On the Precipice of Transformation

Photo of Wendell Lim Ph. D.

Programming Immune Cells has seemingly reached a tipping point in which viable business models are popping up, a thrilling development when one considers the possibility of eliminating many of the deadly diseases that shorten human life. We may stand at the start of a massive new industry, one that consumes traditional healthcare practices while lengthening and improving life on the planet.

Consider the early development of software languages, like A-0 and Speedcode, in the 1940’s and 1950’s, and how much they matured over the next six or seven decades. Humanity may evolve dramatically over the next few decades as increasingly sophisticated genetic programming languages are developed, coupled with quantum computing, essentially transforming organic life into a more synthetic life form.

At the other end, AI continues to push the bounds of human reasoning, developing its own unique thought patterns. As AI matures and grows in complexity, the intelligence and even creativity of AI likely challenges the dominance of organic intelligence.

Will there be a type of arms race between organic and synthetic intelligence, with both evolving and transforming in ways unimaginable to us today?

If yes, what lies on the other side of this transformation? A Utopia in which we transform into a higher collective consciousness, free from material constraints and desires? A Matrix-like farm of organic material plugged into a network, or a morally corrupt society, as laid out in Evolved, pressured to advance in order to overcome its own self-created crises?

 

Fossil Fuels Death Spiral

GE announces 12,000 job cuts in power segment. Writing on the wall for coal and gas. Only question is whether we still have time to save the planet for human life. Or, will we need to jump to Earth 2? A forced interstellar jump could completely alter the moral fabric of society, as told in Evolved.

 

Question of Consciousness Rising

Stanley Bing @thebingblog published Immortal Life, in which an ancient tech mogul battles with a young new body to inhabit. The idea is an early version of the Superconscious – Supraconscious dilemma Amos must confront in Evolved. Will read!

Evolved Going to Editor in February

I’m very excited to announce that in February the manuscript will go to David Cathcart for editing. The professional feedback will hopefully allow me to publish the manuscript later this year. Still undecided whether I will self-publish or follow a more traditional route. To help with this decision, I have requested a meeting with agent Rachel Letofsky at The Muse and The Marketplace at the end of April. (If anyone doubts my seriousness, these dates conflict directly with Masters Nationals and thus I am not swimming in them this year)

As a brief history, about two years ago KL Pereira from Grub Street read through my work and provided invaluable feedback that was woven into the story. Around the same time, one the ministers at my church, John Allen, read through the manuscript and offered multiple spiritual and religious texts that described the scientific concepts I had presented in the book (quite shocking, really). Last year, three beta readers, Susanna Baird, Rob Klink and Chris Grossman read through it and provided additional feedback. Each of these people have provided invaluable feedback, for which I am eternally thankful.

Now that all this feedback has been worked in, it is time to hire a proper editor, clean it up and send it out into the world.

My journey with the Evolved manuscript is nearing an end. The path with the Evolved novel lies ahead. Even if it sells only a few copies, the experience has been well worth it.

Peace

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

 

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.

Martin Luther King

Today we contemplate the wisdom and courage of Martin Luther King. The quote above was taken from his famous Letter from a Birmingham Jail.

Today’s world could really use a Dr. King, or a Gandhi. A person who could show us a path towards broad acceptance of others outside our “normal” lives.

It is ironic that we continue to tear ourselves apart in a desperate attempt to “unify” ourselves. With each pass we narrow our sights on what can be unified, cutting out an ever larger group who doesn’t fit easily into our vision. What is left is a patchwork of special interests each consumed by their narrow desires.

Examples are everywhere. Some Americans want to close their borders to Muslims because a minority within the Muslim community are a threat. Republicans and Democrats won’t work together because it is inconvenient to tell their constituents why a piece of legislation is for the greater good, instead choosing to tell why they’re defending a constituent’s interest.

We objectify everything! Name people as Democrats, Republicans, NRA member, Liberal, Socialist, Libertarian, Wall Street, Rich, Poor, Black , White, Muslim, Christian, Jewish… The lists go on and on.

