What a single individual can learn about humanity during one lifetime is limited to a very small area. It is as a collective that additions can be made, and as a collective where the extent of the knowledge gained can pool to allow for a broader view of the existence of humanity with all of its idiosyncrasies.
In order to assist individuals along we as a collective have created a number of means to ease the thought over the big unanswerable questions of “Why are we here?”, “Is there a God?”, and “What is my purpose?”. This diversion is done through religion or public policy (sometimes in combination) and allows the vast majority of our collective to focus on either maintaining civilization or advancing it through small steps.
As for the repetition, it is inevitable. The process which is intrinsic to the allowance of the forward movement of humanity will hit the same problems and milestones over and over again because they are not the main goal, but an ends to a mean. Remember, that it is the collective knowledge and understanding that is the final objective, and not distractions that permit the process to continue.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Thursday, August 24, 2006
The re-asking of a good political question
During a debate in 1982, Ronald Reagan, when he debated President Jimmy Carter, asked the public the question: "Are you better off today then you were four years ago?" Circumstances as they were, when asked personally, gave a resounding and destructive answer against the then president Carter and the direction that the country was currently heading.
But more importantly, the way that the question was phrased was ultimately more important. What Reagan said was Are "YOU better off", not are "WE better off", not is "OUR union better off", but are "YOU better off". This question marked the official moment of the complete transformation from Hippies to Yuppies. Sure, it took a few years for the economy and people to realize that they now believed more in compound interest then in free love, want a BMW instead of LSD, and believed in fiscal responsibility above the common good, but it still happened at that moment. It was a national change from "ask what you can do for your country" to "what's in it for me?".
This fall, what I would like to see, is someone asking the question: "Do you believe that our country is better off today then it was six years ago?" Because the answer to that also gives a resounding and destructive answer against the completely Republican controlled government of the last five years.
Noticed that I said, "Republicans". I will no longer say Conservatives because the Republicans as a controlling block are anything but Conservative. No NeoCons either, moderates and extremes all voted the same. Splitting them into separate groups, even though they all voted the same, relieves certain individuals of the responsibility for the failings and misdirection of the recent events. Therefore, Republicans are the ones who must shoulder the blame.
And what blame is that? Well, the Republicans have spent money like a drunken Ted Kennedy in Vegas with a fist full of government bonds. Theyve increased the size of the federal budget like a New Deal on Barry Bond levels of steroids while decreasing individual responsibility and freedoms faster then your parents after they caught you smoking pot in the bathroom at your grandmothers 80th birthday party. And lets not forget that we as a country started a war under what turned out to be false pretenses. What have we got in return? More enemies, thousands of dead troops, decreased Middle-East stability, international snickering and a national debt that, if dollars equaled miles, would be a round trip to Pluto and back almost 1000 times.
So this fall, you America, have one job: vote for the direction you want to see the country to head in. If you like the direction of the last couple of years, vote Republican. If you would like to see the country head in any way other then what weve been heading in, vote Democrat. While voting, you must ask yourself: Do you believe that our country is better off today then it was six years ago?
But more importantly, the way that the question was phrased was ultimately more important. What Reagan said was Are "YOU better off", not are "WE better off", not is "OUR union better off", but are "YOU better off". This question marked the official moment of the complete transformation from Hippies to Yuppies. Sure, it took a few years for the economy and people to realize that they now believed more in compound interest then in free love, want a BMW instead of LSD, and believed in fiscal responsibility above the common good, but it still happened at that moment. It was a national change from "ask what you can do for your country" to "what's in it for me?".
This fall, what I would like to see, is someone asking the question: "Do you believe that our country is better off today then it was six years ago?" Because the answer to that also gives a resounding and destructive answer against the completely Republican controlled government of the last five years.
Noticed that I said, "Republicans". I will no longer say Conservatives because the Republicans as a controlling block are anything but Conservative. No NeoCons either, moderates and extremes all voted the same. Splitting them into separate groups, even though they all voted the same, relieves certain individuals of the responsibility for the failings and misdirection of the recent events. Therefore, Republicans are the ones who must shoulder the blame.
And what blame is that? Well, the Republicans have spent money like a drunken Ted Kennedy in Vegas with a fist full of government bonds. Theyve increased the size of the federal budget like a New Deal on Barry Bond levels of steroids while decreasing individual responsibility and freedoms faster then your parents after they caught you smoking pot in the bathroom at your grandmothers 80th birthday party. And lets not forget that we as a country started a war under what turned out to be false pretenses. What have we got in return? More enemies, thousands of dead troops, decreased Middle-East stability, international snickering and a national debt that, if dollars equaled miles, would be a round trip to Pluto and back almost 1000 times.
