Amazon
My other Android devices are dead (all three of them). But I am going to try another one. This time without the phone that usually goes with a smartphone. For $80, it's worth a try.
I really don't need one - I can do anything I could possibly want to do, on my laptop. But it is kind of nice to have something I can hold in my hand - or stuff in a pocket, wherever I go.
Thursday, August 31, 2017
Tico Tamales
The Tamales in Costa Rica are different from the Tamales in Mexico. In Mexico, and are wrapped in dried corn husks. In Costa Rica, they are wrapped in the leaves of the Platino (a close relative of the banana) and this gives it a different flavor. I like it myself.
The main ingredient is masa, or corn flour - pork meat or chicken meat is used - and almost anything else the maker wants to add.
They are cheap, and widely available - especially at Christmas - when the family pig gets slaughtered.
The main ingredient is masa, or corn flour - pork meat or chicken meat is used - and almost anything else the maker wants to add.
They are cheap, and widely available - especially at Christmas - when the family pig gets slaughtered.
Stupid is Now Normal
And I have to keep telling myself this - many times, every day.
Or, I may say something similar - not being is now normal. Or other adjectives - ignorant, helpless, or murderous.
You can make these into a song - and I won't charge you for it.
Or, I may say something similar - not being is now normal. Or other adjectives - ignorant, helpless, or murderous.
You can make these into a song - and I won't charge you for it.
I'm Just Learning How It Is
This should make me like everyone else. This is what people have always been doing - learning how it is, so they can move into new territory.
But sometime late in the 19th Century, they went into reverse - and instead of getting more territory, they got less.
What do I mean by getting less territory? Less intellectual territory. We had always been living off our smarts, and now there was less of that.
This was such a shock, our minds went into reverse also - and we decided we were better off - instead of worse off.
We had a double-whammy working against us. We were worse off - but thought we were better off!
But sometime late in the 19th Century, they went into reverse - and instead of getting more territory, they got less.
What do I mean by getting less territory? Less intellectual territory. We had always been living off our smarts, and now there was less of that.
This was such a shock, our minds went into reverse also - and we decided we were better off - instead of worse off.
We had a double-whammy working against us. We were worse off - but thought we were better off!
The Phone has Conquered the World
But the world has not noticed this.
When I came to Costa Rica, in 2001 - the cell phone did not exist yet, down here - and to use the Internet, you had to go to special places that had their own computers and Internet connections. I bought a laptop, but to use it - I had to take two buses from our house to the Internet place - and plug it in there.
Immediately, I was drawn to blogging - that was my kind of place. But most Ticos were not interested in it - and still are not. They liked to socialize, but not to read or write.
But when the cell phone arrived, they knew it was for them - especially when it got a touch interface, and could connect to the Internet - and could entertain them, with YouTube. They thought they had died, and gone to heaven!
And this was soon true all over the world - the Phone had made them new people - connected with everyone - or at least everyone, their country would let them connect to. If they were too poor to own a Phone, they could rent one in the marketplace, and pay by the minute!
This was the beginning of a whole new way of doing business - where everything was rented, and the smarts to make everything work also belonged to everyone. A complete reversal of the way things had always been done before.
They had TV and the Phone - and for them, they were much the same - except the Phone worked both ways: it could send and receive both!
When I came to Costa Rica, in 2001 - the cell phone did not exist yet, down here - and to use the Internet, you had to go to special places that had their own computers and Internet connections. I bought a laptop, but to use it - I had to take two buses from our house to the Internet place - and plug it in there.
Immediately, I was drawn to blogging - that was my kind of place. But most Ticos were not interested in it - and still are not. They liked to socialize, but not to read or write.
But when the cell phone arrived, they knew it was for them - especially when it got a touch interface, and could connect to the Internet - and could entertain them, with YouTube. They thought they had died, and gone to heaven!
And this was soon true all over the world - the Phone had made them new people - connected with everyone - or at least everyone, their country would let them connect to. If they were too poor to own a Phone, they could rent one in the marketplace, and pay by the minute!
This was the beginning of a whole new way of doing business - where everything was rented, and the smarts to make everything work also belonged to everyone. A complete reversal of the way things had always been done before.
They had TV and the Phone - and for them, they were much the same - except the Phone worked both ways: it could send and receive both!
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
The Audible Cloud Player
Since my other Audible player devices are not working - I am making maximum use of this on my laptop.
I have my Audible library open, in a tab in the Google Chrome browser. Under each book is a play link, that opens a player window for that book. Each window remains active at the location where you last looked at that book.
Right now, I have three player windows, that I can open and close - as I please. Not bad!
I have my Audible library open, in a tab in the Google Chrome browser. Under each book is a play link, that opens a player window for that book. Each window remains active at the location where you last looked at that book.
Right now, I have three player windows, that I can open and close - as I please. Not bad!
Who Can Be the Worst Person in the World?
It does seem to me, that there is a competition going on - a brutal competition - to see who can be the worst person in the world. This is clearly not the case - this is only happening in my mind.
But something like it must be going on in other minds as well. I am reading the book Rabbit - where a young black woman (who has a remarkable memory) is remembering what her life was like.
She was raised in the black slums of Atlanta, Georgia - by an alcoholic mother, who did not know what man fathered each of her children. She was not trying to be a terrible mother - but she certainly was. And this can be said of many people - they are not trying to be bad - but they certainly are.
I am at the point in the book, where she has become a crack dealer. She knows crack destroys her customers - but it is supporting her, and her family, in great style. There are two kinds of people in her world - dealers and users, and she knows which kind she fits into.
But something like it must be going on in other minds as well. I am reading the book Rabbit - where a young black woman (who has a remarkable memory) is remembering what her life was like.
She was raised in the black slums of Atlanta, Georgia - by an alcoholic mother, who did not know what man fathered each of her children. She was not trying to be a terrible mother - but she certainly was. And this can be said of many people - they are not trying to be bad - but they certainly are.
I am at the point in the book, where she has become a crack dealer. She knows crack destroys her customers - but it is supporting her, and her family, in great style. There are two kinds of people in her world - dealers and users, and she knows which kind she fits into.
Cryptographic Hash Functions
I am watching this lecture: https://www.coursera.org/learn/cryptocurrency/lecture/gFEJL/cryptographic-hash-functions.
And it is stretching my poor old brain. See if you can make it out.
And it is stretching my poor old brain. See if you can make it out.
Houston was Warned
NY Times
This article lays it on the line - Houston was developed, but developed in ways that made it vulnerable to flooding. These developers made a lot of money - at the expense of everyone else.
This article lays it on the line - Houston was developed, but developed in ways that made it vulnerable to flooding. These developers made a lot of money - at the expense of everyone else.
When Being Stupid was Smart
This is one theme I keep harping on - our incredible stupidity, or incompetence. And our inability to notice this. Bringing this up, will not make me many friends - but I have to do it anyway, like a stuck record.
There are plenty of people, talking about plenty of problems - but almost no one talking about the Big Problem. It seems to be too big for most people to get their head around. They know they are part of the smartest species ever - and they cannot fathom how they could have lost it completely.
I cannot understand it myself - I just know it happened. And it was the biggest disaster ever.
Everyone (or almost everyone) noticed that they were supposed to be stupid - so they became stupid.
There are plenty of people, talking about plenty of problems - but almost no one talking about the Big Problem. It seems to be too big for most people to get their head around. They know they are part of the smartest species ever - and they cannot fathom how they could have lost it completely.
I cannot understand it myself - I just know it happened. And it was the biggest disaster ever.
Everyone (or almost everyone) noticed that they were supposed to be stupid - so they became stupid.
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
It Makes Sense, in its Own Crazy Way
This is another story from my time in the Computer Craziness, in Coastal Orange County, in the Eighties.
I call it the Computer Craziness - which is what it was, even though computers were just getting started. Their first effect on us, was to make us crazy. We knew they were something big - and we went crazy, trying make them like the mechanical machines, we were familiar with. Thirty years later, we are just beginning to understand them. But my story is about then - in another century.
I was working, as a technical writer, for a company that had its own resident genius - who was also crazy. The two traits can exist together comfortably - logical, and crazy. He came up with the idea for a product that would do everything, nearly - and would make the company rich and famous.
The company bought it - hook, line, and sinker. And even started bringing in some of its people for advance training, on a product that hadn't been built yet. In the next year, this guy must have aged ten years - trying to make his baby work. He couldn't, the company lost a lot of money, and some of the execs almost went to jail, for covering this up.
Meanwhile, another tech writer documented this effort - and the quote is from her "It makes sense, in its own crazy way."
I call it the Computer Craziness - which is what it was, even though computers were just getting started. Their first effect on us, was to make us crazy. We knew they were something big - and we went crazy, trying make them like the mechanical machines, we were familiar with. Thirty years later, we are just beginning to understand them. But my story is about then - in another century.
I was working, as a technical writer, for a company that had its own resident genius - who was also crazy. The two traits can exist together comfortably - logical, and crazy. He came up with the idea for a product that would do everything, nearly - and would make the company rich and famous.
The company bought it - hook, line, and sinker. And even started bringing in some of its people for advance training, on a product that hadn't been built yet. In the next year, this guy must have aged ten years - trying to make his baby work. He couldn't, the company lost a lot of money, and some of the execs almost went to jail, for covering this up.
Meanwhile, another tech writer documented this effort - and the quote is from her "It makes sense, in its own crazy way."
Microsoft Does Not Like Me
I had a free account on the Microsoft cloud, Azure. I intended to get around to using it, someday. But today, my Azure account was cancelled, because I had violated its User Agreement!
