ohwellian state

​

 

>

TRIP

the traveler observed
before him
the path
which remained

seven steps

he could place each step
to the ground before him
in his mind

seven final paces forward

seven final paces
to savor
as his last

how many final breaths
can be drawn
in seven steps?

how many thoughts
can be acknowledged?

how high can one
draw the knee
and how slow
can one retract
the foot
to make each step
constitute an eternity?

he looked to his left
and to his right
and finally
he looked
with apprehension
to the path
behind him

the two men
in armor
flourishing
immaculately maintained blades
motioned toward the traveler
to continue forward
as any decision
to do otherwise
would result
in the obvious

the traveler
hesitated
to take
his initial step
toward the edge
of the cliff

his mind
betrayed his emotions
and forced him
to recall again
the cause of his
impending demise

he was urged
to shout to the guards

"i am
of innocence

i am
made of the same
earth as you
by the potter
as were you

allow me please
to turn the other way
and travel
where i am called
to travel

you will see me
not again
and all i was ever
and all i could ever be
would exist no more
to anyone"

but the traveler knew
such words
would only anger
the guards

as they
were similar in heart
and origin
but distant
in circumstance

and it is circumstance
favorable or otherwise
that dictates
the motions of a blade
when all other factors
are made to be put aside

it was too late
rationalized
the traveler

it was too late
to change the minds
of the two enforcers

twenty years
of belief
and comfort

can not be off put
in seven meager paces

the traveler
facing forward
heard the nearing steps
of the two men
as they grew impatient
with the traveler's hesitation
to do what
the gods required of him
to do

the traveler
before taking his first step forward
made one decision

a final decision

the only decision
he could make
at such a time

he made the decision
to control
the only thing
he could control

his mind

he would
with each coming step
unshackle the weight
of which time
placed upon his shoulders

he would defy
in his heart
the men
who ordered him to march forward
and feel not pious
nor defeated
as he paced forward

the traveler took
his first step forward

KRONOS

this step was the largest
the most fearless

it was taken
without nausea

it was taken
as if by
a merchant
with little risk
and everything
to gain

it was taken
with the certainty
that only follows
the initial decision

his second step
trembled as it hit
the rocky ground

DIAS

this step
was taken
by the foot of a giant

unsteady

but none the less
confident
in direction

ARIS

the third step
did swing with the weight
of confidence

a breath
of completion
as if the air
was no longer a necessity

this third step
hit the ground
with the kinetic prowess
of a warrior
who had moments before
lost everything
and realized
there was nothing any longer
to hold him back

this step
pushed forward
his fourth

APHRODITE

with the far motion
of the pendulum
comes a far motion
in the opposite direction

the traveler felt the pain
of his love
the tenderness
of each caress
and the softness
of her voice

he suffered
by her innocence
and gratitude toward him

but just as he walks now
he did then from her

and as he recalls her now
he sees her differently
she smiles to him
as a ghost
of a memory

ERMIS

the fifth step
toward the sudden drop off
was quick and abrupt

as his mind lingered
at the thought
of the beauty of love

his heart was light
and his mind was calm

in the way only
compassion
can cool such a fever

but he thought
of all he was leaving behind

unfinished stones
as they appear

a legacy
of wandering
he thought to himself

a legacy of
removed relationships
and barren land

he was leaving nothing behind
and as the thought of that
settled into his mind
he smiled
for the first time
in many weeks

SELENE

this step
his second to final
echoed with darkness

it was a hollow step
where the inevitable conclusion
rolled through
the very essence
of his being

his final step
was all he could see

the light of it's image
illuminated this step

he could see only now
the end
and knew
his next step
would rest not
upon solid ground

he looked back
at his life
as only one can do
in the darkness

the fears
the joys
the triumphs

all woven together
in an uneven quilt
with patterns
that fought with the others
and colors
that failed to compliment each other

he observed this quilt
not with weary eyes
or judgmental eyes

it was his quilt

his story

he took this quilt
and wrapped himself in it
before taking
the final step

he was no longer
the traveler
in torn clothing

he saw himself
in the physical now
as the archetype
he had become
in the story he had woven together

HELIOS

the heart
of the cause
was before him

his final breath
was not a final breath
but another breath

a release
and a drawing in
of what he needed no longer
and what he desired

but what he desired
wasn't life
or vitality

he desired the air

the way it feels
to inhale
and exhale
as if nothing further
could possibly matter

he noticed now
a sweetness to the air
he had never before observed

the air carries within it
the essence
of the land below it
and the heavens above it

how wonderful
in every aspect of the word
the traveler thought
as he took
with certainty
and completion
his final step...............

