SCIENCE FICTION IS TRUE?

BEYOND SPACE WESTERNS

I like science fiction. About 25 years ago I entered the second painting I had ever done into a science fiction contest for an exhibition. It was judged by Hugo and Nebula award winning science fiction writers. Anyway, that painting was one of only 1.5% of all entries selected. So I have more than a passing interest in theories of the future.

I like the Science Fiction Channel, but plots are often highly repetitive. I also like the Science Channel, lots of Link TV and PBS. Currently I am on MSNBC’s side for providing a thoughtful alternative to the news and debate. And while I am talking about the Tube, I’m glad FOX, had House on.

For the whole usual space warfare scenarios; much advanced civilizations, if they are into conquering us, well, it would kinda be like man with rifles versus the Buffalo. No contest.

Which brings me to the technologies and how on so many movies and scifi shows, everyone, more or less, speaks English. One reason I was glad to see Babylon 5 for, was what it broke in convention of the easy road of low brow assumptions so prevalent otherwise. Look how the old Twilight Zone was so thoughtful and well done on such a low budget–mind over matter, uh, money.

BULLETS IN SPACE?

It is probably to appeal to our frames of reference instead of challenging our minds, but many of these space wars have ships shooting real close, so we can see the action apparently. Conveniently “shields” let the battle go on for excitement value, but rest assured, someones shield is going to fail for the the tension to build, or good guys get away.  (I’m not even going to get into worm holes and projecting time-space portals.)
The sparks so often flying around in the middle of the heart of the ships control rooms would seem to spell certain instant doom, but rarely is that the case, except for whomever is not one of our movie star crew. Not being the regular cast member is a sure sign of immanent doom.  Sparks convey, we are in trouble here folks, cant you see the sparks!  Fire in space bad in ship.

WEAPONS AND TECHNOLOGY

We already have heat seeking missiles and a bullet tracking devise that can shoot back to where the bullet came from, so all this machine gunning going on in spaceship inner combat, might as well be sword and knife fights. Heck, put ropes on the ceiling so full throttled swash buckling could occur.

Are we to believe that everyone is somehow equalized? Everyone apparently having some sort of universal translator instantly deciphering alien tongues, and guns so sophisticated at camouflage of fire that it might as well be reduce to common gunfights. No heat seeking bullets or ones with camera or other intelligence guidance, just stupid lead or radiation of some sort. No, that would be an escalation in weaponry that would tax the writers to explain how all the alien civilizations advancements are close to being magically in the same scientific boat come plot time for our stars to have a fair chance.

THE PEACEFUL FRONTIER? HOW FUN IS THAT?

I give this challenge to the usual monsters coming to eat us and use our planet cause theirs is ruined; what about a healthful scifi fantasy? Too spiritual, too out of our frame of fear and emergency? Is love that boring? Is trust and understanding of differing cultures, that threatening?  Cant one visionary make a futuristic case of advancements for special effect, yet, not be grounded in; they are going to kill us?
I watch scifi, especially many SCIFI Channel series, because they base the subtext on care for one another, much tolerance and compassion for aliens who are on our side as well.  That is what entertains me most about them, the love and friendship bonds, that and so much of the sets and special effects artist who work so well to make the fictional context seem at least remotely plausible, suspending scientific biases.  Thanks folks.

A WONDERFUL NON PARANOID FUTURE?

I think we could be dazzled, Close Encounters hinted at a positive theme to space exploration.  We still have issues that will come to haunt scientific advancements, especially aliens (robots) created by us that will pose, yes, I am afraid to suggest, quite a challenge as long as humankind stays so divided and overconfident.

But just as I travel here in cyberspace by myself in a way, one day you, or someone like you, will take off from your home and be at the moon or a spaceport park, at you whim in very few minutes.  You might have your own ship, like a car, that has so much intelligence, that like the Internet, you will not crash into anyone doing the same thing.  Potentially, this sort of space travel might be quite close, if it ever happens, given invention and social-cultural approval.  There is nothing inherently wrong with this kind of individual or bus space travel, it might buy humankind and whatever we become, some more billions of years of fun and adventure.

IS KILLING BETTER THAN MAKING LOVE?

I am for our fantasy futures being fun, challenging and loving, instead of the eternal war.

Here is to a higher dream.

DOWN WITH GOVERNMENT! the reluctant anarchist

THE RELUCTANT ANARCHIST

I am an anarchist. No not the rock throwing destroy everything kind. I believe anarchy to be the greatest state of freedom, but it only works if we are all on the same page, at home or in the world.

That burst my Utopian balloon doesn’t it?

I believe that when humankind is both healthy and communicative over needs and requirements, we can do away with government as we know it. No one to fight, no one to bribe for votes, no one to blame. This will need to be the case one day if we are to survive, particularly if we step off the planet to explore the next shores.