Google, by contrast, still wants me - and will help me get used to its Go language, Containers, and Machine Learning tools. I was reluctant to get in bed with Google, because I am not that great a software developer.
Just the kind of developer Microsoft had gone for, quite openly. It told companies they didn't have to hire expensive developers - they could hire cheap ones, and save a lot of money. And still produce software products that were sensational. You didn't have to be smart - you just had to believe in Microsoft!
I tried to believe in Microsoft - but Microsoft did not believe in me. Its gotta work both ways.
Google, by contrast, still wants me - and will help me get used to its Go language, Containers, and Machine Learning tools. I was reluctant to get in bed with Google, because I am not that great a software developer.
Just the kind of developer Microsoft had gone for, quite openly. It told companies they didn't have to hire expensive developers - they could hire cheap ones, and save a lot of money. And still produce software products that were sensational. You didn't have to be smart - you just had to believe in Microsoft!
I tried to believe in Microsoft - but Microsoft did not believe in me. Its gotta work both ways.
Abandoning the Cell Phone
I'm not sure if I am abandoning it, or it is abandoning me - but in any case, the final break has arrived.
Both of my cell phones are broke - and I have asked myself, if I really need new one. Most people have to have their phone, because they are always calling someone, or someone is always calling them. But not me, I am not a phone person.
The cell phone became the smartphone, the computer in your hand, that people adore - because their computational needs are so minimal. All they want, is to be entertained, and their phone does an excellent job of that.
Both of my cell phones are broke - and I have asked myself, if I really need new one. Most people have to have their phone, because they are always calling someone, or someone is always calling them. But not me, I am not a phone person.
The cell phone became the smartphone, the computer in your hand, that people adore - because their computational needs are so minimal. All they want, is to be entertained, and their phone does an excellent job of that.
Is a Crazy Person a Bad Person?
I'm not sure if this is a good question. My first response would be "That depends on how they are crazy." Which is not much help. Our minds, that depend on our brains - are so complicated, that defining all the ways they can do wrong is impossible.
I have a book Making the DSM 5, that has been on my desk forever. This is its own summary:
I have a book Making the DSM 5, that has been on my desk forever. This is its own summary:
In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association published the 5th edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Often referred to as the “bible” of psychiatry, the manual only classifies mental disorders and does not explain them or guide their treatment. While science should be the basis of any diagnostic system, to date, there is no knowledge on whether most conditions listed in the manual are true diseases. Moreover, in DSM-5 the overall definition of mental disorder is weak, failing to distinguish psychopathology from normality. In spite of all the progress that has been made in neuroscience over the last few decades, the psychiatric community is no closer to understanding the etiology and pathogenesis of mental disorders than it was fifty years ago.
In Making the DSM-5, prominent experts delve into the debate about psychiatric nosology and examine the conceptual and pragmatic issues underlying the new manual. While retracing the historic controversy over DSM, considering the political context and economic impact of the manual, and focusing on what was revised or left unchanged in the new edition, this timely volume addresses the main concerns of the future of psychiatry and questions whether the DSM legacy can truly improve the specialty and advance its goals.
This is plain language, and I am sure many mental health professionals agree with it - if reluctantly. At least in the developed world - in the rest of the world, where I live now - mental health is undeveloped also.
All we can say is that we are prone to craziness - and we should be aware of this. But, for the most part - are not. We live in a world full of insanities of many kinds - and people who are determined to not notice this.
Our biggest problem, is not noticing that we have this big problem.
Monday, August 28, 2017
The Biggest Misconception About Today’s College Students
NY Times
At LaGuardia Community College in New York, where I am president, 77 percent of students live in households making less than $25,000 per year. Many of our students start their days by taking their child to day care on the bus. Then they take the subway to college, then ride a different bus to their job, another bus to pick up their child and a final bus to go home. Once home, they still need to cook dinner, help their child with homework, tuck the child in, tidy up and complete their own college coursework.
At LaGuardia Community College in New York, where I am president, 77 percent of students live in households making less than $25,000 per year. Many of our students start their days by taking their child to day care on the bus. Then they take the subway to college, then ride a different bus to their job, another bus to pick up their child and a final bus to go home. Once home, they still need to cook dinner, help their child with homework, tuck the child in, tidy up and complete their own college coursework.
The contrast between this, and my own college days, back in the Fifties - is amazing. Working your way through college, as many of us did, was not easy. But compared to this, it was a piece of cake.
Seeing the Good, Seeing the Bad
There are plenty of people around who can see the Good - but not so many who can see the Bad. And without that, we can only see half of Reality. Which is just fine for most people - they don't want to see the Bad, and as far as they are concerned - if they can't see it, it doesn't exist!
This is not a healthy situation. But it is the situation we are in - and I see no way out of it.
Since no one else is doing it - I will describe the Bad, as I see it. All you have to do, if you want to see it also - is carefully observe those around you. This will not be easy, because they do not want you to do this - but if you say nothing, and just watch what is going on - you can get away with it.
The Bad you will see - is complicated and complex (every part of it, affects every other part). And exists in many intensities - from the not very bad, to the very bad.
But don't let this upset you too much - your innate moral instincts, will help you decide what is bad. These instincts may be corrupted, and often are - but they are all we have to go on.
How do they work? With Hormones, complicated chemicals, that circulate constantly through the bloodstream. This are the way our body parts communicate - and keep us alive. If they get out of whack - we get sick, and we may die.
How are they related to the Bad, that I started to talk about? They are related, because we are social animals, and we synchronize our emotions (our hormones). The same way every social animal does.
But with one difference - as humans, much of our social behavior is learned. And if this learning is defective - our society is defective - and becomes Bad!
To put this another way - the Bad is a social disease.
This is not a healthy situation. But it is the situation we are in - and I see no way out of it.
Since no one else is doing it - I will describe the Bad, as I see it. All you have to do, if you want to see it also - is carefully observe those around you. This will not be easy, because they do not want you to do this - but if you say nothing, and just watch what is going on - you can get away with it.
The Bad you will see - is complicated and complex (every part of it, affects every other part). And exists in many intensities - from the not very bad, to the very bad.
But don't let this upset you too much - your innate moral instincts, will help you decide what is bad. These instincts may be corrupted, and often are - but they are all we have to go on.
How do they work? With Hormones, complicated chemicals, that circulate constantly through the bloodstream. This are the way our body parts communicate - and keep us alive. If they get out of whack - we get sick, and we may die.
How are they related to the Bad, that I started to talk about? They are related, because we are social animals, and we synchronize our emotions (our hormones). The same way every social animal does.
But with one difference - as humans, much of our social behavior is learned. And if this learning is defective - our society is defective - and becomes Bad!
To put this another way - the Bad is a social disease.
Sunday, August 27, 2017
David Whyte
TED
This guy is a poet - nothing unusual about that, there are thousands of them out there. But he has made a good living this way - doing his own road show, letting people hear (and see) what a real poet looks like.
People really want to know - and he has to satisfy them that he is real. Mainly by quoting his own poetry - and putting that into context. As he does here.
I saw him this way, back when I was working in Silicon Valley, in the Nineties. We have both aged since then, but his message has become even more forceful:
This guy is a poet - nothing unusual about that, there are thousands of them out there. But he has made a good living this way - doing his own road show, letting people hear (and see) what a real poet looks like.
People really want to know - and he has to satisfy them that he is real. Mainly by quoting his own poetry - and putting that into context. As he does here.
I saw him this way, back when I was working in Silicon Valley, in the Nineties. We have both aged since then, but his message has become even more forceful:
I work with the conversational nature of reality.Evidently he is part Irish - making his own contribution (as many others have) to English Lit.
People Who Hate People
I have the strong feeling that something is wrong with the world - and many other people do also. And we all feel that this, whatever it is - is a big something.
To see something this big - we have take the widest view possible. We have to take in everything - including the most difficult subject of all - ourselves. We have the strong impulse to see our problems out there, instead of in here.
This is also made difficult by the extreme complexity of today's world - where huge forces are pushing us around, as if we were objects, not people.
In fact, I think this is a big part of the problem - we have acquired the ability to see the world objectively - a very valuable skill - but we need to see the world objectively and subjectively - both. And we have not developed this enlarged skillset.
With our objective skills, we felt we were superhuman - and could exploit mere humans as we pleased. This is not a new observation - it has been noticed for over a hundred years - but not taken seriously enough. Because we did not realize that we had been changed.
I must repeat that - we have been changed - and for the worst! Without our realizing this. We have been switched onto another track - that is taking us nowhere.
And its most important change is in our attitude toward people - we don't like them, because they get in the way of more important things.
To see something this big - we have take the widest view possible. We have to take in everything - including the most difficult subject of all - ourselves. We have the strong impulse to see our problems out there, instead of in here.
This is also made difficult by the extreme complexity of today's world - where huge forces are pushing us around, as if we were objects, not people.
In fact, I think this is a big part of the problem - we have acquired the ability to see the world objectively - a very valuable skill - but we need to see the world objectively and subjectively - both. And we have not developed this enlarged skillset.
With our objective skills, we felt we were superhuman - and could exploit mere humans as we pleased. This is not a new observation - it has been noticed for over a hundred years - but not taken seriously enough. Because we did not realize that we had been changed.
I must repeat that - we have been changed - and for the worst! Without our realizing this. We have been switched onto another track - that is taking us nowhere.
And its most important change is in our attitude toward people - we don't like them, because they get in the way of more important things.
