Life Under Glass

        The I represented by the identity Jack Baldwin is a fiction, it's a costume I don in order to have influence in this world. Based on actions known and unknown people lend me their influence, This is pretty well known among folks using the net, it's the idea of endorsing someone on linkdin. People will endorse people for anything, before getting rid of my linkdin account I was seemingly capable of outstanding feats in the professional sphere.  Even in the twitter verse the labels fly willy nilly, I've made lists from MBA's to UX designer, to web developer.  Truth be told, I have been attempting to find my place in the world. You know the one, that thing everyone is supposed to have, where they become engrossed, and content. That life we are supposedly born to live, the perfect job, spouse, house. That place where life can flow by in a blur, while we are busy living it.  Does such a thing even exist for all of us?  When broken down, most of these perfect things are the same I've actively avoided for one reason or another.  If we all are free to choose, if freewill is the rule, how can there be a singular life that will fulfill a person?  Don't I have to choose the life that I will be fulfilled by?
What is that perfect job?  When I hear words of work, career, business, the connotation is not one of pleasure and joy, even labors of love hit the wall, reach the point of diminishing returns, where the effort required to improve becomes as great as the effort it took to achieve the current skill. The idea of work is an odd one, people sold on the premise of effort, or labor when the ideals of production is to off load as much labor and cost as possible while keeping profits at their maximum. I've had lots of jobs, they all were just that, job done out of a feeling of need, or lack. There has never been that feeling of excitement attached to work. Even in areas where it's a hobby or play that transitions into being compensated, once it's for pay it's not play anymore. It becomes a thing having to be done in order to survive, or in order to do other things.  For me I guess that is what work represents, and why I am so resistant to being a worker.  The view of work as being something you do in order to be able to do something else.  What is and isn't productive is an odd thing, when it comes down to it, if the everything is energy, and energy can not be destroyed or created, how can we be said to be doing more than moving stuff around?
       Of course for many love relationships are the all consuming passion of life. Finding that special someone, falling in love, raising a family.  Except, is there really this romantic notion of love, what even is love?  Does the acts involved in the continuation of species, or procreation really have all that much to do with what we generally equate with the mating rituals, or romance?  Having rejected religious notions of marriage, right along with the civil notions of registering the relationship with the state. Like being open, caring and sharing with a person isn't tough enough, it's seemingly the custom across the board to bring the expectations of god, the state, and family members into new relationships.  Really do we need religion peeking over our shoulders while grope hot and heavy, or fumble with a zipper or button?  When I saw you, it wasn't your personality that made me look twice, your education didn't lock my gaze to your swaying hips. It wasn't thoughts of love, it was some serious animal attraction, lust. You know those things many are embarrassed to cop too, that it's tits, or asses, or feet, or whatever our fetish is. The person you are might captivate my attention for a time, but I am complete unto myself,  For me it's about getting lost in how amazing another is, of communion, That feeling that you can not be right for someone else, till your right with yourself. Experience has smacked around a bit, when it comes to this one. Seems the biological drives dovetail really well with the psycho-social conditioning, with my ideology leaving much to be desired from the ideals set forth. In other words I've been single a long time, not out of lack of opportunity, just out of risk versus reward evaluations.
       I guess when you've set your own life as not overly important in fabric of human development, while railing against the prevailing ideological foundation of matter being preeminent, finding those spaces that suit you can be challenging. Answering those questions, of what is this about, why are we here, where are we going.  If existence is a school, we all fail, there is no passing grade,  If it's an illusion we make up as we go along, if we all exist in our own private Idaho, why are there all these assholes in my dream world? If this is a shared experience, a subjective collective, why are we creating so much drama, and suffering? Sure you can only go as high as you've gone low, might have merit, but we just have to be aware of the potential, we do not have to experience every little pit trap.

As ever make up your own mind
Jack
aka
PanseyBard

Transhumanist Goal in Sight

          So You Want to Live Forever?  

           Some may be aware of Transhumanism, many are likely not.  To me it's just a nice advertising friendly name, to what may be the most important event in human biological development.  To put it as simply as I can, Transhumanism refers to humanities move toward machine.  The event is oft called the Singularity, the moment when the line between man, and machine disappears.   Sounds like a sci-fi story, I know.   Some very prominent folks are not just expecting it, they are helping to ensure it's arrival.  Chief among them in the US would have to be Ray Kurzweil, though he is by no means alone as a google search shows, the 2045 initiative has it's path all mapped out.  The goal of course being technological immortality.  This opens up so many questions, moral, religious, philosophic.  A wonderland of one of my favorite questions "what if".

