve."
Someone says: "welfare state"
I hear: "I am about 15 years behind the times. The program I am mentioning no longer exists, but if it did, I would let them all starve."
Someone says: "You should need to take a drug test before..."
I hear: "Let them all starve."
Someone says: "Tea Party"
I hear: "The criminally insane"
Someone says "DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act)"
I hear: "Legislated hate"
Someone says: "Conservative"
I hear: "An individual who has no problem with fascism."
Someone says: "Partial Birth Abortion"
I hear: "I have no knowledge regarding actual medical procedures. I listen to whatever hatemongers are spewing at the moment."
Someone says: "The breakdown of the American family"
I hear: "I listen to whatever hatemongers are spewing at the moment."
Someone says: "Family Values"
I hear: "I listen to whatever hatemongers are spewing at the moment."
Someone says: "Protect Intellectual Property"
I hear: "Several ridiculously large organizations have paid me a great deal of money."
Someone says: "Internet Piracy"
I hear: "I'm looking for some lame excuse, but in the end I have no problem with fascism".
Someone says: "ObamaCare"
I hear: "Let them all die of easily treatable diseases."
Someone says: "Super PAC"
I hear: "The first step to fascism"
Someone says: "This is a Christian country"
I hear: "I have no idea where I live and am completely unfamiliar with the history of my own country."
Someone says: "Waste your vote"
I hear: "I have no problem with fascism."
Someone says: "I don't vote"
I hear: "I have no problem with fascism."
Someone says: "A simpler time"
I hear: "The McCarthy Era"
I do realize that my remarks may seem harsh. However, pretending to ignore the repercussions of certain policies is inhuman. Pretending that lowering taxes will only reduce the bureaucracy and waste (which I fully admit is a matter of concern) is to walk through life with blinders on. Pretending that large corporations will "reinvest" more money if their taxes are reduced is to claim you live in a world without greed. Pretending that not voting has any effect other than allowing the votes of extremists to carry more weight is denying that 0 is not equal to 1. Pretending that "Family Values" is anything but a euphemism for "enforcing my limited world view on others" is to deny most of modern history. Idolizing the 1950's is to idolize nuclear proliferation, witch hunts, segregation, dumping of toxic chemicals without any knowledge of their long-term effects, and the treating of women as a permanent underclass.
There are sides. The game cannot be avoided, it is the price of citizenship in the Untied States. If you do not choose a side, you lose.
I now walk away from the soapbox. It was never that effective a communication tool anyway.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Traveling... again...
I've always loved trains. My most enjoyable commutes have been via train. We ran rails over a good portion of this country. But the East Coast is their origin. Here we laid rail for over 100 years. We laid intracity rail and intercity rail. Although passenger service only operated on a small fraction of the lines, one can still travel by rail to nearly every city on the East Coast.
Although other mass transit exists, the very scope of rail travel is amazing. A train carrying hundreds can be operated by 10 people. In some small scale cases their operation has been automated. One can travel from Philadelphia to Baltimore in less than 2 hours via rail. In many cases, rail travel is faster than personal vehicle.
I have spent my whole life near rails. I commuted across the city of Philadelphia to go to school... To go to work... One can traverse much of Philadelphia underground.
Mass transit allows one to read, to type... As one is still on the ground, terrestrial communication networks are still available when traveling via rail. One can travel via rail without having their rights violated.
The other differences between rail travel and other modes are learned via experience. Suffised to say, when traveling by rail one often arrives refreshed rather than worn out. The rails might not run everywhere, and a cross-country trip becomes more of an expedition via rail than many would like, but when available, the rails make for an amazing trip.
Although other mass transit exists, the very scope of rail travel is amazing. A train carrying hundreds can be operated by 10 people. In some small scale cases their operation has been automated. One can travel from Philadelphia to Baltimore in less than 2 hours via rail. In many cases, rail travel is faster than personal vehicle.
I have spent my whole life near rails. I commuted across the city of Philadelphia to go to school... To go to work... One can traverse much of Philadelphia underground.
Mass transit allows one to read, to type... As one is still on the ground, terrestrial communication networks are still available when traveling via rail. One can travel via rail without having their rights violated.
