Death is perhaps one of the most taboo subjects of conversation in "polite society" in most cultures. There is good reason for this. There are no "experts" on the subject of death. We have no scientific knowledge beyond the medical evidence of the cessation of function of the human body, which constitutes the act of dying. Nothing in available science can prove or disprove religious, philosophical and parapsychological claims of a continuation of human existence in some form beyond the final moment of existence on this earth.
I am not alone in the belief that all religions are founded on the desperate need of every human being to explain this terrible prospect of non-existence looming inevitably in our future. The hopelessness of the situation is such that it might explain the creation and existence of the so-called "religious genes" I discussed in a previous blog - a safety valve, perhaps that redirects the attention of the human being away from the finality of death to a soft cushion of beliefs in eternal life, resurrection, reincarnation, heaven or whatnot. We need to believe in something or risk insanity as we contemplate nothingness.
Man is the only creature on earth to our current knowledge that has the ability to think beyond his life, to a time when he will not exist any more, at least in the form he has today. The prospect is daunting and I'm sure everyone has spent a few sleepess nights trying to come to terms with the idea. This is the point where most men and women turn to religion for comfort and solace. A few brave souls who declare themselves to be "atheists" focus on the present and purport to believe that "it all ends here". It's such a dismal outlook that frankly, I believe that if everyone adopted this attitude, suicide rates would go through the roof. Perhaps it was no accident that as soon as the atheist communist regime in the Soviet Union ended, people rushed to reopen the churches and returned to religion full strength.
It is no accident that I'm writing this article today. A couple of weeks ago, the most precious person in the world to me - my mother - died. It's very hard to take philosophically the death of a loved one. For once, my meandering mind froze on its tracks and emotions ruled my world. Those of you who have read my articles in the past may have already surmised that I'm neither religious nor atheist. I try to balance myself in a family whose beliefs run from deep religiousness to complete atheism and I can usually understand their points of view. Yet, this was one occasion where my whole being was begging to turn to religion, to God, for hope, in a place where knowledge stopped.
Showing posts with label philosophy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label philosophy. Show all posts
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Friday, May 11, 2007
Reality - the Holographic Universe
We live in very exciting times, possibly the most exciting since the Renaissance! Almost every day that goes by, someone discovers a new phenomenon that forces us to rethink our view of reality.
I ran into this article today that made me review the way I look at the world yet again. Everyone who has a questing mind must read it!
To make a long story short, subatomic particles can communicate with each other over vast distances. So what? you may ask. Well, based on this single fact alone, man as an entity becomes simultaneously much more insignificant and much more significant than ever before.
The insignificance of man stems from his inability to perceive directly the wonderful tapestry of possibilities our universe is. In such a context, nothing that we have considered important really matters - not money, not our job, not politics and certainly not our perceived physical environment.
Still at the same time, man becomes extremely significant. The findings suggest that each and every one of us may be co-creators of the universe we live in, in a dynamic and constantly changing way. Our thoughts and our dreams may be influencing directly both the physical reality we dwell in, as well as the broader cosmic reality that exists beyond our perception.
This gives meaning to the Christian belief that "the one is more significant than the many", a credo that is very much a part of the mystery of the Confession.
We are standing on the doorstep, facing a half-ajar door that leads to tremendous revelations. Some will want to turn their back on the door, afraid of what lies beyond. Others, the more daring, will take that tentative stgep forward, and from that point on our world will never be the same.
I ran into this article today that made me review the way I look at the world yet again. Everyone who has a questing mind must read it!
To make a long story short, subatomic particles can communicate with each other over vast distances. So what? you may ask. Well, based on this single fact alone, man as an entity becomes simultaneously much more insignificant and much more significant than ever before.
The insignificance of man stems from his inability to perceive directly the wonderful tapestry of possibilities our universe is. In such a context, nothing that we have considered important really matters - not money, not our job, not politics and certainly not our perceived physical environment.
Still at the same time, man becomes extremely significant. The findings suggest that each and every one of us may be co-creators of the universe we live in, in a dynamic and constantly changing way. Our thoughts and our dreams may be influencing directly both the physical reality we dwell in, as well as the broader cosmic reality that exists beyond our perception.
This gives meaning to the Christian belief that "the one is more significant than the many", a credo that is very much a part of the mystery of the Confession.
We are standing on the doorstep, facing a half-ajar door that leads to tremendous revelations. Some will want to turn their back on the door, afraid of what lies beyond. Others, the more daring, will take that tentative stgep forward, and from that point on our world will never be the same.
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Slavery in the 21st Century
We live in the "enlightened" 21st Century. The time many of us dreamed about as the age where man would have matured and become just a bit more noble, caring and responsible. How wrong we were!
As I watched "Blood Diamonds" on CNN two days ago I was dumbfounded by the enormous greediness that has replaced the age of idealism we who are a bit older, grew up with in the 60's and the 70's. The report started my mind to meander back into the definition of slavery and look around a bit to find how Slavery in the 21st Century is being handled.
