Microstory 2262: Rather Be Blissfully Ignorant

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All of you apparently expected to hear me give you an answer for whether I was going to do an interview for one of my local news television programs. In short, yes. In a tiny bit longer, it’s complicated. I will be doing something in some way at some point, but the network is making certain accommodations for it that I’m not privy to. I’ll give you all more information, not when I know it, but when I’m allowed to tell you. Don’t stress out about it, though, because it may be a long time before the gears start turning. In the meantime, my publicist is setting me up with one of the firm’s interview specialists to help me learn how to speak in public. I’ve done it before—in various ways, and to varying degrees of success—but I’ve never actually been interviewed, per se. I think we’ll be practicing a lot, which I’m sure I’ll have a lot of fun with...he said sarcastically. I don’t really care to talk about myself in person, and I don’t like trying to figure out how to censor my responses. The only thing worse than getting a question that I wasn’t ready for would be being prepared for all questions, and feeling anxious for them the whole time until it’s finally over. You would think that the worry that comes from not knowing what’s going to happen is what kills me, and that’s true in most situations, but when it comes to interacting with other people, I think I would rather be blissfully ignorant so I don’t spend too much time thinking about it. I’m just weird like that I guess. So to protect myself, that’s all I’ll say for now.

Microstory 999: The Unknown...

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As a budding amateur futurologist, it’s my job to understand what’s going to happen in the future. For many people in the field, they’re responsible for predicting market trends before they even happen, or understanding when the current trends will end. They know how technology is advancing, and how that will impact their employer’s business. Or maybe they’re a journalist who has to know what stories to tell, and when, in order to remain topical. Political pundits have to recognize the consequences or our leader’s decisions. I am not quite like these people. I look more at the big picture so I can tell reasonably believable stories. Just watch the Back to the Future franchise, where they grossly overestimated how advanced we would be in the future. Now of course that’s okay, no one is imprisoning Robert Zemeckis because he didn’t employ a futurologist, who might have warned him we won’t have flying cars in 2015. Part of it is that I want my stories to be as prescient as possible, but I also just really like reading predictions, and making some myself. At the same time, what’s really fascinating about the future, and many things in the present, is the mysterious unknown. The majority of the sea is unexplored, as is almost all of outer space. We still don’t know if the quantum universe is ruled by subatomic particles, or just vibrating strings. And how exactly the hell does the brain even do literally anything it does? How little we know about life, the universe, and everything is a frightening thought. Count yourself lucky if you don’t suffer from OCD, because I regularly find myself questioning my very existence, and feeling a profoundly deep fear for the possibility that I may die, and what comes after is—not even darkness—but completely nothing. Yet there is comfort in our ignorance; the same kind religious people get by believing in some higher power that’s responsible for all the good and bad. There’s a relief in the hope that things can get better, because there’s no real proof that it won’t. How difficult would it be to persist if we knew with certainty that King Dumpster would be on his throne of lies for six more years, instead of only two? The Unknown can be bad, which is why we fear the darkness, and why many people are bigoted and intolerant. If you don’t know what it is, it could be dangerous. People get hurt all the time because they stick their noses where they don’t belong. Think noodling, but in a grander capacity. One of my favorite proverbs comes from one of my least favorite countries, and was famously repeated by one of my least favorite presidents, Ronald Reagan. Doveryai, no proveryai is Russian for trust, but verify. Exercise caution, but don’t be afraid to explore, and try new things. Things could end poorly, like they did for Viola Woods in my next series, but it could also be the greatest thing ever.

