The Future is Now

Sometimes you read a book so powerful, so wise that you feel the duty of spreading the author's words and contribute to a better world.  Michio Kaku's Physics of the Future is a must-read in the night stand of every leader in the planet, every decision maker, everyone with power to influence societies with high decisions.  Actually, I will rephrase this: it should be part of every school curriculum.

If we talk about the future, we talk about the next generation which is going to inherit the very complicated mission of bringing mankind from a Type 0 civilization to a Type I civilization.  A type I civilization is planetary, it controls all sources of energy of the planet and might be able to tame and modify the weather.  This civilization has an incredible life span and enjoys technologies that we could only dream about when we were kids.

We will live in a world where energy is cheap and abundant, where computers are everywhere to assist us in our daily duties, from our clothing to the walls of our houses.  Information will not be only at the palm of your hands, but in front of your eyes.

Nowadays, we are in the transition from Type 0 to Type I and this is the most dangerous moment in history of humanity.  This is because we still have all the savagery, all the fundamentalism, racism and intolerance that marked us through our barbaric stage, yet we have enough destructive power to eradicate ourselves from Earth, thanks to the same advances in technology that have brought us to the top of this planet's evolutionary table.  If knowledge is power, information is the currency and we live in an age where it can be accessed immediately and anywhere.  Anyone can access online data about how to build a nuclear weapon, or where to find all materials needed for it.  In these upcoming times where information will be abundant, the only force that oppose the chaos is wisdom.

Kaku defines wisdom as the ability to identify the crucial issues of our time, analyze them from many different points of view and perspectives, and then choose the one that carries out some noble goal and principle.  As he points, unlike information, wisdom cannot be dispersed via blogs and internet chatter.  It comes from reasoned and informed democratic debate from opposing sides.

George Bernard Shaw once said: "Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve."  The Internet is an ally of democratic freedom, allowing people to access information that centuries ago would be controlled by some local government in order to keep their dictatorship's hegemony.  Now, youngsters have the power and responsibility of choosing wisely, of deciding how far to take this technology that can change the world, and in what directions it must develop.  This promising generation must be educated overall, must be an informed electorate, but we run into one problem.  How to do that with a dysfunctional and outmoded educational system?

Sir Ken Robinson warned us with a short question on his memorable speech at TED's conference in 2006: "Do Schools kill creativity?"  If the leaders of tomorrow must have common sense, ability of thinking creatively and be problem-solvers, how to develop them in times like these?  Why are we leveling our kids by the bottom and rewarding mediocrity when the great work should be done in those years prior to their academic life?  Let's not be complacent with a wasteful attitude; let's not try to tell them what to do, but help them to develop their way.  We all are responsible for changing the present, we all are parents of the kids of the future; we are the role models of the men and women who will set the destiny our species.  Thousands of generations have lived and died to pass their genes so you could be here today, and you have this weight on your shoulders.

Robinson also said: " I believe our only hope for the future is to adopt a new conception of human ecology, one in which we start to reconstitute our conception of the richness of human capacity. Our education system has mined our minds in the way that we strip-mine the earth, for a particular commodity, and for the future, it won’t serve us.

We have to rethink the fundamental principles on which we’re educating our children."

. . . . .

What are you going to do today?

To Be or Not to Be... Immortal

picture by Lauren Burgess
Have you ever heard the tale of Phineas Gage?  I have read about it in psychology.about.com by Kendra Cherry, and it made me think.

In 1848, a young man named Phineas Gage suffered a traumatic brain injury that astonished doctors and continues to fascinate scientists today.

On September 13, 1848, the then 25-year-old Gage was working as the foreman of a crew preparing a railroad bed near Cavendish, Vermont.  He was using an iron tamping rod to pack explosive powder into a hole.  Unfortunately, the powder detonated, sending the 43 inch long and 1.25 inch diameter rod hurtling upward. The rod penetrated Gage's left cheek, tore through his brain, and exited his skull before reportedly landing some 80 feet away.  Shockingly, Gage not only survived the initial injury but was able to speak and walk to a nearby cart so he could be taken into town to be seen by a doctor, Dr. Edward H. Williams.

Soon after, Dr. John Martyn Harlow, took over the case. It is through Harlow's observations of the injury and his later descriptions of Gage's mental changes that provide much of the primary information that we now know about the case.

In the months that followed, Gage returned to his parent's home in New Hampshire to recuperate.  Unable to return to his railroad job, Gage held a series of jobs including work in a livery stable, a stagecoach driver in Chile and farm work in California.  Popular reports of Gage often depict him as a hardworking, pleasant man prior to the accident.  Post-accident, these reports describe him as a changed man, suggesting that the injury had transformed him into a surly, aggressive drunkard who was unable to hold down a job.