The other differences between rail travel and other modes are learned via experience. Suffised to say, when traveling by rail one often arrives refreshed rather than worn out. The rails might not run everywhere, and a cross-country trip becomes more of an expedition via rail than many would like, but when available, the rails make for an amazing trip.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Watch us evolve... It won't take that long...
We can see in every generation our roots. Just as we can see embryonic stages reticent of our special ancestors. Children and teens show us the way.
We were pack hunters not herd animals. There were alphas. Children played. Adolescents competed with one another. The strong mated as they chose, the weak had limited options. But, we were different. Our strength could be varied. We began devising different ways to hunt. The individual that could throw a rock the furthest may not have been the individual that could throw with the most accuracy. However, simple competitions could resolve rank.
And then we shifted. The pack became the tribe. A tribe generally has 2 leaders. Although a chief may make the ultimate decision, most seek the advice of a wise woman or shaman. Roles start being assigned. Those roles still have a hierarchy. The tribe generally prefers the best hunter to the best gatherer. However, as hunting moves from innate ability or talent to skill, it becomes an occupation. Individuals arise that take on tasks for the whole tribe. Weapon quality varies by the maker and the tribe benefits from well equipped hunters.
And so professions arose. Humans stopped moving. Farming and raising of livestock allow us to settle. The tribe becomes a village. A village may have one leader, but generally it does not. Elders are respected for their knowledge and so are cared for. Trades form. Metalworking, masonry, carpentry; these can only be sustained while food is plentiful. Commerce must begin. It becomes nearly impossible to designate an alpha. The blacksmith's forge allows the plow. The plow allows the harvest. The harvest allows the blacksmith to eat. Just as evolution always had, we filled niches. Now, those niches were among ourselves. A new ecosystem built on top of the existing one composed entirely of 1 species.
However, no resource is unlimited and the need to hunt has been replaced with the need to protect. It is easier to take than to grow and so another niche arises. Super predators arose: pillagers. The need for alphas returned. However, pillaging is not sustainable. The enemy will only be at the gates every once in a while. The professional soldier is not necessary at first. The blacksmith makes weapons, a basket weaver turns fletcher, a carpenter becomes a bowyer. The fighters are often praised and success is often rewarded just as it had been in the pack, but a town guard is not promoted to high ruler. The pillagers are not always defeated. From time to time the take control and demand tribute. However, a dictator can not be sustained by a village, that requires a town or city.
For better or worse, we continued to specialize.
We were pack hunters not herd animals. There were alphas. Children played. Adolescents competed with one another. The strong mated as they chose, the weak had limited options. But, we were different. Our strength could be varied. We began devising different ways to hunt. The individual that could throw a rock the furthest may not have been the individual that could throw with the most accuracy. However, simple competitions could resolve rank.
And then we shifted. The pack became the tribe. A tribe generally has 2 leaders. Although a chief may make the ultimate decision, most seek the advice of a wise woman or shaman. Roles start being assigned. Those roles still have a hierarchy. The tribe generally prefers the best hunter to the best gatherer. However, as hunting moves from innate ability or talent to skill, it becomes an occupation. Individuals arise that take on tasks for the whole tribe. Weapon quality varies by the maker and the tribe benefits from well equipped hunters.
And so professions arose. Humans stopped moving. Farming and raising of livestock allow us to settle. The tribe becomes a village. A village may have one leader, but generally it does not. Elders are respected for their knowledge and so are cared for. Trades form. Metalworking, masonry, carpentry; these can only be sustained while food is plentiful. Commerce must begin. It becomes nearly impossible to designate an alpha. The blacksmith's forge allows the plow. The plow allows the harvest. The harvest allows the blacksmith to eat. Just as evolution always had, we filled niches. Now, those niches were among ourselves. A new ecosystem built on top of the existing one composed entirely of 1 species.
However, no resource is unlimited and the need to hunt has been replaced with the need to protect. It is easier to take than to grow and so another niche arises. Super predators arose: pillagers. The need for alphas returned. However, pillaging is not sustainable. The enemy will only be at the gates every once in a while. The professional soldier is not necessary at first. The blacksmith makes weapons, a basket weaver turns fletcher, a carpenter becomes a bowyer. The fighters are often praised and success is often rewarded just as it had been in the pack, but a town guard is not promoted to high ruler. The pillagers are not always defeated. From time to time the take control and demand tribute. However, a dictator can not be sustained by a village, that requires a town or city.