Microstory 954: Stem Cell Research

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As a human being who cares about this world, the people on it, and everything that happens to us, I believe in science. I believe in science that can help make the world a better place, for all living creatures. I possess a spirituality, differentiated from religion by the fact that I absolutely do not let my beliefs get in the way of progress. Organized religion has done some good in the world in the the way of charity and good will, but that doesn’t get them off the hook. Besides the fact that hope for heaven—or fear of hell, as it were—are terrible reasons to do the right thing, their good does not outweigh their bad. All religions are based on the primary sins, even the ones who claim to be virtuous. They’re all about greed, envy, wrath, selfishness, and more. Through these sins comes many of the planet’s woes; war, crime, and even natural disasters (the intensity of these recent hurricanes are the result of climate change, which is undoubtedly being caused by humans). Nearly everything that happens can be traced back to a misguided religious belief that prevents individuals from caring for their fellow man. Stem cell research is a good example of this issue. Now, I’m not saying there’s no such thing as ethics, or that we can do whatever we want as long as it helps us in the end. Problems arise, however, when ignorant people argue against research, or an advancement. The simple fact is that the average person does not know enough about the subject to form a valid opinion. Sure, it sounds bad when a Christian stands on a college campus with pictures of dead babies, claiming that stem cell research is responsible for the horrific images. But that’s not really what happened, and these arguments are not helping anything. I recognize there is a debate as to when exactly human life begins, and can’t realistically give a hard number for this, even though my canon does have an answer. The point of this research is not to stay right where we are with it. Scientists need to understand how this works, so we can engage in a responsible and safe way. That requires study and debate, but only amongst those who know what they’re doing. I’m not one of those people, and most likely, neither of you. Having read the bible cover to cover is not the kind of credentials we’re looking for. Regardless of your circular reasoning, there’s no way to prove the bible was written by God. Just saying it was means nothing to me. Therefore, it holds no more or less merit than any other work of fiction. Stem cells have the potential to save lives, and we can’t dismiss that just because it also has the potential to harm. If we lived by that mentality, we would still be living in caves.

Microstory 953: Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris

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I don’t know everything there is to know about Elizabeth Warren or Kamala Harris, and do not have time to research them, but I encourage you to do so. As far as politicians go, they’re two of the good ones. They fight for the rights of underprivileged and disenfranchised. They are persistent and unrelenting, and I am grateful that there are still some people in the government that want to actually make things better, instead of going back to the way things were. I have a few people on this list, but there are so many more that aren’t on here. Some individuals belong within a category of people I admire, and though I didn’t just want this to be a list of people I like, I did want to single out a few who stick out the most. To do otherwise would require a level of care and consideration I can’t commit to, since I still have a full-time job. These two deserve recognition for their efforts on the inside of a society that does not want them to succeed. They’ve had to work harder than any man, and prove themselves worthy to a degree no one should be expected to exemplify. As a woman of color, Harris has had to work even harder just to be accepted, and she’s still disregarded by so many. I was so moved by one of the speeches they each respectively gave. Of course, these aren’t the only things these two have said, but they’re the speeches that caused me personally to take notice. We all remember the nevertheless, she persisted meme, which was a classic case of an offense being co-opted by the targets as a point of pride. Yes, Warren persisted, because women have too long been silenced, and that’s exactly what they need to do. They have an intrinsic right to be heard, and anyone who doesn’t agree with that needs to try their own hand at silence. Harris’ outrage at the farce that was the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmation hearings was one of the most dazzling interviews I’ve seen. Her poise in the face of such insolence showed just how unfit for the position he really is, and though everyone’s efforts to stop his appointment failed, at least the public has all the facts. Without Harris, and others like her, we would be stuck under the burden of ignorance. I’m impressed by these two ladies, and their contemporaries, and will continue to support them despite the twisted opposition from the libertarian right. I went so far as to name a fictional spaceship in one of my stories The Elizabeth Warren, and I intend to name one after Kamala Harris as soon as the need arises. We need more people like them, and I hope their actions have inspired young political warriors to one day take up the fight for truth, if they haven’t already.

