Echo chambers and balance

 

I've thought a lot about my nation and the state of the world.  I can only read the history I have available about the civil war or the founding of our country and the revolutionary war. Same for the world wars. I lived through Vietnam but I was young and the draft ended before I was old enough to be drafted. Not much before. But, still before. 

That being said as a 60 plus year old man I can honestly state. I have never seen the country or the world for that matter in pockets and echo chamber's as angry, divided and self righteous  as today. Of course back in the olden days of 1976 😱 we didn't have the interweb's and the social media we do today. Now day's if I post something in Alabama it is immediately available to the entire planet. Not that the planet cares. Just that it is.

I was listening to the British personality Russell Brand on YouTube. By the way he is well worth checking out. He referenced a study conducted by a liberal or at least moderately liberal group. This is where it gets interesting because the findings are very much Not pro left or right. First they had a liberal group of people and put them in a room and asked about current events. Then did the same with conservative people. 

Of course the two groups gave the angry one sided answers you would expect.

 Then they took the liberal group and shared some actual feelings of conservatives with them. Not the mean old inbred white devil snark of Saturday Night Live or the self righteous dribble of Rachell Maddow. Then they took the conservatives and shared honest stories of liberal people about healthcare needs and treating people with respect instead of the silly screeching of Tucker Carlson or Sean Hannity.

Guess what happened? The liberal group softened their attitudes towards conservatives and the conservatives softened their attitudes towards liberals. Amazing! Makes me think we are getting played by big business and big pharma and politicians with self interest. 

Now the answer in my opinion isn't to watch Fox News as a liberal or MSNBC as a conservative. The answer is to watch whatever you want to watch. But, remember to follow the money and keep an open minded skepticism. Hold em all accountable. 

If you're interested in the experiment here is a link to the discussion. Either way just remember to hold them all accountable

https://youtu.be/XDYLInUgbBg

Highways and dreams.

 Summertime, time, time child, and the livings easy...Janis Joplin

Heading out on an August day. Thinking about life. It's gone by fast. I'm heading to Birmingham towards a Cardiology appointment. Can that even be real?  I'm 64 and that sure as heck don't seem real. But here I am. This has been a hot and humid Summer. 

Old man look at my life. I'm a lot like you were...Neil Young

I loved Summer in my youth. Before heart issues and blood thinners and gray hair. Hot? Why I'm from Aladamnbama. I laughed at the heat. Humidity? I didn't even notice it. But now? It's hard to catch my breath. It's gonna be hot this afternoon. Traffic and Birmingham humidity. But not right now. It's early morning with an overcast sky and the sun is mercifully behind the clouds. I'm cruising down I- 20/59 and once I hit that 459 exit and go around B-ham I'll be off the hot road. Now coming back this afternoon? Well, I just hope the air doesn't go out. 

Well this life that I lived. Took me everywhere. There ain't no place I ain't ever gone. ..Lynyrd Skynyrd.

This is about the time my 19 or 20 year old self would pop some old honk in the 8-track Lynyrd Skynyrd style. Turn it up! 

But, I'm not 19 and my mind is on my own sense of mortality. So I really wanted to talk with you for awhile. I have a different look or idea of you these day's. Matter of fact I find it hard to really envision you. Not because I doubt you're here. I'm more sure of that now than I was when I was devoutly Christian. It's just that you no longer fit in my box or anybody else's box. I don't even know what I am. 

I'll find a place to rest my spirit if I can. Perhaps I may become a highwayman again...Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson.

When I was a kid I would stand in front of a mirror. I would look at my reflection and think "I don't know who that is. But, I don't look like that." it's come full circle. Now, I remember my younger self and look at my old self and think. "I don't know who that fat little old man is. But, I don't look like that."

So what is life? I don't know. I'll tell you what I think. It's based on childhood memories and lucid dreams and my ongoing life long conversation with you. 

I think this is a dream. A persistent dream to be sure. But, still a dream. I sometimes think that if I could just get my body still and look at the edges I might actually see the reality just beyond this pale copy. 

Fly me high through the starry skies maybe to an astral plane...Dreamweaver "Gary Wright."

I understand that this conversation I'm writing down is also a pale copy of what I actually discussed with you today on the way to Birmingham. A wise lady said to me years ago. "Steve. There are some things you don't tell anybody but God." I've never forgotten that. So, the account I'm writing here will be a poor reflection of our actual conversation.

I mainly just need to capture the hope of our conversation. I had a lucid dream once. In that dream...

Last night I dreamed of heaven. That land so pure and sweet....Hank Williams

I wake up and realize my body is "back there" in bed. But, I'm walking in a red landscape. The sky is red and the ground has a reddish hue. Beside me is a robed figure. I know that he knows everything I could ever want to know. I asked him. "What is the dream?" 