         What If's

           Much thought has been directed toward conceptions of immortality.  I had thought the question of immortality had been resolved with Einstein, or at least moved into the realm of not if, but the nature of.  A question of ego, what of me, as I currently conceive of myself continues.  Just to get this obvious one out of the way.  It is unlikely these will be available for everyone, so there is a high potential for a split, a break away civilization, or a revolution of sorts.  The masses likely lose that one, as there is little need for restraint, given the move toward automation.  This could ultimately be the end of humanity as we think of it.  That of course is an extreme version, with a toned down cyberpunk flowering out of imagination into the world.  Where there is a vast range of quality of artificial replacement components, along with a range of skill in application.  Though interesting, there are far more complex implications.  In all of our world religions even agnostic, there is an acknowledgement of an authority.  In many there is an idea of a covenant, or contract.  In many of the stories when judgement comes, it is often due to man stepping outside the bounds of this covenant. Given the context of some of these transgressions, like interbreeding, building a tower to god.  These attracted a direct intervention.  Is it to far out to consider, physical immortality might be reacted to in a similar fashion.  Mortality is fundamental to our conception of what is to be human. Can a being that is essentially immortal even be considered human?   This does not even consider the possible personal empires that could be sustained.  

      It's personal

      Ultimately this is another of those not if, but when events. With each of us having to make personal choices.  Just what it means to be alive, and what immortality really represents.  Will we lose what makes life worth living in our rush to make it eternal?  One thing is certain, it's going to be entertaining to watch it unfold.

Jack

aka

PanseyBard   

I'm Ok, I'm Just Stuck in a Loop.

     This was me on a visit to Mom's in my mid 30's.  A fairly typical example of a person comfortable

with who they are.  Fast forward a little over 10 years, and I hardly recognize myself as having been that guy.  The transition from active participant in the experience of life, to a reclusive observer of life.  Was as gradual as it was inevitable, my own decisions leading inexorably to my  personal oubliette.  As is the usual circumstance, when looking back. The many opportunities to change directions are as obvious, as they are useless in my current experience.  Oft times serving as a rather depressing reminder that my current circumstance is wholly my doing.  That hard truth might just be toughest aspect to accept, and forgive.  Of course that forgiveness of self is high touted as essential in moving past perceived personal failings.  Perhaps that combined with that odd desire to pick at a healing wound is the prompting to write this. So whats put the hitch in my giddy up? In a single word, teeth.
    Just over a year ago, what remained of my rotted, broken top teeth were removed. As this pic

clearly shows, something needed to be done.  Infections in my gums were a normal occurrence.  I could count on the pain, and discomfort being bad enough to completely sideline me for days at a time.  By this point the shame had already stopped me from smiling.  I had learned to hide my top teeth from view in the course of casual interaction.  Most people were only to happy to play along and pretend they didn't notice, with only children being honest to ask questions that made everyone uncomfortable.  So by the time of this pic, my choices were already pretty limited.  Keep the teeth, and be sick, and possibly kill myself through inaction.  Or lose the teeth, and get physically healthy. At this point, I'd have to reserve judgement on the benefit, or detriment of my choice.
    When so many are so happy to get dentures, or implants, some of you might be saying something to effect of "suck it up girly pants", or perhaps "get over it already".  In honesty, there may be some validity to that type of perspective. This is such an obvious get over yourself kind of thing, that even being in it. I am unable to discount the sentiment.  It is this sentiment bumping up against ideas of quality of life being of more import, than just being alive.  When I ask myself having experienced using a top plate denture, is the quality of life granted by this prosthetic enough.  In all honesty no, not for me.  At 46 having experienced 7 or so months of life with dentures.  I found I could not project a future with dentures I had any desire to experience.  So looking at alternatives, there is of course implants.  I'd guess in large part these would be a workable patch, once a couple of hurdles were overcome. Namely they are prohibitively expensive, and far outside my current circumstance. Getting my teeth extracted, and the dentures already has soaked up almost 7k off someone elses currency.  Thank you to my Mom, and Stepfather are in order on that count.  Even with the expense there are other considerations that give pause in regards to implants. It's the state of development of being able to induce natural tooth regrowth. Researchers have already regrown full teeth in rats using stem cells, and laser treatments.  Knowing how close this is, perhaps 5 to 10 years out, perhaps even less.  All manor of other thoughts bounce around.  If I could get implants, knowing they are already obsolete are they are valid choice.  Would getting implants complicate regrowing the teeth when it becomes the mainstream.
   This combination of being a little to late to accept what many still few as perfectly workable solution. A little  early to take advantage of what will become the obvious norm. And me in a wait while loop, of my own devising.  Scrambling around to maintain enough currency flowing through while limiting social interaction to only what is required.  Generally if I do not have to leave the house I won't.  After having at least part-time employment for almost all of my adult life.  I now scramble to even keep up with basic living expenses.  Thanks to my housemate for helping me out when I got behind.  While it may often be my own projection reflected back at me. The effect is the same, an almost complete rejection of social interaction.  This overwhelming self consciousness is due in large part to knowing, I am responsible for it.  Through what has been dubbed mountain dew mouth, though I did mine much slower mainly with cola's. And even though by the time any problems showed, the insides of my teeth were already rotted. It was my own addictive style abuse of soda, I mean I did get to a point of 2 liters a day or more for years on end.  So while the physical aspects are enough to make most a bit self conscious.  The shame and guilt I feel at being the cause might be even worse.  Leaving me a virtual recluse, waiting for the breakthrough I know has already been made to save me from my own trap.

