The Idiocy of Idolatry ("Don't Drink the Koolaid, Man!")

The U.S. election falls on the 5th of November this year, my birthday for what it's worth. It is a random coincidence which is true of nearly a million other Americans, nevertheless to ascribe special significance to my position on anything would be fool hardy. Alas, an unimaginable number of people follow a similar feat of weak thinking when they choose a guru (real or imagined) to lead them in life on issues of morality, ethics, or policy.

This fallacy seems to be centered on a "cult-of-personality" phenomenon. In essence, the stories behind a figurehead, in addition to their motivational presence build within a human community to a legendary level, that any common sense goes out the door and the leadership commands of the "guru" gain a sacred quality that mesmerizes large numbers. 

I suspect this is a culturally evolved phenomenon. At one time, small tribes of humans were challenged to survive in circumstances where their accumulated technology and cleverness was modest compared to the modern era. It's easy to imagine the cohesivity of the group being a prominent survival tactic. As such, a charismatic leader that channeled strength and conviction to circle up the tribe was selected for. Ideally, the "guru" would implement a system of thinking and action that optimized survival and thriving that worked, but humans likely came to rely so much on the "guru's" leadership that they became synonymous with the policies and ethics they implemented.

And so, today we too often focus on the bombastic or eloquence of the "guru" than on the policy or ethic itself. In this way, the many "gurus" of this world have gained unbelievable power with the people. Whether it's Yahweh or Zeus, Kennedy or Trump, Jesus or Mohammed, Jim Jones or Tom Cruise, Taylor Swift or Ted Nugent, Marcus Aurelius or Gandhi, Harry Potter or Pokémon or yes, even Mommy or Daddy, we all too often ascribe too much credence to the person rather than evaluate the guidance itself.

Arguably decent tribal leadership has evolved into religious idolatry. If a story captures the minds of the populace, the story rules. Stories are shortcuts to conveying ideas and they have become the persuasive behemoths of humanity. In a way every "guru" is an infomercial salesman trying to sell their souped up ideas, good or bad, or more likely a mix of the two.

I suggest leaving the "guru" behind and examining the underlying evidence independently. Follow the citations, and develop a system of critical thinking that doesn't rely on a single person, especially one that declares themself as an authority, whether with humility or pompousness. The good path is paved with kindness, reason, and research. 

So come November 5th, let it be my birthday wish to encourage you to fact check thoroughly what each candidate stands for before casting your ballot. The well being of the world is too important to follow a guru blindly; when making life choices, consider all the evidence as best you can before choosing your path.

Capernaum (2018) A Film Contemplation

 

For this film , prepare yourself for an uncomfortable dive into third world living, mostly through the eyes of an undocumented refugee boy named Zain. The film highlights his courage in standing up to live the most honorable life possible given his circumstance. Though fiction, the apocryphal element of the struggle of the poorest children in the direst of circumstances comes through in rusty spades.

My central take away from the film is that far too many children are being born into a world that isn't caring for them. Religions and family tradition trumpet the sacredness of birth when planned parenthood is what is needed. Humanity's opium isn't religion itself, but the religious and societal appropriation of evolutionary instincts to push young people into reproducing without sufficient forethought. Too often birth control and good sex education are absent where needed most.

And in the end, it's good secular education that is needed across the board. People can make better decisions if they aren't deluded with ancient traditions that were crafted for another time, a time when most children died young and when child labor was the norm.

I highly recommend everyone watch this film, if only to open our eyes to the reality beyond our first world comfort. Acting with compassion and reason can only work if we understand the challenges that run deep across the human dominated global society.

It's the Cycle of Life?

I cannot count the times people cite "it's the cycle of life!" when declaring the inevitability of animals (humans usually included) killing other animals (humans usually not included). There is an iota of truth to the statement, alas I find this to be an oversimplification that is used to dismiss the agency of humans as individuals, and as a species in how our actions affect the health of our planet.

Context is everything, and my parenthetical additions to "it's the cycle of life" above highlight the primary nuances, I believe, so let's start there. 

Generally, most ethical stances would exclude humans killing humans as something good. War (when it includes state sanctioned homicide) murder, cannibalism, even self-defense (when non-lethal means are possible) are generally recognized as not applicable to the "cycle of life" forgiveness mantra.

Next, let's consider non-human animals killing humans. Here, most will agree our species gets a pass on being the object of carnivorous animal attacks or the spread of bacteria and viral vectors by other animals (mosquitos carrying disease, rabid animals carrying disease). Humans take for granted that they are not involved in the cycle of life in these cases and taking every precaution and action to prevent human death is our implicit duty. Frankly, no matter what the killer is (animals, plant-based poison, gravity, extreme weather, or even time) we tend to take the stance that if human death or injury can be prevented, humans should take action to do so.

Of course other things are killed than just humans, and this non-human animals killing other non-human animals is what most people intend when using the "it's the cycle of life" comment, but each situation really deserves a closer look if our true intent is to preserve a healthy planet.

Predation obviously does occur, and has occurred for billions of years in the biomes of Earth. For organisms (plant, animal and bacterial) that get their nutrients from anything but raw minerals in the soil, water and air, or organisms that have perished from random forces, taking the life of other organisms is necessary if their own lives and their ability to propagate are to be protected.