Objectification is simple, easy. It accomplishes two goals at the same time. It positions someone how you want to position them, giving you some sense of control over that person. Objectification also allows you to ignore the real, messily complex, person. It is the “You” in another person that is so difficult to see when “You” are covered in labels like an old well-traveled suitcase.

My only point is that You and I are greater when two becomes more than one.

A hard lesson, and an even harder action to accomplish. You and I must work at it tirelessly every day. The car that cuts you off is carrying someone under stress. Can you feel sadness for their predicament while reminding yourself you’ll still arrive around the same time? The hate-filled speech from politicians mirrors divisive currents in our society. Can you do anything to mend these divisions?

Do you have the courage of Dr. King to negotiate, self-purify, and act in the face of injustice? Even a small, tentative gesture can make a difference.

Try today! Even if it is only to forgive that person driving around you.

 

 

 

Dark Matters

Not sure if this normal, but it seems natural. I find myself looking at the world around us through the prism of the world I created in Evolved. Do other authors do this? Maybe it is my way of making subjective sense of recent events in France and the Middle East.

In Evolved there are extra dimensions, textured branes and dark matter in the universe. All of these aspects have an element of the possible based on current scientific theory. In such a rich world there are limitless ways to think about space travel and something greater.

Lately dark matter has been receiving more attention, as particle physicists like Dr. Lisa Randall publish new books on the subject. Dark matter should really be thought of as “transparent matter” since it does not interact with light and therefore we can not detect it directly. Instead scientists have observed its gravitational impact on the cosmos, resulting in fairly strong evidence of its existence.

What is most startling about dark matter is that it is all around us. In fact, about 85% of what surrounds us is likely dark matter. Billions of dark matter particles pass though us every second. Do other laws of physics exist for dark matter? Likely. Does this mean there could be life in the form of dark matter? Makes for fertile writing material, no?

So, getting back to my point. If there is dark matter all around us, in us, and there are likely extra dimensions around us, even in us – are we part of something greater that we do not recognize because our senses are limited?

The events in France had me pondering these questions as everyone was asking, why? Why would a religion willfully and deliberately kill innocent people? In some shallow respects I understand their “eye for an eye” argument. We have killed innocents by dropping imprecise bombs in the Middle East. War is nothing but the escalation of tit-for-tat.

But how does God play into this? Radical Islam seems to suggest a reward system for killing infidels who do not worship the proper God in the proper way, like God moves around and doles out specific prizes.

But, and this is where Evolved comes in, if God is everywhere and in every moment in time, it seems silly to think of God as moving closer. And how does targeted killing of a fellow person possibly get rewarded? I suppose I could turn the question around on the west and find our reasons wanting as well. Are we simply preserving our capitalistic society so we can accumulate more objects using Middle East energy sources? Our materialistic incentive structure drips with blood as well. Maybe we’ve just built up enough buffers (fighting happens overseas with a separate military, and multiple economic transactions exist between oil and our new car) to protect our moralistic compass from disturbance.

What I believe is that God is a constant. God is everywhere, all the time. It is up to us to open up to him, connect. The cardinal sins are simply telling us that these actions close us off from God, distract us from knowing. It really isn’t so complicated. No need to try to control the world around you. Just simply learn to control yourself, and whatever dark matter exists within you.

If science struggles to fully explain only 15% of the matter that surrounds us, all of us should maybe humble ourselves and open up to bigger possibilities.

Water as Fuel in Near Future?

While writing Evolved I have had my ears wide open about novel new energy sources. After all, thrusting a good portion of mankind to far away planets (as I do in Evolved) is simply not feasible with current energy sources.

Recently an old friend mentioned his company was getting close to making water into a viable energy source. When I asked on what scale he shrugged and replied any scale and that he actually felt bad for current dependents of oil and gas. He would not disclose anymore than that since the company is currently in the development stage and working on a round of financing.