Microstory 396: Transhumanism I

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Self-actualization

I have a good reason for putting these last few after self-actualization, rather than before, where you might have expected them. The next two are so far beyond what we understand about the world that we can’t truly know how they’ll work in the end. The one after that isn’t really something I personally believe in, but it’s a theoretical step. The last one is something no human has ever witnessed, or really even accurately imagined, in the history of time. I keep bringing up transhumanism because it’s a very important subject to me. I want to discuss it in more depth, and I want to be able to use 793 words to do it. Transhumanism is all about living forever. Some say that this is not true immortality, and that it’s best described as the longevity escape velocity, but no. I have a bachelor’s degree in linguistics, and I’m here to tell you that immortality is a perfectly acceptable word to use in this scenario. Most words have more than one meaning, so stop being so narrow-minded and ignorant just because you’re trying to be trendy. Whew, that wasn’t directed at you, more at my futurist community. The fact of the matter is that there is no real reason for death, or most of the other restrictions we have so far experienced in this world. We don’t know what the mind is, or how to create or move it, but we will. One day, long after artificial intelligence has been created, you will be able to transfer your consciousness to a new substrate. Now, people don’t like this, and they think it goes against God’s will. That’s all well and good, but remember that I don’t worship your God, or any God, so don’t stop me from living as I choose. From my perspective, anyone who chooses a life that ends in death might as well be choosing to kill themselves. Remaining a standard human when more efficient, healthy, and lasting options are available is tantamount to suicide. I mean, you don’t reject antibiotics when you’re sick do you? That would be insane. I wouldn’t respect anyone who does that. I’ve also heard people worry that immortality would render life meaningless, but it won’t. Death does not give life meaning, what you do in life is what gives it meaning. Stay tuned for more tomorrow.

Transhumanism II

Microstory 393: Honor

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Approval

Honor is not something I would personally enjoy, but for many, it’s important. Years ago, I saw an episode of The Boondocks that was set in an alternate reality. It describes a history where Martin Luther King, Jr. was never assassinated. In present day, his ideas are often dismissed, and his acceptance in constant flux. The writers were making the suggestion that he was only able to make things better on a grand scale by his own death. This is a terrible and scary thought, but it is true in many ways. It’s a lot easier to point out the changemakers once they’ve gone, whether they were taken before their time, or not. How many artists were successful during their lifetime compared to those who weren’t? They did exist, and some even lost their fame following their deaths, so don’t think I’m claiming an answer of zero. I’m just saying that it’s safer to respect and honor a notable figure in history, rather than someone of today, because they no longer have a chance to screw it up. We all loved Lance Armstrong until we found out that he had been using performance enhancing pharmaceuticals. Can you imagine if we had immediately put his face on money, or something crazy like that? Honor itself is not a big problem, but I do take issue with idolizing certain figures, and I’m not referring to those who were not as great as we were always taught (I’m looking at you, Christopher Columbus). By honoring particular individuals, or rather by the way we honor them, we often neglect their teachings. Students are assigned projects during Black History Month to teach them why it exists, but these feel like regular assignments, and the lesson can be so easily lost. Instead of merely honoring this one person, maybe we should just think about how they felt. Let’s talk less about what MLK did during his lifetime, and what he went through, and focus more on his words. It’s his words that he wanted you to hear, because his circumstances were out of his control. We do still need to hear about it, so we can understand the kind of world he was living in; I’m just saying we should try to treat him like a teacher. This goes for any other honored individual, including those you know personally.

Enthusiasm

Microstory 392: Approval

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Validation

Just because people are listening to what you have to say, and are even agreeing with you, doesn’t mean you’ve been approved. Lots of speakers have seen people nod their heads at their words, but it’s gone no further than that. Many have had great ideas, but these ideas are all but meaningless if they’re not capable of effecting real change. Of course, you only hear about the successful people, because few stay long enough to make a lasting impression. That’s the point. There are exceptions, however. Am I talking about Donald Trump again, you ask? Yes...yes I am. Trump has a lot of voters; a scary amount of them, actually, but he’s only gotten this far on the strength of his own image. People like when famous people try to become famous for something else. Why is this? What is the psychology behind this phenomenon? I don’t know, I don’t have a psychology degree, and that’s not what this blog is about. Trump has no clue what he’s doing. The news relatively recently reported on him asking experts multiple times essentially why the U.S. can’t just go ahead and bomb our enemies. Sounds like a reasonable request if you’re literally a supervillain. He’s not fit to lead our government, and most people recognize this, I really believe that. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean he’s going to go away. Because even those who have no intention of voting for him still validate his voice on the regular. Every time you read an article about his latest shenanigans, or every time you write one, you’re giving him the fuel he needs to persist. Hell, even these entries that I’m writing have the potential to keep him in the global conversation. He’s loud and he’s in your face and he just won’t quit, but very few people approve of him. We’re all paying attention to him, whether we like it or not. This is not a healthy practice, and we should be able to recognize it when it happens. Since most don’t know the difference between validation and approval, the truth behind what’s going on becomes distorted and misunderstood. Eventually, this could lead to actual approval, without us even realizing it. That’s how Hitler rose to power, and I don’t mean that jokingly. That’s really how it happened. Trump is campaigning exactly like Adolf Hitler.

