I am a child of the digital age. I received my first computerized device around the age of 7. It was a teaching machine of language. On standardized tests I now score in the top 1% in language skills. Around age 11 I receive my first real computer, an Amiga. I explored the worlds of art and music in new ways. I was on the internet when Lynx and Mosaic were the only navigators. Infinite knowledge and ideas were at my fingertips. I met and fell in love with someone on the global network, learning the beauty of communication and how it transcends all boundaries. As I grew up, I knew that I wanted to be part of this communication. I became a web developer. I developed physical reactions to stress and was burnt-out of a job at the age of 22. I tried a slower-paced job. I paid the price- after eight months, the wheels of society eroded me too far. I had a mental breakdown in traffic at the age of 23. I was overwhelmed by the oppressive pattern we all live in--Traffic/work/traffic/try to escape in the continuing pattern of consumerism. For a moment it was all a giant recursive mathematical formula.
As a child I rebelled more than usual when coerced to fall in line with the rest of the system. Suppressing that urge, I went to work. I consider my current reactions a natural defense mechanism against mental atrophy and loss of humanity. I remembered who I was. I am a creature of nature with free will. Nature is a pattern as well, but it is much greater in scope and welcomes change and mutation, unlike our man-made pattern of hierarchy and conformity. Our tools and inventions were initially designed to work with nature but eventually worked only against it. It doesn't have to be that way.
The point? None of us have to participate in this mindless cycle. Our technology can liberate us rather than imprison us. Here are some ways I use technology to enhance my life and well-being:
Take the laptop outside! We have cordless phones and portable computers. Soon we'll have cheap wireless ethernet. Why are you still in the office? I took my old 486/Linux laptop out on especially beautiful day. It did wonders for my productivity.
I love to ride my motorcycle. Walks are nice, but the feeling of the wind around you is liberating. A side benefit is the ultra-low fuel consumption. You have to concentrate a little more when riding a bike. You can't use a cell phone. If more people rode, commuting my not be quite as bad. Give it a try. The MSF course is a cheap way to try it without buying any equipment.
I recently discovered neurotechnology, a way to use machines for enhanced meditation. Specifically, I use a mind machine to achieve natural mental states that can greatly reduce stress and enhance creativity. It really works and provides some badly needed inner peace in this hectic world.
I also refuse to work uncompensated overtime (I've gone contractor) and try to limit that as much as possible. I pursue my love of writing, art, and music. I spend time with my soon-to-be wife. Hold each other. Have wild sex. It's much more satisfying than all those plastic gizmos. Read a book. Write that open source app you've been thinking about. Expand your mind and help others expand theirs. Share your knowledge and tell stories. That's how we all got to this level. We can find the right path again.
I'm still a geek. I am not a tree-hugger, but I enjoy nature and work towards coexistence between nature and technology-Remember, people are natural too. I was almost sucked into the abyss of our creation but now I walk along the edge, hoping I can help save someone else. There's no religion hidden here, just the realization that we face a new struggle for survival. Physical struggle is not much of an issue any more (at least in the USA, Europe, etc). The new struggle is that of our minds and ideas against those good intentions and great inventions tat have run amok and now seek to pacify and distract us. Our minds want to grow.
I leave you with the words of the greatly misunderstood Dr. Timothy Leary:
TUNE IN (activate your neural and genetic equipment) TURN ON (interact harmoniously with the world around you) DROP OUT (suggesting an active, selective and graceful process of detachment from involuntary or unconscious commitments.)
Find out what it really means. It has nothing to do with drugs and everything to do about living life to the fullest.
Could the book title possibly fall under the protection of parody? I remember when 2 Live Crew took this to the supreme court. I don't know all the details, but since it's not derogetory of AOL, I'd think it has a chance.
Privacy issues are just one facet of the larger issue, which is the underlying structure of the internet. This is not saying that it is a poor design, but the anonymous nature of the internet works both ways--Actually, it only works one way at a time. The request/response method works well, but eliminates any interpersonal contact such as a customer talking to a merchant. Why aren't there any commerce sites that have customer service people on a chat client? The internet allows corporations to be ananymous by not having to care. The same spam filters we use can be used by a corp to automatically delete any complaint mail. Protests become pointless because you can't sit in front of the business and get your message to the people using that business. Voices matter, but there are so many voices now that it's hard to hear. The mighty/. effect is but a drop in a bucket compared to the traffic sites such as Amazon and Ebay recieve (assuming 100% uptime). Government isn't the answer in a free market or a free world. The underlying problem is that the current way the internet works has eliminated the consumer voice while giving the illusion that it is louder than ever. It's easy to find people on your side (like going to *sucks.org or alt.*.sucks), but it's near impossible to spread the word to the peole that need to hear when the only URL they know is EvilRetailer.com--Unless we resort to spamming.
OK. Ive rambled a bit, but to conclude, what I'm looking for is a more interactive foundation beyond TCP/IP and HTTP where everyone has a true voice.
Did anyone find the Linux search? I think the idea of seperate search engines for different content categories is the way to go for the future. There's so much crap and conflicts of context that it chokes the relevant information lower on the results set.
You can always run UAE (U? Amiga Emulator). It's downloadable and you can bend the laws a bit and run it. It says you need the original ROMS. If you want to be legal you can get an old Amiga for 5 bucks at GoodWill. The emulator works quite well.
