In the near future: Prophecy of a status updating compulsion

We live in an age in which everything we do in our life is portrayed on our facebook (and twitter) status updates. We get to know about what our friends are doing because they keep changing their status'. In our age, having over five hundred friends on facebook is commonplace . In case one of the five hundred odd friends stops updating their status no one would figure out what has happened. Thus we might reach a time when, if we shut down our computers and walk away on a (facebook) hiatus for five days facebook might automatically assume that you are no more, and update your status saying XYZ is no more.

(This is obviously assuming that we become compulsive status updaters, and keep updating our status' at the drop of a hat.)

The habit of updating out status might become so compulsive that we might start implanting micro-controllers below our vocal chords, which are remotely connected to facebook and twitter. These chips will have voice sensors that sense what we say. Depending on what is said, it updates our status. There is a real possibility that we might become automatic status updating cyborgs. To understand how these chips will automatically update our status consider the following conversation.

Friend: What are you doing?
Mukund: I just finished watching 'Up in the Air'.

Facebook will then read: Mukund just finished watching 'Up in the Air'.

or

Mukund: I'm going to meet my girlfriend for coffee.
Facebook: Mukund is going to meet his girlfriend for coffee.

Obviously this system will need to incorporate privacy features where some things can not be written on the update. I'm pretty sure that these issues will be evened out.

Tomorrow is today's future, so tomorrow is almost upon us. We'd better be prepared for what might happen tomorrow.

Poem-Mukund P Rao

Atonement

We were so good together,
You and I,
our frivolous laughter and sounds of joy,
still ring in my ears.
Oh!
How I yearn those years.

There were days when we sat together,
watching dusk turn to night,
by the beach or beside a brook,
whilst I sipped my coffee and read a book.

Your presence was always comforting,
like air for my sustenance,
or water to quench my thirst.
but,
Alas!
Those days have come to pass,
I leave my house,
But to you sans glance.

You bide your time,
and sometimes give a gentle nudge,
remind me of my past transgressions,
and yet give me another chance

Yet that too I spurn,
and I let you burn to cinder.
slowly as you can bear it no longer,
tornadoes start to churn the ocean,
volcanoes spew ash into the sky,
and the entire earth begins to shake and groan.

I do wish I could help you Mother,
I do try so very hard,
Mother Nature!
For our trespasses,
do forgive us,
for we are ignorant
and we know not what we do!

Mukund P Rao (March 26)

Poem

An Uncle of mine sent this poem to me recently. Thought I should share it.
I think in the span of the one page the poem covers, it summarises how we should live our lives.

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann (1927)

Originality and Plagiarism

Can There Ever Be a Truly Original Work?
We always talk about people coming up with an original work, but can there ever be a truly original work?

Let us take the example of a writer, before he or she starts writing they think of a plot. At this stage itself the originality is lost because they think in a language (say English). When you think in English you are using the idea of a language that has already existed before. So actually this thought itself isn't original.

If you imagine you are an author and you have created your own language then what are your options while writing your book?

Either you would use a pen and start jotting down your ideas on a piece of paper or you might type it on the computer. The very act of writing using a pen is not original because it has been taught to you by someone else.

So the only way we can have absolute originality is to take a group of humans and transport them to a different planet and ensure that they have no contact with the rest of the human race. Then whatever is developed will be original.

This is an interesting scientific experiment because we can then learn about how we evolved into what we are today, and other things like how languages evolved. There again is a small problem though: During the course of our evolution even tough some of what we did was original, some of it wasn't. For example we learnt lots of things from nature, by imitating how other animals behaved. Thus perfect originality can only be obtained when as a part of a gigantic scientific experiment

a whole new planet was created just for this purpose.

There is a chance that even earth might have been created a part of a similar experiment. Still waiting for the results of my study...(Which isn't original)


In the meanwhile here are a few interesting quotes on plagiarism.

When 'Omer smote 'is bloomin' lyre, He'd 'eard men sing by land an' sea; An' what he thought 'e might require, 'E went an' took--the same as me.
Rudyard Kipling
(When Homer smote his blooming lyre, He'd heard men sing by land and sea; And what he though he might require, He went and took--the same as me.)


The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.
Albert Einstein

Copy from one, it's plagiarism; copy from two, it's research.
John Milton