I found this well-researched but quite disheartening survey by BBC that I believe everyone should study thoroughly. The following paragraph stuck in my mind and darkened my soul:
"Forced labour affects millions of people around the world. It can be found in every region, in almost all countries and in every kind of economy, according to the UN. It is defined as work which is exacted under the menace of a penalty and undertaken involuntarily. Forced labour can be imposed by the state or private agents and takes different forms, including debt bondage, chattel slavery and prison labour. A growing proportion of forced labourers are victims of human trafficking."
Very sombering thoughts.
I can no longer look at the few pieces of jewelry with diamonds I own, without remembering the image of the diamond buyer, who offered one-third of the low price the African was asking for. Only ten thousand dollars for dozens, maybe hundreds of carats of the coveted stones - stones that will sell at four to eight thousand dollars per carat to the starry eyed couple who will want to buy that eternal diamond ring for their engagement.
And that is only one way man is exploiting man and keeping him in slave-like conditions. Modern day slavery takes many forms as the BBC survey shows. It exists right next door, no matter where you live. Men and women are being exploited for gain, for sex, for slave labor and probably for a host of other reasons I cannot fathom.
My thoughts went to another kind of covert slavery very few people realize exists yet in which most of us participate. I am talking about the type of slavery we are inadvertently pulled into in the modern day consumption oriented society. The type of slavery that arises from the urge to buy, buy, buy in combination with banks eager to loan us the money to feed our buying habit with, until we end up owing the value of everything we own, plus almost our entire life's earnings to the banks that so cheerfully gave us those credit cards and loans.
We live and work solely to survive and pay our bills. There is very little opportunity for the majority of people even in the so-called developed countries to actually save or invest. Saving and investing is limited to the small percentage that keeps getting richer by exploiting the rest. You don't feel exploited? When was the last time you bought something you didn't really need? For me, it was yesterday!
If you get up every morning, go to work for someone else, and your paycheck just barely covers your basic needs [and your loans] until the end of each month, then you belong to that nameless, faceless mass that falsely considers itself free. If you have not borrowed money yourself but your government has borrowed so much that each of its citizens would have to work for 30 years to pay off, you too have been indentured.
A few days ago I discussed the Mutable Multiverse. I proposed that we can change our reality by simply focusing on what we want. I still believe this. In society, however, there are group dynamics that interfere. You may be focusing on a good life for yourself and your family, but there is a whole bunch of other people who are focusing on ways to profit in every way they can from you. Which vision will prevail?
As I watched "Blood Diamonds" on CNN two days ago I was dumbfounded by the enormous greediness that has replaced the age of idealism we who are a bit older, grew up with in the 60's and the 70's. The report started my mind to meander back into the definition of slavery and look around a bit to find how Slavery in the 21st Century is being handled.
I found this well-researched but quite disheartening survey by BBC that I believe everyone should study thoroughly. The following paragraph stuck in my mind and darkened my soul:
"Forced labour affects millions of people around the world. It can be found in every region, in almost all countries and in every kind of economy, according to the UN. It is defined as work which is exacted under the menace of a penalty and undertaken involuntarily. Forced labour can be imposed by the state or private agents and takes different forms, including debt bondage, chattel slavery and prison labour. A growing proportion of forced labourers are victims of human trafficking."
Very sombering thoughts.
I can no longer look at the few pieces of jewelry with diamonds I own, without remembering the image of the diamond buyer, who offered one-third of the low price the African was asking for. Only ten thousand dollars for dozens, maybe hundreds of carats of the coveted stones - stones that will sell at four to eight thousand dollars per carat to the starry eyed couple who will want to buy that eternal diamond ring for their engagement.
And that is only one way man is exploiting man and keeping him in slave-like conditions. Modern day slavery takes many forms as the BBC survey shows. It exists right next door, no matter where you live. Men and women are being exploited for gain, for sex, for slave labor and probably for a host of other reasons I cannot fathom.
My thoughts went to another kind of covert slavery very few people realize exists yet in which most of us participate. I am talking about the type of slavery we are inadvertently pulled into in the modern day consumption oriented society. The type of slavery that arises from the urge to buy, buy, buy in combination with banks eager to loan us the money to feed our buying habit with, until we end up owing the value of everything we own, plus almost our entire life's earnings to the banks that so cheerfully gave us those credit cards and loans.
We live and work solely to survive and pay our bills. There is very little opportunity for the majority of people even in the so-called developed countries to actually save or invest. Saving and investing is limited to the small percentage that keeps getting richer by exploiting the rest. You don't feel exploited? When was the last time you bought something you didn't really need? For me, it was yesterday!
If you get up every morning, go to work for someone else, and your paycheck just barely covers your basic needs [and your loans] until the end of each month, then you belong to that nameless, faceless mass that falsely considers itself free. If you have not borrowed money yourself but your government has borrowed so much that each of its citizens would have to work for 30 years to pay off, you too have been indentured.
A few days ago I discussed the Mutable Multiverse. I proposed that we can change our reality by simply focusing on what we want. I still believe this. In society, however, there are group dynamics that interfere. You may be focusing on a good life for yourself and your family, but there is a whole bunch of other people who are focusing on ways to profit in every way they can from you. Which vision will prevail?
