The current phenom to the Art world seems to be a Computer enabled with applicable software capable of manipulating ones and zeros into an as yet to be imagined – imagery. An art-form unique in its presence as to demand not only critical attention, but currency exchange in the form of fiat or crypto. Who’d of thunk it?
Personally, I have enjoyed over the years as hardware and application software advanced, the thrill of digital manipulation either in the form of graphics, photo-manipulation as well as video-animation. But never took the concept of such works being worthy of currency exchange. Ultimately, the value of beauty or artful worthiness remains in the EYE, of the beholder.
To that end, here is a sampling of some of that produced over the decades. Many specifically to contextualize a poem or essay:
This graphic began with a simple sweep of the virtual pen
As one who has spent many hours of his life infused with the need to express what is felt, seen, and heard; to acknowledge a young, inspiring Poet Amanda Gorman [https://youtu.be/FpR7iELvVrI]: to give poetry its place to affectively communicate in so many words, the hearts, minds, and consciousness of the many; gave inspiration to the following in tribute to her glorious achievement(s):
To Be Heard
To write a Poem, is not just words;
It is an individual’s feelings, felt to be heard.
To those whom encounter such a poem;
Know, its meaning is to find an emotional home.
Inspiration, often from the most innocuous place,
Can stimulate a composition of wisdom, hope and grace.
So, understanding that a Poem is more than just words;
Let its next encounter give cause for its meaning to be truly heard.
It has been some time since posting to NAYKD POET, not for lack of want, but truly, finding little that is positive to inspire expression; what ever the topic, and/or, medium of communication conveyance.
This tumultuous era, as a collective: Humanity, we are now experiencing, by my armature examination, is a culmination, in fact a collision, of the facets that constitute the infra-structure of society: civil or unruly.
The basic, principle category components: Science, Religion, Politics, Finance/Economics, Nationalist Culture, Sexuality, Genetics, Technology(ies); all being, presently, challenged to their relevancy, to the individual, and as a collective. The latter being discriminated into groups, or tribes, defined by such criteria, resulting in a matrix of potential, conflicting beliefs, truths, and acceptance.
And, not unlike the trauma imposed upon global humanity during historic revolutionary changes in human development, duly categorized as the: Stone-age, Iron-age, Industrial-age, and now, the Information-age; this latter period likely to be the most daunting to lapse into a state of manageable, universal conformity.
The exponential presence, and societal relevance, of Internet communications, the portable devices making possible instant communication: text, voice, video, are contributing to a climatic change; the temper(ature) of tolerance: capably, willingly assumed, without direct imposition by a ruling-class. When a true, scalable instance of expression, within moments of happening can culminate in violent riot, or the saving of a life, simultaneously witnessed, and responded to, by every globally connected individual, instantly.
The diversity of viewpoint, opinion, on virtually any topic of free expression, or conflation of information, has manifest a vital opportunity, but at the steep cost of credulity: who, or what, to believe to be true, honest, and factual.Â
What the Information-age appears to have most successfully achieve, to date, is to expose how dangerously disruptive diverse beliefs, and allegiances, to the definable, basic component structures that form an evolving human presence on Earth can be. And, unfortunately, with the ever expanding web of virtual influence of information technologies; matters have greater promise of unbridled upheaval and disenfranchisement.
Not a happy, nor positive projection of time to come; but, awareness to this potential, to this mind, will serve well to temper what ever storm is yet to erupt.
As the title infers, the present course of humanity on the planet is destined toward destruction: self-annihilation. Whether this unwelcome end is manifest by the disastrous effects of climate-change or, equally as bad and potential: thermal nuclear war and the nuclear winter that will ensue.
Regardless of the mechanism, to thwart such potential happening, if there is a solution to be had, it is the Millennial generation, to this current epoch, to take affirmative and permanent action to manifest it.
Inspiring such a movement is Vice documentary production titled: `The Third Industrial Revolution: A Radical New Sharing Economy’ (https://youtu.be/QX3M8Ka9vUA) hosted by Jeremy Rifkin, American economic and social theorist, writer, public speaker, political adviser, and activist, who addresses an American audience of several millennial age men and women, detailing what amounts to a challenging road map to usher in a new economic system. A system presently hinting its way into the lexicon by way of such words as `block-chain’; `share-economy’; bio-system economy’; etc..
The hour and half is stark in Rifkin’s picture painted of the present state of global and earthly affairs detailed by the chronology of events initiated from the start of the 1st industrial revolution, through the second, and to where matters stand today. And the picture is not pretty nor is to where, if matters do not change dramatically, and soon, things are determined to get much worse.
