Good News and Bad News

I have good news and bad news.

First, the universe is a vast, cold and mostly empty place. Apart from a few concentrations of matter in the form of stars, planets, etc., the bulk of space is pretty thin. What’s more, the little we know of it comes from our extremely limited perceptions of a tiny sliver of the electromagnetic spectrum and other phenomena.

The random interactions of all this cosmic stuff produce some swirls and eddies that seem complex to us … processes like life, photosynthesis or consciousness. We have no hard evidence that these are anything but side effects of the overall action of the universe, but one of the characteristics of consciousness is that it “thinks” its own purpose and importance are somehow greater than those of chance occurrences. So far as we’re able to determine scientifically, we are merely the accidental byproducts of a machine set in motion billions of years ago.

That’s also the bad news.

The Big Questions

I think it's time to address the big questions.  I don't mean Windows vs. Mac, or 401(k) vs. Roth IRA.  I mean the really big questions.

And the first really big question is ... what are the really big questions?

Here are my candidates, in no particular order:

1) Is there a god (or are there gods?)
2) If not, what's the point? (Or, if so, what the point?)
3) Are people, in general, stupid? (If so, why is the Web all about crowd-sourcing?)
4) Is life fair? (Why can't you buy a box of vanillas?)
5) Are things getting worse? (And if not, why does it always seem that way?)
6) Why do I keep using parentheses?  (Why not?)

So these are the kinds of probing, philosophical topics I'll be taking up in future posts when I'm really stuck for an idea.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

The Less Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

Let's face it.  Things suck.

Unless you're Bill Gates or Warren Buffet or one of that ilk, you're probably worried about job security, saving for retirement, putting kids through college or buying an iPad 2.  (If you are one of that ilk, please email me.  I have a proposition.)

And then there's infrastructure.  Our roads and bridges are falling apart.  Public education stinks.  Even sixth graders are not smarter than a fifth grader.  And let's not forget long lines to renew our driver's licenses.  And all the crap on TV.  And the Internet's too slow.  And the ice caps are melting.

In such gloomy times, it's difficult to be blithely optimistic.  All the age-old advice to "put on a happy face" and "always look on the bright side of life" (ok, those are more show tunes than advice) seems hollow and superficial.  You wonder what kind of simpleton could  believe in this, and why you still use words like "simpleton."

And yet, I find that at such trying times, the best way to look at life is ... to look at life.  Really.  Just stop and look.

If you're reading this (as I suspect you are), you're probably using a computer.  There's a vast source of entertainment and information literally at your fingertips.

You probably also own a car.  Think about that.  You can climb into this little box, and go from place to place.  Even if you're stuck in traffic, you can sit and listen to the radio and pick your nose while you wait. And all for just twenty to sixty thousand dollars or so, plus fuel and maintenance.

If you can get to a wooded place, you can lean against a tree and watch squirrels and birds.  Oh, and bugs.  You can contemplate the beauty and timelessness of nature.  What a great way to relax!  (But watch out for the bugs.)

Personally, I derive happiness from accomplishment.  I tend to be happy when I or a loved one has accomplished something.  Finished a big project at work?  Achieved a personal goal?  If you're a parent, remember your child's first potty success?  Euphoria!

So when you're feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of today's life, remember to stop, drop and roll.  No wait.  That's fire safety.  I mean stop, look and listen.  Or, in the immortal words of Qui-Gon Jinn, "Concentrate on the moment."

There.  That's done.