 

>

but consider the man
who takes too big a bite
of his cereal

and finds himself
peering down
at his cold body below

for only a moment

until he wakes up again
in the correct perspective
confused as to why
his friend
kicked his back in
so hard

this poor fellow
much as the robed man
in the flammarion engraving

caught a glimpse of

and

opened the door to

but did not walk through

the firmament

what ever that
may be

but what is clear
is that he remains
on this side
as opposed to the other

but at such a time
the man faces a dilemma
of character

or possibly the consequence
to the lack thereof

does he take from
his experience
a opportunity
to kiss his kisses
and love his loves
more?

does he
hold it within
and let such emotions
of confusion
and suspended belief
escape
only during moments
when the script of modern life
is folded neatly and set aside?

does he
proclaim
to whomever he can proclaim to
that his experience
was unique
and that he is
capable of answering
every esoteric question
as well as those
he makes up
when the mailbag becomes empty?

does he
deny the experience ever happened
as it fights with his beliefs
or disbeliefs
and does he take action accordingly?

it seems
when we peek through
the firmament
and see what we shouldn't

we do
one of such things

the hero's journey
can be a
mountain climb

a day dream

a trip and fall

or even a crusade......

depending on who
has the chance luck

or burden

to see
through
the foggy window
and ride the weight
of the life
that lead them
so far
so soon.

 

the word FIRMAMENT
when used religiously

describes the membrane
created by god
which separates
the waters above
from the waters below

the heavens
from the earth

a thin separative material
of divine creation

where a wanderer
could so if he chose to
be half in the heavens
and half upon the earth

much as the artists
of the time
depicted

but in such depictions
the earth is pictured flat

and the angels simply wait
going about their business
on the other side
of the firmament

but as science progressed
the concept of the firmament
faded into obscurity
much as did the flat earth

what remains
however
is the notion
of a traveler being
in two places
at once

one divine
and one mortal

half in the heavens
and half upon the earth

but
can something
or someone
be split evenly
in mind or body?

completely even

not more one
than the other

and aware
of the distinct bi location
of sorts?

water
at 211 degrees fahrenheit
is incredibly hot

however

at 212 degrees fahrenheit
it is boiling
and producing steam

the firmament is crossed
as in
all or nothing

something is either completed
or left in an unfinished state

while those
on the other side
of the firmament

are amused
by the perpetual toiling

 

roger fuckebythenavele
was at least
the first of something

smmileee

 

DEVOTION

billionaires sending someone else
into space

to vicariously peer down
at a spent planet

so the thought
is then
who will be first
to successfully commercialize
the big black nothing?

who will be first
to be second?

where do you go next
after you're the first
or second?

space goes on
and on
for unimaginable
distances

deeper thank the most expensive
glass eyes
can see

some look up at the stars
with wonderment and awe
when the light of the sun
fades below the horizon

and some
practice the same motions
but instead
view the stars
as the digits following
the operating expense ledger
of their favorite shares

they twitch and sweat
with a nervous sense
of having the upperhand
for the moment

but as the stars
slowly
drift along
the dark sky

they remind themselves

time is money
so it would be best then
to look down

not up

at what has already
been conquered
and refined.

 

___

the old man carved

the impersonal stone

with simple tools

while the air ached around him

from the noise

that emanated from everywhere

the old man would complain

to his masters

of the pain in his knees

as the noise would swell

but his tongue

was not the same

as theirs

or so he was told

though such truths

dispensed by his masters

were as plentiful as the rocks

that held up his weary feet

masters

he reasoned

gods as they portrayed themselves

would surely show no fear

in the presence

of a humble and weak specimen

but he observed

accident of expression

of such a god

when the mask of ceremony

was unfavorably removed

the tired old man said aloud

for the first time ever

as he set down his tools

GOD DOES NOT COUGH

___

at what point
does a myth
revert back
to a history?

how long does
the transformation take?

who oversees the process?

who abhors the process?

and who
looks the other way?

 

>

who has
the advantage
if the lights
are cut?

a man who has
lived in the same house
for fifteen years?

or a man
who has spent
the last thirty minutes
in the darkness?

while the dignified party
stumbles
to the light switch
and feels about for
it's whereabouts

unknowing
if the electricity
has been affected
or not

the rods
in the eyes
of the man
who spent thirty minutes
in complete darkness
are well adjusted
for the absence
of light

and he is able
to see the room
and the movements
of the currently sightless man
in perfect clarity

and he knows
where the confused man
is headed

tired eyes
read the same words
and form the same pictures
within the the mind
to understand
what has already been understood
by tired eyes
before

how many times
does ' the ' appear
in the above sentence?

the element of surprise
floats above
the crest
of the wave
of randomness

right?

if so
then

who is surprised?

who is surprising?

