But even for people less intimate with him did his life and demise serve as a reminder of the mass extinction of species currently underway—the sixth in earth’s history but the only one caused by humans.

Last semester I took a survey course in Anthropology. Extinction events were sprinkled into discussion through-out the course, a main point being that they are inevitabilities from the perspective of "deep time." My thoughts never failed to meander in the concept: 'Geez, I wonder what that will look like when the next one hits.' or some small prayer of thanks that I haven't had to and hopefully won't witness one.

But reading this bit spoke volumes on the contrary to my thoughts.

I would love to know woolly mammoths were lumbering across Siberia again. But some proponents of de-extinction act as if existence is the only problem these species face. De-extinction alone does not address the causes of extinction, the condition of habitats, or the quality of species’ lives. We cannot refreeze the Arctic tundra, former home of the woolly mammoth, nor can we postpone the arrival of spring, which climate change impels to come earlier every year. We cannot resurrect the cold snap that once prevented the mountain pine beetle from destroying northern forests. There is no satisfactory way to wipe the record clean.

Ah, man. This was so well put. In my view, the de-extinction initiatives are nigh naive, albeit the epitome of human innovation. Breathing life back into that which is dead, leaving it less and less space to live out its second life is only to allow us to relive and outlast its life for a second time around. If I didn't know any better, then I'd say it an childish attempt to take back what we've lost in an utmost unproductive form of grieving. But I do know better. So I won't say that.

As is my nature, I'm of a mind to think the only course of action is to observe and let time guide us to seeing how it all resolves - if science or our tale even yields "resolutions" in Mankind's epic biography. I'm exceedingly curious to know what is to come en masse.

If I had the ability to slap on a community tag, then I'd throw up a #thehumancondition. Alas, my time has yet to come!

Phenomenal read. Thank you for sharing. :)

Well I just signed up for Hubski, and this is the most validating post/thread I've seen on a site in a long time!

Thank you Cumol and arguewithatree.

Also, being Jewish, although removed from the tension in the Diaspora, I can relate 100% with this last bit. I've come to these crossroads myself now being isolated from my usual community realizing the irony in being taught compassion with exception.

It makes sense to me as well seeing no swift resolution in sight. Though, I want to say that your solution proposed makes sense to me, too; more so than others. That said,

That's something that has to happen on a large scale for us to get anywhere meaningful in this process, but because it's hard people don't want to.

Thank you both for sharing. It's refreshing to see/read of similar mind.

EDIT: Last sentence sounded weird to me; rephrased it.

But though we believe ourselves to be seeking happiness in marriage, it isn’t that simple. What we really seek is familiarity — which may well complicate any plans we might have had for happiness. We are looking to recreate, within our adult relationships, the feelings we knew so well in childhood. The love most of us will have tasted early on was often confused with other, more destructive dynamics: feelings of wanting to help an adult who was out of control, of being deprived of a parent’s warmth or scared of his anger, of not feeling secure enough to communicate our wishes.

Reminds me of a therapy model called Imago....

he person who is best suited to us is not the person who shares our every taste (he or she doesn’t exist), but the person who can negotiate differences in taste intelligently — the person who is good at disagreement. Rather than some notional idea of perfect complementarity, it is the capacity to tolerate differences with generosity that is the true marker of the “not overly wrong” person. Compatibility is an achievement of love; it must not be its precondition.

I can't help but think of what I've heard from older family members who are still together voicing similar ideas. As for the huge spin on pessimism, welp. That's just a mood-killer.

For what it's worth, I can get behind the idea that romanticism is backwards in contemporary views, I guess.

To put it in context:

What is orientating yourself using the sun's position to a compass?

What is a compass to a GPS in your phone?

What is a GPS in your phone to an integrated sense on your very own self?

"The proudest thing" was the day I was working with Bobby Altman, son of Robert Altman and the camera operator on one of the greatest single shots in the history of cinema:

I'm no film or theater major, nor a connoisseur of either, but I can attest to having this shot as one of the very first clips my video production teacher had us dissect at the beginning of the semester for discussion. Guess my point is: small world and major, major congrats on a job well done.

Well hot damn. To an uncultured ear, that was phenomenal. I've heard the piece enough to know there are bits here and there, but I'll leave real advice to any pros that stop by.

