The Singularity is Near

I resist posting about my politics, musical taste, or what I find interesting in the news on this blog because it often comes off as preachy and self-indulgent. Since most of you guys don't know me personally you probably don't really want to hear my opinions about these subjects anyway. There are taboos against these conversations because there is an unspoken competition between people when these subjects are broached. They are considered impolite unless requested by someone in a trusting environment or an established forum.

If we were pals enjoying potato pierogis at Veselka or playing board games at my apartment I would gladly engage with you about Iraq, healthcare, 'going green' or any other topical clichés in our collective consciousness. That is, if you asked, which you wouldn't. In the instance of a bro night it is appropriate to discuss how 'corrupt the voting system is' etc. However, this is just a blog. An easy reading time burglar if you will.

I know that when I sit down to read my favorite blogs every morning I don't want any thoughts to pass through my brain. I either want to read gossip, laugh, or hate something. Of course the news puts and end to that, but I read the news AFTER I read my favorite blogs. I assume that if you are a regular reader of mine you are here to be amused. If I actually talked to you the way I do with my friends about the things I care about you might find me boring. Most of my friends can tell you that I am preoccupied with a few things that do not fall under "party convo."

If I were to regularly include any one topic (art, string theory, environmental statistics) into my daily postings, you might consider me somewhat of an expert or at least a person who was obsessed enough with said topic to garner your trust in my opinions. Andrew Kuo's artful, sincere, and discerning music blog is a perfect example of this. I don't actually know if he is an expert on good music, but his consistency and dedication to his subject matter wins my trust. He has become one of my music authorities. As of recently he has become so for the New York Times. Andrew DJs every Monday at Lit so I am privy to his excellent jams on a regular basis and I assure you that I’m happier because of it. I leave each week feeling educated (jams-wise) and I usually leave with 3-5 songs written down to add to my library.

The point is, I don’t claim to be an authority on matters of politics, music, movies books or art but I do give a huge shit about a few things and I’d like to share one of them with you. There is an author named Raymond Kurzweil who inspires me and I hope if you don’t already know about him you take a minute to find out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Kurzweil

He wrote a book that I read last year called The Singularity is Near. It’s about how human knowledge has transcended itself at such an exponential rate that we are changing biologically, and how it is technology that will save us. He is a futurist and has positive solutions (or at least suggestions) to everything from cancer and starvation to global warming. His views are hard to grasp at times (he gets a little Gattaca-like), but he knows about all of the developing technologies and artificial intelligence that we don’t know about because we are commoners. He consults for NASA and Bill Gates, and is besties with Stevie Wonder due to his inventions for the blind. He predicted the Quantum Computer decades ago, which has just been developed in China. I could go on and on about his ideas, but again, I’m not an expert. You need to read the book.

I read in New Scientist this week that there is a nanobot being developed that can be implanted in one’s brains ‘through the capillaries’ that can change our neurons. This can reverse a plethora of health problems and ultimately change our society and lifespan, but I will spare you the minutiae and entitlement of my descriptions and just encourage you to read this book. Kurzweil is all about using our technology to improve our species and our earth, which is the only positive outlook toward our human destruction, at least to my knowledge. Kurzweil is my authority on anti-Armageddon.

I mentioned a few posts back that I collect books. I meant art books, but somehow that offended some spiteful asshole in Los Angeles who left me a nasty comment that said something along the lines of how me trying to convince everyone that I read books was so untrue it made ‘you all’ want to vomit. Um, does anyone know anyone who doesn't read books? Bragging about reading is like bragging about eating food. Only babies and starving people don’t read, and those people are not at home on computers leaving anonymous comments on frivolous blogs. Anyhow, to that one meanie-weeny creep who hates me: I actually read books like everyone else in a developed country. Big deal you inflated flub and no, I don't want a cookie for being literate, you clubfooted twit.

Please read The Singularity is Near before you die.

Not you, LA fatass.