I am newish thanks to a recommendation. This was GREAT. Last summer, about this time a great friend who I walk with occasionally shared about Ted Chiang. I picked up an array of his short stories and was mesmerized. Thanks for reminding me to return to the Ted Chiang fold and read some more.
Love your moment of Zen. I channeled it in an upcoming post about my trip to the Minnesota State Fair. You never know when that moment will happen :)
Elizabeth -- On the 17th I have a post titled Conscience. Within, it contains a short video I filmed in the Cattle Barn at the Minnesota State Fair. It is certainly a Marro-inspired moment of Zen. I hope it generates some traffic for you as I explained the zen-thing in the post as something I enjoy.
Cactus Friends: A Psychedelic Love Story is about a woman who attends a plant medicine ceremony and sees a clue that reveals a real event taking place somewhere else. Basically fiction about using psychedelic cacti to unlock telepathic/weird mental skills.
This is reminding me of those free will vs predestination debates we used to have in Sunday school when I was, like, 10. My brain hurts just thinking about it! 😄
I'll admit to feeling lost and incredibly ignorant when it comes to science fiction, but you've intrigued me to perhaps read Chiang. I'm wondering if you've ever read Octavia Butler? The other thing that came to mind when I was reading your post was a book that I read many, many years ago called "The Holographic Universe" that was almost de-stabilizing -- I remember feeling as if I'd lost my equilibrium, that equilibrium was an illusion anyway.
If you read Chiang, start with that story and see how it strikes you. I think you'll appreciate it.
I promised myself that I would read Octavia Butler this year. So far, I've read three of her novels: "Wild Seed," "Parable of the Sower", and "Kindred." I'm still reeling from how close the world in "Parable" is to the one we are in now. Now I'm trying to decide when or whether to continue with the sequels to Parable of the Sower or read some of her others. I will be writing about my experience with these books and other speculative fiction novels by women. Have you read her?
No, I haven't read "The Holographic Universe" and just looked it up. I just added it to my library list. I am curious to see if my equilibrium will be affected too.
I recently read this book too! I enjoyed the whole book but this story and the last one called “Liking What You See”. I’ve got to pick up his other book Exhalation soon here too.
I just downloaded the book from Libby so I’m excited to read it. Thanks!
As for knowing our future and designing change based on that knowledge, we all know our life will end. Does it change our journey? After working in hospice for so long, the answer I see is usually no. We like safe. We like the known. It’s comforting. And we always think we have more time. At end of life, I find more people drawing back to their own history and close ties rather than seeking anything too new. That being said, it makes a case for changing our trajectory before the end is near. But do we?
I personally like the unknown. I enjoy creating a new history of my life. But I wouldn’t want the burden of knowing too much about the future. Knowing it ends is enough for me. I needn’t know how. Why spoil the journey? The journey is all we own.
That also being said, we are currently traveling across the country in our brand new RV because we are now 62, are not in crisis and just decided to buy it and GO. We still have jobs and responsibilities but we made it work because I told my husband that this is the autumn of our lives. Best go now before we wither. We always have our safety net. Best to add to our story while we still have time to create it.
The ultimate end point is always clear, you are right. It doesn't seem to change the journey for many of us but perhaps that is because the journey for each person is where he/she/they are meant to be.
What I found interesting in the story was the idea that knowing the future still means that it only becomes real if you act. That would mean that a "good" future requires the motivation to keep moving towards it. As for loss -- all the things that make a future potentially difficult or sad, I began to think that knowing it was there might make the present all the more beautiful. 'm enjoying your discourse with Mark here! I'm going to check out both your newsletters quickly.
While a bit philosophical, it seems to me the march toward WW1, WW2 and now the conflict of climate change teaches me that when we know the future, that is the time our primitive dual human brains fight most vociferously to deny the future we can see. I fear the human condition is the weakest link in this sort of thing.
Very well said. I am retired and new to writing. I write about stuff I am interested in and a lot of it is science or history. I wrote a post long ago https://markdolan.substack.com/truth that I think captures some of the challenges. We have learned so much in the last 200 years and half the world remains wedded to the world being <10,000 years old. I am guessing they are anti-telescope.
I think it is our good fortune that so many things in the world are based on chaos and uncertainty. Better for our brains and less headaches, arguing and anger.
I am newish thanks to a recommendation. This was GREAT. Last summer, about this time a great friend who I walk with occasionally shared about Ted Chiang. I picked up an array of his short stories and was mesmerized. Thanks for reminding me to return to the Ted Chiang fold and read some more.