With regard to overtrained hands:

- Take longer breaks in between performing and/or reduce the amount you do when performing (which doesn't seem to make sense in this case).

- Temperature contrast therapy: the technical way of saying ice baths (for your hands), keeping them in warm or hot water, etc. etc.

- Massage them, DIY or a professional.

- Make sure you have some food to keep you fueled while performing.

I'll say. I haven't had your experience in particular, but the first thing that came to my mind was sleep paralysis - which is mentioned in bfv's link above. From the bit I'm looking at, they seem to be one and the same, if not similar.

Never want to experience that again. Scared the living balls outta me thinking I was going to die. My experience was seeing lightning and (felt like) I was experiencing lockjaw from/while being electrocuted everytime I tried to breathe. Again, not anything I ever hope to experience again.

EDIT: While I can't seem to find where my experience would fit in to the Jungian mold, shadow definitely is on the list and an interesting read.

The analogies were with regard to ease of use with proximity to the user. It's not about the detail, it's not about the exact direction. It's mere orientation for daily use designed to be as inherent as smell. It's simple and alternative. It's not meant to be the end-all-be-all of navigation.

Is it high cost? Of course it is, it's a small pioneering device.

Is it highly practical? Depends who you talk to. In the "First World," probably not.

On the other hand, its implications with regard to cohesion with the brain is the interesting part. It serves as another consistent point of data for encoding interactions around you.

I have always been fascinated by man's use of material culture to extend its bodily [in]capabilities - especially so in our day and age. Using electronics to engineer/further our own evolution per se is how I'd like to envision our short circuiting of our biological evolution. Yes, I know that's not actually possible, but in a sense of what path it'll take us down instead. This looks like a phenomenally simple yet potentially life altering device in the most minute of ways. With so many trinkets out on the market, I'd be surprised to see it flourish, but it's sure as hell something I'd love to try on.

If you liked this, I'd highly suggest:

1. Taking a listen at this episode of NPR's Podcast Invisiblia where they interview the creator of Google Glass. They don't interview him for Google Glass, mind you, but for the device it was inspired from: a computer he created that's been attached to him since high school.

2. Watching Season 1 Episode 3 of Black Mirror. I know it's on Netflix, or you could probably find it on the web somewhere. Black Mirror is described as Twilight Zone-esque in the way it explores Sci-Fi/Futuristic possibilities. The whole series has great commentary on technology, its effects on us and what its capabilities are. This episode in particular focuses on a not-to-distant-future where you can get an implant which records everything you see and hear, and the device allows you to play these recordings back. In short, allows you to remember everything. In some ways I'd like to think it is a part of the commentary on whether Sci-Fi shapes our own modern day tech or vice versa. I'd like to argue to the former. :)

EDIT: 3. A bit more meta or tangential depending on the perspective, the book "The Medium is the Massage" by Marshall McLuhan. Critically Acclaimed.

The switch from immersion to high school classes set me back and fucked me over a bit, because suddenly I had to question my grammar. When I've traveled abroad or used Spanish elsewhere though, I've found people really don't care if you use the wrong tense occasionally, especially if you're surrounded by asshole Americans who can't even be bothered to try.

It never failed to stump some of the ignorant teachers at my high school why kids fluent in Spanish were failing in Spanish class. This is exactly the students' POV they'd point to. Interesting to see this happen across the US.

Being in an immersion environtment so long, with friends who all also spoke Spanish meant that I got used to being able to switch between the languages at will. [...]

I think in a mix though. Spanish can make some things a lot shorter, and other things a lot longer (for example, no possessive 's, which is a real pain).

I absolutely love this bit, thanks for sharing!

I get the impression that English's lack of signifying prefixes/suffixes regarding gender or people, for example, is part of my difficulty learning other languages with seemingly more complex grammar. Kudos.

It's more of a matter of connections between shapes, sounds or memories.

I can attest to a similar experience. More so a collection of loosely related ideas or flashbacks in sequence rather than words per se.

If I 'hear' myself in the head it's usually the language I'm focusing on. If I'm learning/speaking English, it's English etc.

Ah, yes. This always is fascinating to me. To learn a language to a point that your brain (or you) can encode and interpret information in a form other than your native or preferred medium.

Some may argue that's the only language.