What is clearly evident by way of Rifkin’s presentation; the European Union countries, led by example of Germany’s Chancellor, Angela Merkel; and, China’s President, Xi Jinping; are leading their respective countries through revolutionary policy changes clearly established to lead them on the path to what he refers to as the `third industrial revolution’. And, simultaneously, asks: `where is the United States on this important issue?. And further, for that matter, by extension: all of North America and remaining regions of the world to address what is essentially a global problem demanding a global solution.
It is almost an imperative that those comprising the Millennial generation, supported by those of all previous generations, to watch, listen and respond to what Jeremy Rifkin details in this very informative and inspiring documentary.
In the United States, Millennials will have the opportunity to institute affirmative action by voting in the upcoming mid-term, November 2018 election to draft a new body of legislators, Senators and Congressman. Those acknowledged to be pro-active in the challenges, not solely on matters of climate-change, but too, a heightened awareness of the role smart technologies and systems of value exchange such as block-chain and crypto-currency/asset value exchange; AI infra-structure and autonomous technologies; construct of the share-economy, to ignite a new era of human r-evolution:`The Third Industrial Revolution: A Radical New Sharing Economy’.
In keeping with my typical voice being expressed in poetry; the following is a poem written early in 2010 acknowledging the state of matters then, that, eight years later, seems most appropriate to express in context of the revolution humanity is upon the threshold to embark:
R-evolution of Human-kindÂ
Only a handful of the world’s people are in the know
And what evil doings they do sow
And from it the hatred amongst all does grow
Question to be answered: What is their game?
And from it: What is the gain?
And by it: Who ultimately does the pain?
The saga of this siege has long been played
The life and blood of the masses is the price paid
When does it stop – when does it go away?
Populations of people are all getting smarter
No longer will they serve as the elite’s fodder
The uprising to come will undo this ongoing slaughter
A cataclysm will it take to break the slave chain
Only then will the people of the world take back their rightful claim
In the interests of social science dealing with the theory experimented by psychologist Stanley Milgram ,1960’s, Yale University, on the concept of degrees of separation: `Six degrees of separation is the theory that any person on the planet can be connected to any other person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances that has no more than five intermediaries’ (google search). And, the subject of like experiments conducted by Duncan J. Watts, Professor of sociology, Columbia University, and associates, as detailed in his book: Everything Is Obvious – Once you know the answer, (Chapter 4 Special People – Six Degrees of Separation, page 82); I am interested to conduct my own experiment.
Several years back when Stephen Colbert, currently the late-night host of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS Broadcast); was the host and political pundit satirist on the Colbert Show, Comedy Central, I have been attempting to get a communication to his attention.
It began when the Colbert Show ran an art competition involving portraits to be submitted rendering Colbert in all his, self-indulgent, narcissistic glory.
To that end, I responded with the following photo-shop rendering:
It was meant to reflect his mastery of satirical yet, poetic, right-wing political punditry to rival the rhetorical eloquence of Shakespeare. It certainly seemed relevant for the time.
Though Stephen Colbert’s stature and image being elevated since his taking the host position of the Late Show formerly held by David Letterman, I’d like to think he’d get a kick, or at least a chuckle, of his portrayal in this dated image.
So, to the experiment: how many individuals will it take to get this image to the eyes of
Stephen Colbert, host of the Late Show broadcast from the Ed Sullivan Theater, New York City, New York, US of A? And his comment to its accompanying poem written in his honor:
‘Stephen Colbert’
 This ode of word to the King
Of the comedy hour
His craft of speak
Is yielding much power
Nightly he espouses
A pundit’s cynical political view
To most who watch
It sounds as something new
The double entendre of his nightly spiel
Is taken by some who think it real
He manifests reasons for thought
A most clever and insightful plot
His wisdom portrayed by his crafty craft
Even all the while making his audience laugh
How great is Stephen’s desire to have you know
That his is not just another COMEDY SHOW
 But before the close there’s need for just one more claim:
 To all who are aware, Stephen Colbert – is more then just a name!
Humanity is fast approaching the second decade of this 21st century at such speed, if measured by the advancements in computer hardware and software technologies manifesting as virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and robotics at the heart of it, its beyond the speed of light.
No where is this to be more evident then that which comes from the fantastical mind-creations of screenplay writers; directors and legions of CGI special-effects artists; editors and, ironically to a lesser degree, flesh and blood Actors.
To witness a sampling of what Hollywood has in store for 2018 and beyond; a fictional projection of a fantastical, and potentially dystopian, future world can be had here (it is a playlist of trailers of 2018 release movies).
The series of upcoming movies from award-winning directors such as Stephen Spielberg and David Cameron, and multi-million production budgets, they do not hold back on their portrayal of what the future has in store for humanity. Unfortunately today, such exposes need the drama of death and destruction, but at the heart of each screenplay, is a potential truth, one day, we may all have to face.