 

he says to you
while pretending
to remain uninterested

"i see what you
are saying

our galaxy is vast
in size and breadth

as well as
immensely old

nearly three times
the age
of our planet

yes

and our sun
that keeps us warm
night and day
is much younger
than many of the other stars
that do much the same
to even more planets
similar to ours
all across the galaxy

drake wrote out
a beautiful equation
to estimate life

while fermi pondered
why no one
out there
cared to send him a letter

and as time does progress

we seem to be adding zeros
to the ends
of the previous estimates
concerning the amount
of communicative
extraterrestrial civilizations
in our galaxy

this
growing number
coupled with
the previous statement
regarding the advanced age
of many other
star systems
in our galaxy

as well as
the relatively brief amount of time
it takes
for a population
to spread
across the galaxy
should it follow
an exponential
growth pattern

it seems more probable
than not
that we are the ignored
and not the alone

and for all good reason
one would think

but

you did not answer
my question

i wanted to know
what you think
of ufos"

you now share
the same expression
as your sly friend

you feel validated
that he follows
your line of reason

and that he
seems agreeable
to the notion
we are not alone
in all of space

but even he
the quiet rational friend
is prompting you
to define
your BELIEF

not as you THINK

of ufos.......

you know the statement
he is waiting on

the chokehold
that has him

an engine can only burn
the fuel
it was designed
to burn

and you are
denying him
of that

but it does
suddenly come to your mind

the meaning of all this
and your frustration

when the script of modern life
is set aside

it always
is picked
back up

and when it is
picked back up

the play returns
to the act
that proceeds the previous
prior to
the brief intermission
where we smiled
stretched our arms
and wondered what
was going on
backstage

a conversation
outside the script
eventually falls victim
to that small compulsion
to return to
our seats
when the lights flicker
three times
before the curtains
rise again

thought
reverts
to
belief

and belief
fuels
defensive recourse
when a belief
of an opposing nature
or even neutral
but differing
nature
is encountered

so you now
walk away
from your friend

and wish him
an enjoyable
lunch break
as he heads to
the water cooler

and you
consider the study
of the probability
concerning life
elsewhere
in the galaxy.......

and ufos

no

ufology
ufologists

it might as well
be
ufoism
at this point

you think to yourself.......

while studious individuals
who are interested
in the phenomenon
commit themselves
to quiet
and unbroken circles

there are
a vastly greater number
of self anointed fools
who shout
in a cringe worthy
sort of way
either delusion beliefs
concerning the question
of ufos
or contrived pseudo-beliefs
to entice a willing percentage

to place a few coins
in the human hand
that somehow
finds itself
buried under
extravagant robes
and peculiar symbols

however
outside of this small percentage
is a larger percentage
observing
the great comedy

who goes
to the car race
for the winning car?

and who goes
to the same race
for the crash?

who buys
the tabloid magazine
because they believe
their favorite celebrity
is fathering an extraterrestrial child?

and who buys
the magazine
because it is hilarious?

so we sit
now
within our hypothetical scenario
within a hypothetical scenario
at the empty party

where nobody showed up

the flies
are beginning to circle
the fruit bowl
on the counter

and the cake
is looking awfully stale

so you wonder to yourself

why am i ignored?

why do i sit alone
when i mailed invitations
and tied balloons
to the mailbox?

so you contrive
in your mind
the reason

and sell it to yourself

but your phone
begins to ring

remember?

and you sit
in silence
as it rings
waiting for the right
thought
or story
to appear
in the theater
of your mind.

 

but ignored.....

why would
we be the ignored?

we light
such bright fires

and send metal capsules
into space

could it be
the party
doing the ignoring
is carrying on with such
because they know us
and have
observed us?

but a clever man
then
would say

"while they ignore us
we are coming closer
to the reality of
space colonization
riding the exponential wave
of progress and growth

it would be
illogical
to think
there are visiting
civilizations from elsewhere

as such a civilization
would surely know
that our civilization
is headed to the stars
in but a brief moment

and when we are
doing as we do
on a larger scale

we will do
just that

they would surely
have had a vested interest
to make peace
with us
by now"

but
another clever man
at this point
could argue also

"such a premise
would imply
that we are special

that we are unique

to be the
only civilization

who has ever
reached
this point
of achievement

and thus needs to be put in place
or made notice of
to ensure the further safety
of the visiting party"

a space faring civilization

that has observed
the progress
of many other civilizations

would likely have
a standard protocol
for encountering
civilizations
who are yet locked
to their planet of origin
and behave
in a violent manner

could it be
to the passersby
that we are then
nothing unique
in our development
and existence?

and that our yearning
for the stars
coupled with our aggressive tendencies
as a civilization

is nothing more
than a reoccurring theme
that is observed
frequently?

then what would be
the recourse
of such a civilization
that encounters
this little planet
and the peoples
who call it home?

could it be
they are morally righteous
and feel that we
as a primitive society
are children
and should be left unharmed
but in observation
as such?

but what of
other civilizations
who are capable
of space travel?

there surely
cannot be just one
civilization
aware
of this planet
and it's inhabitants
if one reviews
the probabilities
and data
regarding exponential growth

why then hasn't a rogue
group of traveling visitors
made graffiti
upon our capitols
and claimed for themselves
our lands?

is there an agreement
that keeps us
as the ignored?

your friend
who has been sitting
bored
and despondent

breaks his silence............