Monday, February 26, 2007
The Mutable Multiverse
Only a few hundred years ago, people believed that the Earth was flat and that if you traveled far enough you would fall off the edge. Maps were made of the known lands with Terra Incognita (unknown land) marked at the edges, and if you are a bit fanciful, you might have written There Be Monsters in the margins! Of course, at the time, people also believed that the sun travels over the Earth (possibly in a golden chariot, who knows?) and so did the moon and the stars, which were simply lights in the sky, or the souls of loved ones looking over us or whatnot.
Do you laugh when you read this description? Why should you? It was the belief of millions of people for over one thousand years! In the Orient, people believed that the Earth rode on the back of a turtle, and even Ancient Greeks, who knew the world was round (Eratosthenes had calkculated the circumference of the Earth almost precisely), had a fanciful myth about how Hercules replaced Atlas for a while, probably because Atlas was tired of holding the sky on his shoulders for such a long time.
In time, the thick veil of the Dark Ages was parted and Science began to win ground over Religion and Superstition. Columbus tried to prove that the world was round and found America instead. Copernicus, Newton, Darwin, and a long line of other scientists have been changing our view of what the Universe we live in is like almost continuously, through their research and hard work. Einstein told us that time is relative and that matter is actually energy. Schwartz's, Green's, Hawking's and others' string theory has changed our reality completely, by telling us that everything we see, feel and perceive is nothing more than myriads of invisible strings or chords oscillating in various frequencies bunched in various formations, plus those darn chords never sit still! OK, it's a simplification of a very complex theory but it is the essence of it all.
The solid earth under our feet has become very unstable lately! Our macrocosm has grown immensely, stretching out to encompass millions of new galaxies, while our microcosm has grown just as immensely, digging inward to discover more and more quantum particles and subdivisions of those, trying to get to the essence of it all. We, humans in the middle, have grown tiny and isignificant in comparison, a long way from the anthropocentric cosmos people lived in 1,000 years ago.
Perhaps one of the most exciting theories being dissected at this point in time, is the idea of the Multiverse. This is the idea that the universe around us is not the simple three-dimensional structure we perceive, but is rather composed of 11 or even more physical dimensions that co-exist but could only be perceived if you too were an 11th dimesional being!
Poppycock! you may exclaim... You can comprehend a fourth dimension - time - because you can measure it, but what are 5 to 11 or to infinity? Frankly, I know as much about it as the 13th Century peasant knew about the spherical Earth! For all HE knew, if he travelled too far, he would fall off. For all I know, anything above the 4th dimension is the creation of people with overactive imaginations. Still, the mathematics of it all can't be solved in four dimensions. And why should it be so easily solved after all? Are we humans so self-centered as to imagine that the cosmos is created solely to be perceived by us, with our limited senses?
If we accept that there are an infinite number of dimensions, why not accept that each one of these dimensions can hold a complete other universe, just like the one we live in? As a matter of fact, it has long been theorized that is just exactly what it does. That we don't live in a single Universe, but rather in a Multiverse made up of an infinite number of universes, some of them with physical properties like our own and others possibly ruled by completely different laws of physics.
Now let's take another look. Is the Multiverse static? Of course not. We already know that our own universe is expanding and it is in constant motion. It is constantly changing or mutating with vibrant energy. We can assume that the same or something similar holds true for other universes. Therefore, the Multiverse is not static, it is mutating perhaps quite rapidly.
Let's take this one step further. If the Multiverse is mutating, is it possible that we can effect this mutation - this change? How is it possible that the tiny and insignificant human can effect the infinite Multiverse? One hint is given to us by Dr. Quantum's Double Slit Experiment. I suggest you watch ALL of Dr. Quantums films, they are very informative and quite amazing. The Double Slit Experiment in fact proves that the behavior of matter is effected by the observer. That means that you - your eyes or your instruments can actually change the way the Universe behaves.
How does all this new information effect our daily lives and our immediate, rather boring world? For one thing, it shows us that our world is not boring at all. Rather, it is a miracle occuring continuously and unpredictably! If matter and energy can be effected by the observer, there are probably as many realities as there are observers. This takes us to the very old quandery: If a tree falls and there is no one around, does it make a noise? After all we have learned, we may answer: yes and no. The tree does create a vibrational change when falling, but unless there are ears there to hear it, it's not really "a noise"!
It brings into perspective thoughts and ideas expressed by philosophers through the ages. One that comes readily to my mind is Emile Zola's theory in his novelette "Huis Clos" (Dead End), where he surmises that "truth is in the eyes of others". Do we exist if there is no one there to observe us? DesCartes boldly stated "Je pense, donc je suis" (I think therefore I am), but perhaps in view of our new knowledge, this should be amended to "I am observed, therefore I exist"!
Let's assume that all of you who are reading this DO exist - what does the fact that you live in an ever-changing Mutable Multiverse have to do with you? For one thing it makes you responsible for your reality! You are influencing your environment as much as it is influencing you. Your reality can change, if you only will it to change. Perhaps not in a magical, hocus-pocus way (think of a car you want and it will appear in front of you), but in small imperceptible ways that set the course that shapes the things to come. Your world can be a good world if you believe it is so and act upon that belief, or it can be a bad world if you do the opposite.