So this fall, you America, have one job: vote for the direction you want to see the country to head in. If you like the direction of the last couple of years, vote Republican. If you would like to see the country head in any way other then what weve been heading in, vote Democrat. While voting, you must ask yourself: Do you believe that our country is better off today then it was six years ago?
Saturday, August 19, 2006
I am proud to be a nerd
"Individual science fiction stories may seem as trivial as ever to the blinder critics and philosophers of today—but the core of science fiction, its essence ... has become crucial to our salvation if we are to be saved at all." – Isaac Asimov
Thursday, August 03, 2006
My idea for a new competition reality show:
Welcome to Stand Up! Fox's new standing competition reality series where you American get to choose who you think is the best Stander the US has to offer. As always, our judges are the resident perky, forcibly-retired performer Candy Paxil, talent scout Hip Kooldude, and our own little grumpy part of Britain, Hugh Bigalow Longfellow.
It’s week 3 and last week there were some surprises and heartbreaks. Let’s take a look at this week’s first contestant Allexi.
Allexi, wearing a tight, bright orange dress, hair extensions and a holding a small dog while she stands in the middle of the stage – not moving.
Audience screams insanely
Hugh: Allexi that was a horrible stand. Where was the heart, the emotion, your trademark style? I just didn’t like it.
Audience boos loudly
Candy: Well, I don’t know what Mr. Uptight British was watching over there, but I thought you were greatly improved over last week. You got up, you stood there and didn’t move – and then right at the end, you blinked. It was brilliant.
Audience screams like they’ve seen Godzilla
Hip: I totally agree with Candy. I’ve been in this business for a long time and haven’t seen anyone who can just stand there like you do. You got my vote.
Audience screams, two boys in the front row hyperventilate and pass out.
Well, how did you America feel about it? We’ll find out later when we reveal who received the most of the 19.7 zillion votes!
Our next contestant is Stephan. Let’s take a look at Stephan’s last week’s performance.
Stephan, wearing a bandana, purposely distressed jeans and a hat slightly off to one side while he stands in the middle of the stage – not moving.
Hip: You know, I wanted to feel it, I needed to feel it, but I didn’t feel it.
Audience screams, but is not sure why
Candy: Well, I think it was brilliant. Just brilliant. If I had to sum up what I thought of that stand, I would say… ….um.. …. .brilliant.
Audience wails in ecstasy
Hugh: Stephan, you’ve never impressed me. I think you’re too short, you’re ugly, and I’ve never liked the way that you stand. That is (dramatic pause) until tonight. Tonight you were on fire. You stood there better then you ever have before. Tonight, you were a standing God.
Audience screams and several young girls actually explode…
It’s week 3 and last week there were some surprises and heartbreaks. Let’s take a look at this week’s first contestant Allexi.
Allexi, wearing a tight, bright orange dress, hair extensions and a holding a small dog while she stands in the middle of the stage – not moving.
Audience screams insanely
Hugh: Allexi that was a horrible stand. Where was the heart, the emotion, your trademark style? I just didn’t like it.
Audience boos loudly
Candy: Well, I don’t know what Mr. Uptight British was watching over there, but I thought you were greatly improved over last week. You got up, you stood there and didn’t move – and then right at the end, you blinked. It was brilliant.
Audience screams like they’ve seen Godzilla
Hip: I totally agree with Candy. I’ve been in this business for a long time and haven’t seen anyone who can just stand there like you do. You got my vote.
Audience screams, two boys in the front row hyperventilate and pass out.
Well, how did you America feel about it? We’ll find out later when we reveal who received the most of the 19.7 zillion votes!
Our next contestant is Stephan. Let’s take a look at Stephan’s last week’s performance.
Stephan, wearing a bandana, purposely distressed jeans and a hat slightly off to one side while he stands in the middle of the stage – not moving.
Hip: You know, I wanted to feel it, I needed to feel it, but I didn’t feel it.
Audience screams, but is not sure why
Candy: Well, I think it was brilliant. Just brilliant. If I had to sum up what I thought of that stand, I would say… ….um.. …. .brilliant.
Audience wails in ecstasy
Hugh: Stephan, you’ve never impressed me. I think you’re too short, you’re ugly, and I’ve never liked the way that you stand. That is (dramatic pause) until tonight. Tonight you were on fire. You stood there better then you ever have before. Tonight, you were a standing God.
Audience screams and several young girls actually explode…
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