Since there is little direct evidence of the exact extent of Gage's injuries aside from Harlow's report, it is difficult to know exactly how severely his brain was damaged. Harlow's accounts suggest that the injury did lead to a loss of social inhibition, leading Gage to behave in ways that were seen as inappropriate.

In 1968, Harlow presented the first account of the changes in Gage's behavior following the accident:

"The equilibrium or balance, so to speak, between his intellectual faculties and animal propensities, seems to have been destroyed. He is fitful, irreverent, indulging at times in the grossest profanity (which was not previously his custom), manifesting but little deference for his fellows, impatient of restraint or advice when it conflicts with his desires, at times pertinaciously obstinate, yet capricious and vacillating, devising many plans of future operations, which are no sooner arranged than they are abandoned in turn for others appearing more feasible. A child in his intellectual capacity and manifestations, he has the animal passions of a strong man. Previous to his injury, although untrained in the schools, he possessed a well-balanced mind, and was looked upon by those who knew him as a shrewd, smart businessman, very energetic and persistent in executing all his plans of operation. In this regard his mind was radically changed, so decidedly that his friends and acquaintances said he was 'no longer Gage.'"

All that you can read at Kendra’s blog, but Phineas’ tale is not what I wanted to talk about.

René Descartes (1596-1650) was a philosopher who believed in free will.  According to him, a person consists of two ingredients, a body and a soul.  While bodies are like machines made of matter and are subject to the laws of science, souls are immortals and the origin of free will.  We have to understand that it was in an age when mankind had to feel special about our position in the universe compared to all other living beings – we are better than animals and anything else (oh, maybe that still sounds familiar…?)  That is the base for, I think, most of the religions known to man.  We have souls – we are responsible for our decisions – our afterlife depends on how we live this life.  Basically, if you’re a good person you are going to seize the fruits of your behavior.  Now, I understand, someone has either a good or a bad soul and, therefore, tends to be either good or bad, morally speaking.  If our bodies are merely temples of the soul, our brains should not define our character.  So, what happens in a case like Phineas Gage’s?

There are two options.  First: the brain has important influence in our behavior in the way the soul connects to the physical world.  Second: our behavior is entirely defined by how our brain works, what means we are determined by matter – atoms together in the right combination, those forming cells and electric impulses – and possibly have no souls.

Where does morality stand?  In the first scenario, how do we know if someone is naturally good?  What would be the method to identify who deserves to go to Heaven or Hell, reborn as a king or as a cockroach?  Would that be fair if we are confined in our bodies and our judgment relies on our brain capacity, like a race between a Ferrari and a bicycle with, maybe, equally good drivers?  Do we get our brains at random or there are some criteria to determine who deserves which?  If so, how can that be fair?  If there is some superior force who decides the rules of morality, how can that be fair?

The second case scenario is simple; we are determined by chemical reactions, laws of physics and mere chance.  Doesn’t that make you feel special?

Boosting You

I don’t know about you, but it amazes me when I see science overcoming the barriers that nature imposes us.  

Human beings are not impressively strong animals – we are definitely not among the fastest and our immune system has considerably deteriorated along the last millenniums – but our brains allow us to get far beyond any other species in this planet would ever dreamed of.  

We are not only able to create and control our personal environment and use technology to ease our lives, but we also use it to enhance ourselves.

Science for the blind

After losing his right eye in a shooting accident, the film maker Rob Spencer decided to implant a tiny camera in his eye socket and now he’s able to film and transmit videos wireless to screens, videos, cameras and hard drive devices.  He started the EyeBorg Project what would be, at least, a very interesting anthropological experiment.

A new technology of bionic eye is being developed to allow the blind to see again.  A camera in a pair of glasses sends a wireless signal to an implant behind the retina which sends a crude black & white image data back to the brain through the optic nerve.  Nowadays, people are receiving a 60 electrode implant, but scientists of the Doheny Institute in California are working on a 1,000 electrode version which should even allow facial recognition.  Electrical engineers of the Monash Vision Group have also begun trialing prototype microchips for powering the bionic eye and the Stanford School of Medicine is working on tiny solar-panel-like cells to be used in those kinds of implants.

Nootropics -- enhancing what you have and the impact on society

On the other hand, perfectly healthy individuals are using nootropics – also referred to as cognitive enhancers or intelligence enhancers – to boost their natural intellect and, said, “reach their true potential.”

If you have seen the blockbuster Limitless starring Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro you might have an idea of what I’m talking about.

Although these drugs are usually prescribed to treat medical conditions, many people take the risk and buy them over the internet in an attempt to boost performance at work, university and other social environment.  You can find plenty of information online about it – not exactly professional advices – and its popularity is increasing among students.  But what are the impacts on the society?

Imagine if you have to compete against a hyper focused student who wouldn’t get as tired as you and, worse, if that becomes common practice.

