maybe everything isn't as disastrous now as you think
The world burns. The lines are drawn. The brains rot. The minds suffer. And yet we seek it, insatiably.
Note: Yes, I am a dork. As such, I have used one of my favorite gaming quotes as the headings in this Newsletter. Shoutout Aldia from Dark Souls 2.
Then accept the fate of your ilk, and face the trials that await you.
Unless, you have already joined the crestfallen.
there is no path
There is so much negativity in the world. Many corners of the internet have devolved into a torrential downpour of hatred, bigotry, controversy, temptation, irrelevance, noise, and bots.
Everything is about attention. By any means necessary. We’re spoon-fed whatever is likely to keep our eyeballs glued to the screen. No longer do we actively pursue new information, get challenged or seek understanding. We just want to receive or to fling shit at each other.
Where can we go?
beyond the scope of light
Global warming threatens instability. Politics are unnecessarily tribalistic. Us vs. them runs wild—you’re either with me, or you’re sub-human trash and you deserve nothing. Algorithms feed our inadequacies, showing excessive success, those who posses what we crave, that which we know we’ll never have.
The days are long, and the years short.
beyond the reach of dark
Loneliness and depression are on the rise. People have no hobbies, glorifying sitting at home. The prices of housing, rocketing, overwhelming.
Impermanence permeates.
Anything we learn has an expiration date. We are constantly in a state of reinvention, to not be left behind, running towards moving goal posts, heaving for breath, legs screaming for a break, desperate for a tailwind.
And those who stop are left at the bottom of the pit, eyes transfixed by the sky, fearing it forever out of reach.
…what could possibly await us?
Artificial intelligence will take our jobs. Digital AI-clone assistants will be sent on your behalf, making your choices, stealing your experiences. Remember not to think too much, and your trip will be numbingly pleasant.
Drink your Margarita on the beach as the machines do your writing, painting, creating, thinking, communicating, relationship-building, struggling, laughing, doubting
living.
Aren’t the waves beautiful today?
And when that day comes, where the digital clone assumes control, you won’t be alone. Virtual reality will be there to embrace you. To smother you in its warmth, making you forget all about superfluous things, like nature, food, intimacy.
I hear the new Coca-Cola IV drip tastes incredible.
When we don’t need to go outside, why care about the environment? John Programmer is already hard at work at building the most detailed, incredible, lifelike simulation. I can’t wait to upload my digital clone to this brave new world. He’s gonna have so much fun.
I hear it’s so realistic that the horse’s balls shrink in the cold!
and yet, we seek it, insatiably
And yet, despite everything, we march on. We struggle. We aspire. We inspire, reach out and go together.
There is so much opportunity in the world. So much beauty.
Medicine improves. Living conditions improve. The internet exists—connecting us with anyone and opening up new experiences. My best friends in my teenage years were a Bolivian living in London and a pair of brothers from Northern Ireland.
Maligned technology present optimistic purposes—simple methods of communication, virtual reality to allow the sick to experience, AI to reclaim our time and tutor those who have no guide.
The knowledge of the world, our entire species, is available to us, anywhere. Diseases, eradicated; suffering, remedied. Side-businesses can be started for little to no cost. You can go outside, travel to anywhere, witness anything, be anyone.
The world is filled with passion.
We can choose to be optimistic. If only we get curious, instead of taking it all for granted, seeking out the negative—we’ll notice it. We’ll see so much more.
such is our fate.
Here’s one note I want to highlight, one quote to make you ponder and one post/note from another creator I enjoyed this week.
1. The Note
2. The Quote
The world you live in is much bigger than that. If the place in which you find yourself is too painful, I say you should be free to seek another, less painful place to refuge. There is no shame in seeking a safe place. I want you to believe that somewhere in this wide world there is a place for you, a safe haven - Kanae Minato
3. The Promote
This week, I enjoyed reading Niall McGivern of Live Free on how losing our reputation can be freeing:
I like the note, quote, and promote structure, Rasmus! Nice ring to it. Appreciate the inclusion here :)
Hey Rasmus, great post! I can see you are becoming more confident in your writing. And it's as you say, we can choose to be optimistic, things aren't as bad as they seem. Most important thing is controlling the now and being present always.