Saturday, August 26, 2017
Business Ethics
I probably should not be writing about this, it's such a complicated subject. But I have seen it cause other people so much pain - I feel I have to say something.
I will start with Real Estate where these problems are the most severe. In the US, this business is regulated, so that the small realtor can't cheat very much. But the big operators make millions all the time, in the biggest markets.
But down here, there are almost no regulations - and people are eager to take advantage of this. When I first came down here, in 2001, I lived in the Central Metropolitan Area (called San Jose) - where most of the people in the country live - and where real estate developments are rampant. Everyone wanted to own a house in the suburbs. And they would buy almost anything - as long as it looked impressive.
The woman I was living with, kept moving, looking desperately for a better house. She ended up in a new house, in a new development - that started to fall down, as soon as we moved into it - and some of the homes were being robbed by professional gangs.
She couldn't understand what was going on - she did everything right (she thought) but ended up dead broke.
Real Estate, in this case, was clearly unethical - but this lack of ethics was so diffuse and widespread - no one could say exactly what caused it. Everyone was trying to get rich fast - but the only result was urban sprawl.
I will start with Real Estate where these problems are the most severe. In the US, this business is regulated, so that the small realtor can't cheat very much. But the big operators make millions all the time, in the biggest markets.
But down here, there are almost no regulations - and people are eager to take advantage of this. When I first came down here, in 2001, I lived in the Central Metropolitan Area (called San Jose) - where most of the people in the country live - and where real estate developments are rampant. Everyone wanted to own a house in the suburbs. And they would buy almost anything - as long as it looked impressive.
The woman I was living with, kept moving, looking desperately for a better house. She ended up in a new house, in a new development - that started to fall down, as soon as we moved into it - and some of the homes were being robbed by professional gangs.
She couldn't understand what was going on - she did everything right (she thought) but ended up dead broke.
Real Estate, in this case, was clearly unethical - but this lack of ethics was so diffuse and widespread - no one could say exactly what caused it. Everyone was trying to get rich fast - but the only result was urban sprawl.
The Loss of the Small Business
I remember when this happened, back in the Fifties - and I remember how no one noticed this (except me).
Looking back at it, I can see two things must have happened. First, we lost our social awareness - our ability to see how we were, socially. Second, big business destroyed small business - without anyone noticing this.
This affected my Father, directly. He was a small businessman, and could never work for anyone else - he had to be his own boss. He lost his photography studio, his own business - and never got another one - despite his desperate attempts to build new ones - a whole wheat flour mill, and bakery.
He did not know what was happening, and neither did anyone else - even thought it was plain as day. The small business, and small businessman were finished.
The most tragic result, was the loss of the Family Farm - a basic American institution. My uncle, Arnold Ourth, died trying to make his farm work - as it had for hundreds of years before him.
Through all this - Americans noticed nothing! And still notice nothing - even though their world was changing drastically. Their world now, bears little resemblance to their world of only fifty years ago - but they pride themselves, on noticing nothing!
I must repeat that - they notice nothing, of importance. Which means they scarcely exist! And are unable to oppose the destructive forces - that do exist, and are very active.
This, to me, is the important fact of our time - we are destroying ourselves! As many empires before us have. And, as before, the people involved, do not notice what they are doing.
Looking back at it, I can see two things must have happened. First, we lost our social awareness - our ability to see how we were, socially. Second, big business destroyed small business - without anyone noticing this.
This affected my Father, directly. He was a small businessman, and could never work for anyone else - he had to be his own boss. He lost his photography studio, his own business - and never got another one - despite his desperate attempts to build new ones - a whole wheat flour mill, and bakery.
He did not know what was happening, and neither did anyone else - even thought it was plain as day. The small business, and small businessman were finished.
The most tragic result, was the loss of the Family Farm - a basic American institution. My uncle, Arnold Ourth, died trying to make his farm work - as it had for hundreds of years before him.
Through all this - Americans noticed nothing! And still notice nothing - even though their world was changing drastically. Their world now, bears little resemblance to their world of only fifty years ago - but they pride themselves, on noticing nothing!
I must repeat that - they notice nothing, of importance. Which means they scarcely exist! And are unable to oppose the destructive forces - that do exist, and are very active.
This, to me, is the important fact of our time - we are destroying ourselves! As many empires before us have. And, as before, the people involved, do not notice what they are doing.
Friday, August 25, 2017
The Go Programing Language's Packages
Golang Packages
This posting is all about Programming - one of my current interests.
The Go language was invented and supported by Google. It's not a complicated language - it was designed that way - but it has a large ecosystem of supporting packages that it can use to do nearly anything.
This is how programming is done now - there is a language, but there are many helper functions that can let it do nearly anything. And more are added all the time.
Google wants to keep you in its walled garden - and away from Microsoft's. Java was the darling of the Nineties - and is still the most popular language going - but Google's Go, and Microsoft's C# and F# - are the way to go, if you want to get ahead of the pack.
F#, backed up with the .NET framework, is the Functional Programming language - that companies should be using (in my opinion). But it seems to be too good for them.
This posting is all about Programming - one of my current interests.
The Go language was invented and supported by Google. It's not a complicated language - it was designed that way - but it has a large ecosystem of supporting packages that it can use to do nearly anything.
This is how programming is done now - there is a language, but there are many helper functions that can let it do nearly anything. And more are added all the time.
Google wants to keep you in its walled garden - and away from Microsoft's. Java was the darling of the Nineties - and is still the most popular language going - but Google's Go, and Microsoft's C# and F# - are the way to go, if you want to get ahead of the pack.
F#, backed up with the .NET framework, is the Functional Programming language - that companies should be using (in my opinion). But it seems to be too good for them.
Suckered Into Being a Savior
Poor Jesus, crucified to save mankind!
But he didn't end up so bad off - he became part of the Christian deity (as Christ). And is worshipped by millions of Christians everywhere.
Christianity was successful because it recognized something important in human nature - our eagerness to sacrifice ourselves for a higher good. Usually religious in nature.
The history of how this belief became part of Christianity, then medieval Europe, and then the Modern world - is much more than I can go into here. But it happened - and this is where we are now.
When I was working in Silicon Valley, in the Nineties, I looked at all the craziness around me - and said to myself "Business has become our new religion!"
And not only that - Software has become a new religion. And one I am worshipping myself.
I have spent hundred of dollars on Windows 10 computers. Only to realize, that I have ended up with nothing! Yes, boys and girls, Windows 10 is nothing much - and you can quote me on that. It reminds me of the Titanic - the perfect ship, that ended up on the bottom of the ocean.
For example - Visual Studio, Microsoft's excellent IDE, cannot be installed in Windows 10! At least in low-end machines. However, I could install it, easily enough, on my low-end Windows 7 computer.
I have been suckered into supporting Windows 10 - thinking that, since it was the latest version - it was better! The same is true of Android - I bought the latest version, thinking it would be better for me, when it was not.
And while am bad-mouthing software's sacred cows - I might as mention its holy of holies - the Cloud! I have written plenty about how great it is - but now I have been baptized in its waters, I don't feel so pure.
Software is written by people, and some of them (at the highest levels) are not so pure.
But he didn't end up so bad off - he became part of the Christian deity (as Christ). And is worshipped by millions of Christians everywhere.
Christianity was successful because it recognized something important in human nature - our eagerness to sacrifice ourselves for a higher good. Usually religious in nature.
The history of how this belief became part of Christianity, then medieval Europe, and then the Modern world - is much more than I can go into here. But it happened - and this is where we are now.
When I was working in Silicon Valley, in the Nineties, I looked at all the craziness around me - and said to myself "Business has become our new religion!"
And not only that - Software has become a new religion. And one I am worshipping myself.
I have spent hundred of dollars on Windows 10 computers. Only to realize, that I have ended up with nothing! Yes, boys and girls, Windows 10 is nothing much - and you can quote me on that. It reminds me of the Titanic - the perfect ship, that ended up on the bottom of the ocean.
For example - Visual Studio, Microsoft's excellent IDE, cannot be installed in Windows 10! At least in low-end machines. However, I could install it, easily enough, on my low-end Windows 7 computer.
I have been suckered into supporting Windows 10 - thinking that, since it was the latest version - it was better! The same is true of Android - I bought the latest version, thinking it would be better for me, when it was not.
And while am bad-mouthing software's sacred cows - I might as mention its holy of holies - the Cloud! I have written plenty about how great it is - but now I have been baptized in its waters, I don't feel so pure.
Software is written by people, and some of them (at the highest levels) are not so pure.
Thursday, August 24, 2017
We Must Understand Our World
How people respond to this statement, indicates where they are coming from.
The mildest response would be "Understanding, while necessary in theory - is not necessary in practice. Plenty of people go through life, successfully - without giving it much thought!"
This analysis would apply to my parents, who did not give much thought to their lives - and, in the opinion of most, lived a successful life.
In my opinion, however - they did not live at all, but only pretended to live. But, I must admit, they were rewarded economically, for their obedience.
But the same could not be said to young people beginning their lives now - in the 21st Century. They can conform all they like, and probably do - but their rewards will be meager. They probably try to understand their world (just a little) but they probably end up furious - how come their grandparents got so much, and they get so little?
You can see why they are told "You must not try to understand your world. It will only make you unhappy with what you have."
The mildest response would be "Understanding, while necessary in theory - is not necessary in practice. Plenty of people go through life, successfully - without giving it much thought!"
This analysis would apply to my parents, who did not give much thought to their lives - and, in the opinion of most, lived a successful life.