 

and your friend
who asked you
what you thought
of ufos

sits there now

wondering when
lunch will be delivered.......

but you continue
while he feigns
his hunger......

 

how long
would it take
to colonize the galaxy?

while debates
were raging in scientific circles
concerning the reality
or fallacy
of extraterrestrial civilizations

an astrophysicist
in 1975
michael hart
proposed in a paper
that it would take
only two million years
for a civilization
to colonize the galaxy

with the stop watch starting
the moment the civilization
becomes spacefaring

and the stop watch concluding
once each stellar system
in the galaxy
has in it's gravitational pull
a representative body
of the civilization

two million years
seems vast
by our standards

but considering
the galaxy is estimated
to be nearly 14 billion years old

and considering
as well
the galaxy is estimated
to house somewhere between
100 and 400 billion stars

the two million years
seems minute
compared to the amount of work
that would have to
be completed
with regard to
the time frame
of both the colonization
and the age
of the galaxy

even an estimate
of 100 million years
would seem small

impressive numbers
all around

following his initial thesis
mr. hart himself asked
the same question
enrico fermi did

"where is everybody?"

mr. hart
concluded
that since
we have no proof
of extraterrestrial visitation

coupled with his notion
that space colonization
can be achieved rather quickly
in the grand scheme of things

that we simply
are alone

we are the first
civilization
to leave our planet's atmosphere
in the whole galaxy

this means
obviously
no other civilizations
are interstellar travelers

if they were
we would have
long since
known about it
due to the vast amount
of space peoples
that would have already
occupied this area
of space

but his response requires
an assumption

doesn't it?

that requires
the assumption
that an extraterrestrial civilization
would want to
make itself known
to us

while traveling
and going about
their business

and considering
the large numbers

what seems
more probable?

the scenario
that we are the first civilization
in the galaxy
to reach a level
where space colonization
is near to become
a reality?

or
the scenario
that out of the enormous amount
of star systems
in the galaxy

and the vast age
of many other star systems
in the galaxy

and the relatively short span
it takes to traverse the galaxy

that we
are not alone
as an intelligent civilization

but instead
that we
are ignored
by all the other
civilizations
that have achieved
space colonization?

consider for a moment
yourself as an alien
to this civilization
and planet

a brief observation
from the safety of
this planet's atmosphere
many thousands of years ago

would reveal the primal urges
the peoples contend with
that are magnified
by a series of isolation techniques
based upon perceived differences

in short

the peoples
of this planet
have a history
of attacking
other peoples
of this planet
who are perceived
to be different
in some way or another

this would appear
to be a violent bunch
of primitives
by the estimate
of an observer

and i would have to agree
with that observation

regardless of the cause
behind such immense violence
and apathy
innocents die each day
because they are
that incredibly hungry

and devastating wars
with atrocious weapons
are fought
in a perpetual
sort of manner

if i were
such an alien
in the atmosphere
of this planet

observing

thousands of years ago
or even in modern times

i would conclude
that this planet's civilization
would pose an immediate threat
to the well being
of myself
and my companions

i would conclude
that it is most reasonable
to avoid contact
with such a civilization

and surely
be cautious
so as to not
become spotted
by the little devils

but.....

a problem occurs
with this line of thinking
also

not in the immediate
by any means

but in the long term

because
in about two million years
this violent civilization
will have had ample time
to establish itself
in the greater galaxy......

so
regarding this question
and the problem
it advances

if one considers
the probability
of civilizations
elsewhere in the galaxy

and the probability
that some of such civilizations
in their travels
have been made aware of
or have witnessed firsthand
the civilization
that currently occupies
this planet

why hasn't
this violent civilization
been permanently dealt with
by now
to preserve
the safety
of the rest
of the galaxy?

two million years
is only a day trip
in term of all things galactic

it is only
a matter of time
before our civilization
finds itself
spanning many star systems

taking with us
all of our destruction
and baggage

why weren't we
dealt with
when we were more primitive?

that would have been
most efficient

by our modes
of thinking

but then again
we are the violent ones.....

in current times
we are much more dangerous
and the range
of our destruction
is far greater
than it has ever been

and this magnitude
and this range
are both only
getting stronger
and larger

exponentially so

why are we
ignored?

that is the next question
one would ask
should they find themselves
ignored
and not simply
alone...................

