Information Wars and the Value of Human Lives
February 11
At one point in this past century it was believed that knowledge is power, and then, with the advent of the world wide web a slogan developed that information should be free. The idealistic notion that stories, pictures, poetry, biographies, lineages, quotes from great thinkers, scientific journals and tutorials to help the newcomers to the "information age" survives but those that champion the possibility of real progress have seemingly become divided by what I can only term "vested interests". World organizations whose main purpose is promote humanitarian aid
have sites on the same network as military branches, blogs by kids and their mothers as well as media and cable networks offering their digital wares, sometimes one can find a glimmer of what presents as hope or inspiration among the detritus of a time before terrorist networks and corporate spies along with some brave detractors from typical party lines decided to use the sometimes classified, sometimes banal plethora of facts and fiction and half-truths for their own ends.
I am reminded of what I honor in myself as a previous champion Lincoln-Douglas debator: that the ends do not justify the means - in all cases,
I add these last three words now because between an affirmative or a negative stance on any issue, no matter how theoretical or revolutionary in spirit, I have found that there simply must be room for both error and expanding viewpoints that do not always fit the mold of acceptable.
When one is truly passionate, their is something ineffable about them - a glow, a ferocity in their eyes or voice that tells me personally that they have transcended both the rulebooks and rationales and they are speaking as whole human beings from their heart. That passion is a fire which has burned throughout the ages in public discourse as well as in private spheres for an elite echelon that divides the masses. This being an "Olympic Year" the torch is lit, for all the world to see and in a part of the world that was once only recognized in terms of the "Cold War Era" is hosting people of all nations.
I have seen, as an observer, so many incredulous and insightful things that I could list but won't; the reason being that I have continuously been discredited as some sort of insane person even though I have an invisible cheering (or jeering) section telling me to lead. In repose, with my familiar tooth pain humbling me and reminding me of my own humanity and mortality both, I choose now to ask questions. Right as of this moment why is it that hope is such a scary word?
I intuit that it is not because of fear of failure (many great people/countries have experienced and faced challenges of an EXTRAORDINARY nature and pressed on) but that hope has become some sort of buzzword by which a moral pluralism can take hold, allowing us to escape what I believe: we have the right to say it when something is UNFAIR. BY eschewing the right to describe the situation or "sitch" as unfair and then simply addressing it with an instinctual quip or move, as it were we do not ever get the chance to examine the big picture and question what is worthwhile and reassess our priorities as times change and the Earth continues to revolve on its' axis.
Thinking that the pen may indeed be mightier than the sword gives me the ability as a poor person with many aspirations a chance to press on and through the muck and the mire of a world that, on the surface, takes into account the size of ones' wallet, ethnicity, gender and social status before allowing their genuine nature as the testament of their character and capacity for love.
In my view this latter way of qualifying someone as fit for leadership or service or even the simple ability to be a true and loyal friend amidst the chaos of the universe in this present time is a far better measure than the tried and true methods.
To be judged by the company you keep is a treacherous way of viewing things in an age where people have avatars on the web with thousands of people they may very well never once met in person. Going back back to the possibilities for a moment in a light, the stories and pictures that show our humanity are all attempts by someone who took a risk. When a child first learns to ride a bicycle, we encourage them to go for it, hold on a wear a helmet. If they fall down, we do not ridicule nor gang up on them as older or seemingly wiser people, we must just gently guide and hope for the best. In absence of the best tutors, mentors, or friend we still strive for both accomplishment and one day recognitions and for some of us that means looking back, to the lessons of history and all of those brave and innovative and courageous ones that helped humanity. Without recognizing not just our nuclear family or ancestors but others of different cultures and even unimaginable places where communication is so very different from our own way we are not fully persons and can fall prey to hubris - false pride - in our quest for individual glory or fame.
Some choose to work on their advancement in servitude - of higher ideals or causes or private theologically-related reasons and can only do so much to structures that exist and have existed in order to keep the values' they hold dear as an integral part of life itself. Sometimes one rightfully fears removing one card from a tower built on a stable surface as an idle feat to keep busy or let time pass because logic seems to dictate that the time spent creating that seemingly dumb structure was a waste of time as it all comes falling down... but what if. What if one day you take a card or two or three and they add up to the start of a new way of looking at things, that maybe its' okay to have certain sense beyond logic because if we didn't feel or get funny tickles or itches or dreams or signs from places we're not even sure about, imagination and delight in everyday things could not occur. What if it's okay to be the hero of your own life, on a personal quest that noone alive should judge unless you are (as an American-born person I say this as 'infringing on the rights of others') and in other ways - sure finders keepers unless you saw someone drop that (knowledge OR object) and you outright steal the credit for their very life by doing so. What if, instead of just names attached to work or words or people, it's souls and magic and traditions and wisdom...
??