In my opinion, however - they did not live at all, but only pretended to live. But, I must admit, they were rewarded economically, for their obedience.
But the same could not be said to young people beginning their lives now - in the 21st Century. They can conform all they like, and probably do - but their rewards will be meager. They probably try to understand their world (just a little) but they probably end up furious - how come their grandparents got so much, and they get so little?
You can see why they are told "You must not try to understand your world. It will only make you unhappy with what you have."
Truth, lies and numbness
NY Times
Trump has one fundamental talent: a ruthless ability to mess with people’s minds and turn their anger into the engine of his ambition. A dishonest president calls the media that report on his dishonesty dishonest for doing so. This is where we are. This is the danger that Trump represents.
It's gratifying to read of other voices, that agree with you. But sobering, to realize most people could care less.
Trump has one fundamental talent: a ruthless ability to mess with people’s minds and turn their anger into the engine of his ambition. A dishonest president calls the media that report on his dishonesty dishonest for doing so. This is where we are. This is the danger that Trump represents.
It's gratifying to read of other voices, that agree with you. But sobering, to realize most people could care less.
Trump makes them feel good - and that is all they care for.
How Does Programming Help Us in the Rest of Our Lives?
It convinces us, once again, that we can use our minds to solve our problems - and we have plenty of those!
All we have to do, is decide to use our minds. Usually, we prefer to use our emotions instead. And they can be very stupid.
This conflict, between thinking and feeling - is probably the most basic one we have. And we should be keenly aware of this.
When we first got started, maybe a million years ago - this was not a problem. We just assessed the world around us - including food supplies, and predators - moved in, and took over - from those who were not so intellectually endowed.
We lived in small bands, with a maximum of one hundred, closely related individuals - living off the land. It was an easy life. But it did not last.
We became civilized, and lived in much larger groups. And life became much more complicated. We could no longer think very well about what was going on. One group, the Greeks - did have its thinkers - but there was too much going on, for them to understand it very well.
They preferred to fight each other instead - and were conquered by the Romans. Who ruled much of the Western world for hundreds of years. Eventually, the Roman Empire fell - and we entered the Middle Ages. And then entered the Modern world - where we still live.
I started out, by talking about our present problems - but I had to do a historical review to explain them! Most people do not want to do this - they do not want to think about their problems - they want to feel about them - and do whatever their feelings tell them to do.
We are ruled by our emotions, not by our minds - and this has gotten us into plenty of trouble.
We don't have to be this way - we can think very well, as we do when we are programming, so very well.
All we have to do, is decide to use our minds. Usually, we prefer to use our emotions instead. And they can be very stupid.
This conflict, between thinking and feeling - is probably the most basic one we have. And we should be keenly aware of this.
When we first got started, maybe a million years ago - this was not a problem. We just assessed the world around us - including food supplies, and predators - moved in, and took over - from those who were not so intellectually endowed.
We lived in small bands, with a maximum of one hundred, closely related individuals - living off the land. It was an easy life. But it did not last.
We became civilized, and lived in much larger groups. And life became much more complicated. We could no longer think very well about what was going on. One group, the Greeks - did have its thinkers - but there was too much going on, for them to understand it very well.
They preferred to fight each other instead - and were conquered by the Romans. Who ruled much of the Western world for hundreds of years. Eventually, the Roman Empire fell - and we entered the Middle Ages. And then entered the Modern world - where we still live.
I started out, by talking about our present problems - but I had to do a historical review to explain them! Most people do not want to do this - they do not want to think about their problems - they want to feel about them - and do whatever their feelings tell them to do.
We are ruled by our emotions, not by our minds - and this has gotten us into plenty of trouble.
We don't have to be this way - we can think very well, as we do when we are programming, so very well.
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
Whispersync
I decided use my Android for something else besides making phone calls. It's supposed to do nearly anything - in a package you can hold in your hand! The marvel of our age.
Two of these marvels are Kindle books and Audible audiobooks. I like to lay down, put on my headphones, close my eyes - and listen to someone else do my reading for me - better than I could do it for myself!
But sometimes, I also like to switch back to reading - just to make sure I heard right. And to get the pleasure of getting it both ways.
Now that I have finally downloaded a Kindle book and an Audible book, and got them synchronized - I have a new experience. The text is outlined, a bit at a time - while it is being read! I don't have to use my headphones, the built-in speaker works fine.
You might try it for yourself. Getting all the bits and pieces working together is not so easy - but you get a new read-and-listen experience.
Its supposed to work for Apple phones also.
Two of these marvels are Kindle books and Audible audiobooks. I like to lay down, put on my headphones, close my eyes - and listen to someone else do my reading for me - better than I could do it for myself!
But sometimes, I also like to switch back to reading - just to make sure I heard right. And to get the pleasure of getting it both ways.
Now that I have finally downloaded a Kindle book and an Audible book, and got them synchronized - I have a new experience. The text is outlined, a bit at a time - while it is being read! I don't have to use my headphones, the built-in speaker works fine.
You might try it for yourself. Getting all the bits and pieces working together is not so easy - but you get a new read-and-listen experience.
Its supposed to work for Apple phones also.
Making a Society That is Good for People
A few hundred years ago, when the Enlightenment was still active - this sounded like a good idea. Now it doesn't - but we have not considered why.
I will start off my making this change explicit - we are now less concerned with the welfare of people - and more concerned with other things, without bothering to define what they are. We feel these other things have a higher priority - and should not be examined too carefully.
What are these other things?
I would lump them together under Business. That we all experience directly, at work. This is the monster that is breathing down our necks - threatening to exterminate us, if we threaten it - in any way.
What is there about people, that makes us nervous about defending them? I think it is this - we feel people are defective beings that should not be helped too much - because this would make them more defective.
Business, by contrast, is perfect - because it is built in the image of God! It is, in fact - our new religion.
This morning, as I was starting to write this, Carl Icahn’s Failed Raid on Washington plopped into my inbox.
There are plenty of other writings about this - but this can be read by anyone that is interested in big money.
Here is a quote:
It is true, that people are often defective, in many ways. After all, we are only human, and make plenty of mistakes. But we are also capable of good things (being good to ourselves and each other) and even great things.
And we should be helping this along.
I will start off my making this change explicit - we are now less concerned with the welfare of people - and more concerned with other things, without bothering to define what they are. We feel these other things have a higher priority - and should not be examined too carefully.
What are these other things?
I would lump them together under Business. That we all experience directly, at work. This is the monster that is breathing down our necks - threatening to exterminate us, if we threaten it - in any way.
What is there about people, that makes us nervous about defending them? I think it is this - we feel people are defective beings that should not be helped too much - because this would make them more defective.
Business, by contrast, is perfect - because it is built in the image of God! It is, in fact - our new religion.
This morning, as I was starting to write this, Carl Icahn’s Failed Raid on Washington plopped into my inbox.
There are plenty of other writings about this - but this can be read by anyone that is interested in big money.
Here is a quote:
The government shouldn’t run things, because they aren’t trained to run things,” he continued. This is a core element of Icahn’s philosophy. Jimmy Williams, a former in-house lobbyist for Icahn, told me, “Carl is a man who thinks that business should be unfettered and that government should not be involved in the free-market economy. With every fibre in his body, that is what he truly believes.”He is Business embodied! And it is not too far out, to summarize this as Greed.
It is true, that people are often defective, in many ways. After all, we are only human, and make plenty of mistakes. But we are also capable of good things (being good to ourselves and each other) and even great things.
And we should be helping this along.
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
Seeing Too Much Truth
I am taking an online course in Gestalt Psychology and Web Design from the Interactive Design Foundation. The course is well-designed and self-paced.
But I keep seeing these psychologists in their place and time - in Germany, early in the 20th Century - when Fascism was gaining power rapidly, and eventually produced Nazism, and the Holocaust. Why didn't they see this coming?
The answer is easy enough - because, like people everywhere - they were blinded by their circumstances. They were clever - but that is not enough. You also have to speak truth to power - and this they could not do.
This is a problem every advanced group faces. I met a woman when I was working in Silicon Valley in the Nineties who discovered she was a very sensitive person, did research on this, and wrote a book about The Highly Sensitive Person. But her publisher would not include some of her findings - that showed how insensitive most Americans were - because it would kill the sales of her book.
She became a success - but never went back and published her negative findings. This would have dimmed some of her popularity - if she moved out of the center of the road.
But I keep seeing these psychologists in their place and time - in Germany, early in the 20th Century - when Fascism was gaining power rapidly, and eventually produced Nazism, and the Holocaust. Why didn't they see this coming?
The answer is easy enough - because, like people everywhere - they were blinded by their circumstances. They were clever - but that is not enough. You also have to speak truth to power - and this they could not do.
This is a problem every advanced group faces. I met a woman when I was working in Silicon Valley in the Nineties who discovered she was a very sensitive person, did research on this, and wrote a book about The Highly Sensitive Person. But her publisher would not include some of her findings - that showed how insensitive most Americans were - because it would kill the sales of her book.
She became a success - but never went back and published her negative findings. This would have dimmed some of her popularity - if she moved out of the center of the road.
It Just Barely Works
This is a situation common in our time - and no one seems to worry about it. If it (no matter what it was) worked properly, I suspect, people would panic. They have built a world that barely works - and they intend to keep it that way.
What are these things that just barely work? Let's start with the top - Politics.
You may object that aiming at Politics is not fair - when have there ever been good politicians? But I stand my ground, and reply, that we have to go back a few years - but not too many years. In the US, back to the founding of the country, and George Washington - who was not perfect - but light-years ahead of anything we have now.