For better or worse, we continued to specialize.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
One hell of a week...
I usually remain abstract. After all, this blog goes under the heading "Random Thoughts" not "Random Events", but I felt the need to write. 1 week ago, I went through "voluntary sterilization".
I know. That phrase alone could cause someone to walk away. Vasectomy seems to lack any connotation related to atrocities performed in the last century.
I did not discuss or even indicate to many that it was planned. In truth, reproduction is not something I discuss often with anyone other than my wife. The idea that I was not going to have children seemed to inspire disbelief very often.
Based on the indication of medical professionals, I should be healed with the next few days. Throughout my life I have healed remarkably quickly. My immune system is a little overactive in some respects and youth does offer the benefit of accelerated rehabilitation.
That being said, I do find myself wondering if this is changing. Part of that is simply random discussions about aging I seem to stumble upon. Part of it is simply knowing that time effects all things (that experience it). The end result is a little bit of uncertainty and a little bit more resolve.
I tend to feel that humans go through stages. This concept was much more popular in bygone eras. We unfortunately tied it to numbers somewhere along the way and so many rebelled against it. In cultures much less focused on time, it is still the prevailing wisdom from what I have been led to believe. I think that many people find the transition between these phases difficult. After all, we have given up many of the ceremonies used to mark them. Commencement has never held the same weight as graduation. We do not maintain any secular coming of age ceremonies. We no longer transition to the role of elder or matriarch with a marked event.
And so, we still change our role but we don't note it outwardly. In my case, I feel that the time of planning has ended. The time of viewing things as means to an end has passed. I did not purchase a starter home. I do not own an "interim" car. I do not have an "interim" job. Now is the time of doing one's life work. I have never been one to put things off or wait for a more opportune time. But, I have always looked forward and prepared. At this time, the plans are laid. It is the time of implementation. The only outward ceremony will be this blog. There is no title to confer, no passing of torches or laurels.
In truth, nothing has changed. A slight shift in an electrical impulse. The bridging of a neuron perhaps. A thought. An idea. A background process indicating that the time is now. A change in perspective towards the present. A slight reminder that we must all live for the moment.
I know. That phrase alone could cause someone to walk away. Vasectomy seems to lack any connotation related to atrocities performed in the last century.
I did not discuss or even indicate to many that it was planned. In truth, reproduction is not something I discuss often with anyone other than my wife. The idea that I was not going to have children seemed to inspire disbelief very often.
Based on the indication of medical professionals, I should be healed with the next few days. Throughout my life I have healed remarkably quickly. My immune system is a little overactive in some respects and youth does offer the benefit of accelerated rehabilitation.
That being said, I do find myself wondering if this is changing. Part of that is simply random discussions about aging I seem to stumble upon. Part of it is simply knowing that time effects all things (that experience it). The end result is a little bit of uncertainty and a little bit more resolve.
I tend to feel that humans go through stages. This concept was much more popular in bygone eras. We unfortunately tied it to numbers somewhere along the way and so many rebelled against it. In cultures much less focused on time, it is still the prevailing wisdom from what I have been led to believe. I think that many people find the transition between these phases difficult. After all, we have given up many of the ceremonies used to mark them. Commencement has never held the same weight as graduation. We do not maintain any secular coming of age ceremonies. We no longer transition to the role of elder or matriarch with a marked event.
And so, we still change our role but we don't note it outwardly. In my case, I feel that the time of planning has ended. The time of viewing things as means to an end has passed. I did not purchase a starter home. I do not own an "interim" car. I do not have an "interim" job. Now is the time of doing one's life work. I have never been one to put things off or wait for a more opportune time. But, I have always looked forward and prepared. At this time, the plans are laid. It is the time of implementation. The only outward ceremony will be this blog. There is no title to confer, no passing of torches or laurels.
In truth, nothing has changed. A slight shift in an electrical impulse. The bridging of a neuron perhaps. A thought. An idea. A background process indicating that the time is now. A change in perspective towards the present. A slight reminder that we must all live for the moment.
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