"I was able to write a 22-page paper in one day. I revised it over the next couple of days and got an A. Normally, I wouldn't have even been able to get a rough draft done in a week," says one student surveyed about his use of modafinil.

When asked about their potential impact on society, people clearly have concerns beyond safety - about how the drugs might create a two-tier education system in which some can afford the drugs and others can't, as shown on the BBC article Do Cognitive-Enhancing Drugs Work.

"The drugs would get stronger and stronger due to increased demand of performance. Addictions would ensue. People would not be able to live without them. Employers would demand their employees to be constantly using them."

Truth is, science allows us to get the best of ourselves.  The problem is when that also brings the bad side of human nature which is that predatory ability of exploitation and dominance.

The Man Cave Project

Ok…  You can be a science lover, a businessman, a devoted father or a party animal, but truth be said; doesn’t matter who/how you are -- everyone needs to catch a break every once in a while and surrender to guilty pleasures.

As a man, I fall into the category of the man cave wishers.  Come on… you actually don’t even have to be a man to appreciate a good man cave as I have lots of girl-friends (don’t get me wrong here; I’m a one woman man) who I’m sure would love to be in a place where you can have limitless fun without being bothered or having to be politically correct.

Every man has his own man cave project and a man cave may be never done as you can always attach new gadgets and maximize space within the area – although it is always perfect. Some might spend just a few hundred dollars on it and other enthusiastic people would sure invest thousands to develop the perfect place which is going to be, sometimes, more loved than the bedroom.

Let’s take a look at my ultimate man cave project… how’s yours?

PS3 and Nintendo Wii – for those who like to waste time arguing about which one is better, just understand one thing: both are cool and able to coexist in harmony.

A man’s TV and Home Theater system – because you have to do it right.

Air Hockey Table – within a short distance to the fridge where the beers are.

Foosball Table – it doesn’t have to be fancy to be cool…

Ping Pong Table – here goes a hint: don’t let your beer on the table, especially if you’re still playing.

A Pac Man – Galaga Arcade Machine – definitely hours of entertainment.

Pinball Machine – also within a short distance to the fridge.

A Pool Table – because you’re also classy.  Don’t forget the cigar.

Daytona USA Arcade – Good memories can create good memories…

Smart Cities, Smart Life

After smart phones, now come Smart Cities.

We are so used to have technology in our daily lives, either in form of comfort appliances or security measures. Internet is something so intrinsically connected to our professional and personal life that it is inevitable its use in research, monitoring and control of people - according to Mindflash.com, roughly 45% of employers now reportedly use social media sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to screen potential employees (and, of course, keep monitoring them); The Telegraph says that Britons spend an average of 15 hours a week online, and the average American spent 32 hours per month in 2010 (note that by average there’s no distinction of online activity by age group or gender).

Both the Shetland Islands Council and Corby Borough Council - among the smallest local authorities in the UK - have more CCTV cameras than the San Francisco Police Department. The borough of Wandsworth has the highest number of CCTV cameras in London, with just under four cameras per 1,000 people. Its total number of cameras - 1,113 - is more than the police departments of Boston [USA], Johannesburg and Dublin City Council combined.

Ok; the Big Brother is watching us, but what else?

Cities tend to reach for progress and the use of technology is inexorable in the pace for the future.

Vehicle-interlock systems that disable automobiles when sensors detect an inebriated driver have been around for some years now and, because people cheat the system (of course they do), a face recognition program is being developed by engineers of the University of Windsor with the use of biometrics.

In Paris, three years ago, 100 people volunteered under the Citypulse project to monitor ozone and noise levels of different areas in order to gather data to prevent and solve present and future problems, making the city a better place to live.

In U.S.A., a new bill (Senate Bill 1813, known as MAP-21) passed by the U.S. Senate in March calls for “mandatory event data recorders” to be installed in all new passenger motor vehicles sold in the U.S. from 2015 on, for recording data before, during, or after a crash.

Everything seems wonderful so far; what’s the matter?

As Amara Angelica eloquently explained on her article about these black boxes, “Maybe the black box in the future will eventually monitor everything happening in the car, with real-time feeds to Homeland Security?” That’s when I ask: where is the limit between security monitoring and privacy invasion? I remember the airport full-body X-ray scanners polemic – I still travel by plane and, every time, it is still uncomfortable.

I am a big fan of science fiction predictions of the future, and there are two that come to mind about that: one is Spielberg’s film Minority Report and the police division of Pre-Crime and the other is the book 1984 by George Orwell which coined the so common term Big Brother (which I have even used on this very article).

Am I going too far by making a link here?

Smart Cities will collect data of all kinds - cars, appliances, cameras, roadways, pipelines etc - and use it to connect and control every aspect of life with massive operating systems that will run these cities in their entirety; now, who’s gonna provide all this apparatus and withdraw its benefits? The market is estimated to be worth $16 billion by the end of the decade and big companies like IBM and Cisco are already on it. Yep; the future is going to be owned by monopolies – not breaking news in any society, either capitalist or socialist.