I meant who is God? What am I? What is life and what is death? In dreams you just know your intent even if the words and images are symbolic. He said "You ask to much." meaning that I couldn't know all the secrets of the universe. Not even the ones that involved me. A single tear rolled down my cheek and I woke up. When I woke up there was an actual tear on my cheek. 

Beyond the door. There's peace for sure, and I know there'll be no more. Tears in Heaven...Eric Clapton

This was over 20 years ago and maybe closer to 30. But, I think I finally have a clue. Maybe life can't be put in a box. Maybe, like God it's too big for our finite brains to hold it. Maybe it's not a one size fits all. Maybe it wasn't that God refused to tell me. Maybe it's more than the mind of man can understand all at once. I'm still on the journey and it's infinite. 

Come on baby. Don't fear the reaper...Blue Oyster Cult.

Death. I admit I don't know what it is. But, I do know that every mother's child that ever came, crawled or was yanked from the womb has or will die or is dying. My very presence on this earth has been sacred and hellish and wonderful and horrible. But, I know that the universe is infinite and not insane. The fact that everyone dies tells me it's not evil or senseless. It's part of the journey. 

Put your hand in the hand of the man from Galilee....Ocean

The next time I see that figure I'm not going to ask what is the dream? I'm going to continue walking with him until morning comes. 

Peace.

Billy Summers Book Review.

 

I've been a Constant Reader since I was 18 years old. I'm 64.   This is an above average novel. As a matter of fact if Dean Koontz (no offense intended) had written it i would call it a great story. For him and others including Michael Connely, John Sanford, ECT. But for King it's a good novel but not a unique Stephen King like vibe. This is the author who was elevated to the rarified air of rock star in his early career. Something unheard of back in the day. He well deserved it Because I remember thinking that nobody, nowhere could write like this. But somewhere along the way someone convinced him that he could write crime novels. Well, he can but, not all that well. I love film Noir and I enjoy reading a good police procedural. Stephen King can write a decent crime novel but it lacks the fire and unique voice of his early horror/Americana fiction.  Still if your looking for a decent Summer read this is a really good story.  But (there have to be but's) Stephen king no longer seems to have the ability to write with any emphathy at all for conservative characters. Still, it's mild here compared to some of his recent political rants. I say this as a left of center Trump despising Southern Democrat. We do still exist. But. Like I say it's fairly mild.  Stephen King these days reminds me of a love from my teenage years. She was incredibly gorgeous. I compared every other woman from my youth to her. They came up short. But, now? Even though she is even better character wise. She no longer turns heads in her 60's the way she did in her prime. Stephen King is like that now as a writer. Still better than most. I am still a Constant Reader. But, the passion and unique early to mid career King is a faded glory. Here be mild spoilers: The character of Alice while good and sympathetic is also forced into the story. It's highly unlikely that a man on the run would run out in his underwear to drag a girl into his apartment. Honestly? The guys looking for him in a mid size city wouldn't connect a date rape crime to a contract killers hide out. Did he go all over the neighborhood picking up after hoodlums and other distractions? Of course not. That would draw attention to himself. In reality he would call 9-11 at the most on his burner then make sure she was breathing and get the heck out Of Dodge.  Also, who leaves a mad mob momma running around outside a mobsters gate with a gun while he cold cocks her baby boy after discretely" entering the mobsters lair? Not to mention (though I will) going to a store in a wig for feminine supplies while leaving a traumatized young woman in the apartment.  In real life and even in fiction that would expose him to her running to the nearest police station or neighbor. Billy even thinks about it on the way to the store. Just a big plot hole not worthy of an author of Stephen Kings ability. Still, as I said before. It's a good story. Plot holes and all.

Meanwhile Back on Earth

 Woke up this morning with light in my eyes and then realized it was still dark outside. It was a light coming down from the sky. I don't know who or why...Mr. Spaceman..The Byrds.

What is life? I got into an intense discussion today with my wife and son. It all started as these things often do with a more or less silly statement that I made in regard to something that a scientist said about aliens. The subject of ufo's came up and since that is one of my interests and has been since I was a child I had to put in my two cents worth. Now Cindy is a bit of a science nerd on some things and I have to admit that I am ignorant of most higher math and science and my main claim to intellectual pursuit is my love of reading. Other than that I couldn't teach a 6th grade science class or a 4th grade math class. So, there was this scientist claiming that maybe aliens wouldn't even contact us if they could and that even if they exist they would be so far above us that we would be like ants to them and therefore they would have no interest in us. Also that they would be biological and look something like us because that is how the physical laws of the universe work.

I had the right to remain silent. But, I didn't have the ability...Ron White.