We have taken a long journey today from a flat world to an ever-changing universe we can influence to suit our needs. It is a lot to digest and perhaps for some hard to swallow. It makes no difference, because each one of us lives in the world we are constantly creating for ourselves, and truth is only the truth we believe in - for us!
Do you laugh when you read this description? Why should you? It was the belief of millions of people for over one thousand years! In the Orient, people believed that the Earth rode on the back of a turtle, and even Ancient Greeks, who knew the world was round (Eratosthenes had calkculated the circumference of the Earth almost precisely), had a fanciful myth about how Hercules replaced Atlas for a while, probably because Atlas was tired of holding the sky on his shoulders for such a long time.
In time, the thick veil of the Dark Ages was parted and Science began to win ground over Religion and Superstition. Columbus tried to prove that the world was round and found America instead. Copernicus, Newton, Darwin, and a long line of other scientists have been changing our view of what the Universe we live in is like almost continuously, through their research and hard work. Einstein told us that time is relative and that matter is actually energy. Schwartz's, Green's, Hawking's and others' string theory has changed our reality completely, by telling us that everything we see, feel and perceive is nothing more than myriads of invisible strings or chords oscillating in various frequencies bunched in various formations, plus those darn chords never sit still! OK, it's a simplification of a very complex theory but it is the essence of it all.
The solid earth under our feet has become very unstable lately! Our macrocosm has grown immensely, stretching out to encompass millions of new galaxies, while our microcosm has grown just as immensely, digging inward to discover more and more quantum particles and subdivisions of those, trying to get to the essence of it all. We, humans in the middle, have grown tiny and isignificant in comparison, a long way from the anthropocentric cosmos people lived in 1,000 years ago.
Perhaps one of the most exciting theories being dissected at this point in time, is the idea of the Multiverse. This is the idea that the universe around us is not the simple three-dimensional structure we perceive, but is rather composed of 11 or even more physical dimensions that co-exist but could only be perceived if you too were an 11th dimesional being!
Poppycock! you may exclaim... You can comprehend a fourth dimension - time - because you can measure it, but what are 5 to 11 or to infinity? Frankly, I know as much about it as the 13th Century peasant knew about the spherical Earth! For all HE knew, if he travelled too far, he would fall off. For all I know, anything above the 4th dimension is the creation of people with overactive imaginations. Still, the mathematics of it all can't be solved in four dimensions. And why should it be so easily solved after all? Are we humans so self-centered as to imagine that the cosmos is created solely to be perceived by us, with our limited senses?
If we accept that there are an infinite number of dimensions, why not accept that each one of these dimensions can hold a complete other universe, just like the one we live in? As a matter of fact, it has long been theorized that is just exactly what it does. That we don't live in a single Universe, but rather in a Multiverse made up of an infinite number of universes, some of them with physical properties like our own and others possibly ruled by completely different laws of physics.
Now let's take another look. Is the Multiverse static? Of course not. We already know that our own universe is expanding and it is in constant motion. It is constantly changing or mutating with vibrant energy. We can assume that the same or something similar holds true for other universes. Therefore, the Multiverse is not static, it is mutating perhaps quite rapidly.
Let's take this one step further. If the Multiverse is mutating, is it possible that we can effect this mutation - this change? How is it possible that the tiny and insignificant human can effect the infinite Multiverse? One hint is given to us by Dr. Quantum's Double Slit Experiment. I suggest you watch ALL of Dr. Quantums films, they are very informative and quite amazing. The Double Slit Experiment in fact proves that the behavior of matter is effected by the observer. That means that you - your eyes or your instruments can actually change the way the Universe behaves.
How does all this new information effect our daily lives and our immediate, rather boring world? For one thing, it shows us that our world is not boring at all. Rather, it is a miracle occuring continuously and unpredictably! If matter and energy can be effected by the observer, there are probably as many realities as there are observers. This takes us to the very old quandery: If a tree falls and there is no one around, does it make a noise? After all we have learned, we may answer: yes and no. The tree does create a vibrational change when falling, but unless there are ears there to hear it, it's not really "a noise"!
It brings into perspective thoughts and ideas expressed by philosophers through the ages. One that comes readily to my mind is Emile Zola's theory in his novelette "Huis Clos" (Dead End), where he surmises that "truth is in the eyes of others". Do we exist if there is no one there to observe us? DesCartes boldly stated "Je pense, donc je suis" (I think therefore I am), but perhaps in view of our new knowledge, this should be amended to "I am observed, therefore I exist"!
Let's assume that all of you who are reading this DO exist - what does the fact that you live in an ever-changing Mutable Multiverse have to do with you? For one thing it makes you responsible for your reality! You are influencing your environment as much as it is influencing you. Your reality can change, if you only will it to change. Perhaps not in a magical, hocus-pocus way (think of a car you want and it will appear in front of you), but in small imperceptible ways that set the course that shapes the things to come. Your world can be a good world if you believe it is so and act upon that belief, or it can be a bad world if you do the opposite.
We have taken a long journey today from a flat world to an ever-changing universe we can influence to suit our needs. It is a lot to digest and perhaps for some hard to swallow. It makes no difference, because each one of us lives in the world we are constantly creating for ourselves, and truth is only the truth we believe in - for us!
