the future

by nick nelson

the future is not here yet and is hard to predict. the track record of the human race in predicting the future is not very good. the most common method of prediction is extrapolation - assuming that things and tendencies which exist and are proliferating in the present will continue to proliferate unchecked in the future. for example, “if the world population continues to increase at its present rate, by the year —————, there will be more people on earth than atoms in the universe.” or, “if the temperature of earth continues to increase at its present rate, by the year —————— the earth will be hotter than the hottest star in the galaxy.” “if the national debt continues to grow at its present rate, by ———————, america will owe 50 trillion dollars per taxpayer.” what happens to these tendencies in “real life”? a) they slow down b) a counter tendency - a reaction to the action - emerges (this is probably a “law of nature”) c) something new and totally unforeseen comes along, which “changes everything”. all that being said, here are my predictions for the future, based on the “best evidence available at this time” . all humans will live in large cities. cities larger than any that exist today. so large that the word “city” will hardly have any meaning. no individual humans will have any role in the day to day operation of anything. “machines” or “a i” or some now inconceivable technology will run everything. if humans exist at all , they will have little resemblance to the humans of today, individual humans will have no physical contact with each other, thus avoiding any opportunities of abusing, exploiting, or oppressing each other. it is very unlikely that “sex” or “gender”, let alone “race” or “nationality”, will exist at all. if humans get “old’ and/or need to reproduce, they will be cloned or reproduced by a now unforeseen technology. each human will have their own space, and each space will be exactly the same size, and have the same constant temperature, and be supplied with the same amounts of water, oxygen, and protein, assuming that the future humans require such things. what, if anything, will the humans “do all day”? this may be the ultimate, and the most difficult question for a contemporary human to try to answer. will they make some sort of art? what would it be about? will they sleep, and dream, all day? practice “lucid dreaming”? what would they dream about? will they engage in politics? again, about what? will they engage in some sort of sports or contests? this would open up the possibility of injustice, unfairness, abuse, oppression, etc. * what do i think the chances are that these predictions will come true? the answer - zero. because the first rule of prediction is - if it can be predicted, it will not happen. thank you.

the lost dog, part 2

by nick nelson

part 2 of ?

to read part 1, click here

i tell you what. let’s settle this with our fists. the officer, whose name was legion johnson, could not believe their ears. settle this with our fists! who or what are you, anyway, legion asked the malefactor. are you some kind of time traveler from a vanished age that you employ such an antiquated term and concept, or are you just having a bit of fun with me? i warn you in all sincerity, i am not a fun person. the malefactor made as if to speak, but legion interrupted. before we go any further, let me have your name, if you please. i do not have one. make one up. that is easier said than done. it is not difficult at all. would you like some help? oh, i guess so. there are fourteen categories of names to choose from. they are - legion rattled off - a - numbers b -colors c - ordinary d - common e - famous real f - funny g - famous fictional h - random letter i - meaningless j - offensive k - positive l - negative m - animal and n - ambiguous. would you like me to repeat them? why don’t you just give me a name? i have never been very good at making choices. excuse me, the accuser, the person who had lost their dog, interrupted. do you not want their serial number? i already have their serial number, by scanning their dna, as i have yours. do not tell me how to do my job. then what do you need a name for? regulations. oh look, the accuser suddenly explained. here comes eddie now. eddie, you bad boy, where have you been? i guess we can forget about all this then, the nameless malefactor observed suavely, and be on our way as if nothing happened. i am afraid it is not as simple as all that, legion informed them. to be continued

the lost dog, part 1

by nick nelson

part 1 of ?

excuse me. there is something about you that i can not quite articulate. my dog is lost. just as i thought. he was a very friendly dog. that may be why he is lost. his name was eddie. that could very well be. what do you mean? his name was eddie - that is a fact. maybe he had a secret life. that is a totally contemptible suggestion. you did not even know him. you do not know that. get out of my field of observation. do my views upset you so much? eddie was my dog, not yours. period. full stop. this discussion is over. it is not quite so simple as that, my friend just then a law enforcement officer appeared on the scene. perhaps this officer will come to my assistance, in this awkward encounter. look here, what’s all this row? this what do you call it is harassing me. i resent that. i strongly resent that. officer, you have stumbled on an intolerable situation. i do not understand any of this. explain yourselves. let me introduce myself - i am a visionary, actively engaged in the unraveling of reality. this - this so-called individual rudely interrupted me without warning while i was meditating on the loss of my dog eddie. is this true? speak up. i do not know anything about any of these wild and baseless assertions. i am an experienced judge of people, battle hardened after long years on the teeming city streets, and i must say i do not like your looks one little bit. how unsettling for you, the accused malefactor answered with a sneer. i tell you what. let’s settle this with our fists. part 2

baby - 1. the church and the space ship

by nick nelson

part 1 of ?

women sweep up and wash the dishes. queen alberta could not decide whether to be a man or a woman. the world is divided into two kinds of people. anyone who calls themself a man move back one space. men and women go to church together on sunday. things went on in this way for a million years. men clean and oil their guns and hunt and kill deer and moose. women bake cookies and sometimes brownies. one day a space ship landed on earth. men watch football on television while women sweep up and wash the dishes. dad was a man and mom was a woman. and had been that way for a million years. all was silent after the space ship crashed into the rain forest. that’s not funny. just shut up and sweep up and wash the dishes. make up your mind - you are one or the other. joe king cleaned and oiled his favorite rifle, real slow. he knew what it meant to be a man. the moon floated over the trees, when the time comes, everybody will take their place. you know who you are. esmeralda carefully swept up the cookie crumbs. joe hung the cleaned and oiled rifle on the wall over his bunk. esmeralda finished sweeping up. they could all have used a good laugh just then. all this happened a million years ago the moon shone through the window on the carefully swept floor. to be continued