Memoir
/ˈmemˌwär/ noun. a record of events written by a person having intimate knowledge of them and based on personal observation. Usually memoirs. an account of one's personal life and experiences; autobiography. the published record of the proceedings of a group or organization, as of a learned society.
First off, how can it possibly be week nine already?
For all of those who’ve been regularly participating in Memoir Monday - keep going, you’re making great progress in crafting your very own life story for future generations to enjoy. I hope you've been getting some value out of it too.
For those who missed the initial post explaining what the Memoir Monday initiative is all about you can find it here.
Next week’s Memoir Monday question:
What Do You Worry About?
My answer:
I’m finding I worry a little more the older I get. When I was younger I was mainly focused on my personal and professional goals (and survival) that I was very much distracted from the larger issues.
As I’m living through my fifties I find myself worrying about how divided and extreme the world is getting. I also worry that the media is getting so sophisticated and weaponized that, very soon, many won’t even know what the truth is. I watch our twenty-four hour news cycle differently now, not so much for the news stories themselves but for the underlying reasons and agendas behind the stories being presented.
I always ask myself, why stories are spun this way or that? Why did they tell that lie or those half-truths?
It’s terrifying how much disinformation is out there now, even by once highly respected media outlets. There once was a moral code that ran through the core of journalism. Journalists used to be like free agents, trying to present the truth in an unbiased way. Now journalists seem conscious (or subconsciously) beholden to present the news however their employers want them to for the sake of their livelihoods. These news organizations are now monopolies, huge corporate conglomerates that are forwarding their own agendas and those of their constituents.
“Americans no longer talk to each other, they entertain each other. They do not exchange ideas, they exchange images. They do not argue with propositions; they argue with good looks, celebrities and commercials.” ― Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death
Modern media (social/mainstream) can adeptly capture the minds of millions. Today, the media can mobilize entire groups of people to protest, to hate, to vote, to support certain causes, and to fight without the people who are consuming the media even having a deep understanding of why. These tools and methods will only become more honed as artificial intelligence continues to evolve.
The only solution I see is for people to unplug, educate themselves, learn to think critically, and pause to take the time to form their own opinions. Artificial intelligence, I believe, will also be able to be used for good. AI could very well be our only savior at this point.
I see a use case where a trusted AI agent could step in and play the role that the unbiased journalists of past generations used to play-filtering out bias/disinformation in real time on our static screens and in future augmented/virtual reality environments. This will be imperative if we wish to remain free thinking individuals with our personal freedoms intact.
Lately, I find myself thinking a lot about how this all will impact the quality of life of future generations of humans. It will largely depend on the decisions we all make in the next five or so years. It’s one of the largest existential crisis (if not the largest) we’ve ever faced as a species. Social media algorithms, especially, are designed to tap into our most primitive instincts and make us reliant upon them, utterly addicted.
Currently, democracy is withering all around the world, right before our eyes. In a true functional democracy elected officials are meant to work on the behalf of everyone who elects them, not just to the largest donors and corporate interests. There are very few politicians left who are working for the good of the citizens. Corporatism, authoritarianism, and tyranny are rushing into the dark void that democracy is leaving behind.
Will humanity be able to muster the brain power, the will, and the fight to thwart this evil before it’s too late?
As I look back across the history of our species we’ve always risen up and prospered over this kind of evil, eventually. We actually have a decent track record in rising up against this kind of thing. This gives me hope. To do so this time we will have to mobilize very quickly, our window of opportunity is closing faster than many imagine.
I often think back to how much has changed in my lifetime. There are so many wonderful aspects of humanity that there are far more rare now than they once were, things like:
true individuality,
the ability to read subtle social cues,
face-to-face undistracted conversation,
meaningful discussions,
hope of a better tomorrow,
honor,
original creativity,
critical thinking,
humor,
spontaneity,
wit,
deep personal connections,
and basic kindness.
So many of these human attributes aren’t always quantifiable but they make us what we are. It would be such a great loss to see these things become completely extinct.
I hope we have enough collective fight in us to change the direction of how things seem to be heading. It's crucial to know not only what we believe but also why and to be able to explain it in terms simple enough for a child to understand. We’ll have to have and retain our own unique thoughts and convictions. I want future generations of our families to have the pleasure of knowing what these wonderful aspects of humanity feel like and the immeasurable value they add to the quality of our lives.
I can’t help but ask myself, is this how middle-aged people have always felt?
I don’t think this tumultuous age we live in can be compared to any other. The Industrial Revolution replaced muscle power with machines. During the AI Revolution machines will be replacing and surpassing our own human brain power. This is uncharted territory, so much so it’s difficult to prepare for it. We must take great care during this transition to make sure we don’t lose all the other great things that make us human in the process. These are some of the things I worry about but, thankfully, a majority of our worries never come to fruition.
Rules of Engagement
- Please reblog this first post and share on other social platforms so we cast the widest net possible for this initiative;
- Pictures paint a thousand words. Include pictures in your posts if you have them;
- Answer each Memoir Monday prompt question in your own post. Usually, the prompt question will be published the week prior so you'll have the plenty of time to answer and publish your own post;
- Have fun with it, don't worry about getting behind, or jumping into the project at any point after we've begun; and
- Lastly, be sure to include the tag #memoirmonday.
It's that simple.
At the end of the next twelve months we'll have created something immensely valuable together. It's so important to know our "whys" in life and there's no better way to do that than this.
Someday all that will be left of our existence are memories of us, our deeds, and words. It's up to you to leave as rich of a heritage as possible for future generations to learn from. So, go ahead, tell your stories. I can't wait to read them.
Be well and make the most of this day. I want to sincerely thank all of the participants thus far. I've really enjoyed reading your posts!
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