You can reply, that was because of unusual circumstances - that produced better leaders. Different circumstances, such as those now - produce poor leaders. The circumstances make the man (and the woman).
I agree, our situation now, produces things, and people - that barely work. But I add one more thing - the people now, want it that way. Not all of the people, but most of them - and politically, because of their numbers, they are in control. And they agree on one thing - the situation is not perfect, but it as good as can be expected - and does not need to be changed, fundamentally.
Here is where we part ways - I insist on taking a good look at where we are - and they insist on not taking a good look.
What are these things that just barely work? Let's start with the top - Politics.
You may object that aiming at Politics is not fair - when have there ever been good politicians? But I stand my ground, and reply, that we have to go back a few years - but not too many years. In the US, back to the founding of the country, and George Washington - who was not perfect - but light-years ahead of anything we have now.
You can reply, that was because of unusual circumstances - that produced better leaders. Different circumstances, such as those now - produce poor leaders. The circumstances make the man (and the woman).
I agree, our situation now, produces things, and people - that barely work. But I add one more thing - the people now, want it that way. Not all of the people, but most of them - and politically, because of their numbers, they are in control. And they agree on one thing - the situation is not perfect, but it as good as can be expected - and does not need to be changed, fundamentally.
Here is where we part ways - I insist on taking a good look at where we are - and they insist on not taking a good look.
Monday, August 21, 2017
In an Industrial Society We Made Things, and We Transported Things
I continue to wonder about the world I inherited in the Fifties. And how it changed into today's world. An amazing process, that we should understand - but, for the most part, do not.
We do have labels for the world of the early 20th Century - Industry and Capital. I grew up in a typical Industrial town, Ft. Madison, Iowa - with the Santa Fe Railroad on the West End of town - and the Sheaffer Pen Company on the East End. It had the two Industrial basics - Transportation and Manufacturing.
And one more thing, the Penitentiary - where the emphasis was on rehabilitation. And included a Farm where many older inmates spend the rest of their lives.
Safely in the background, but essential to its operation - was Capital, the money that made it all possible. And made possible all the jobs that attracted people, and kept them there. And kept them working. It wasn't too hard, back then - to start a company, and keep it going - and there were many small businesses. Including my father's - the Smith Studio.
There was one more essential ingredient - people who did not think about what was going on. And there was plenty of those.
People helped made this happen. But they were not important, as people. What was important, was the society they lived in. Or, as we say now - the Economy they lived in.
In the Neoliberal Economy, the Small Businessmen - were disappearing.
My Father put a huge amount of work into some new businesses - that went nowhere. Eventually, he just gave up and retired. My Uncle, Arnold Ourth, put a huge amount of work into trying to make his small fruit-growing farm survive (as it had for a hundred years before he bought it) - but he died. when he was only 53.
We do have labels for the world of the early 20th Century - Industry and Capital. I grew up in a typical Industrial town, Ft. Madison, Iowa - with the Santa Fe Railroad on the West End of town - and the Sheaffer Pen Company on the East End. It had the two Industrial basics - Transportation and Manufacturing.
And one more thing, the Penitentiary - where the emphasis was on rehabilitation. And included a Farm where many older inmates spend the rest of their lives.
Safely in the background, but essential to its operation - was Capital, the money that made it all possible. And made possible all the jobs that attracted people, and kept them there. And kept them working. It wasn't too hard, back then - to start a company, and keep it going - and there were many small businesses. Including my father's - the Smith Studio.
There was one more essential ingredient - people who did not think about what was going on. And there was plenty of those.
People helped made this happen. But they were not important, as people. What was important, was the society they lived in. Or, as we say now - the Economy they lived in.
In the Neoliberal Economy, the Small Businessmen - were disappearing.
My Father put a huge amount of work into some new businesses - that went nowhere. Eventually, he just gave up and retired. My Uncle, Arnold Ourth, put a huge amount of work into trying to make his small fruit-growing farm survive (as it had for a hundred years before he bought it) - but he died. when he was only 53.
Sunday, August 20, 2017
Our Three Ways of Behaving
The first way, had us take a quick look around us - and then sent signals directly to our muscles - run like hell, relax, or go on the attack! It had all bases covered - including those that lead to copulation. Not much thinking was needed in any case. And it was fast - in only milliseconds! All animal species had these capabilities. The tiny flying insects common in the tropics - can fly, walk, see, smell, taste - and reproduce, in vast numbers.
Then we developed emotions, that made more complicated decisions possible, but took more time (measured in seconds) because all of the body had to be involved. Only a few animal species have this capability - mammals, the octopus, and our dogs and cats - that understand us very well.
Then we developed conscious thought, capable of amazing feats - such as performing music - but also capable of insanity, of many kinds. When it worked right (as it usually did) - it made us very smart, able to learn from others, and from past experience. This made us the dominant species on the earth.
But how much longer this will last, is not certain. Keeping all three capabilities going at the same time - is a hard job.
Then we developed emotions, that made more complicated decisions possible, but took more time (measured in seconds) because all of the body had to be involved. Only a few animal species have this capability - mammals, the octopus, and our dogs and cats - that understand us very well.
Then we developed conscious thought, capable of amazing feats - such as performing music - but also capable of insanity, of many kinds. When it worked right (as it usually did) - it made us very smart, able to learn from others, and from past experience. This made us the dominant species on the earth.
But how much longer this will last, is not certain. Keeping all three capabilities going at the same time - is a hard job.
Gestalt in Esalen in the Sixties
Gestalt Psychology in Wikipedia
I lived through this period, and can remember it well. We had high hopes for the future of mankind - and part of those hopes were new movements in Psychology - we now understood ourselves, and how to get along with others better!
And this was not just a theoretical understanding - we practiced it in workshops we attended enthusiastically.
I was working in Denver in the Seventies, that was still part of the Sixties. A young woman there had an organization she called People House - that gave these workshops on weekends. One of the presenters was a student of Fritz Perls - and he taught us the latest techniques he had learned from him. These were changing constantly - every year they were different, as Fritz experimented with different therapies.
Fritz was quite a character - he had the amazing ability to instantly diagnose someone's problems. And even went on the road with this - selling tickets to shows, where he would be on stage, working with different clients - showing how good he was!
I became a close friend of this student of Fritz, and lived with his extended family, in his beautiful farm in scenic Utah, not far from Arches National Monument. He made a lot of money from Fritz - because he became his publisher - and his books sold well!
But the Sixties ended - Fritz died, and people lost interest in Gestalt. My friend switched from Gestalt to NLP - and America moved into the Vietnam War.
I lived through this period, and can remember it well. We had high hopes for the future of mankind - and part of those hopes were new movements in Psychology - we now understood ourselves, and how to get along with others better!
And this was not just a theoretical understanding - we practiced it in workshops we attended enthusiastically.
I was working in Denver in the Seventies, that was still part of the Sixties. A young woman there had an organization she called People House - that gave these workshops on weekends. One of the presenters was a student of Fritz Perls - and he taught us the latest techniques he had learned from him. These were changing constantly - every year they were different, as Fritz experimented with different therapies.
Fritz was quite a character - he had the amazing ability to instantly diagnose someone's problems. And even went on the road with this - selling tickets to shows, where he would be on stage, working with different clients - showing how good he was!
I became a close friend of this student of Fritz, and lived with his extended family, in his beautiful farm in scenic Utah, not far from Arches National Monument. He made a lot of money from Fritz - because he became his publisher - and his books sold well!
But the Sixties ended - Fritz died, and people lost interest in Gestalt. My friend switched from Gestalt to NLP - and America moved into the Vietnam War.
Putting People Back in the Picture
Was there a time when people were not in the picture? Yes, the record is clear about that, even if most people were not aware of it. Capitalism and Industrialization peaked out in the 19th Century - and the 20th Century was a series of disasters.
I can say this, because I lived through the last half of the 20th Century - and I have the scar tissue to prove it. We all had scar tissue - even it most of us were not aware of it - or much of anything else. They survived, by not being much of anything - but a cog in the machine.
But the machine has changed, and we now live in a time when the computer is taking over. As one who was in Silicon Valley in the Nineties - I can tell you that was a bad time too. And it is just now coming out of the trenches into the daylight. And putting people back in the picture.
I am trying my best to be optimistic here, and putting the best face on a confusing situation - by stating the situation this way.
Putting people back in the picture - even if they don't want to be there.
I can say this, because I lived through the last half of the 20th Century - and I have the scar tissue to prove it. We all had scar tissue - even it most of us were not aware of it - or much of anything else. They survived, by not being much of anything - but a cog in the machine.
But the machine has changed, and we now live in a time when the computer is taking over. As one who was in Silicon Valley in the Nineties - I can tell you that was a bad time too. And it is just now coming out of the trenches into the daylight. And putting people back in the picture.
I am trying my best to be optimistic here, and putting the best face on a confusing situation - by stating the situation this way.
Putting people back in the picture - even if they don't want to be there.
Saturday, August 19, 2017
How Boredom Can Lead to Your Most Brilliant Ideas
TED
Manoush Zomorodi puts on a good show here. Being brilliant and funny at the same time.
Her laptop coordinates everything she says, and her expressive face is priceless.
Manoush Zomorodi puts on a good show here. Being brilliant and funny at the same time.
Her laptop coordinates everything she says, and her expressive face is priceless.
People Have Changed a Great Deal
One thing I frequently read is "People have not changed much, they are basically the same as they always have been."