Jack
aka
PanseyBard

$15/hr Minimum Wage, and Automation

          So many of you may have heard, or read about the fast food workers push for higher minimum wages, and unionization.  Many reports have come out showing this movement as being pushed from unions, not by the workers themselves.  If your not up on these connections here are a few links to get you up to speed.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140514/OPINION01/305140001

http://laborpains.org/2014/04/09/worker-committees-a-15-million-seiu-project/

        This as I stated when the push began, raising the minimum wage would lead to adoption of automation for many low wage service positions.  I envisioned fully automated fast food joints, with an AI tied into huge data bases allowing for greatly increased efficiency, and profit margins.  I could never have realized how fast this innovation would progress, so fast it's left me wondering.  Could it be that this is a push instigated by the fast food companies themselves, to lend legitimacy to automation of public sector service jobs.  When I look at the idea of greater automation one of the sticking points is the majority still believe people need jobs, while I agree people need to be productive, and contribute, that isn't the same as jobs.  This belief will lead people to protest more machines taking more jobs, unless their is a situation that can be used to justify the automation.  So what makes me see these connections, a few related articles.

http://www.cnet.com/news/mcdonalds-hires-7000-touch-screen-cashiers/

As you can see, cashiers are already obsolete, what has been keeping the change over at bay has been the cost benefit,  potential doubling of the cost of each cashier has for sure altered that equation.

So how about the back end? they will still need people to cook the food right?

Well, not so much

check out http://momentummachines.com/, if you are honest with yourself you can more then likely already see a fast food place with no visible employees.

while innovation and automation have been shown to create more jobs then they replace, these jobs are of a different skill set, with few if any of the current employees having the education to fill these positions.

I called this year to be when smart machines would make their presence known, this is a step in that direction


Jack
aka
PanseyBard

    

You Can Kiss My Hemispheres, Right Down the Middle!!!

         In a previous post I talked about a personal development tool that jumped out at me from the mystical teachings of many traditions.  Today a little more time will be spent on the idea of left to right balance.  This is interpretation I have either made, or had shared with me in meditations, as well as other altered states of consciousness.  I do not ask for your belief, trust, or any other such nonsense.  As always make up your own mind, do your own research if you don't like the conclusions mine have led me. With the pleasantries out of the way, lets have some fun.
        Many of you have seen this image or another like it

              There is so much in this diagram as it relates to how we function as beings. How the energies of creation flow into, and out of our experience.  Sign posts to show us where we may be a bit off kilter with how we are using, or interacting with creation.  The focus for this post is the central line, and how it relates to the human body.   Almost anyone can see the mirror symmetry in the human body, almost as if you could have been made in halves.  This is a surface distinction part of the design overlay to allow for a multidimensional understanding.  Though the hemispheres appear to be just that, it takes on a slightly different view if you consider that it grew center out.  That central core of nerves running up into the brain stem, unfurling into the reaches of your physicality.  This is what is meant by the idea of being centered left to right. Of being ambidextrous, combining the logic, with the intuition.  Understanding when each in called on to assert dominance.