I should have let it go right there. But, being as I am a UFO buff and also a bit of a new age space cadet I had to point out the fallacy of the great scientist on both a scientific and spiritual level. After all I argued we don't know if the physical laws hold up all across the universe. Also, what if they are not the boring Star Trek aliens. What if they are evolved spiritually and consciously and maybe they  are coming from another dimension of reality and not a materialistic one where they have bigger toys but no real wisdom or empathy.. Now to be fair that's not where the discussion went completely off the rails. Also, I pointed out that chances are we wouldn't be like ants to them and that is a very arrogant and silly way that for some reason even our smartest scientist seem to hold onto. After all if I went outside and found a group of ants building temples and space rockets then I would absolutely be convinced that  they were worth paying attention to. 

I've always been crazy but it's kept me from going insane... Waylon Jennings.

So, I said I felt we had evolved and were evolving consciously as a species and that human empathy was greater than it used to be. I feel that we are getting better at calling out racism and that we are progressing over all but it is a slow grind. My wife disagreed and pointed out how much sickness and poverty and slavery and need there is in the world. While rich men make ships to fly into space without a thought of the need for pandemic relief and vaccines and health care. Then my son who like most young people these days is becoming socially aware also said that he thought the world was horrible and that nothing had changed in the last 100 years in America or the world.

The arc of the universe is long. But, it finally bends towards justice...Martin Luther King Jr.

I told my son that if he were to go back to 1965 and talk to Martin Luther King and tell him that  The University of Alabama has black students and a black quarterback and that Birmingham has a black mayor and that he could just walk into a restaurant and order a meal and a white waitress would take his order. He would be incredibly happy about our progress. However, both my son and wife pointed out that we have seen a black man murdered in a northern city by a policeman and that black people still don't feel safe being pulled over by the law. I of course pointed out that there are not roving bands of cops or white supremacist killing people. They pointed out slavery in China and the way that poor communities who are mainly black are discriminated against. So, it was a tough sell trying to prove my theory that humanity is evolving into something better. We just had to agree to disagree. 

We know there is intention and purpose in the universe. Because there is intention and purpose in us...George Bernard Shaw.

So then somehow we get off onto evolution and intent. I concur that evolution is a force of nature but that it has intent behind it. My son brings up random mutations as an argument and then I say that the original intent was still there or nothing would happen at all. that just kicks the can down the road. Anyway, I'm afraid I just came off looking like a space cadet and maybe his agnosticism was strengthened. but I still know that there is a purpose to the universe. Otherwise the universe is completely blind and deaf and is indeed the work of an idiot signifying nothing. But, here we start to get into philosophy and maybe even religion. I have no real patience for religion myself these days. 

You do not have to attend every argument to which you are invited . ..Buddha.

So, now wishing I had argued less I decided to throw out two more things to prove my superior thought skills and save a little of my wounded pride. First I said that my son should watch a Buddha at the Gas Pump podcast featuring Doctor Jim Tucker of the University of Virginia Department of Perceptual Studies which would reinforce my view that more is going on with consciousness than simply random and meaningless mutations. But, even though I do think it's a good interview, it's over two hours and I highly doubt a teenager is going to sit though it just to hear reincarnation theory. I have to be doing something else myself like walking or doing chores because even I can't just sit there that long while somebody talks. Besides I no longer believe in a one size fits all philosophy myself. 

The public has a distorted view of science because children are taught in school that science is a collection of firmly established truths. In fact, science is not a collection of truths. It is a continuing exploration of mysteries...Freeman John Dyson.

So, I pointed out that I once saw a video of Carl Sagan where he talked about a small population of crabs in a certain area. The spotted ones tasted great to the local fishermen while the white ones were not as tasty. The spotted ones disappeared and to the great Sagan that proved that there was no real intent, just random evolution. I pointed out that it actually was an example of intent. The fishermen caught all the spotted crabs and ate them. They threw back the white ones. So, it was an example of intent. Cindy and I argued  for awhile as she saw evolution in action and I saw intent. Actually we are both right in our own way and the way we look at it. But, alas I'm afraid I still came off as the space cadet and so I really should have just let it go. 

The question isn't if there is a God or not. The question is have you experienced God or have you not experienced God...Hindu wisdom verse.

Finally, I assured my son that I am not anti-science. As a matter of fact I adore medical science. I would be dead of heart failure right now if not for the brilliance of medical science. But, I see intent and purpose in that. I see a species that is evolving mostly technologically but also consciously. I remember being in the hospital and about to be transferred to another hospital where the surgeon would repair my new heart valve that had come loose. 

I had a "intuition, vision, Inner knowledge" of a giant pinball machine and I was about to be sent into the universe like a pinball being shot out by the pulling of a lever. But, there was purpose in it. I knew that my destination was already known. That what might appear random was in actuality part of a bigger plan. A divine plan. Maybe I can't convince my son or my wife that there is a personal relationship with the Divine apart from religious dogma. But, my whole life is a search and a cry to the one I have dialoged with my whole life. I still have hope that even in a world of apparent randomness that we are more than meat sacks. or a bog of bones.

Peace.