Saturday, February 17, 2007
The Value of Health
Some years ago, I translated into English an old Greek series called "Loxandra" (pet name for Alexandra, f. for Alexander). It takes place shortly before the expulsion of all Greeks from Constantinople at the beginning of the last century, and is a fantastic portrait of the way of life of the Greek community in Asia Minor at the time.
What does all this have to do with health? I'll tell you. Loxandra's husband relates an old adage about the value of health and since health is a huge concern of mine, I thought I would repeat it. It goes like this...
"When you have health, you have one (1).
When you also have a house, you add a zero (0) and it becomes a ten (10).
If you have money, you add another zero and it becomes one hundred (100).
The more things you have, the more zeros you add.
However, if you don't have your health, you no longer have the one (1).
All you are left with is a whole lot of zeros."
I wish you the best of health!
What does all this have to do with health? I'll tell you. Loxandra's husband relates an old adage about the value of health and since health is a huge concern of mine, I thought I would repeat it. It goes like this...
"When you have health, you have one (1).
When you also have a house, you add a zero (0) and it becomes a ten (10).
If you have money, you add another zero and it becomes one hundred (100).
The more things you have, the more zeros you add.
However, if you don't have your health, you no longer have the one (1).
All you are left with is a whole lot of zeros."
I wish you the best of health!
Thursday, February 1, 2007
The dream of life
Sorry, you can't take it with you.
Not for lack of trying! The Pharaohs were buried with everything that could possibly make their afterlife comfortable. Ancient Chinese Emperors would take an entire army along, presumably, so that they would yield the same power after death as they had yielded during their lifetime. Even ordinary people were often buried with favorite objects or even pets to keep them company "after they were gone". In some parts of India, wives were sacrificed when their husbands died. Up to their last gasping breath, people still attempt to control their destiny and other people with the real or imagined power of their possessions.
It's not uncommon that parents still attempt to control their children's lives by means of their wealth - even if that wealth is modest. The power play between the haves and the have-nots is endless, relentless and takes no prisoners.
Guess what folks? You can't take it with you. Or, as my mom often says, "shrouds have no pockets". All those things that are of the living, stay with the living. The only coin that may hold any value once that final threshhold is crossed is the love, generosity and integrity with which you lived your life, and with which you paid those around you. Even if you don't believe in an afterlife, those qualities are the ones that will be remembered by those you leave behind.
Aye, there is the rub! Like it or not, we will all go someday. Life is ephemeral, perhaps only a dream we must all wake up from eventually, and like the shadows of a dream, eveything accomplished while living dissipates once the dream-life is over. All that is left, are the feelings we nurtured in others duing that short period. They could be feelings of love, gratitude, awe and grandeur, or they may be feelings of bitterness, anger, hate and misery. And because we are complex beings, these feelings may be of both, different for every aspect of our lives.
And guess what? Once one or two generations after us are gone as well, even those feelings will be forgotten and we will end up as perhaps a name in a dusty, old family album, or at best, another boring name to remember in the history books.
The dream of life is potent, addicting, exciting and we try to hold on to it with all our strength but it is, after all, only a dream. And you, old man, with your fading memory and all the quirks and eccentricities of your personality finally becoming dominant in your old age... YOU, old man who still wants to believe that the world revolves around you... you, OLD MAN who has forgotten that you must live your final years with dignity and affection, YOU will be dust sooner than you think with nothing left behind but the bitter taste of your name in the mouths of those you taunted when you should have embraced them.
I hope you wake up in a better place.
Not for lack of trying! The Pharaohs were buried with everything that could possibly make their afterlife comfortable. Ancient Chinese Emperors would take an entire army along, presumably, so that they would yield the same power after death as they had yielded during their lifetime. Even ordinary people were often buried with favorite objects or even pets to keep them company "after they were gone". In some parts of India, wives were sacrificed when their husbands died. Up to their last gasping breath, people still attempt to control their destiny and other people with the real or imagined power of their possessions.
It's not uncommon that parents still attempt to control their children's lives by means of their wealth - even if that wealth is modest. The power play between the haves and the have-nots is endless, relentless and takes no prisoners.
Guess what folks? You can't take it with you. Or, as my mom often says, "shrouds have no pockets". All those things that are of the living, stay with the living. The only coin that may hold any value once that final threshhold is crossed is the love, generosity and integrity with which you lived your life, and with which you paid those around you. Even if you don't believe in an afterlife, those qualities are the ones that will be remembered by those you leave behind.
Aye, there is the rub! Like it or not, we will all go someday. Life is ephemeral, perhaps only a dream we must all wake up from eventually, and like the shadows of a dream, eveything accomplished while living dissipates once the dream-life is over. All that is left, are the feelings we nurtured in others duing that short period. They could be feelings of love, gratitude, awe and grandeur, or they may be feelings of bitterness, anger, hate and misery. And because we are complex beings, these feelings may be of both, different for every aspect of our lives.
And guess what? Once one or two generations after us are gone as well, even those feelings will be forgotten and we will end up as perhaps a name in a dusty, old family album, or at best, another boring name to remember in the history books.