Love your moment of Zen. I channeled it in an upcoming post about my trip to the Minnesota State Fair. You never know when that moment will happen :)
Hi Mark and Elmer - I'm enjoying your discourse here! I'm going to check out both your newsletters quickly. Glad you liked the Zen, Mark.
Elizabeth -- On the 17th I have a post titled Conscience. Within, it contains a short video I filmed in the Cattle Barn at the Minnesota State Fair. It is certainly a Marro-inspired moment of Zen. I hope it generates some traffic for you as I explained the zen-thing in the post as something I enjoy.
Cactus Friends: A Psychedelic Love Story is about a woman who attends a plant medicine ceremony and sees a clue that reveals a real event taking place somewhere else. Basically fiction about using psychedelic cacti to unlock telepathic/weird mental skills.
This is reminding me of those free will vs predestination debates we used to have in Sunday school when I was, like, 10. My brain hurts just thinking about it! 😄
I remember those too only we had them in catechism class with nuns who tended to cut off debate pretty quickly
I'll admit to feeling lost and incredibly ignorant when it comes to science fiction, but you've intrigued me to perhaps read Chiang. I'm wondering if you've ever read Octavia Butler? The other thing that came to mind when I was reading your post was a book that I read many, many years ago called "The Holographic Universe" that was almost de-stabilizing -- I remember feeling as if I'd lost my equilibrium, that equilibrium was an illusion anyway.
If you read Chiang, start with that story and see how it strikes you. I think you'll appreciate it.
I promised myself that I would read Octavia Butler this year. So far, I've read three of her novels: "Wild Seed," "Parable of the Sower", and "Kindred." I'm still reeling from how close the world in "Parable" is to the one we are in now. Now I'm trying to decide when or whether to continue with the sequels to Parable of the Sower or read some of her others. I will be writing about my experience with these books and other speculative fiction novels by women. Have you read her?
No, I haven't read "The Holographic Universe" and just looked it up. I just added it to my library list. I am curious to see if my equilibrium will be affected too.
I recently read this book too! I enjoyed the whole book but this story and the last one called “Liking What You See”. I’ve got to pick up his other book Exhalation soon here too.
Me too. I want to read it very much.
I loved Arrival, as did my screenwriting teacher husband, as well as some other screenwriter friends we know of.
Curious what you'll think of it.
I just downloaded the book from Libby so I’m excited to read it. Thanks!
As for knowing our future and designing change based on that knowledge, we all know our life will end. Does it change our journey? After working in hospice for so long, the answer I see is usually no. We like safe. We like the known. It’s comforting. And we always think we have more time. At end of life, I find more people drawing back to their own history and close ties rather than seeking anything too new. That being said, it makes a case for changing our trajectory before the end is near. But do we?
I personally like the unknown. I enjoy creating a new history of my life. But I wouldn’t want the burden of knowing too much about the future. Knowing it ends is enough for me. I needn’t know how. Why spoil the journey? The journey is all we own.
That also being said, we are currently traveling across the country in our brand new RV because we are now 62, are not in crisis and just decided to buy it and GO. We still have jobs and responsibilities but we made it work because I told my husband that this is the autumn of our lives. Best go now before we wither. We always have our safety net. Best to add to our story while we still have time to create it.
The ultimate end point is always clear, you are right. It doesn't seem to change the journey for many of us but perhaps that is because the journey for each person is where he/she/they are meant to be.
Enjoy that RV and the story you are creating!
Have you read Mary Doria Russell’s The Sparrow? Another beautifully constructed (ostensibly sci-fi) book. It stayed with me so vividly, for so long.
I have not. But I now I will. Thank you, Judith!
LSD for the win. 👏 Yes. Yes. Yes.
What I found interesting in the story was the idea that knowing the future still means that it only becomes real if you act. That would mean that a "good" future requires the motivation to keep moving towards it. As for loss -- all the things that make a future potentially difficult or sad, I began to think that knowing it was there might make the present all the more beautiful. 'm enjoying your discourse with Mark here! I'm going to check out both your newsletters quickly.
Elmer --
While a bit philosophical, it seems to me the march toward WW1, WW2 and now the conflict of climate change teaches me that when we know the future, that is the time our primitive dual human brains fight most vociferously to deny the future we can see. I fear the human condition is the weakest link in this sort of thing.
Very well said. I am retired and new to writing. I write about stuff I am interested in and a lot of it is science or history. I wrote a post long ago https://markdolan.substack.com/truth that I think captures some of the challenges. We have learned so much in the last 200 years and half the world remains wedded to the world being <10,000 years old. I am guessing they are anti-telescope.
I think it is our good fortune that so many things in the world are based on chaos and uncertainty. Better for our brains and less headaches, arguing and anger.
Thanks Elmer. I will check out your Newsletter also.