I disagree. People are hugely affected by their technologies, and these are changing more rapidly all the time. This combination - people and their technologies - is in an unstable condition at the present time - because they are changing too fast!
I could take this subject in many directions from here.
But I will do a full stop. And simply say "This is where we are!
I disagree. People are hugely affected by their technologies, and these are changing more rapidly all the time. This combination - people and their technologies - is in an unstable condition at the present time - because they are changing too fast!
I could take this subject in many directions from here.
But I will do a full stop. And simply say "This is where we are!
The Denial of the Bad
One of the first things I realized about the world I was born into - was that it was a bad world. And then, to my surprise, I realized I was not supposed to know this!
You may object that my characterization of the world as bad - is too much of a simplification. And it certainly is. The world is very complicated (complex, actually) and is full of good and bad things. But I still believe one can (and must) put them all in a balance - and come to an overall verdict - good or bad!
And, at the same time, I realize most people are adamantly opposed to this. We are not supposed to judge our world - they say. And those who do, will not get their approval!
This inability to judge the world, also means they are unable to do all kinds of things. They are, in a word, incompetent people - that make a mess of everything - and consider that the right way to be!
But not all people are this way, a growing number want to fix things - such as in Tragic Design: The Impact of Bad Product Design and How to Fix It. One of the authors, Cynthia Savard Saucier - has become a leader in this movement.
I bought her book.
You may object that my characterization of the world as bad - is too much of a simplification. And it certainly is. The world is very complicated (complex, actually) and is full of good and bad things. But I still believe one can (and must) put them all in a balance - and come to an overall verdict - good or bad!
And, at the same time, I realize most people are adamantly opposed to this. We are not supposed to judge our world - they say. And those who do, will not get their approval!
This inability to judge the world, also means they are unable to do all kinds of things. They are, in a word, incompetent people - that make a mess of everything - and consider that the right way to be!
But not all people are this way, a growing number want to fix things - such as in Tragic Design: The Impact of Bad Product Design and How to Fix It. One of the authors, Cynthia Savard Saucier - has become a leader in this movement.
I bought her book.
Friday, August 18, 2017
The Impact of Design
I got this from an O'Reilly newsletter. This outfit is overflowing with ideas - and they spread the good word everywhere.
This one was The impact of design at Shopify. I don't even know what shopify is, but I could understand this:
This one was The impact of design at Shopify. I don't even know what shopify is, but I could understand this:
Engineering is not the art of building devices; it’s the art of fixing problems. Devices are a means, not an end. Fixing problems means first of all understanding them — and since the whole purpose of the things we do is to fix problems in the outside world, problems involving people, that means that understanding people, and the ways in which they will interact with your system, is fundamental to every step of building a system.I sure wish I had heard this back when I was working in Silicon Valley in the Nineties!
Thinking About Our Guts
My Mother thought Guts was a horrible word, and never wanted to hear it in her presence. It was too animalistic - and she also said "I am not an animal!" Despite having four children the usual way.
What she thought she was, and what she really was - were two different things. In that way, she was a normal person for her place and time.
All this can be seen as amusing - but looking at it at a lower level (where things were really going on) it is not so amusing.
One of the things our reptilian brain does - is decide whether or not another person is like it. If it decides the other person is not like it - horrible results can follow. This can also work in the plural - if they are not like us - horrible things can follow. Such as the Holocaust.
This is the big difference between the US and Costa Rica. Up there, they do not like people very much - they are more interested in other things. But down here - they still like people.
There are big advantages to having impersonal skills - but having them without personal skills, is a big disadvantage.
What she thought she was, and what she really was - were two different things. In that way, she was a normal person for her place and time.
All this can be seen as amusing - but looking at it at a lower level (where things were really going on) it is not so amusing.
One of the things our reptilian brain does - is decide whether or not another person is like it. If it decides the other person is not like it - horrible results can follow. This can also work in the plural - if they are not like us - horrible things can follow. Such as the Holocaust.
This is the big difference between the US and Costa Rica. Up there, they do not like people very much - they are more interested in other things. But down here - they still like people.
There are big advantages to having impersonal skills - but having them without personal skills, is a big disadvantage.
Beneath a Scarlet Sky
Audible
I almost hate to say it - but this is a great book. I usually listen to nonfiction - but, as the beginning of the book makes clear - this is almost a historical novel. Everything in it could have happened - and much of it did - but he has turned it into a novel - to keep the reader's (or listener's) attention.
You keep wondering how anything could get worse - and sure enough, you find out.
The Italians followed El Duce (Mussolini) straight to their graves. The only ones who survived had immigrated to America long before.
I almost hate to say it - but this is a great book. I usually listen to nonfiction - but, as the beginning of the book makes clear - this is almost a historical novel. Everything in it could have happened - and much of it did - but he has turned it into a novel - to keep the reader's (or listener's) attention.
You keep wondering how anything could get worse - and sure enough, you find out.
The Italians followed El Duce (Mussolini) straight to their graves. The only ones who survived had immigrated to America long before.
First You Gotta Be - Then Maybe You Can Be Good
I am taking two courses now about human behavior. The first one The Morality of Everyday Life started off fine - I liked the teacher. But he disappointed me, by being too polite. I wanted to know how people are the way they are - and he was only interested in the results.
My second source is the Interactive Design Foundation - that is getting right down to brass tacks - and talking about why people are the way they are. They have Three Levels of Processing: Visceral, Behavioral, and Reflective. This is a simplification of what actually goes on in the body - but is useful anyway.
The Visceral, or Reptilian Brain, is where much of me is. It acts instantly (in milliseconds, actually) and is much like a computer program. If these conditions exist - react this way - without taking the time to think about it! If something is about to eat you - either run as fast as you can - or turn around and attack it! Gradually, over millions of years, each species refines this response - and survives.
Its not hard to see how this process can go wrong. And how the next level of processing developed to take care of this. It involves chemical signalling. We have glands all over the body (many of them in the brain) and chemical receptors all over the body also. This amounts to a huge information processing system - using emotions. It is much smarter, but takes more time - it takes seconds for the blood to circulate through the body - carrying all those chemical signals with it. This is where our social processing happens - we are very skilled at reading the emotions of others.
The next level involves consciousness, and reflective thought. This is what made us the dominant species in the world - and is the part of us we are most proud of. And should be proud of.
But getting all three levels of processing coordinated, is not easy. And when you throw in, our latest technologies (our smartphones, for example) - it is easy to see, that we are not coping very well.
My second source is the Interactive Design Foundation - that is getting right down to brass tacks - and talking about why people are the way they are. They have Three Levels of Processing: Visceral, Behavioral, and Reflective. This is a simplification of what actually goes on in the body - but is useful anyway.
The Visceral, or Reptilian Brain, is where much of me is. It acts instantly (in milliseconds, actually) and is much like a computer program. If these conditions exist - react this way - without taking the time to think about it! If something is about to eat you - either run as fast as you can - or turn around and attack it! Gradually, over millions of years, each species refines this response - and survives.
Its not hard to see how this process can go wrong. And how the next level of processing developed to take care of this. It involves chemical signalling. We have glands all over the body (many of them in the brain) and chemical receptors all over the body also. This amounts to a huge information processing system - using emotions. It is much smarter, but takes more time - it takes seconds for the blood to circulate through the body - carrying all those chemical signals with it. This is where our social processing happens - we are very skilled at reading the emotions of others.
The next level involves consciousness, and reflective thought. This is what made us the dominant species in the world - and is the part of us we are most proud of. And should be proud of.
But getting all three levels of processing coordinated, is not easy. And when you throw in, our latest technologies (our smartphones, for example) - it is easy to see, that we are not coping very well.
Thursday, August 17, 2017
What do we think of the Human Race?
We all have the right, and the duty - to make this judgement. Let me repeat that - to be responsible people, we have to judge ourselves, and everyone else. And we have to make this decision (or decisions) consciously, not unconsciously.
Most Americans, however, will not do this. They pride themselves on being non-judgemental - at least consciously. And are not aware of their powerful, unconscious feelings.
This is a dangerous situation - they can easily explode in unpredictable ways - such as their election of Trump! After this happens, they don't know why it happened - but they feel satisfied with themselves - and accept the destructive results, calmly.
I think what was happening was this - they noticed they were being treated badly, and their feelings at being neglected were not being noticed. So they decided to wreck everything! They can now watch this happening - and also deny it is happening!
These unconscious activities can be further divided into gut thinking and emotional thinking. With the gut being the most powerful and the least rational.
We cannot just decide to be rational beings only - as Kant advised. We have to accept all of us - and judge all of us.
We have a lot to be proud of - our invention of the Computer, its Software, and Wikipedia. But we also have a lot to be ashamed of - the self-destruction I have referred to.
If we get the Big Picture - this can be seen as the rise and fall of an empire (or, as we now put it - an economy).
And to be honest - we have to say it's not working very well.
Most Americans, however, will not do this. They pride themselves on being non-judgemental - at least consciously. And are not aware of their powerful, unconscious feelings.
This is a dangerous situation - they can easily explode in unpredictable ways - such as their election of Trump! After this happens, they don't know why it happened - but they feel satisfied with themselves - and accept the destructive results, calmly.
I think what was happening was this - they noticed they were being treated badly, and their feelings at being neglected were not being noticed. So they decided to wreck everything! They can now watch this happening - and also deny it is happening!
These unconscious activities can be further divided into gut thinking and emotional thinking. With the gut being the most powerful and the least rational.
We cannot just decide to be rational beings only - as Kant advised. We have to accept all of us - and judge all of us.