The dream of life is potent, addicting, exciting and we try to hold on to it with all our strength but it is, after all, only a dream. And you, old man, with your fading memory and all the quirks and eccentricities of your personality finally becoming dominant in your old age... YOU, old man who still wants to believe that the world revolves around you... you, OLD MAN who has forgotten that you must live your final years with dignity and affection, YOU will be dust sooner than you think with nothing left behind but the bitter taste of your name in the mouths of those you taunted when you should have embraced them.
I hope you wake up in a better place.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Requiem for a Dying Planet
"Murder..." rumble the balding mountains
"Murder..." trickle the acidic streams
"Murder..." gasps the thickly stinking breeze
"Murder..." rasp the bloody stones still smouldering from the bombs
"Murder!" cries the skeleton mother her starved baby in her arms
And there he sits in his Ivory Tower taking count
Counting useless bills and numbers in virtual accounts
Counting barrels of black slime
Counting body bags from across the sea
Counting votes as they trickle in
"All is well" he says
Some say it better than me
"Murder..." trickle the acidic streams
"Murder..." gasps the thickly stinking breeze
"Murder..." rasp the bloody stones still smouldering from the bombs
"Murder!" cries the skeleton mother her starved baby in her arms
And there he sits in his Ivory Tower taking count
Counting useless bills and numbers in virtual accounts
Counting barrels of black slime
Counting body bags from across the sea
Counting votes as they trickle in
"All is well" he says
Some say it better than me
Monday, January 8, 2007
Utopia
The word "utopia" stems from the Greek "ou topos", which means "no place". By definition, therefore, a utopia is a non-existent place, perhaps even a non-attainable place.
Why is a utopia non-attainable? For one thing, once it is attained, it would immediately cease to be a utopia and transform into a real place with a real name, e.g., Albuquerque (not that I have ever been there!). Utopia at this time would be an altogether different place, one that has no name and doesn't exist!
The reason Utopia is a highly desirable but always unattainable place is because by nature, humans can never be completely satisfied. Man (and woman) strives to conquer happiness, yet happiness is extremely elusive. "Be careful what you wish for" is the old adage and I can't think of a truer one. Programmed to find the flaw in everything, we can never be free of that gnawing feeling that there is something more or better somewhere else. We set our sights toward a new Utopia every single day.
This is both a curse and a blessing. We are probably all aware of the curse. The "if only..." hounds our thoughts daily. "If only I were richer...", "If only I was thinner...", "If only I was younger...", these are the unfulfilled wishes that may become a torture in our soul. But how about the "blessing" part?
Well, if we did not continually strive for something better, we would probably have never climbed down from the trees. The trait of constant dissatisfaction with our current circumstances is a genetically encouraged trait, a built-in survival instinct.
Utopia is unattainable because we must never attain it. If we fulfilled all our wishes, we would no longer need to strive. We might as well curl up and die, since once the need to strive is taken away our strongest reasons to live, work and progress also disappear.
My thoughts for the New Year and instead of the usual resolutions. No resolutions this year, just keep on trying!!
Why is a utopia non-attainable? For one thing, once it is attained, it would immediately cease to be a utopia and transform into a real place with a real name, e.g., Albuquerque (not that I have ever been there!). Utopia at this time would be an altogether different place, one that has no name and doesn't exist!
The reason Utopia is a highly desirable but always unattainable place is because by nature, humans can never be completely satisfied. Man (and woman) strives to conquer happiness, yet happiness is extremely elusive. "Be careful what you wish for" is the old adage and I can't think of a truer one. Programmed to find the flaw in everything, we can never be free of that gnawing feeling that there is something more or better somewhere else. We set our sights toward a new Utopia every single day.
This is both a curse and a blessing. We are probably all aware of the curse. The "if only..." hounds our thoughts daily. "If only I were richer...", "If only I was thinner...", "If only I was younger...", these are the unfulfilled wishes that may become a torture in our soul. But how about the "blessing" part?
Well, if we did not continually strive for something better, we would probably have never climbed down from the trees. The trait of constant dissatisfaction with our current circumstances is a genetically encouraged trait, a built-in survival instinct.
Utopia is unattainable because we must never attain it. If we fulfilled all our wishes, we would no longer need to strive. We might as well curl up and die, since once the need to strive is taken away our strongest reasons to live, work and progress also disappear.
My thoughts for the New Year and instead of the usual resolutions. No resolutions this year, just keep on trying!!
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Let's get religion straight...
When I wrote about the "religion gene" a few weeks ago, I had no idea how much interest it would cause. Although it may not be obvious from the blog -- why are people so shy to post comments? -- quite a few people approached me and wished to discuss the subject.
Now, I'm not a genetics expert and can't give the whole scientific background. I heard the tidbit in the news and it entered my mind as it was meandering along for subjects to discuss. A Google or better yet, an acoona search might give you more details on the subject, as well as lead you to some forums where the issue has been debated.