My old life as a Chartered Financial Analyst working on Wall Street roared to life and merged into my writing self. Game changing technology? I’m in! After living in San Francisco through the dotcom era, I have experience with how thrilling these paradigm shifts can be.

Now the idea of using water as an energy source isn’t new. Hydrogen has long been recognized as a viable and plentiful energy source. The problem has always been how to separate the hydrogen from the oxygen in an energy-efficient manner. A quick search on the internet showed that researchers have been experimenting with bacteria and solar-thermal techniques. The U.S. Navy has also been doing its own research into the matter.

Maybe fate is guiding us, melting the oceans into a readily available supply of water to fuel our interstellar aspirations. If so, traditional oil and gas companies will have a tough go, as will oil exporting nations. But, maybe humanity will be saved, or even enabled to spout into space. Fun stuff to flip over in the mind.

Gaylord

  It is 2:30 in the morning and my mind and heart will not let the day dissipate into dreams. Emotionally wrung out, wishful for sleep, yet helplessly tied to the events that have unfolded.

The mourning process is fickle, I’ve found. It was said today that the hardest part is when you are alone with your thoughts at night. I should have heeded those words more closely.

Most everyone else stayed at the celebration, raising their voices in song as they let out the raw emotions bottled up inside. Tears and laughter flowed in copious amounts. Yet by MC’ing the event I had said my peace, squeezed as much out as I could in one time. 

Weary and emotionally strung out from the eight hours, my wife, daughters and a family friend quietly said good bye and came back to the hotel room. Looking for peace but finding a restlessness instead.

When a loved one dies you think you will get to a point when you can “turn the page,” move forward in life. There is no singular point in time.

One conversation tonight suggested to think about our existence in terms of constants, implying time does not exist. Deep metaphysical thoughts at a most unexpected “time.” I warned him this would keep me up at night, a promise I seem all to able to keep.

Love is the most fundamental constant I can think of. For it alone taps into our deepest and most remote inner reality. Love pushes aside the false face we present to the world, brings out our inner goodness and makes us confront those parts which are not.

Love washed over the celebration today. Warmed us in the chilly Quebec air that tried to seep into the tent. Endless stories of good times and laughter banded us together, bonded us into one. False pretenses cast out.

Our voices broke, eyes melted, as we remembered Gaylord Watkins. We leaned on one another emotionally and physically. Letting out what needed to be released. Healing in our own ways.

When we were in a low, we took a break for food and wine while the jug band lifted us back up, enabling us to push forward through the heartache.

We will miss Gay. Miss his infectious laughter and good nature. Miss his adventures, whether we were a part of them or simply his telling of them. He embraced life fully, embraced people. He brought out the best in people, and maybe that is what we will miss the most.

If there is one constant in our world, it is love. Yet, the active love of Gaylord was special. It is the love that reaches out and penetrates through the doubt, worry, anger, or whatever self absorbed feelings consuming us. It raises our spirit, brings us close in mutual understanding, overcoming the false barriers we construct around ourselves.

I will miss Gaylord deeply, but love him always.

Changing Seasons

All Because of You

My life is changing
The life that I’ve had
It’s changing forever
But no need to be sad

It’s time to move on
Time to start over new
I jumped from the nest
With some trouble, I flew

I might hit a few bumps
Maybe make a wrong turn
But all of those troubles
Are lessons I’ll learn

So as my life changes
I hope that you’ll see
It’s you who I’ll credit
For the life that I lead

Source: http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/all-because-of-you#ixzz3owRi25Ju

You are ever present of the changing seasons when living in New England. The Fall is filled with glorious yellows, reds and oranges as the leaves change color and cover the ground. A frost on the grass reminded us this morning that winter is not far behind.

A transformation has been happening within me as well, complete with explosive colors and chills. The world around me seems to mirror what is happening inside, an odd meeting of the objective and subjective I discussed in my last post.

My life is about to change course, I know. Towards what, I’m not exactly sure.

The first sign was this morning in church. A beloved minister is moving on to another church. The sermon focused on change, and how it has led to good things.