Honor

Microstory 391: Validation

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Attention

You’re almost there. I promise that you don’t have too many steps to take care of. So people not only know that you exist, but they’re listening to what you have to say. What do you think you need next? Well, if you’re not an idiot, then you can just read my title and tell straight up. If not, then that’s what. Now you don’t just want to be heard, but you want people to agree with you, or at least be ready to engage you in a conversation. If it’s that first one, then great, you’re done for now. If it’s the second one, then don’t fret. Dialogs are positively not bad things. Bouncing ideas off of other people, gathering more knowledge, and gaining insight can only help make you a better person. That’s the problem with the voting population, at least here and in the U.K. Immediately after the latter’s vote to leave the European Union, Google pointed out a skyrocket in the number of people asking their search engine what the EU even was. That’s right, despite the fact that this vote was in the news for the weeks on my side of the Atlantic, and I knew about it without being generally well-informed, people who were actually going to be deciding this didn’t know. These are people whose opinions you should not listen to, and who do not deserve your validation. That vote was obviously a sham, not to mention the fact that it was a ludicrous proposition in the first place. It’s completely backwards, we should be moving towards tighter unity, not greater nationalism. I digress. As I’ve tried to get you to understand before, do not be afraid to be wrong. One of my favorite quotes of all time is from Isaac Asimov. He said, “people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” This is obviously a joke, but it’s also on point. What’s worse than being wrong is being wrong but knowing “for sure” that you’re right. If you’re in a position where people are listening to your ideas, then you have an obligation to make those ideas informed and well thought out. Learn from mistakes, change your mind, admit your ignorance and lack of education. It’ll be worse for you when people find out anyway.

Approval

Microstory 383: Self-assurance

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Self-awareness

I previously discussed this topic to some degree in another step, but that was limited in scope, so I think there’s room for more. I’m just going to expand on what I’ve already said about self-confidence, maybe this time talking about myself a little less. What I never went into before is what happens when self-assurance goes wrong, which would also be continuing the subject of self-awareness. Some people are pretty sure of themselves, and are incapable of recognizing how other people see them. Not every celebrity on the cover of a tabloid is a bad person, but there clearly are those out there who have no real talent. In order to maintain their relevance, they regularly do something ridiculous so people pay attention to them. On the surface, this does sound like a kind of talent, but really, how many of those “celebrities” you think come up with those tricks themselves? Self-assurance too easily leads to self-aggrandizement. If not put in check, someone with too much confidence in themselves can start to lose vital perspective. How many times have you heard someone, celebrity or not, make a stupid remark about the way things are. Donald Trump’s primary voting population is known for having a warped idea of how things work. Libertarians build their whole socio-political belief system upon their own ignorance of how people different than them live and view the world. I’m in this weird spot where I see better ways of doing things, but I also get hopelessly confused by the simple things. This I must work on by nurturing my curiosity, and ignoring my presumptions. Always be able to question if you truly understanding something, or if you’re missing important information. Every problem the world has ever encountered can be traced to either selfishness or a lack of data. Find and commit to something that makes you happy, but also keep yourself challenged. Imagine greatness and be ambitious, but don’t hurt people on your way to success. Recognize and appreciate your faults. They make you who you are, but you don’t have to be defined by them. Train to shed yourself of weaknesses, but never believe them to be gone entirely. Know yourself, trust your past, and keep improving. Rest assured, you can’t lose if you never stop trying.

Accomplishment