We have a lot to be proud of - our invention of the Computer, its Software, and Wikipedia. But we also have a lot to be ashamed of - the self-destruction I have referred to.
If we get the Big Picture - this can be seen as the rise and fall of an empire (or, as we now put it - an economy).
And to be honest - we have to say it's not working very well.
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Easy Way to Understand the Economy
All paper money has a serial number on it - and this would make it easy for it to be tracked.
All the government has to do, is require its banks to scan all the money that comes in, or goes out -
note which bank accounts this money is credited to or debited to - and report these transactions to an agency of the government.
This could easily be extended to plastic money - all this money comes from, or goes to - bank accounts.
Drug money is already handled this way. All drug sales are in cash - but what the drug cartels need is money in bank accounts - real money! This results in money laundering - that is supposed to be illegal. But the banks in Southern Florida (who make huge amounts of money this way) got the FDA office there - reduced to one investigator - so only the most flagrant violations get noticed.
Paper money from drug sales all over the US, is moved (in boxes) to Southern Florida. And the economy in Southern Florida is booming!
I once stood in line at a Target store (that sells nearly everything) and watched a woman pay for a huge basket of purchases - in cash! I said to myself "I know what kind of business her husband is in!"
This solution will never be accepted - because it would bring to light too many shady transactions.
These are huge transactions, by very powerful organizations - that want to remain in the dark. They do not want everyone knowing how rich they are. And how little their wealth benefits anyone else!
All the government has to do, is require its banks to scan all the money that comes in, or goes out -
note which bank accounts this money is credited to or debited to - and report these transactions to an agency of the government.
This could easily be extended to plastic money - all this money comes from, or goes to - bank accounts.
Drug money is already handled this way. All drug sales are in cash - but what the drug cartels need is money in bank accounts - real money! This results in money laundering - that is supposed to be illegal. But the banks in Southern Florida (who make huge amounts of money this way) got the FDA office there - reduced to one investigator - so only the most flagrant violations get noticed.
Paper money from drug sales all over the US, is moved (in boxes) to Southern Florida. And the economy in Southern Florida is booming!
I once stood in line at a Target store (that sells nearly everything) and watched a woman pay for a huge basket of purchases - in cash! I said to myself "I know what kind of business her husband is in!"
This solution will never be accepted - because it would bring to light too many shady transactions.
These are huge transactions, by very powerful organizations - that want to remain in the dark. They do not want everyone knowing how rich they are. And how little their wealth benefits anyone else!
People Who Are Not Real
This is another attempt of mine, to understand my fellow-Americans. That still continue to baffle me.
I never really fit in with them - in my years as an Electronic Engineer, and then as a Technical Writer, I always felt like I was a stranger in a foreign country.
I tried to be real - and they tried to not be real.
And I think that summarizes the situation nicely.
They had good reasons for not being real - that was their way of coping with a difficult situation, that they could not understand. So they decided to get out of it. Simple as that.
This should have made it easy for me to talk to them - I could just say "I understand you, and I understand why you are, the way you are!" And they could say "Yes, that is how we are, and we are glad you understand us!"
But it does not work that way. They continue to look at me, as if I were a stranger - that does not understand them at all!
Their most important attribute is - that they cannot be understood. They do not want to be understood - and will do anything in their power to prevent this.
I am reading The Rise and Fall of Neoliberal Capitalism that does an excellent job of describing the American economy, in the last half of the last century.
If Americans wanted to understand their economy - all they had to do was read this. But they don't - and they continue to say, as loudly as they can "We don't understand it!"
And feel virtuous, saying this.
I never really fit in with them - in my years as an Electronic Engineer, and then as a Technical Writer, I always felt like I was a stranger in a foreign country.
I tried to be real - and they tried to not be real.
And I think that summarizes the situation nicely.
They had good reasons for not being real - that was their way of coping with a difficult situation, that they could not understand. So they decided to get out of it. Simple as that.
This should have made it easy for me to talk to them - I could just say "I understand you, and I understand why you are, the way you are!" And they could say "Yes, that is how we are, and we are glad you understand us!"
But it does not work that way. They continue to look at me, as if I were a stranger - that does not understand them at all!
Their most important attribute is - that they cannot be understood. They do not want to be understood - and will do anything in their power to prevent this.
I am reading The Rise and Fall of Neoliberal Capitalism that does an excellent job of describing the American economy, in the last half of the last century.
If Americans wanted to understand their economy - all they had to do was read this. But they don't - and they continue to say, as loudly as they can "We don't understand it!"
And feel virtuous, saying this.
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Cementerio Palomo
In cemeteries the world over, it is easy to see the wealth of the people buried there. In fact that is one of the reasons cemeteries exist. In lands where cremation is practiced, there is nothing left for families to show off!
These photos are of a small, local cemetery, that has attracted little attention - except from me, because it illustrates this arrangement of wealth, easily enough.
In Costa Rica, the burials are usually above ground - because the water level is so high, and the bodies decay rapidly in the tropical heat. Burial sites are rented, for a fixed amount of time - and then reused. Very sensible!
This does not suit rich families, however - who build elaborate, permanent structures. You will no doubt point to more elaborate structures in more affluent countries, where cemeteries resemble small cities - without a living soul in them!
You will have to look carefully here - to see Cementerio Palomo.
These are the standard above-ground burial sites. The markers are removed when other persons are interned there.
This plot was built by a rich family.
He lived to be 78!
These photos are of a small, local cemetery, that has attracted little attention - except from me, because it illustrates this arrangement of wealth, easily enough.
In Costa Rica, the burials are usually above ground - because the water level is so high, and the bodies decay rapidly in the tropical heat. Burial sites are rented, for a fixed amount of time - and then reused. Very sensible!
This does not suit rich families, however - who build elaborate, permanent structures. You will no doubt point to more elaborate structures in more affluent countries, where cemeteries resemble small cities - without a living soul in them!
You will have to look carefully here - to see Cementerio Palomo.
These are the standard above-ground burial sites. The markers are removed when other persons are interned there.
This plot was built by a rich family.
He lived to be 78!
Christ, with his Sacred Heart
Most People Have Removed Themselves From Reality
And they consider this a huge advantage, because reality has become so impossible. They are no longer in control - other things are, and these things are not interested in their welfare. In fact, they take advantage of them, right and left.
How can they remove themselves from reality? Isn't this impossible? No, it is not - anything ceases to exist from human consciousness when it is not being observed. All they have to do is not pay attention to much of what is going on in the world. Which is easy - people are doing this all the time.
Their bodies and minds continue to operate, with little mental supervision. All they have to do - is do what everyone else is doing. And not question anything.
They are in no danger of starvation - in fact, they eat too much. And this brings out what I mean, when I refer to "them" - members the affluent society. If you are in danger of starvation, as much of the world is - what I have to say, will not apply to you. If you do not immigrate to an affluent society - you will starve.
What is the most important thing in their world - that they are ignoring? Their own destructiveness. Which is amazing. They are destroying everything - including themselves.
This destructiveness is not unusual - in fact, it has been going on for thousands of years. Every empire rises and falls. Construction is followed by destruction. The only unusual thing about this time around, is its scale - it is global.
Does this mean nothing will be left? No, creative destruction is hard at work. Check out Inside Salesforce’s Quest to Bring Artificial Intelligence to Everyone. These guys (and gals) are making a better world - for the right kind of people - that is.
And if you are smart, this will include you!
How can they remove themselves from reality? Isn't this impossible? No, it is not - anything ceases to exist from human consciousness when it is not being observed. All they have to do is not pay attention to much of what is going on in the world. Which is easy - people are doing this all the time.
Their bodies and minds continue to operate, with little mental supervision. All they have to do - is do what everyone else is doing. And not question anything.
They are in no danger of starvation - in fact, they eat too much. And this brings out what I mean, when I refer to "them" - members the affluent society. If you are in danger of starvation, as much of the world is - what I have to say, will not apply to you. If you do not immigrate to an affluent society - you will starve.
What is the most important thing in their world - that they are ignoring? Their own destructiveness. Which is amazing. They are destroying everything - including themselves.
This destructiveness is not unusual - in fact, it has been going on for thousands of years. Every empire rises and falls. Construction is followed by destruction. The only unusual thing about this time around, is its scale - it is global.
Does this mean nothing will be left? No, creative destruction is hard at work. Check out Inside Salesforce’s Quest to Bring Artificial Intelligence to Everyone. These guys (and gals) are making a better world - for the right kind of people - that is.
And if you are smart, this will include you!
Monday, August 14, 2017
The Moralities of Everyday Life
This is a MOOC I am starting on Coursera, sponsored by Yale University.
Here is the introductory lecture by Paul Bloom. Subtitles are available, which makes it easier for people (like me) who have poor hearing.
I am only monitoring the course, so it doesn't cost me anything. If you want a certificate, it will cost you $49.
I have only listened to the introductory lecture - but I can tell it will be a fun course.
Here is the introductory lecture by Paul Bloom. Subtitles are available, which makes it easier for people (like me) who have poor hearing.
I am only monitoring the course, so it doesn't cost me anything. If you want a certificate, it will cost you $49.
I have only listened to the introductory lecture - but I can tell it will be a fun course.
Arreglos Florales
In English, this means Arranged Flowers.
Ticos are fond of flowers. In fact they grow the ferns, that are often used in floral arrangements, in large quantities - for export.
The Seniorita is not bad looking, either.
We Do Whatever Makes Us Feel Good
I said this to myself recently, certain that I had said something useful and meaningful.