Holy crap I did it. That's damn neat!

Grats!

I am planning on dropping by this Friday....

That's extremely considerate of you to visit. I'm sure that man has an interesting life story. :O

I'd be lying if I said I found this salivatory gland as of ye-- nope, still not it. resumes jabbing jaw

Best of luck on exams, just finished mine back here in the States!

Being disciplined is being organized about time.

Oh man, I love this. Going to remember that for a while.

I can say organized for sure. Disciplined.... eh. Definitely a work in progress. Similar to my own mother, if I don't get started on something right away, then I'm liable to forget about doing it completely.

I can confidently say it's really in the works seeing as I can check this off my list of things I did before going to campus, though!

If you struggle with discipline, start small. It’s how we all got started. Start by taking out the overflowing garbage, answering an email, changing the light bulb, or cleaning your bathroom. Start today doing all the little things you know you should do, but don’t feel like doing.

Woot!

Awesome, thanks!

Ah, I can understand that. Really admire the ability to convert it all to sound. I have a couple jazz/swing tunes that have been on my mind for a year or so.

Major props :)

I'd be interested in following this under a tag as well. If I wasn't fighting off a stomach bug, then I'd make some cogent addition to the "Laws" area about how religion has also been a brilliant political tool over millennium. Perhaps for when I have the energy...

Forgot how to log out of Hubski for a minute. Can't find it on here either, but turns out I passed the 1000 day mark. Woot!

| "I'm going from pianissimo to fortissimo in three measures and make it seamless"

Written so casually, ha!

You're very welcome! :)

Seconded! Throwing in Orlando to the list to!

I was just thinking of bacon-wrapped dates before this. Adding this to my small list of bacon-wrapped treats to make.

So used to seeing his shorts and opens that I never saw the full cut.

Reminds me of Sims City or Roller Coaster Tycoon!

Furthermore, if that's a belief of anyone's, then the internet can just as easily serve as a positive feedback loop rather than a tool to uncover and/or debunk conspiracy theories.

That's one hell of an isolating experience, or learning as it seems from your perspective. Bold, nonetheless. From what I gather, you've had quite a bit of a colorful life.

Both Hungary and the Balkans being corrupt... interesting.

All of this taken into account, would there be any thought or recurring theme you derived about either yourself or people in general after living in the U.S., Hungary, and the Balkans?

Could you enlighten me about what I'm missing? She made the point that guilt can lead to action, but is it productive action to bring back extinct species?

With regard to anything you're missing: actually, nothing. I, subjectively, agree with you here. My not knowing any better is just speaking to the fact that posting my belief here wouldn't do too much in the way of making progress against this silly endeavor, rather than harboring some secret knowledge about the project.

She made the point that guilt can lead to action, but is it productive action to bring back extinct species? The rest of the article really meandered from placebos to determinism.

My interpretation of this bit was her tying in other causes of motive alongside wrestling with contradictory, yet prevailing schools of thought that we as humans have developed over time.

I swear I had some interesting idea tying into Calvinism and determinism that related back to the article.... seems I lost it. But, hey, you win some and you lose some, eh?

A new language in always in context, and you gain some new personality traits with it. My Chinese expression is more precise and logical than my English, partly because I lack the rhetorical skills to bullshit so I can't really afford to. My (very basic) Tagalog is entirely focused on making friends and diffusing tense situations, because rolling with the punches and making friends fast is an important life skill in the Philippines.

I really like how you've described this element of how you experience the different languages you've picked up.

Would it be appropriate to say that your mindset when jumping into the other languages shifts as well? Into said "personalities" that don't necessarily equate when you jump into another linguistic mindset?

Taking pictures to post up on a dating site today.

Was extended a great volunteering/networking opportunity for the Mental Health Association in my area. Glenn Close is to be the keynote speaker, from what I've heard. Hype.

This bit's been on my mind for a couple days.

Speak Hungarian fluently. (Or, used to. Not much call for it in Seattle, sadly.)

What drew you to learn it to this extent - if by choice?

Rudimentary Serbo-Croat. Enough to read signs and know what's in the food I am ordering, but not enough to get a band-aid.

Did you have to learn on-the-job?

Doesn't always work perfectly, but lying flat on my back while doing a "body scan" relaxing any and all muscles starting from toes to head.