So, technology came to help us to live a better life, I agree; everyone wants some degree of comfort and to be at ease. The problem comes when you get too dependent on it, or when it controls you. How smart are You?

A world where science and progress will lead to all men's happiness

That is perhaps one of the greatest speeches of all times…  Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin was more than an actor; he was a great compositor, musician, writer and director, and a human being full of passion.  

In times of change when the world of cinema turned into the period of sound films, Chaplin delivered this masterpiece for the delight of audiences of all generations.  Let the speech motivates you if what you have rushing through your veins is blood.

..................................................................................................................................................

I'm sorry but I don't want to be an Emperor, that's not my business. I don't want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone if possible, Jew, gentile, black man, white. We all want to help one another, human beings are like that. We all want to live by each other's happiness, not by each other's misery. We don't want to hate and despise one another. In this world there is room for everyone and the earth is rich and can provide for everyone.

The way of life can be free and beautiful. But we have lost the way.

Greed has poisoned men's souls, has barricaded the world with hate;
has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed.

We have developed speed but we have shut ourselves in:
machinery that gives abundance has left us in want.
Our knowledge has made us cynical,
our cleverness hard and unkind.
We think too much and feel too little:
More than machinery we need humanity;
More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness.

Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost.

The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men, cries out for universal brotherhood for the unity of us all. Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world, millions of despairing men, women and little children, victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people. To those who can hear me I say "Do not despair".

The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed, the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress: the hate of men will pass and dictators die and the power they took from the people, will return to the people and so long as men die [now] liberty will never perish. . .

Soldiers: don't give yourselves to brutes, men who despise you and enslave you, who regiment your lives, tell you what to do, what to think and what to feel, who drill you, diet you, treat you as cattle, as cannon fodder.

Don't give yourselves to these unnatural men, machine men, with machine minds and machine hearts. You are not machines. You are not cattle. You are men. You have the love of humanity in your hearts. You don't hate, only the unloved hate. Only the unloved and the unnatural. Soldiers: don't fight for slavery, fight for liberty.

In the seventeenth chapter of Saint Luke it is written:
"The kingdom of God is within man"
Not one man, nor a group of men, but in all men; in you, the people.

You the people have the power, the power to create machines, the power to create happiness. You the people have the power to make life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure. Then in the name of democracy let's use that power, let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world, a decent world that will give men a chance to work, that will give you the future and old age and security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power, but they lie. They do not fulfil their promise, they never will. Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people. Now let us fight to fulfil that promise. Let us fight to free the world, to do away with national barriers, do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men's happiness.

Soldiers! In the name of democracy, let us all unite!

. . .

Look up! Look up! The clouds are lifting, the sun is breaking through. We are coming out of the darkness into the light. We are coming into a new world. A kind new world where men will rise above their hate and brutality.

The soul of man has been given wings, and at last he is beginning to fly. He is flying into the rainbow, into the light of hope, into the future, that glorious future that belongs to you, to me and to all of us. Look up. Look up.

21st Century Life

I have been talking about the future, about how we are evolving at a fast pace, and how that implicitly boosts our ability to good and evil et cetera; so, here is a song about a man who realizes that; it is also a criticism of how mankind still faces so many social problems, despite all its advances.  The song is 21st Century Life by Sam Sparro, and I'm not gonna say I agree with all of what has been suggested here, but for the bass players, check out that bass line – Dave Wilder did a very good job of almost forcing the audience to play air bass.

21st Century Life by Sam Sparro

Songwriters: ROGG, JESSE / FALSON, SAM

When I was a little boy living in the last century

I thought about living in the future then it occurred to me

I turned around the future was now, the future was all around me

Nothing like I had imagined, it was totally confounding

21st century life, I got swept away

I got 21,000 things that I gotta do today

21st century life, well what can I say?

The new world's got me feeling so dirty

Think I need to get down and play

Well, now I turned on the TV just in time enough to hear

What the Pope said, the Pope said

And just a few tiny words later somebody wants the man dead

What about famine and disease, well they said it's too bad, oops

Because I'm never alone, it's not just a phone, it's a stereo

21st century life, I got swept away

I got 21,000 things that I gotta do today

21st century life, well what can I say?

The new world's got me feeling so dirty

Think I need to get down and play

Now I'm not a little boy, I'm in the 21st century

Well, you might think we've come a really long way

But there's still no equality

I watched the news on my computer screen

Talking about buying my weed out of a vending machine

You tell me I'm free but how can it be

When you're always watching me on the CCTV

21st century life, I got swept away

I got 21,000 things that I gotta do today

21st century life, well what can I say?

The new world's got me feeling so dirty

Think I need to get down and play

21, 21, 21

I'm talking about 21, 21