What I would like to further discuss today is the idea of religion, which I believe is highly appropriate seeing as how we are in the middle of the holidays. Now, don't get me wrong. I like holidays. Unlike Ebenezer Scrooge, I keep the Christmas spirit alive in my heart all year round. I like to give gifts more than I like to receive gifts (although if you have a gift to give me, I won't refuse!! lol) and I like the effect that the Christmas holiday has on people. It's not very often in my part of the world that people seem giving, and goodwilled. Holidays bring out the best in people, and if only for that one fact, having religion is a good thing to my mind.
But how about religion as a whole? Is it necessary? Can we excuse the violence and upheaval brought about in the name of religion? Were the Christian Crusades right? How about the Holy Inquisition? Is Jihad excusable? Just how many people have died and will die in the name of a peaceful, giving, loving religion, in the name of an untouchable God? Is it possible that there are those among us who use our need to believe (genetically pre-ordained perhaps) to manipulate us into serving their own purposes? Most likely.
And the question arises: can't our trained. intelligent mind overcome the basic instinct and selectively keep the positive teachings arising from our various beliefs while condemning the negatives? Apparently not and for many reasons. The most obvious one is that not everyone's mind is trained and intelligent. The second reason -- more obscure but just as imprtant -- is fear. If God ordains, we must obey, mustn't we? Poor Abraham almost killed his own son because God ordered him to! But is blind belief what we should have? If so, why were we given the ability to doubt, to ask questions, to seek alternate answers?
And then we had the Great Communist Experiment. Religion was outlawed, it was "the opium of the people", only realism there, please. Nothing you cannot detect with one of your five senses. It lasted for several generations... but did it wipe out religion? Nope. As soon as they could, the people opened up the old, forgotten chuches and were back where they had started from. What's the use? The gene is mightier than reason!
Now, I have a different belief. I believe in freedom! In my meandering mind, everyone has the right to believe what he/she wants to, as long as that belief does no harm to anyone else. Radical, huh?
Friend, I don't care who and how you worship... that is your affair. I do demand that you show me the same courtesy and keep your nose out of my business!! Oh, and by the way... if your religion includes the "right" or "obligation" to do harm to someone else, I'm sure there is a jail or a nice, padded cell somewhere for you.
Now, I'm not a genetics expert and can't give the whole scientific background. I heard the tidbit in the news and it entered my mind as it was meandering along for subjects to discuss. A Google or better yet, an acoona search might give you more details on the subject, as well as lead you to some forums where the issue has been debated.
What I would like to further discuss today is the idea of religion, which I believe is highly appropriate seeing as how we are in the middle of the holidays. Now, don't get me wrong. I like holidays. Unlike Ebenezer Scrooge, I keep the Christmas spirit alive in my heart all year round. I like to give gifts more than I like to receive gifts (although if you have a gift to give me, I won't refuse!! lol) and I like the effect that the Christmas holiday has on people. It's not very often in my part of the world that people seem giving, and goodwilled. Holidays bring out the best in people, and if only for that one fact, having religion is a good thing to my mind.
But how about religion as a whole? Is it necessary? Can we excuse the violence and upheaval brought about in the name of religion? Were the Christian Crusades right? How about the Holy Inquisition? Is Jihad excusable? Just how many people have died and will die in the name of a peaceful, giving, loving religion, in the name of an untouchable God? Is it possible that there are those among us who use our need to believe (genetically pre-ordained perhaps) to manipulate us into serving their own purposes? Most likely.
And the question arises: can't our trained. intelligent mind overcome the basic instinct and selectively keep the positive teachings arising from our various beliefs while condemning the negatives? Apparently not and for many reasons. The most obvious one is that not everyone's mind is trained and intelligent. The second reason -- more obscure but just as imprtant -- is fear. If God ordains, we must obey, mustn't we? Poor Abraham almost killed his own son because God ordered him to! But is blind belief what we should have? If so, why were we given the ability to doubt, to ask questions, to seek alternate answers?
And then we had the Great Communist Experiment. Religion was outlawed, it was "the opium of the people", only realism there, please. Nothing you cannot detect with one of your five senses. It lasted for several generations... but did it wipe out religion? Nope. As soon as they could, the people opened up the old, forgotten chuches and were back where they had started from. What's the use? The gene is mightier than reason!
Now, I have a different belief. I believe in freedom! In my meandering mind, everyone has the right to believe what he/she wants to, as long as that belief does no harm to anyone else. Radical, huh?
Friend, I don't care who and how you worship... that is your affair. I do demand that you show me the same courtesy and keep your nose out of my business!! Oh, and by the way... if your religion includes the "right" or "obligation" to do harm to someone else, I'm sure there is a jail or a nice, padded cell somewhere for you.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Time Warp
Doesn't time fly? It does for me, anyway. Only a few days left until Christmas and soon afterwards the New Year! 2007.... my gosh!! It seems only yesterday that I was writing down the date 1967... where did the years go??
The second half of the last century there were so many dreams about the dawn of the 21st Century. It seemed far away, shining brightly, wonderful really... predictions that have not come true. We have not spread out to space, even the moon was abandoned... We haven't conquered poverty and hunger... We haven't been able to create a world government... We don't have robot servants catering to our every whim.
On the other hand, we have also not had World War III (thank goodness), we haven't completely destoyed the earth (yet) and machines have not taken over.