 

so
the age of our sun

it is currently impossible
to look at a star
and define it by age
as we do so often
with other things
in life

but the age
of a star
can be gleaned from
the star's location
in space

the cluster
it belongs to

less accurately
however
by observing
the brightness
of the star
to determine
what phase
the star is currently in

lucky for life
this is not highly accurate
because a star
spends nearly 90%
of it's life
in a relatively constant
state of being

converting hydrogen
into helium

the oldest stars
in our galaxy
are nearly 13 billion
years old

our sun
in comparison
is roughly 4.5 billion
years old

stars of this size
generally have
a life expectancy
of 10 billion years

spending a great deal
of that time
slowing increasing
in size and temperature
converting
four hydrogen atoms
into two helium atoms

with all that
being said
our sun
came into existence
around 4.5 billion years ago

while many other stars
began as far back
as 13 billion years ago

now
not all of these stars
or binary systems
may be conducive
toward the formation
of life
around them
due to a plethora
of reasons

some reasons
as obvious as
the absence
of planet bodies

but
as we have observed
from the drake equation
one percent of one hundred
is one

however

one percent
of one million
is ten thousand

if one takes
the most modest
of the projections
stemming from the drake equation
such as
the 12,000
active
intelligent
extraterrestrial civilizations
in the galaxy
as determined initially
by frank drake himself

how many of these civilizations
belong to a star system
out of the estimated
100 billion solar systems
in our galaxy
that has been in business
longer than has
our star?

how many years
do these civilizations
have over our civilization?

a great deal
of advancement
can occur
within just 100 years

this growth
is exponential
so long
as it's demand
for energy
can be met

what about a civilization
that has one billion years
on us?

what about more
than one billion?

what if we consider
a number substantially larger
than drake's initial run
of the statistics
such as the numbers
proposed by scientists
more recently?

the probability value
of other civilizations
existing elsewhere
in the galaxy
is higher
than the probability value
of our civilization
being the only civilization
in the galaxy

and
from observing
the amount of stars
in our galaxy
especially those
that are much older
than our sun

the probability value
of there existing
civilizations older
than our civilization
in the galaxy
is higher
than the probability value
of our civilization
being the oldest
of all the civilizations
in the galaxy

now
we get the stop watch out
.............

 

this becomes
the rhetorical question
that defines the remainder
of the dialogue

are we the alone
or
are we the ignored?

both are frightening
in their own ways
and implications

but when we recall
the probability value
of life existing elsewhere
beyond our planet's atmosphere
versus the probability value
of it not existing
we begin to realize
that the fruit dish
is becoming moldy
and the candles
have long since
burned out

but the telephone
just started ringing
.............

 

"where is everybody?"

asked the physicist
enrico fermi

while he and his colleagues
continually discovered information
that directly suggested
the high probability
of intelligent life
elsewhere in the galaxy

with many stars being
much older than our star
a high probability exists
as well
of life more intelligent
than ourselves

using a plethora of variables
all multiplied together
frank drake estimated
the number of intelligent civilizations
in our galaxy
at 12,000
during his initial run of numbers

the formula he developed
is known as the drake equation
and is still utilized
by scientists today
to estimate the number
of intelligent civilizations
in the galaxy

carl sagan
estimated this number
a good deal higher
at 1,000,000 of such civilizations

some scientists today
utilize the equation
and settle on numbers
up to nearly 50,000,000 civilizations

during the initial meeting
to discuss drake's work
the participants
utilized the formula
along with other methods
and reasoning
to develop a maximum hypothesis
of 100,000,000 civilizations
in the galaxy

this is profound
considering the parameters
drake set in place
within his equation
established the maximum number
of civilizations in the galaxy
at 50,000,000

with or without
the hypothesizing
of varying physicists
and astronomers
a casual observer can notice
through even his own means
that the probability value life
exists elsewhere
in this galaxy
is more likely
than the probability value
that life does not exist
outside of our planet's atmosphere

especially considering
how extraordinarily young
our star is
relative to other stars
in the galaxy

and fermi asked

"where is everybody?"

for good reason

wouldn't you wonder
the same thing
if you and your colleagues
were sifting through new information
that suggested
life is more common
than it had been previously believed
to be?

after all
a strong judeo-christian
mindset has held an equally strong grip
over the western world
for upwards of two thousand years

such a mindset
is largely built upon the exclusivity
of life on earth
and a personal god
who created
man in his image

as opposed to
intelligent life
throughout the universe
and an impersonal god
at best
where life is a by product
of proper conditions
and honest statistics

so
where is everybody?

this question
can be asked
in one of two ways

in the first of such
it is asked
as one would ask
their friends
as they all walk alone
through the forest
during the quietest part
of the night

in the second of such
it is asked
as a host would ask himself
at ten in the evening
after realizing
to his dismay
that no one bothered to show up
to his dinner party

and what a bummer
it is
to feel that way

ignored
as opposed
to alone

............

 

When dealing with bees , always use a calculator.
With herrings , a fillet knife.

