Tag: science

Thanks, 2020

This might be a hot take, but I am actually retroactively happy about 2020 happening. Did it mark the beginning of a horrible existence: yes. Did we lose some amazing personalities? Also, yes.

The good came from the realization that things could not continue to work the way they have been. People, en masse, took notice at how broken the money markets were. For the first time, it was acknowledged that people in retail positions had incredible power. We saw art, redefined art, and witnessed people doing things to make the world better. We actually started to hear people talking about those in less affluent positions and discussing ways to make their lives better. We had some governments actually take notice of environmental issues, science made incredible strides, and discoveries that, granted, had to be made were made in record time.

It brought light to the horrible mindsets of people we have had in our lives for years, for better or for worse. Yes, it was terrible you lost that close friend you have had for decades. At the same time, you watched them get torn asunder because of thoughts and views that you had always questioned.

Yes, 2020 was horrible for a lot of reasons. Yes, that year was the worst, globally, in a century. We are still feeling the effects to this day, and we probably will for years to come. So many of the changes to come out of this hell, however, have made things better for everyone. I just wish it didn’t take the “end of the world” to make it all happen.

Be wrong

Do you know who has more power than you relize?

That person who doesn’t say anything. That person who stays online for hours of the day just learning various things.

They may seem anti-social, but there is a chance that they have done their, ahem, RESEARCH!

Yes, there is a chance that most of what they spout is conspiracy nonsense. There is a chance that they could actually have reality on their side. If you don’t agree with what they have to say, have notes to back your position up.

Why do I say this?

Recently, a discussion with a family member resulted in them putting me in an awkward place. I gave my personal position. They retorted with “bring me research or you’re lying”, so I did. They turned around after reading what I had presented them and retorted with that if I didn’t agree, I just had to say so.

They were so entrenched in their convictions that even a dose of reality sent them into a spiral and resulted in me being manipulative and condescending. They said that I could find research backing up their position, so I read some.

SURPRISE! It only kind of hinted at their position not being entirely wrong, but did nothing to back them up, as they had claimed.

Yes, this is turning into a bit of a rant. At the same time, I am kind of steering away from my initial narrative of “trust those who read too much.”

Please, allow me to course-correct.

My point is that you should not dismiss something right away, even if it goes in the face of what you think you know. Be proven wrong. Be happy that you are learning something new, even if it damages that viner that you have been cultivating all this time of you being the “professional” on a topic. It’s okay being wrong.

At least you know something new, now.

Reality

I have the strangest bit of writer’s block.

Well, to call it “writer’s block” is a bit of a misnomer. It is more of a crippling wall that I find myself behind.

Okay, let me backup a bit:

I am a fan of writing parts out of order. If I find myself stuck at an important part, I leave it alone for a bit, and move forward. I then go back to the part that I find myself stuck behind and hope that what I have done moving forward has either answered what I am stuck on, or given me an out.

The story I am writing right now involves a bit of physics that does not exist. It involves movement faster than light, which is empirically impossible (as of the writing of this journal) and shows no possibility of being conquered. So, in usual fashion, I started writing further into the story to fill out other ideas.

I wrote over 10,000 words when I hit another wall showing me that I need to, at least, fudge the concept into some kind of in-universe reality. The part that makes it so hard is that I am trying to keep the world that I have built at least KIND OF realistic. It involves science that does not exist: it involves science that we want to exist. This means that I have a lot of information that would not work, and what makes it MORE frustrating is that if I try to use the thing that doesn’t work, people will quickly debunk it and the story becomes tainted.

I know that I am putting too much faith into the reading community. I should just write something and stop worrying if it makes sense. I should just ‘yadda yadda’ the movement thing when it comes up in the future. I should have written something easier.

I is not that brite an’ is no gud at riting.

Unfortunately for me, and my back account, I am an arrogant fucker who wants to create something that warrants respect. I am sick of being the “guy who helps do stuff” and I want to become someone worth a damn.

Speaking of being worth a damn, did you want to be in the thank-you section of the book that I just spent the top portion of this post bitching about? Donate as little as a dollar to my Patreon a month, and that will happen! It also helps me keep this blog going for another year. I mean, it will anyway: the monetary gain just makes it worth it.