16 Comments
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Richard's avatar

If SP were to draw up a balance sheet showing the benefits - and there are some - and detriments of the digital revolution upon humanity I guess she would find a huge deficit.

The dehumanising of our world brought about by Facebook and the like deprive us of a historic means to enhance the quality of all our lives. Instead they encourage our worst traits. The opportunity for overall good remains while people like you speak out so eloquently on a platform such as this.

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Landscape Artist's avatar

I was aware that I was spouting off my big opinions on a digital platform. Is it real? Is this a meaty post and comment?

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Richard's avatar

The brain manipulates our consciousness all the time, sometimes for the good, sometimes for the bad but, crucially, we know it. We can experience the world in no other way. That third-party human intervention can apply a second layer of illusion has always been known, and it is fundamental to our conversation one with another. It is how and for what reasons it is done that matters.

There is a consistent reality that is the source of all things and that is the key, for it is not easy to discern. Those who deny or deliberately confound the pursuit of consistency do not create, they destroy.

So yes, your posts are meaty reality, but a little illusion helps the medicine go down.

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Denny's avatar

Well said! And....I’m sorry, but that’s one UGLY ( I mean “interesting”) lawn ornament! (Maybe I shouldn’t have said that - maybe it’s a memorial 🤭

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Landscape Artist's avatar

You gave me a good laugh. Don't worry--it's not a memorial. The real Chow Chow barks whenever we see him. Sugar Pi is left awfully confused.

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Carol McCann's avatar

Interesting, yes, but true. Money rules all!! Maybe these characters should make enough money and blast into outer space and not return.

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Landscape Artist's avatar

What a supersonic idea, Carol! These rich impresarios who scrap their wives, their kids, and their values to be in space! Zuckerberg is vacuous.

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wkkortas's avatar

The mention of West Egg brought back to mind one of my favorite posts from the WordPress days featuring a robust discussion of Fitzgerald and Gatsby. I am in full-throated agreement that one universe is damned difficult enough to navigate, and augmenting that with one or two others is more than any of us, especially our youngest and most vulnerable, have need to contend with. I would also concur with those prior comments on the "merits" of that canine gargoyle.

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Lue Perrine's avatar

AR/VR! How convenient, you won’t even need to move at all to experience the abundant life! Although you might end up waking up and then what then!

Telling Sugar Pi the dog across the street was a statue & not real where it didn’t faze her is funny! It could have interrupted her fun but didn’t!

I love that little sugar! ❤️

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Landscape Artist's avatar

How to experience the "abundant life" as you write? As you always do--get out and live it.

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Catherine Lane's avatar

Very interesting, Cheri! I completely agree with you. Zuckerberg has not made our world a better world. Rather, he has disconnected the human interactions we all need and thrive from. We are and will be paying for it, for the rest of our lives.

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Landscape Artist's avatar

Catherine, what a prescient comment. Thank you. Your last sentence sticks with me.

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Linda Leinen's avatar

I'd take that rabbit in the last photo over Zuck any day. It's far more real.

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Landscape Artist's avatar

As Huckleberry Finn wrote about Mary Jane, that metallic bunny has a lot of "sand," far more than Zuck.

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Landscape Artist's avatar

I remember quite a discussion of a post I wrote on Klipspringer, the boarder. Sometimes, when looking at the homeless problem now burgeoning in our suburban city of Fremont, with no one seeming to have a solution, I'd say let's stay with the reality we know, as painful as it can be.

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Lue Perrine's avatar

You my sista’ too! 🥰

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