 

why don't we
become employed
by that question
for a while?

let's look at the subject
logically
in the truest definition
of the word

logic is defined by inexorable truth
sound judgement
investigation
reason
convincing forcefulness
reliability

can the fermi paradox
be both right and wrong
at the same time?

that would surely
make it a paradox.........

how long would it take us
from now
should the stop watch start
to colonize the galaxy?

what if we started
the stop watch
five thousand years
from now?

what is the nature of growth
concerning technological advancement?

with all that said
and everything else left unsaid
what do we answer back with
to our friend?

before we say anything
however
we'd ought to remember
drake's equation
fermi and his friends

and everyone else
who asked a reasonable question
in between

we can address this subject logically
and quite satisfyingly
without the assistance
of any UFOLOGY GURUS

no need for any silly donations
or speaking tours


well
maybe just a calculator
lol

.........

 

the script
of modern life

has had many authors
and many editors

as well as
uncountable narrators

of course

but such an omnipresent
meme
that weaves in and out
of culture and ages
would surely fascinate
the idle minds
of curious observers
when they find themselves
coasting atop the foam of time

instead
i hear often
from such minds of the moment

their concerns with a celebrity's sexuality

or what a shopkeeper should have done
or shouldn't have done
with their parking lot advertisements

sometimes
though
a conversation floats off
to a point

we all can recognize this point

where all the ego
has worn off
like a cereal box tattoo

and the participants
have nothing further
to prove or add

and even if they should
have such a contribution
it would fall upon
ears that do not care enough
to process the implications

i refer to this
as the peace pipe point
of the conversation

due to the universality
of the calumet

as well as
the obvious catalyst
for many of such discussions

now
at such a point
and place
in the conversation
topics of actual interest
tend to reveal themselves
as modest musings
or rhetorical questions
at first

the serious faces
the required expression
of one while reading
the script of modern life
do fade away now......

your friend
who you thought
dreamed in the form of spreadsheets
surprises you with the question

"what do you think
of ufos......?"

........

 

the asch paradigm

observant 911 operators
in phoenix

genetic homeostasis

freedom from mind

the balance of inaction
and action

psychologically ergonomic language

the concrete nature of truth

beliefs concerning beliefs

sudden savant syndrome

the corporeality of emotions
and thoughts

the ...oh wells...... continue

i observe
the script of modern life
we all read
when i lay my copy
of it down

it is just a script
after all
though a persistent one

an old friend
who only comes around
when he wants something
begins the conversation

"hello
good to see you
and how are you?"

and pauses
while awaiting for you
to follow also
the script

but should your copy
of the script
be out of eyesight

it becomes easier to see

the statement of

"how are you doing?"

as

"i will pretend to listen
through your response
to my question
until i hear you ask of me
the same

and at this point
which was the point
of me asking

i will describe
how upset and defeated
i am currently
in an attempt
to receive from you
a monetary tithe
for the trouble
of you hearing my woeful laments"

and still
the oh wells.....
carry on.........

 

all live languages
at this time
share a commonality

SIMPLIFICATION

there is a gradual leaning
in all modes of exchange
toward refinement
and condensation

this is fueled
by creating pathways

shortcuts

between points

which itself
is based upon the conservation
of energy
in the form of mental effort
as mental effort
is a draining thing
which distracts the body
from raw forms
of consumable energy
to be sought

however
to create pathways
means to create
by default
rules of engagement
to prevent
this conservation of energy
from causing CHAOS
or entropy
which builds upon
the degradation
of colliding objects

but with all rules
exceptions must be set
along with precedents

and with these bylaws
come further rules

as well as
bodies to oversee
and catalog
the records of such

the process of simplification
is a process
and byproducts
of creating a process
are
stop signs
green lights
and meter maids

but language
all live languages
are along the pendulum ride
toward simplification
to preserve
energy
mental
and thus
physical

but
language
is the vessel of communication

and in an age
where nonverbal communication

which statistically makes up over 90%
of overall communication

is removed
through the use
of technology
to expedite
the communication process

a language
that is becoming compacted
loses the power
it once had

where an individual
may have once
traveled five miles
to deliver
a message

the same individual now
can send two words
in one text message

"love you.."

to the lady
he is amazed by

communication
is three dimensional

and as language
becomes increasingly
less of volume

communication
is flattening
to two dimensions
literally

what would a language
you could physically hold
portray of itself
to the mind?

would less of the initial message
from the sender
be decoded
by the receiver?

how many senses
could be triggered
by a language of such a type?

how would this influence memory?

what would a language
of this type
do with a mind
that prefers to learn kinetically?

what would
this language
look like?