The next mile post is later this week, when we travel to a memorial service for a man who was a father figure to me. I have the honor of master of ceremonies, which scares me more than a little. Holding it together will be hard because imagining this world without him is difficult. A change in my reality.

The following week I begin a new job, my first real job in about eight years. It is only part time and flexible, allowing me to drop-off and pick-up my daughters from school and all their activities. At this point in my life, flexibility to spend time with my girls is what I value most. Shed what is hindering you and protect what is important.

The new job is something I believe in, something important in my eyes, something that complements the rest of my life. The extra money will take some of the financial pressure off my wife and provide a source of income to cover publishing expenses. For if there is one thing I’ve learned so far about the business of books, it is expensive to launch yourself. (Barriers to entry, as my old CFA self would call it)

Driven is not the right word to describe the change. More openness to it. Allowing it to happen. Not trying to direct it so much as listening intently to where the signs point.

So a new road with many new people to meet and understand. I look forward to meeting You in my future, and experiencing the on-going change.

Objective vs. Subjective – Are We Becoming Zombies?

Science and religion have historically had a tension between them. Science’s goal is primarily to explain the world objectively (how do things work?), which often is extrapolated using subjective narratives (Lawrence Krauss). Religion’s primary goal is to understand the world subjectively (more the “why me” question), which often uses objective language as a basis of evangelical and fundamentalist belief systems.

As science has progressed it has increasingly infringed upon the objective belief systems of certain religions, explaining such things as why earth is not the center of the universe and evolution did in fact occur. Followers of more fundamental belief systems have had to adjust their message, which has created somewhat of a siege mentality. Religious belief systems that have remained more subjective, or internally focused, have been impacted less. The more contemplative aspects of belief system like Buddhism, Hinduism and parts of Judaeo-Christianity have been able to integrate the progression of science, often opening up deeper understanding.

The on-going progression of scientific knowledge suggests the tension between the two sides will continue. But will science ever explain subjectivity, or the feeling of self and all the creative initiatives produced by it? Many neurologists would argue yes, our feeling of self is simply a product of a very complex physical system we do not yet understand. (Materialism or Physical-ism)

My reading has largely focused on the science side, trying to understand the theories and predictions of how we will understand consciousness. What I missed was a slide backwards on the subjective side. If our society is becoming more objective in its focus (possessing things and explaining our world objectively in the third person), are we losing hold of our subjectivity?

Franciscan monk Richard Rohr argues we are not truly conscious when we are focused on the objects around us (including objectified other people), as opposed to truly seeing the life present around us.

“To love is to be conscious, and to be fully conscious would mean you are capable of loving. Sin always proceeds from lack of consciousness. I don’t think most people are sinners; most people are just not aware and not fully living in their own present moment.” – Richard Rohr

It is a message fairly consistent within religions: avoid the distractions of the objects around us. In other words, focus on the subjective view. A quote from the approximately 2,400 year old Bhagavad Gita:

“Pleasures conceived in the world of the senses have a beginning and an end and give birth to misery. The wise do not look for happiness in them.” – Bhagavad Gita 5:22

Yet this raises a quandary and a concern. If we are only conscious in a religious way when we do not focus on the objects of this reality, how can science, which bases its theories on objects, understand the high level of consciousness offered in religion? More concerning, does humanity lose its ability to reach higher levels of consciousness as our society relies more on object-oriented scientific theories to explain our world? Is scientific research a self-fulfilling prophesy? Rely on objects to understand our world, thus losing access to our duality, or higher consciousness!

In this way both science and religion are right. Human consciousness will become simply a physical manifestation, leaving behind the spiritual gateway to something greater. Pulling up the analogy from a previous post, we become zombies lacking a higher consciousness! (Has anyone else thought of people on their “smart” phones as zombies? Considered them self a zombie when on it?)

Alternatively, will science either hit a wall or discover new dimensions and develop new theories that make religious consciousness more scientifically feasible?

To put in in terms of my book Evolved, a silicon human could then reach the same level of consciousness as an organic human.