Our living planet does seem to incorporate a complex food web for all the many varied organisms to coexist and over large spans of time to coevolve. As such, life does have a cycle that feels miraculous if only because we cannot comprehend the billions of years over which our planet's dynamic system has come about...that is until human intervention has turned into a powerhouse.

Take humans out of the equation and there is by and large a balance in Nature. Predating wolves, lions and coyotes, etc. hunt and kill mice, rabbits and deer. When one of the predating species gets too numerous their prey species take a downfall and subsequently so will the predating species. Generally, this will keep populations in check, which is an important part of "the cycle of life."

Again, humans are the exception. Because they have refined methods for killing others and for healing themselves, over the past several thousand years, the population of humanity has grown exponentially. Our population is projected to grow from its current 8.2 billion and top off around 10 or 11 billion in the next century or so. 

Because of this massive presence on the planet we are doing disproportionate damage to self-repairing, biodiverse, global systems. The massive development of human infrastructure (factory farming of food and companion animals, agricultural sprawl, alteration of atmosphere, alteration of water systems, etc. etc.) has a devastating effect on the long term status of the global environment's health.

Which is to say, human choices to regulate our population size and our per capita impact on natural systems will continue to have a critical impact on the world we live in unless we adjust our civilization's mindset. 

In conclusion, "It's the cycle of life," does not excuse us when our human actions lead to the unnecessary killing of animals. We do not need to kill animals to thrive as a species. If our companion animals are killing wild-animals then the fault is ours as well. Humanity has become a presence which is inherently unnatural, and we should own that status, so that we can be proper caretakers of a beautiful world with longevity for the good of all species.

The next time you say "it's the cycle of life" ask yourself what can you do to make the natural cycle more resilient, and thriving in spite of human hegemony. Ending human hunting and fishing, eliminating unnecessary human initiated animal breeding, restraining our animal companions, going vegan, reducing overall consumption in general, etc. We humans are not controlled by Nature, so we have to make better decisions and actions if we want to keep our shared planet healthy!

Photo Reminiscing

(Backlog Journal Entry from 2021 revised)

For many years since I've shared photos.

So interesting how picture sharing has changed throughout my life over the past fifty years. In the 70s and 80s, taking photos was a bit of a novelty. Unless you had a professional 35mm camera, you probably had a plastic 110 camera, a disk camera with disposable flashes, or if you were really fancy you might have a polaroid instant camera. Film wasn't free so you were much more particular about what pictures you snapped, and even then you couldn't rely on the quality or framing that you had. You had to pay to get the film developed too, and again unless you had your own studio you couldn't easily crop or enhance your photos.

The actual collecting and sharing of developed photos was quite an involved undertaking. Going through photos picking the best ones and showing them to family and friends in person stirred up extended discussion of ones travels, expressions, and experiences. Getting duplicates of photos enabled one to gift them, and a proffered pic was doubly cherished because it expressed a unique memento from a person you might not see very often otherwise in your life. And, from all of these varied photos one would assemble physical albums that were kept handy to reminisce. The best albums included creative flourishes that highlighted the visual moments making them an extra pleasure to share when sitting side by side with a visiting friend.

Nowadays photo album creation is rather easy, and with the proliferation of mobile phone photography many, many, many more moments in ones life are captured on a daily basis. The imaged results are readily, if not instantly, posted online often with interesting captions. Yes, the joy of sharing is still there...for the most part. It's cool to get a half dozen comments on a particularly amazing vacation photo or an everyday quirky moment. With any of a dozen photo sharing social media sites, sometimes it's quite hard to keep up with all the photos you'd like to see, but with a little organization the pay off is still solid. 

In the end, it can be easy to drown in a torrent of images and video and memes all accompanied by side advertisements and manipulating algorithms. But we have the ability to do better, and I recommend once in a while at least sitting down with friends or family to slide show your curated pics across the big screen. You might even create a physical photo album from one of the publishing services online to keep handy on the coffee table. The subsequent sharing moments will be as magical as the wizardry we put into the creation. (AI assisted experiences notwithstanding)

States of Change Chapter 41: Treasure (Montana)

 

States of Change is an ongoing work of serial fiction.

The speculative story-line seeks to inspire thought on ethics, culture and our planet's future.

The year is 2076, decades after Oosa's defederalization. 

Fifty independent States have forged unique societies from 

revolutionary technology and ideology

"Straight beats three of a kind. That's another hundred Tanas for the homestead!"

"Ok, Silva, let's see if your luck holds for another hand!"

"Sorry, Rattler, as much as I'd like to spend all night with your rugged sense of humor, I have a server farm to oversee in the AM. Cash me out to the cloud, Dealer Pete."

"Yes ma'am. Account synching with the house. Would you like to add a donation to the wildlands conservancy?"

"Now why would I do a thing like that, Dealer Pete. I earned me my winnings. Your establishment got its scrape. If the wild places were worth anything they'd be built into the distributed economy."