But after thinking about it - I wasn't so sure. People can enjoy doing almost anything - including things that are not good for them, or others. And this has been known for a very long time.
The ancients did not consider the Pleasure Principle to be very important. What was important, they could see easily enough, was what everyone in a group believed. There would always be a small minority that believed differently - but they were not important, at the time.
Consider the rise of Christianity, originally a Jewish religious minority. What was responsible for its becoming so important? We don't really know, because it happened so long ago. But we can be sure it was because it made Christians feel better.
The question immediately arises - how did it make them feel better? And we can only guess at the answer. We can ask a similar question today "Why did Americans vote for Trump?"
Americans don't know, no matter what they may say - and, in fact they don't want to know. They just knew most Americans were for him - and that was good enough for them.
The interesting question, that has never been answered, was "How did they know this?" Every poll indicated he would lose - but he won by a landslide.
Americans were aware of social signals that nothing else could detect.
Scientists have insisted that this kind of signalling was impossible. But they are beginning to modify their views on this. They can conduct experiments that show this mass behavior is real and is powerful!
They don't have the equipment that can detect these signals - all they can do is observe its effects on people - after it happens!
Politicians and advertisers do the same thing - trying to detect these changes, while they are happening. Attempts that are not always successful. But if they are, this gives them an important advantage!
On the other hand, movements who do not detect these shifts in public opinion - are at a serious disadvantage, and may even disappear.
But after thinking about it - I wasn't so sure. People can enjoy doing almost anything - including things that are not good for them, or others. And this has been known for a very long time.
The ancients did not consider the Pleasure Principle to be very important. What was important, they could see easily enough, was what everyone in a group believed. There would always be a small minority that believed differently - but they were not important, at the time.
Consider the rise of Christianity, originally a Jewish religious minority. What was responsible for its becoming so important? We don't really know, because it happened so long ago. But we can be sure it was because it made Christians feel better.
The question immediately arises - how did it make them feel better? And we can only guess at the answer. We can ask a similar question today "Why did Americans vote for Trump?"
Americans don't know, no matter what they may say - and, in fact they don't want to know. They just knew most Americans were for him - and that was good enough for them.
The interesting question, that has never been answered, was "How did they know this?" Every poll indicated he would lose - but he won by a landslide.
Americans were aware of social signals that nothing else could detect.
Scientists have insisted that this kind of signalling was impossible. But they are beginning to modify their views on this. They can conduct experiments that show this mass behavior is real and is powerful!
They don't have the equipment that can detect these signals - all they can do is observe its effects on people - after it happens!
Politicians and advertisers do the same thing - trying to detect these changes, while they are happening. Attempts that are not always successful. But if they are, this gives them an important advantage!
On the other hand, movements who do not detect these shifts in public opinion - are at a serious disadvantage, and may even disappear.
Sunday, August 13, 2017
Watching Programmers Think, Helps Me to Think Also
Watching good programmers, that is. Bad programmers make me a bad programmer also. And there are quite a few of those.
This is part of a more general observation that bad people make more bad people - and good people make more good people. We are social beings, and are profoundly affected by the people around us.
If we are part of a good society, it is easy for us to be good also. If we are part of a bad society, it is easy for us to be bad also.
How could we go wrong? By deciding there was no such thing as good or bad!
And no need to make a good society.
This is part of a more general observation that bad people make more bad people - and good people make more good people. We are social beings, and are profoundly affected by the people around us.
If we are part of a good society, it is easy for us to be good also. If we are part of a bad society, it is easy for us to be bad also.
How could we go wrong? By deciding there was no such thing as good or bad!
And no need to make a good society.
The Bad is Powerful and Strong, the Good is Weak and Flabby
I sometimes wonder about the huge change in America, back in the Fifties. Coming out of WWII, there were plenty of small businesses, and my father was the proud owner one of them - a photography studio, in Ft. Madison, Iowa. His business was his whole world - but twenty years later, it was gone, never to return.
This was also true of the family farm, another small business, that for many independent people, was the best way of life for them. It was gone, and would will never return.
This huge change was accompanied by, and probably caused by - a huge change in the attitude of the American people. A change in the kind of world they wanted. A world dominated by Big Business - and a society obsessed with Power.
The key word here was - Power. Americans had to be more powerful. And they wanted a society that made them that way.
This was strange, because coming out of WWII, America was the most powerful nation in the world - by far. But Americans felt threatened anyway. They could not identify what threatened them - and this made them even more insecure.
They were threatened alright, but these threats came in the form of their entertainment - the Movies, and then Television. They were seduced by them - without their realizing it. Especially Television, that kept them entertained (for free!) but also showed them how to live - like the people on the screen. That lived in a world that was better than the real one. Instinctively, they knew it was more powerful.
And they were right - it was the most powerful force in the world. One that could command the hearts and minds of the masses.
This brings up another subject - the Masses, first identified by Ortega y Gasset in the Thirties. This new kind of people, thought and acted as one person - a huge, powerful (but not very smart) Person.
That had no idea what was going on - and didn't want to know.
This was also true of the family farm, another small business, that for many independent people, was the best way of life for them. It was gone, and would will never return.
This huge change was accompanied by, and probably caused by - a huge change in the attitude of the American people. A change in the kind of world they wanted. A world dominated by Big Business - and a society obsessed with Power.
The key word here was - Power. Americans had to be more powerful. And they wanted a society that made them that way.
This was strange, because coming out of WWII, America was the most powerful nation in the world - by far. But Americans felt threatened anyway. They could not identify what threatened them - and this made them even more insecure.
They were threatened alright, but these threats came in the form of their entertainment - the Movies, and then Television. They were seduced by them - without their realizing it. Especially Television, that kept them entertained (for free!) but also showed them how to live - like the people on the screen. That lived in a world that was better than the real one. Instinctively, they knew it was more powerful.
And they were right - it was the most powerful force in the world. One that could command the hearts and minds of the masses.
This brings up another subject - the Masses, first identified by Ortega y Gasset in the Thirties. This new kind of people, thought and acted as one person - a huge, powerful (but not very smart) Person.
That had no idea what was going on - and didn't want to know.
Saturday, August 12, 2017
The Open Society
I just downloaded a new book The foundation for an open source city. One of them being Raliegh, North Carolina. He dedicates his book
Its easy to be cynical about his attitude toward openness. But I learned about this book from O'Reilly - a publisher of computer books, and many computer events. The more advanced people in the computer world, desperately want to make themselves acceptable to the better people elsewhere.
And they are painfully aware of how few computer people are this way.
For the open source, open government, and open data communitiesHe says this about open source
For me, open source is more that just software development. It’s a philosophy, a culture, and a framework for how to work collaboratively.This idea is not new - Karl Popper wrote about The Enemies of the Open Society - one of whom was Plato!
Its easy to be cynical about his attitude toward openness. But I learned about this book from O'Reilly - a publisher of computer books, and many computer events. The more advanced people in the computer world, desperately want to make themselves acceptable to the better people elsewhere.
And they are painfully aware of how few computer people are this way.
Jacky's Pupusas
Jacky is from San Salvador, where Pupusas were invented. I was glad to see she was busy today, because Ticas are not used to her food, and regard it suspiciously.
She sets up this stand every Friday morning, then takes it down later in the day. Saturday morning (today) she sets it up again. It's hard work, but she is used to that.
The Pupusas are fried on a grill. The small ones cost $3 and and big ones $4. They are served with a slaw of grated cabbage, and tomato sauce. I like the taste myself.
My First Girlfriend
I'm annoyed that this is the only surviving copy of this photo. Maybe I can work on improving it some.
My mother set this up herself, and was one of her favorites. It was taken in my father's photography studio, and the original was a perfect as he could make it.
Mother was fond of romantic attachments between church members. She would not thought have kindly of my kissing a non-church member.
The girl is holding her little hat - I knew, even at that age, that you had to get some of their clothes off.
Friday, August 11, 2017
Photos From the Other Side of the River
A river runs through the middle of Orosi. Most of the people live in the west side of it, because more water is available there, and most of the businesses - such as the bank.
The east side is quieter, and good for a scenic bicycle ride. All these photos were taken there.
The east side is quieter, and good for a scenic bicycle ride. All these photos were taken there.
If you look closely, you will see the front wheel is slightly bigger than the rear one. But the internal gearing keeps both rotating at the same speed.
Front of the same tractor, with a heavy-duty, complicated mechanism to let the front wheels turn.
Launching a raft into the river. There a rapids below here that give a good rafting experience - for about 15 minutes. But they have never done a raft trip before, and enjoy the experience.
A kayak goes along to rescue anyone who falls out.
Post-Truth: The Dark Side of the Brain
Scientific American
We have always known we are both good and bad - in about equal proportions.
This article, however, is not interested in morality (which is part of philosophy) - only in brain science. And it shows how our brains, are not up to the extreme demands of contemporary life.
Here is a quote:
We have always known we are both good and bad - in about equal proportions.
This article, however, is not interested in morality (which is part of philosophy) - only in brain science. And it shows how our brains, are not up to the extreme demands of contemporary life.
Here is a quote:
After posting about this article, I went back and read it again. I liked the way it ended:
- Many political leaders have recently taken to making fanciful statements. These assertions combine with the mass of false information circulating on the Internet and influence public opinion. People no longer seem to care about objective reality. We have gotten to the point where experts now refer to the era of post-truth.
We are at a critical juncture. It may never be more important to make the most of our extraordinary ability to invent alternative worlds and to learn to enjoy them without confusing them with reality.
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