Insignificant are these words that fill this page fore they render nothing more than a stain. Stain markings as feelings, thoughts, ideas of less importance, impact upon the direction, course evolution takes toward an end. Contrivance of communication subject to seeing by blind eyes, being heard through deaf ears, never to be spoken. The encumbrance of thought compiled line by line, expelled to satisfy each moment toward their meaningless, meaning or purpose. Collected, bound, volumes comprehensively fomenting artificiality of presence recognized, though invisible, amidst the masses of trite representation to the same. Succumbing to be buried, lost to chance to be forgotten, dormant upon the ageless shelf of lessor importance. Energy expended without reward of return, fading to darkness: The End.
 This Requiem ofSpirit: Creative Mind, lost of its meaning to gain furtherance to expression brought to the Conscious that grave for its experience be brought, by reading minds’ imagination. Allowing for the Ether, Heart of Soul, be brought tangibly to Life, through the senses expunging, from each taste, stain of Word: What it is to BE!
What is laughable from this growing situation of sexual harassment charges against celebrity and individuals in the public realm is the purported naivety of the broader public to the presence of sexual predators in every situation where an individual is empowered by position of authority to make sexual advances upon an underling. It is basically a predator and prey syndrome. If what the predator is seeking is of a sexual nature, there are ample prey upon which to `feed’. The failure of society in this regard is the reverence it directs toward these same persons of power, aggrandizing them for their purported accomplishments providing them a real sense of empowerment and entitlement to lord over their underlings. This whole experience is as OLD as all humankind and it will not ever be eradicated until the concept of idolization, stardom, etc., is defused from social consciousness. One need only look from where in the structure of society these `scandals’ emanate: politics, entertainment, corporations, etc., etc.; every where a structure of hierarchy of power exists which is basically: EVERYWHERE! So this should be of no surprise to anyone who has eyes to see, ears to hear, and a mouth to seal shut! (Three MONKEYS)
Doing, as one does during these digital times, surfing through You-Tube video in attempt to find something of intrigue or mind-expanding amongst the throngs of endless self-aggrandizing or sophomoric in content video channels; I happened upon a Channel explaining a version of Mathematics, simply put, defines `Everything’.
VIDEO:Â
Assuming the video is watched to elaborate on the concept/technology, the significance of the Number `9’ to our very existence is made apparent. The irony lies in the matter; I wrote a poem titled: `NINE’, back in 2011, August to be exact, that speaks to the heart of this discovered technology.
NINE
Primordial mist, laws to ether’s gravity combine
Giving form to the formless by mysterious zodiac design
To shape this earthly body that is mine
Vessel to spiritual energy of cosmic intellectual mind
Locked from conscious awareness by amnesia’s blind
Consigned this dimensional dwelling a finite time
To acknowledge a greater wisdom’s ascendant climb
Where Have I been?
Tags: art, commentary, computer, environment, faith, family, humanity, inspiration, Internet, life, News, politics, relationships, religion, science, space, technology, truth, wireless, writing
It has been some time since posting to NAYKD POET, not for lack of want, but truly, finding little that is positive to inspire expression; what ever the topic, and/or, medium of communication conveyance.
This tumultuous era, as a collective: Humanity, we are now experiencing, by my armature examination, is a culmination, in fact a collision, of the facets that constitute the infra-structure of society: civil or unruly.
The basic, principle category components: Science, Religion, Politics, Finance/Economics, Nationalist Culture, Sexuality, Genetics, Technology(ies); all being, presently, challenged to their relevancy, to the individual, and as a collective. The latter being discriminated into groups, or tribes, defined by such criteria, resulting in a matrix of potential, conflicting beliefs, truths, and acceptance.
And, not unlike the trauma imposed upon global humanity during historic revolutionary changes in human development, duly categorized as the: Stone-age, Iron-age, Industrial-age, and now, the Information-age; this latter period likely to be the most daunting to lapse into a state of manageable, universal conformity.
The exponential presence, and societal relevance, of Internet communications, the portable devices making possible instant communication: text, voice, video, are contributing to a climatic change; the temper(ature) of tolerance: capably, willingly assumed, without direct imposition by a ruling-class. When a true, scalable instance of expression, within moments of happening can culminate in violent riot, or the saving of a life, simultaneously witnessed, and responded to, by every globally connected individual, instantly.
The diversity of viewpoint, opinion, on virtually any topic of free expression, or conflation of information, has manifest a vital opportunity, but at the steep cost of credulity: who, or what, to believe to be true, honest, and factual.Â
What the Information-age appears to have most successfully achieve, to date, is to expose how dangerously disruptive diverse beliefs, and allegiances, to the definable, basic component structures that form an evolving human presence on Earth can be. And, unfortunately, with the ever expanding web of virtual influence of information technologies; matters have greater promise of unbridled upheaval and disenfranchisement.
Not a happy, nor positive projection of time to come; but, awareness to this potential, to this mind, will serve well to temper what ever storm is yet to erupt.
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