 

there are four brothers
on an airplane

the sun is setting
behind the desert landscape
and the sky
is clear of clouds

as the airplane turns slightly
it exposes the brothers'
side of the airplane
to the sunlight

one brother reacts
by pulling shut
the curtain of his window
exclaiming aloud
how distracting
the sunlight is
to his reading

one brother
looks to the sunset
but turns away
and continues
about his time
as if it were an ordinary sight

one brother
does much the same
but informs the other three
of how nice the view is
of the sun setting
over the desert mesas

one brother
agrees with the latter brother
and watches the sunlight
as it fades away
while being mindful
of the travels
he currently is having
with his siblings

and upon
his arrival home
he paints on a canvas
the sunset he observed
while in the company
of his brothers

 

>

a note to the observant
before we talk about
better things.......

the nature
of the ramblings
of the gurus

is predictable
by definition

as it swings no different
than does a pendulum

it has to
again
by definition

as the pendulum swings right
each of the gurus
try to top each other
with the most absurd claim

but as a ceiling becomes reached
by one in particular

the pendulum
must swing toward the left

the momentum is directed
back and forth
and forth and back

it has recently reached
the far right

and now
the more cognizant
of the herd
take notice of this
and position themselves
to hop on
and ride upon
the swinging weight
as it treks back
the way from which it last came

who has
or possibly
who have
just pushed
toward the highest reaches
of the bizarre?

who has
or possibly
who have
just decried
the thread of bizarreness
they once supported
for their own gain?

foreseeably
they will make the same decision again
and for the same reason

their own gain

or more astutely put

their own maintenance.......

 

and the boisterous billboards
alongside the highway

where they advertise themselves

who picks up the trash
for no compensation
that piles beneath...?

slappy

 

over the weekend
i had some opportunity time
and took a serious look
into the world
of the alternative media gurus

this was the first time
i invested such an amount of time
since 2010
when i was incredibly bored
and working at a college library

i was only nineteen or twenty at the time
and was immensely befuddled
and amused
by the antics of these gurus

but now
it's much less fascinating
and instead
deeply upsetting

isn't it peculiar
that most of these gurus
proclaim themselves
to be at a status equivalent of MERCURY?

a messenger between the people
and the gods

a messenger between the masses
and the truth

cunning
quick
deceptive
divinely justified...........

no one could cross
through the ancient trees
without the oversight
of mr. henry the strongman
after he received
your payment of gold

anton made his choices
because he believed
beyond the use of the word
that he was right
and therefore
all other opinions
were not

but the great normalcy bias
does have an influence
over the despondent
and content
audience
as they peruse through
the ramblings
of their guru of choice

the question
which presents itself to me
is quite simple

if a guru
whoever he or she may be
believes to have been given a truth
so revolutionary
and so fantastic
that the mere presence
of such a truth
gives energy to the spirit
and vitality
to all of humanity

why would such a guru
profit off the aroma
of that truth

withholding it from those
who could benefit from it the most

enticing those
who can most easily afford it

and positioning themselves
as guardian
or possibly captor
of the truth

but it becomes
more complicated
and upsetting

what also about
the gurus
who are photocopies
of gurus

this is the most abundant variety......

such a guru
of this stature
does not even have anything shiny
hidden in their hands

but pretends
and carries on
as if what they have
is even more shiny
than that of whomever
they are imitating

?

i find this behavior
to be upsetting
and parasitic

and i say this
not to proclaim superiority
or goodliness
but to voice my indignation
as just another EVERYMAN
who finds music beautiful
and deceit offensive

while the gurus
are occupied
politicking for donations
and posturing about
who has the best relationship
with the blonde aliens
from across the galaxy.......

there are honest people
doing incredibly virtuous things
at great expense
to themselves

one of the most apparent examples
of an altruistic being
is the 84 year old nun
who broke through the fence
of a nuclear facility

there is an excellent interview
of her posted
here
on the ct thread

i am not speaking of her actions
as i do not support
anyone doing anything illegal

but only of what she said
to the judge
upon sentencing

"please have no leniency
with me
to remain in prison
for the rest of my life
would be the greatest gift
you could give me"

she went on
to describe her inner peace
during confinement
with

"beautiful women
here who are my friends"

i found her comments
to be very enlightening
and selfless

it is the individuals
who are of this mindset
that are shadowed
by the loud
and destructive
gurus
who may preach of enriching humanity
but do not live
in accordance
to such principles

these gurus are easy to spot
by default..........

 

advertising
religion
memetics
aesthetics
semantic memory

can be understood
together
when firstly
studying
the eaton-rosen phenomenon

heeaaddphoone

 

the last words
of leonardo di ser piero da vinci

"i have offended god
and mankind
by doing so little
with my life"

 

RELEVANCE
continued......

our psychological mechanism
which determines
data from the senses
we deem relevant
therefore
worthy of being processed further

versus

that which is deemed irrelevant
therefore
discarded

is often held
at the mercy
of other subconscious filters
we do not realize
we harbor

why do we have a tendency
to commit to memory
the opinions
of people
who have already formed
an opinion
whereas
we discard
the words
of people
who have fragments
of initial data?

firsthand
data

raw

the brain uses more energy
when working
as opposed
to when it is docile

preservation
of self
and energy
is a natural tendency

for obvious reasons

the mind favors
the path of least resistance

one assumes
through a trail of logic
that states

"since these minds
have already
done the work
that my mind would have
to have thought through
i can say
with safety
that a correct conclusion
has been drawn"

it is a tendency
also
for a mind
to believe
that all other minds
are just like itself

consider
march 13, 1997

in phoenix

who thought to call
the 911 operators
and ask of them
what calls they received?