Not that there are no changes. The world of 1967 has very little in common with the world of 2007. Good things and bad things have happened during the last 40 years. One thing is certain: those of us who were alive in 1967 have grown 40 years older!
How and when did this happen? I still remember the 11 year-old child, a little serious, a little ornery who celebrated New Year's in 1967. I wonder how much it has in common with the 51 year-old woman of 2007, besides a few memories. How much of our core self do we keep intact as the years go by? Would the child recognize the woman? Would she be proud or disappointed of what the future brought?
It doesn't really matter. The child's future is now the woman's past and it is immutable. At least at this time. Perhaps there will be a bubble of time-space somewhere down the line where the past can change. A common SciFi scenario, that has not yet been realized either.
I thoughtfully wish everyone a Merry Christmas, or whatever holiday you celebrate at this time and a Happy New Year!
The second half of the last century there were so many dreams about the dawn of the 21st Century. It seemed far away, shining brightly, wonderful really... predictions that have not come true. We have not spread out to space, even the moon was abandoned... We haven't conquered poverty and hunger... We haven't been able to create a world government... We don't have robot servants catering to our every whim.
On the other hand, we have also not had World War III (thank goodness), we haven't completely destoyed the earth (yet) and machines have not taken over.
Not that there are no changes. The world of 1967 has very little in common with the world of 2007. Good things and bad things have happened during the last 40 years. One thing is certain: those of us who were alive in 1967 have grown 40 years older!
How and when did this happen? I still remember the 11 year-old child, a little serious, a little ornery who celebrated New Year's in 1967. I wonder how much it has in common with the 51 year-old woman of 2007, besides a few memories. How much of our core self do we keep intact as the years go by? Would the child recognize the woman? Would she be proud or disappointed of what the future brought?
It doesn't really matter. The child's future is now the woman's past and it is immutable. At least at this time. Perhaps there will be a bubble of time-space somewhere down the line where the past can change. A common SciFi scenario, that has not yet been realized either.
I thoughtfully wish everyone a Merry Christmas, or whatever holiday you celebrate at this time and a Happy New Year!
Thursday, December 7, 2006
Religion Gene
This is not news but it is true that geneticists have identified a "religion gene". Apparently, somewhere in the human DNA there is a precoded gene that tells us that we have to believe in something! I was wondering what the use for such a gene would be...
If we follow Darwin's theory of evolution, it is possible to hypothesize that humans that do possess this gene and do therefore have the belief that there is some sort of a deity out there protecting them, fared better and survived long enough at least to bear progeny and pass this gene along. I suppose that means that people that did not possess the "religion gene" and therefore did not believe in protection from above, did not survive as long. This is not so strange. After all, if you believe that you will miraculously survive, chances are that you are also trying your best to do so and a strong belief does bring favorable results.
There is another school of thought, which bears consideration, however. It is the idea that the body is simply the biomechanical expression of the soul. In this scenario, the human body possesses every single mechanism necessary to attain the desires of the "higher self". If it is in the interests of the higher self then to believe in one or more deities, the gene is placed there to make it easier.
Both arguments have merit and can be debated with relative ease.
Yet, the most important lesson we learn from the discovery of the "religion gene" is that purported agnostics and atheists are either lying about their lack of faith, they have substituted denial in lieu of a deity as a reaction to social pressure, or, quite possibly, they are the exception to the rule and simply do not possess this "religion gene".
Whatever the case may be, there is no denying that for most people there is a sense of comfort and safety, perhaps due to an increase in endopherines, that arise from observing even simple acts of faith, such as crossing oneself or lighting a candle or whatever practice their own religion dictates. Such feelings are useful to humans and to society as a whole because they are intimately connected with a sense of peace and happiness, the human conscience and finally to a reverence for things that are greater than oneself.
If we follow Darwin's theory of evolution, it is possible to hypothesize that humans that do possess this gene and do therefore have the belief that there is some sort of a deity out there protecting them, fared better and survived long enough at least to bear progeny and pass this gene along. I suppose that means that people that did not possess the "religion gene" and therefore did not believe in protection from above, did not survive as long. This is not so strange. After all, if you believe that you will miraculously survive, chances are that you are also trying your best to do so and a strong belief does bring favorable results.
There is another school of thought, which bears consideration, however. It is the idea that the body is simply the biomechanical expression of the soul. In this scenario, the human body possesses every single mechanism necessary to attain the desires of the "higher self". If it is in the interests of the higher self then to believe in one or more deities, the gene is placed there to make it easier.
Both arguments have merit and can be debated with relative ease.
Yet, the most important lesson we learn from the discovery of the "religion gene" is that purported agnostics and atheists are either lying about their lack of faith, they have substituted denial in lieu of a deity as a reaction to social pressure, or, quite possibly, they are the exception to the rule and simply do not possess this "religion gene".
Whatever the case may be, there is no denying that for most people there is a sense of comfort and safety, perhaps due to an increase in endopherines, that arise from observing even simple acts of faith, such as crossing oneself or lighting a candle or whatever practice their own religion dictates. Such feelings are useful to humans and to society as a whole because they are intimately connected with a sense of peace and happiness, the human conscience and finally to a reverence for things that are greater than oneself.
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