LIBERAL OR CONSERVATIVE? LIBERTARIAN? THEOCRATIC?

I am sadly amused when I read blogs about conservative anti-government and liberal pro-government, since if one looks at history, both sides are in great states of denial. Too some extent some liberals completely forsake economic realities that are not changing without a spiritual-understanding revolution, which will probably be forced upon us by shock and an awe rather than gotten to through our “higher angels”.

Then there are conservatives that seem to think anarchy is fine for their business or self interest in some Darwinian dominator based psychology, or more accurately, dysfunctional ego grandeur hardly disguised by their superiority complexes, and accompanied insecurity noose around the neck convictions. Sure they hate certain liberal pro government notions. Those are contrary to their psycho-spiritual assumptions.

I am mixed about the libertarians, as well as themselves. They can be made up of both the right and left; they want more direct say in their lives and reject what seems like undo influence of organized power structures. To me they kind of live for a future Utopia, without necessarily looking at present realities close enough to see how they will creep up on them, and perhaps crash their balloon. I happen to love people on all these philosophical -political stances.

THAT SACRED DIVINE THING

Most all humankind has had transcendent spiritual beliefs. When humankind grows past its fear, threats and insecurities, when we know we are all in spaceship earth together, and it does matter to each life what the other is doing, we will emerge into some kind of theocentric non state. I believe we will all act on behalf of our higher angels, and because of that union, share the mysteries of Creation, possibly with symbols and rituals that keep the reminder ever-present of the abiding transcendent Cause.

No, it will not force religion onto anyone, our spiritual core will just fit into life seamlessly. This is then a Utopian spiritual anarchy, possessing qualities and even beliefs of parts of some or all of the aforementioned belief systems, and even some not mentioned.

The difference will be that there will be no contradiction between individual and collective humankind. Your spirit, in some ways untethered from dysfunction, will be able to soar higher than likely you or I have known.

Unconditional Love has that guarantee. No one is stopping its anarchy, but ones sense of self limitations.

THERE IS SOMETHING TO SAY FOR TRYING AT NATIONAL UNDERSTANDING

ENDORSING THE MISSION OF A MORE PERFECT UNION

I usually avoid getting into the trenches with the political debate. Not a lot of open mindedness or sincerity when we come to see how campaigns are actually run.

I had my suspicions about Obama, not because he is black. Hey, I was a whitish guy living in a poor black neighborhood. And yes, there would on occasion be other blacks visiting who would not even acknowledge me there. But I understood where they were coming from, and did not need to be babied like the public is now being set up to be by the dividers. With Obama, I just did not have enough sense of the guys mission and what he is trying to accomplish running for office.

Well, thanks to his over the top ranting preacher and yesterdays speech. I’ve come to trust in him more than the kitchen sink strategies campaign, and the one with the brave guy who doesn’t know who is who in the middle east as he is visiting. Have we ever been there as a nation, and very well may pay for this last group of conservatives with a nation going bankrupt, and much of America atrophying into a third world back yard.

The businesses before people ideology has raised selfishness to near nirvana like saintly-hood. We need a national unity movement that covers not just the wealth’s issues, but those of the shrinking middle and growing bottom. We need vision and inspiration as much as fear mongering stagnation.

MORE THAN TALK?

My hat, if I wore one, would be off to Barack Obama. He epitomizes the dualities and divisions the nation faces, and seems unwaveringly earnest in planning to address them. He may have “followers” as well as adversaries who will deceive themselves that he is just for one agenda (theirs or their opposites). They do so at the risk of their own disappointment or own sense of being betrayed. Resistance to change is a natural inclination that requires the illumination of understanding to be overcome for a greater good. Now there is a tough job.

For there will be no quick fix to the issues we face, but we must be inspired to engage them rather than have ourselves held up against a wall of fear as our pockets continually get picked clean. We also do not need a shopping list of voters special interest to buy the votes as usual. It is not just “The economy. Stupid.” or “The Vision Thing.” It is everything. It is the public that needs to reject fear and pandering for self centered interest, and understand that our interest are all and always intertwined. We seem to have a chance for a change that will restore trust in the fact that we control the government by design. Not a king or a corporatist self obsessed scavenger of the public trust.

Somehow, the other two with their tactics or parties tradition, do not inspire this higher view. If that divisiveness is not looked at from the good will of climbing over the rocks and ridges of reaction and ignorance, Americas lead in once providing a light to the world, will have been cast down into shadows of deception by those who feed off of fear. The eagle, becoming just another squabbling vulture (I respect actual bird vultures!). It may be naive to put trust into hope or faith, but that may be the last remaining chance we are left with to survive as one nation; of for and by The People.