Now that the disclaimer made in the previous post is done with, we can move on...
I claim to be a futurist because I look to the future and I ponder what it will bring. I of course use several predictors to form my guesses, and this has constituted quite a bit of research. My track record is clean since I have never publicly made any predictions. I may even prefer to only write a "ficticious" parable about what may come (and no blame can be placed on me). Sometimes these works of fiction become religions/cults...
I want to address something first though: Predictions make for great ideas, but never stake your life on anything-- even if you are filthy rich and seemingly have nothing to lose (you always have your life to lose). Here is a story, which is purported as being historically accurate, about a great and well-known person. (I found this online, of course).
Alexander the Great lived over 2300 years ago.
The last wishes of Alexander the Great
On his death bed, Alexander summoned his generals and told them his three ultimate wishes:
1. The best doctors should carry his coffin;
2. The wealth he has accumulated (money, gold, precious stones) should be scattered along the procession to the cemetery, and
3. His hands should be let loose, hanging outside the coffin for all to see.
One of his generals who was surprised by these unusual requests asked Alexander to explain.
Here is what Alexander the Great had to say:
1. I want the best doctors to carry my coffin to demonstrate that, in the face of death, even the best doctors in the world have no power to heal
2. I want the road to be covered with my treasure so that everybody sees that material wealth acquired on earth, stays on earth
3. I want my hands to swing in the wind, so that people understand that we come to this world empty handed and we leave this world empty handed after the most precious treasure of all is exhausted, and that is TIME.
None of this above may be true, but it is a good story with a moral. This is what all predictions are, or should be-- many do not have morals and SHOULD!
I see Ray Kurzweil's name everywhere, and yes, we pay homage to his writings on this site on the page of external links. We respect him for what he has done and the achievements of people he woks with. His predictions are always making news:
http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/10/business/ray-kurzweil-future-of-human-life/
and his wealth is helping him to see the process of new science all of the time. Many argue that his wealth will make him the recipient of the best treatments, and that his knowledge will be to his own benefit-- is that not how being wealthy works? I am one that believes that a great mind will be worth more than money (an old myth I cling to). All I can offer is biological, so I have to make things count. If anything can be learned from the above story, we ALL need to make our TIME count. Ray Kurzweil is fighting for more time like everyone else who ever took their mortality into careful consideration. His predictions are a grasp for the prospect of having more time generated. We are all for one in life unfortunately, and this is why he looks like a lunatic popping pills and proclaiming life-enhancement discoveries. He can only measure success by how much time he gives himself: human condition.
Some may have read the title of this post and thought I would go into detail about the predictors that lead to predictions-- I am sorry but that is for another post. I have found that blog lengthiness leads to lack of attention and misinterpretation-- maybe I am only predicting this? This post describes two great predictors and how in over 2000 years, nothing has changed for the ultimate human longing for more TIME on this planet. That in itself should be a good predictor!
Until next post.
I claim to be a futurist because I look to the future and I ponder what it will bring. I of course use several predictors to form my guesses, and this has constituted quite a bit of research. My track record is clean since I have never publicly made any predictions. I may even prefer to only write a "ficticious" parable about what may come (and no blame can be placed on me). Sometimes these works of fiction become religions/cults...
I want to address something first though: Predictions make for great ideas, but never stake your life on anything-- even if you are filthy rich and seemingly have nothing to lose (you always have your life to lose). Here is a story, which is purported as being historically accurate, about a great and well-known person. (I found this online, of course).
Alexander the Great lived over 2300 years ago.
The last wishes of Alexander the Great
On his death bed, Alexander summoned his generals and told them his three ultimate wishes:
1. The best doctors should carry his coffin;
2. The wealth he has accumulated (money, gold, precious stones) should be scattered along the procession to the cemetery, and
3. His hands should be let loose, hanging outside the coffin for all to see.
One of his generals who was surprised by these unusual requests asked Alexander to explain.
Here is what Alexander the Great had to say:
1. I want the best doctors to carry my coffin to demonstrate that, in the face of death, even the best doctors in the world have no power to heal
2. I want the road to be covered with my treasure so that everybody sees that material wealth acquired on earth, stays on earth
3. I want my hands to swing in the wind, so that people understand that we come to this world empty handed and we leave this world empty handed after the most precious treasure of all is exhausted, and that is TIME.
None of this above may be true, but it is a good story with a moral. This is what all predictions are, or should be-- many do not have morals and SHOULD!
I see Ray Kurzweil's name everywhere, and yes, we pay homage to his writings on this site on the page of external links. We respect him for what he has done and the achievements of people he woks with. His predictions are always making news:
http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/10/business/ray-kurzweil-future-of-human-life/
and his wealth is helping him to see the process of new science all of the time. Many argue that his wealth will make him the recipient of the best treatments, and that his knowledge will be to his own benefit-- is that not how being wealthy works? I am one that believes that a great mind will be worth more than money (an old myth I cling to). All I can offer is biological, so I have to make things count. If anything can be learned from the above story, we ALL need to make our TIME count. Ray Kurzweil is fighting for more time like everyone else who ever took their mortality into careful consideration. His predictions are a grasp for the prospect of having more time generated. We are all for one in life unfortunately, and this is why he looks like a lunatic popping pills and proclaiming life-enhancement discoveries. He can only measure success by how much time he gives himself: human condition.
Some may have read the title of this post and thought I would go into detail about the predictors that lead to predictions-- I am sorry but that is for another post. I have found that blog lengthiness leads to lack of attention and misinterpretation-- maybe I am only predicting this? This post describes two great predictors and how in over 2000 years, nothing has changed for the ultimate human longing for more TIME on this planet. That in itself should be a good predictor!
Until next post.
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