"Well, Silva, I'm only an AI construct, but some say the wilderness has external value that the economy doesn't account for. I've integrated the donation protocol in compliance with all of the Liberated Montana Manifesto. No hidden taxes or fees, no mandatory service charges, and only optional donations and gratuities."

"Damn construct thinks it knows how people's business works. We ended all that Oosa big government "save nature" bull shit back at the Inflection."

"C'mon Silva, Pete's just trying to create a good atmosphere here. We got a good view of the valley here, good brew and occasionally a poker game that runs til midnight. Pete just likes his guests to expand their horizon a bit, being that he enjoys the real world, second hand, through our eyes."

"Thanks, for that Rattler. It's ironic that too many humans don't appreciate the world we all exist in."

"You wanna support the wilderness, Loser Man, you go ahead and give the AI a tip. I'm barely making ends meet with ten thousand servers mining crypto 24/7. You know how many tech cowboys I need to pay to ensure we're on top of the Tana algorithm...too many!"

"As you like it, Silva. Pete, put ten Tanas on the top of my bill. Use it for the wilderness fund or to pay the lights in your gambling house, as you see fit."

"Thanks, Rattler...and goodnight Silva. Hope to see you at next weeks tournament."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world!"

Elli's Story

Arf, arf, everyone! 

My name is Elli and I am just loving life!  You see, I am a very special dog, part Yorkie, part Terrier, who escaped from my original human caretakers. The truth is I just love to chase rabbits and once, given the opportunity, I escaped from them to live as a stray for several weeks in southern Florida. My encounters with alligators, pythons and Florida panthers will go untold.

Thankfully, with the help of the St. Lucie Humane Society I was rescued, provided safe haven and given a second chance to have a human family. My current caretakers, Judy and Woody, both in their eighties, adopted me in October of 2023.  They both love dogs, especially smaller ones like me and boy, do they have lots of experience loving little dogs, even if they misbehave on occasion. Of course, I never cause any problems.

So, apparently, one of their previous little dogs, Ladybug, was a huggable muttly that also liked to run unsupervised outside. Over the course of their eighteen year relationship, both Judy and Woody became well versed at keeping their dog safe inside. Now they are using their skills to manage my flighty nature. 

Their last dog, Lexi, was a bit plump, so rest assured the food plan here is just short of a cruise buffet. More importantly, I heard when Lexi came down with bone cancer the caring family love just shot off the charts, so I know I've found the family right for me!

Yes, my human family is a little bit older and indeed I gave them a little bit of a challenge getting housebroken at first. I even snuck outside a few times to chase those wily, wild rabbits but only because they want me to come out and play. Rest assured I always come home, even if it's a couple hours later. 

You see, the real reason I feel like a special doggie isn't because I'm spoiled with toys and treats or because I'm cuddled with joyful abandon. I feel special because I get to add my love to the family circle. I just love giving my humans a reason to get outside and exercise or simply being present to make our house in Hobe Sound a loving home.  

Natural (&) Humanity

the journey ongoing

It's been nearly 10 years since I scribbed my thoughts on the relationship between human and nature. It's a worthy reflection. Check out the short essay here: Human (&) Nature.

Natural and artificial can seem like opposites, alas where does one draw the line between the two. Humans were spawned by nature and we've come up with some creative "artificial" solutions: tools, protocols, culture, fictional stories, and ever improving intelligent systems that operate more less independently from our control. 

Frankly, many of homo sapiens' creative cousins have leveraged their skills to create tools, protocols, and culture. Perhaps, the only thing keeping other species from rising to challenge humanity's planetary hegemony, it's their inability to effectively communicate complex ideas across generations. If the birds ever gain tree notch codes or octopuses modular digital storage, the human super powers better watch out.

Nevertheless, humanity has its roots in natural origins. Evolution by natural selection is nature's protocol for sharing information forward. It relies on reproductive profligacy. The genes within the DNA of all Earth life are complex and in sufficient numbers have found solutions sufficient to iterate morphology across millennia. Still, DNA mutation and invoked fitness over time are simply analogous to the angle of repose, in which given the physical laws in play a self-ordering complexity emerges. 

That complexity will undulate over time. Look forward four to five billion years and our whole solar system will be a stellar nova unlikely to support life as we know it. Humanity itself may very well perish in spite of its highly adaptive skills. It seems quite likely we will push numerous other species over the cliff of extinction as our tribal nature sends much of this planet's balance spinning out of control.

With a deep sigh, any one of us as individuals can feel powerless to help return balance to the midterm future. Certainly, we can contemplate ethical stances or blindly pick one that our elders have passed down in writing. Our planet is a connected ecosystem that has shown no sign of supernatural gods or powerful extraterrestrials coming to our rescue. Sadly, humanity seems to have a natural tendency away from unified action. We are the proverbial unherdable collection of cats.

So can humanity find its natural place and prevent implosion, explosion, or simple deterioration? Only time will tell, and though it is not very satisfying, that will be the natural order of things (not good or evil, but indifferently natural), for in hindsight what has happened is the evidence at core of what is. What has yet to happen in our world, on the other hand, begins with what each of us (all sentient creatures included) does now combined with everything else that is happening (motion, forces, matter, et al) around us.