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I am a child of the digital age. I received my first computerized device around the age of 7. It
was a teaching machine of language. On standardized tests I now score in the top 1% in
language skills. Around age 11 I receive my first real computer, an Amiga. I explored the worlds
of art and music in new ways. I was on the internet when Lynx and Mosaic were the only
navigators. Infinite knowledge and ideas were at my fingertips. I met and fell in love with
someone on the global network, learning the beauty of communication and how it transcends all
boundaries. As I grew up, I knew that I wanted to be part of this communication. I became a web
developer. I developed physical reactions to stress and was burnt-out of a job at the age of 22. I
tried a slower-paced job. I paid the price- after eight months, the wheels of society eroded me
too far. I had a mental breakdown in traffic at the age of 23. I was overwhelmed by the
oppressive pattern we all live in--Traffic/work/traffic/try to escape in the continuing pattern of
consumerism. For a moment it was all a giant recursive mathematical formula.
As a child I rebelled more than usual when coerced to fall in line with the rest of the system.
Suppressing that urge, I went to work. I consider my current reactions a natural defense
mechanism against mental atrophy and loss of humanity. I remembered who I was. I am a
creature of nature with free will. Nature is a pattern as well, but it is much greater in scope and
welcomes change and mutation, unlike our man-made pattern of hierarchy and conformity. Our
tools and inventions were initially designed to work with nature but eventually worked only
against it. It doesn't have to be that way.
The point? None of us have to participate in this mindless cycle. Our technology can liberate us
rather than imprison us. Here are some ways I use technology to enhance my life and well-being:
Take the laptop outside! We have cordless phones and portable computers. Soon we'll have
cheap wireless ethernet. Why are you still in the office? I took my old 486/Linux laptop out on
especially beautiful day. It did wonders for my productivity.
I love to ride my motorcycle. Walks are nice, but the feeling of the wind around you is
liberating. A side benefit is the ultra-low fuel consumption. You have to concentrate a little
more when riding a bike. You can't use a cell phone. If more people rode, commuting my not be
quite as bad. Give it a try. The MSF course is a cheap way to
try it without buying any equipment.
I recently discovered neurotechnology, a way to use machines for enhanced meditation.
Specifically, I use a mind machine to
achieve natural mental states that can greatly reduce stress and enhance creativity. It really
works and provides some badly needed inner peace in this hectic world.
I also refuse to work uncompensated overtime (I've gone contractor) and try to limit that as
much as possible. I pursue my love of writing, art, and music. I spend time with my soon-to-be
wife. Hold each other. Have wild sex. It's much more satisfying than all those plastic gizmos.
Read a book. Write that open source app you've been thinking about. Expand your mind and
help others expand theirs. Share your knowledge and tell stories. That's how we all got to this
level. We can find the right path again.
I'm still a geek. I am not a tree-hugger, but I enjoy nature and work towards coexistence between
nature and technology-Remember, people are natural too. I was almost sucked into the abyss of
our creation but now I walk along the edge, hoping I can help save someone else. There's no
religion hidden here, just the realization that we face a new struggle for survival. Physical
struggle is not much of an issue any more (at least in the USA, Europe, etc). The new struggle is
that of our minds and ideas against those good intentions and great inventions tat have run amok
and now seek to pacify and distract us. Our minds want to grow.
I leave you with the words of the greatly misunderstood Dr. Timothy Leary:
TUNE IN (activate your neural and genetic equipment)
TURN ON (interact harmoniously with the world around you)
DROP OUT (suggesting an active, selective and graceful process of detachment from
involuntary or unconscious commitments.)
Find out what it really means. It has nothing to do with drugs and everything to do about living
life to the fullest.
Standard "I'm not a lawyer" disclaimer here.
Could the book title possibly fall under the protection of parody? I remember when 2 Live Crew took this to the supreme court. I don't know all the details, but since it's not derogetory of AOL, I'd think it has a chance.
Privacy issues are just one facet of the larger issue, which is the underlying structure of the internet. This is not saying that it is a poor design, but the anonymous nature of the internet works both ways--Actually, it only works one way at a time. The request/response method works well, but eliminates any interpersonal contact such as a customer talking to a merchant. Why aren't there any commerce sites that have customer service people on a chat client? The internet allows corporations to be ananymous by not having to care. The same spam filters we use can be used by a corp to automatically delete any complaint mail. Protests become pointless because you can't sit in front of the business and get your message to the people using that business. Voices matter, but there are so many voices now that it's hard to hear. The mighty /. effect is but a drop in a bucket compared to the traffic sites such as Amazon and Ebay recieve (assuming 100% uptime). Government isn't the answer in a free market or a free world. The underlying problem is that the current way the internet works has eliminated the consumer voice while giving the illusion that it is louder than ever. It's easy to find people on your side (like going to *sucks.org or alt.*.sucks), but it's near impossible to spread the word to the peole that need to hear when the only URL they know is EvilRetailer.com--Unless we resort to spamming.
OK. Ive rambled a bit, but to conclude, what I'm looking for is a more interactive foundation beyond TCP/IP and HTTP where everyone has a true voice.
Did anyone find the Linux search? I think the idea of seperate search engines for different content categories is the way to go for the future. There's so much crap and conflicts of context that it chokes the relevant information lower on the results set.
You can always run UAE (U? Amiga Emulator). It's downloadable and you can bend the laws a bit and run it. It says you need the original ROMS. If you want to be legal you can get an old Amiga for 5 bucks at GoodWill. The emulator works quite well.
I think we should all go back and read Neal Stephenson's In the Beginning was
the Command Line for some insight.
I literally grew up on an Amiga, so I like both the CLI and the GUI at the same time.