Who would ever hit the delete key.
February 11
At one point in this past century it was believed that knowledge is power, and then, with the advent of the world wide web a slogan developed that information should be free. The idealistic notion that stories, pictures, poetry, biographies, lineages, quotes from great thinkers, scientific journals and tutorials to help the newcomers to the "information age" survives but those that champion the possibility of real progress have seemingly become divided by what I can only term "vested interests". World organizations whose main purpose is promote humanitarian aid
have sites on the same network as military branches, blogs by kids and their mothers as well as media and cable networks offering their digital wares, sometimes one can find a glimmer of what presents as hope or inspiration among the detritus of a time before terrorist networks and corporate spies along with some brave detractors from typical party lines decided to use the sometimes classified, sometimes banal plethora of facts and fiction and half-truths for their own ends.
I am reminded of what I honor in myself as a previous champion Lincoln-Douglas debator: that the ends do not justify the means - in all cases,
I add these last three words now because between an affirmative or a negative stance on any issue, no matter how theoretical or revolutionary in spirit, I have found that there simply must be room for both error and expanding viewpoints that do not always fit the mold of acceptable.
When one is truly passionate, their is something ineffable about them - a glow, a ferocity in their eyes or voice that tells me personally that they have transcended both the rulebooks and rationales and they are speaking as whole human beings from their heart. That passion is a fire which has burned throughout the ages in public discourse as well as in private spheres for an elite echelon that divides the masses. This being an "Olympic Year" the torch is lit, for all the world to see and in a part of the world that was once only recognized in terms of the "Cold War Era" is hosting people of all nations.
I have seen, as an observer, so many incredulous and insightful things that I could list but won't; the reason being that I have continuously been discredited as some sort of insane person even though I have an invisible cheering (or jeering) section telling me to lead. In repose, with my familiar tooth pain humbling me and reminding me of my own humanity and mortality both, I choose now to ask questions. Right as of this moment why is it that hope is such a scary word?
I intuit that it is not because of fear of failure (many great people/countries have experienced and faced challenges of an EXTRAORDINARY nature and pressed on) but that hope has become some sort of buzzword by which a moral pluralism can take hold, allowing us to escape what I believe: we have the right to say it when something is UNFAIR. BY eschewing the right to describe the situation or "sitch" as unfair and then simply addressing it with an instinctual quip or move, as it were we do not ever get the chance to examine the big picture and question what is worthwhile and reassess our priorities as times change and the Earth continues to revolve on its' axis.
Thinking that the pen may indeed be mightier than the sword gives me the ability as a poor person with many aspirations a chance to press on and through the muck and the mire of a world that, on the surface, takes into account the size of ones' wallet, ethnicity, gender and social status before allowing their genuine nature as the testament of their character and capacity for love.
In my view this latter way of qualifying someone as fit for leadership or service or even the simple ability to be a true and loyal friend amidst the chaos of the universe in this present time is a far better measure than the tried and true methods.
To be judged by the company you keep is a treacherous way of viewing things in an age where people have avatars on the web with thousands of people they may very well never once met in person. Going back back to the possibilities for a moment in a light, the stories and pictures that show our humanity are all attempts by someone who took a risk. When a child first learns to ride a bicycle, we encourage them to go for it, hold on a wear a helmet. If they fall down, we do not ridicule nor gang up on them as older or seemingly wiser people, we must just gently guide and hope for the best. In absence of the best tutors, mentors, or friend we still strive for both accomplishment and one day recognitions and for some of us that means looking back, to the lessons of history and all of those brave and innovative and courageous ones that helped humanity. Without recognizing not just our nuclear family or ancestors but others of different cultures and even unimaginable places where communication is so very different from our own way we are not fully persons and can fall prey to hubris - false pride - in our quest for individual glory or fame.
Some choose to work on their advancement in servitude - of higher ideals or causes or private theologically-related reasons and can only do so much to structures that exist and have existed in order to keep the values' they hold dear as an integral part of life itself. Sometimes one rightfully fears removing one card from a tower built on a stable surface as an idle feat to keep busy or let time pass because logic seems to dictate that the time spent creating that seemingly dumb structure was a waste of time as it all comes falling down... but what if. What if one day you take a card or two or three and they add up to the start of a new way of looking at things, that maybe its' okay to have certain sense beyond logic because if we didn't feel or get funny tickles or itches or dreams or signs from places we're not even sure about, imagination and delight in everyday things could not occur. What if it's okay to be the hero of your own life, on a personal quest that noone alive should judge unless you are (as an American-born person I say this as 'infringing on the rights of others') and in other ways - sure finders keepers unless you saw someone drop that (knowledge OR object) and you outright steal the credit for their very life by doing so. What if, instead of just names attached to work or words or people, it's souls and magic and traditions and wisdom...
??
Who would ever hit the delete key.