............

 

good morning

hello

do you know why
we say
"hello"
when we pick up the phone?

mr. edison
popularized the usage
of the word "hello"

which contrasted
mr. bell's nautical phrase
"ahoy"
as a telephone greeting

"hello"
was used
quite often before
as a way of catching the attention
of someone nearby
before speaking

but quickly
became the standard way
to answer the phone

fascinating........

maybe

anyway..

as those who know me know
i am not interested in
or enamored by
most things
of popular demand

i do
however
find a condition
known to affect
just a few
more fascinating
than most anything else

ACQUIRED SAVANT SYNDROME

a man falls asleep
and while resting
receives a substantial head injury
from a falling beam

he wakes up
two days later
in the hospital
speaking fluently
a language
that hasn't been spoken
in years

another man
is doing electrical work
at his home
when he makes a poor decision
and finds himself
an excellent conductor
of a hearty share of electricity

when he comes again conscious
he notices
that in his mind's eye
he can see complex shapes
and intricate geometries

he picks up a paint brush
for the first time in years
and paints a marvelous landscape
to perfect scale

when those years before
the best he could paint
would hardly be decipherable
from his six year old daughter's art class painting
that hangs on the fridge

trauma and electrical shock
as well as several other
less common factors

may trigger
acquired savant syndrome

and leave the newfound savant
confused and befuddled
as to where the sudden talent
came from

though it seems
to the savant
that it had been there
the whole time

as natural
as speaking a primary language
or writing one's name
on a sheet of lined paper

have you ever observed
a friend who has never been
a very talented singer

but

when in the presence
of someone he finds lovely
and with also
the proper encouragement

he goes up
on the little stage
and sings a proper karaoke
of whatever song
is popular at the time?

ungodly stress
will make the mother
lift the minivan
to save her child
trapped under the wreckage

a long succession
of possibly unfounded compliments
concerning the abilities
of a struggling sales professional
allows the young man
to close the next five deals
as if he were the top writer
in the company

can one acquire
unknowingly
the condition of a savant
for only a moment?

can said individual
reacquire
this condition
again and again?

can said individual
then recognize the pattern
and coach herself
to attain "savanthood"
for the particular trait
on command?

can this individual
then later
apply this ability
to other traits?

can this individual
then become so fluent
in being a savant
at several different traits
that they no longer
require the process
and simply
switch to "savanthood"
regarding any trait
at any time?

the mind
is the closest thing
to observable magic

wouldn't you say?

i find it peculiar
that each of us
have between our ears
the world's most
versatile
expansive
agile
powerful
intuitive
receptive
analytical
processing machine
known to all of man

but how often
do you observe
someone wasting away
their capabilities
by staring blankly
day after day
at a television set?

how often
do you observe someone
practicing ritualistically
other actions
that are defeatist by definition?

i find it akin
to being given
a new maserati

free of charge

but then driving it
no faster than
a man walks

and then proceeding
to drive
this powerful machine
into every telephone pole
alongside the road

hummmmm.......................

 

what is more fragile?

my opinion of you
or
your opinion of you?

what makes it
sway in the wind?

what is the wind
that makes it move?

an opinion can be
such a fickle thing

or

such a powerful thing

i asked someone
incredibly wise
and balanced
when i was young

"what is life
all about?"

she gave me one word
to understand our situations by

RATINGS

she did not elaborate
and i still find it peculiar

until i think back to opinions
and what drives them
or leaves them idle

i hear often
"you made me upset"

or other such statements
to and fro
in observable conversations

to make someone mad
would mean giving such a person
complete control
over your emotions
allowing such a person
to put you in a state of mind
that is unfavorable
to your overall wellness

how does that rate?
lol

 

but a thoughtless choice
had to be chosen
at some point

in order
for it to repeat
ad infinitum

so
an initial choice
had to be chosen

with all the power
to choose
itself
in a repeating succession
down the river

which makes sense
most especially
if one studies
RELEVANCE

without looking
draw the timepiece on your wrist

now
compare it to
the actual thing

i have yet to see anyone
accurately depict
their wristwatch

they occasionally get the time correct
in the drawing

much the same
with the overall shape

but most omit the second hand

or mistakenly write out numbers
instead of roman numerals

this timepiece
for most individuals
is checked several times an hour

five days a week

and quite often
for a decade or more

but considering
this is something
we spend a vast amount
of cumulative time
staring at

surely we should
know more than
just the shape
of the timepiece

but

the brain
will only hold conscious
what it deems
to be relevant

and if behaviors
are dictated by beliefs

and if beliefs
are dictated by programming

what
do you
deem
relevant?

WHY?

cooldrink