            There are as many ways to achieve this are there have been magic, mystical, or religious traditions. Each with it's own approach, I've tried many from stereograms, candle meditation, to Bio-feedback with a host of other tricks thrown in.  The purpose of all of these is to teach a reactive animal at the mercies of biochemistry to become master of their kingdom.  It really matters little how you approach it, weather it's juggling, switch stance sports, or with bi-neural beats.  Once your using your apparent halves simultaneously they become the third member of the trinity that was always there, just hidden from the view of the profane.

Jack

aka

PanseyBard  

Off my Rocker

            I know it's been a few since I posted something new, thought I'd give a little explanation as to why.   I share a house with a few friends, and the one that lives in the room with the air exchange for the heating systems figured no one would notice if he started smoking stuff in his room.  Suddenly I'm a addicted to something I don't even know I've ever tried, I could smell it coming through, my vent is next in line, being a cig, and mj smoker it took a bit for it to make it's way through.  my mind is going to fast most of the time anyway, the last I need is boosts I'm not even aware I'm getting.
           So I'm taking a few days clear of everything, and made sure that it wouldn't be done in the house again, and hopefully in a cpl of days I'll be back feeling at least only as crazy as I make myself.


Jack

America, Portrait of a Failed Nation

         As an American I feel it's not just my right, but my responsibility to point out just how massive, and all encompassing our failure is.   Many still cry out that we are the best nation in the world, all while the statistics, and experience is otherwise.  Some my rail against what they see as me being anti-america. They would be correct, I am against the America I see out my window, on my TV screen, and in cyber space. I have trouble understanding how your not as disappointed as I am.  If there is a way for a nation to fail that America has not already failed in I'd be shocked.
        If we had problems in just one area you might be able to say it was the exception, but on the whole America is solid.  Our economy is touted as being the #1 in the world based on gdp. All well and good if we lived in fantasy land, but where I live when your top export to one of your biggest trade partners is trash. Your in trouble. You did read that right, America's biggest export to China is returning the packaging for all the goodies they make us.  We act like it's Christmas everyday, and as long as we send the wrapping and boxes back Santa will refill them.
      The ACA or Obamacare as it's widely know is a 10k+ page monstrosity.  Seemingly designed to force people that don't use a system to pay for those that do.  This debacle at health care reform is just another example of political theater designed to confuse, and bewilder.  Mean while back in reality the rest of the world divests itself of the dollar.
       So no economy, no health care, how about education?  Well no again we are failing. According to the latest data America isn't even in the top 10.  We don't even make the playoffs.  No wonder the hi-tech jobs are leaving, we increasingly are unable to fill them.  You can find a more detailed account of just how badly we are failing in this regard here.
       There was for years the expectation in America that children would be better off then their parents.  This is no longer the case, and unless fundamental changes are made we won't even recognize the country we wake up in. I have come to the painful realization that the country I was taught about was only a story.

Jack
aka
PanseyBard

Obamacare The Greatest Magic Trick Ever

While Rome burned Nero fiddled.
When historians write of the fall of the dollar will the caption go something like this?

                               Obamacare The Greatest Magic Trick Ever

For years it's been one distraction after another. I always wonder when I'm learning about the newest scandal, if the media is completely controlled, what is so big they need to hide it with this?  With the "shutdown" if you can call it that pushed back past the holiday season.  Obamacare will and has been continually used as a means to hold peoples attention while the rest of the world divests itself of as many of it's Dollar reserves as they can manage.   This isn't even a new trend. While all time stock highs can be tied to the largest supply of dollars at the cheapest price ever.  So if you haven't started learning Chinese you might want to consider it.  The smart ones have all started spending the dollars we intended to be held to ensure some return on investment.

Don't be fooled while Americans watch a drama crafted just for them, the rest of the world is finalizing their plans for the end of the sole reserve status of the dollar.

for a bit more info look into
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-10-13/chinas-official-press-agency-calls-new-reserve-currency

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/us-politics/10376017/World-should-de-Americanise-says-China-following-default-fears.html

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/25/business/universal-credit-rating-group/index.html