Dr Dim's 'Alternative' Christmas Message

Christmas is usually a time for forgiving. It is a time for spreading joy and merriment especially prominent in traditional Christian cultures. Of course, the central tenet that Christ was born at this time of year mainly falls by the wayside these days almost as if people do not have time to have a faith perhaps? Certainly, we are all rushing around like that proverbial headless chicken (or should that be turkey). At the moment we may feel as if we're all stuffed too. Times are definitely 'challenging'. But, haven't they always been? Humans have faced many challenges as we developed upon this globe. These do not need to be spelled out here. Suffice it to say that humanity has - to date - endured. We are quite a resilient species, after all. Perhaps that's why we are top of the food chain? So, whilst media portray numerous doomsday scenarios with which to peddle their particular wares please do remember that it's not over till the body mass to fat ratio of the disadvantaged (female?) citizen vocalises appropriate melodies. Hmm...

So, resilience is more than just finding the latest technology to solve whatever problem besets us at a particular point in time. Resilience, we may contend, is really about common values rising to the fore in hard times so that solidarity ensues and we work together in the face of adversity. There are detractors from this modus operandi - there always will be - those who perhaps feel that should humanity ultimately find commonality then their schism of especially hierarchical social control will become redundant. They would lose their 'power' and those common values would help work towards ensuring a more peaceful coexistence for all upon our increasingly fragile planet. This in turn would obviate the need for the miltary-industrial-pharmaceutical complex that currently dominates global economics. We would need another reason - such as happiness - to help orient our belief systems towards less 'productive' reasons for life and instead focus upon a more inward looking senses of worth.

Who knows that the next year will bring. That story has not yet been written. We can guess. We can cross palms with silver and read tea leaves. We'll most likely never entirely be sure about the future. However, the past is another story entirely. We are imbued with an intelligence as a species that allows us to learn by our mistakes. Its time to heed the warnings of the past here in the present and help each other aim for that future that we'd all like to share. We're getting old - humanity - but we need to ask if we are getting any wiser along with that?

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

DD.

Dr Dims 'Alternative' Christmas Message

The shifting sands of time, like an eternally changing desert landscape, seem caught in an endless loop of humanity's own making. All over this humble planet human beings are questioning what it means to inhabit a small rock especially as our existence to date has had such a huge impact upon it's well-being. Identity is a complex phenomenon akin to the many skins of a bitter onion at times yet simple in its outward appearance that may actually be better likened to the tip of the disappearing icebergs? As sea levels rise and whole civilisations consider their fate others intend to carry on with their business-as-usual approach to life; actually increasing the damage imposed upon our planet. The planet is actually beginning to become so uninhabitable - wildfires, storms, earthquakes, etc. - that those who have previously benefited from that business-as-usual approach are now beginning to contemplate life beyond our own rock by gazing to distant worlds which they may in turn, no doubt, decimate (given time) driven my profit and the loss of natural resources. So, what is it that actually drives such seemingly innate, carefree plundering of the natural world given that human beings do tend to (mostly) wish their genes to survive and, furthermore, propagate rather than embark upon behaviours more reminiscent of suicidal tendencies? Do we humans really possess a 'kill switch'? That is, somewhere, deep in our psyche are we cognisant of the stark fact that time is now drawing to a close for our species and that we should have one good old hell of a party before the whole shebang goes up in flames? Certainly, society has become so complex that previous structures to 'control' it (party political democratic mechanisms in particular) seem strangely out of kilter with that complexity. As democracies, together with nation states, struggle with their very own identities is a new reality staring back at humanity pointing a finger of blame at the central tenets of the human experiment? Whilst it is true that throughout history all civilisations have ebbed and flowed there now seems to be an overarching consensus that this current version of life upon planet Earth has finally reached a crescendo. There may not be the chance for an encore too given these very existential dilemmas our human actions have predicated? And so, those shifting sands of time may actually be seeping through the hourglass of our beings heading in one direction this time around; a direction aided by time itself that could ultimately help this planet and any remaining species take a well earned rest to recharge any batteries able to be salvaged. Dr Dim wishes you a Merry Christmas and a thoughtful New Year. Please make the most of any 'down time' to slow down for a minute, take stock and just simply enjoy the planet. We may be the last generations to do so with any degree of comfort. PEACE. DD.

Dr Dims 'Alternative' Christmas Message

Out with the old and in with the new? But, old habits die hard. And, it takes three wise men [sic] to find a babe in the woods! So, what a year huh? Seems to Dr Dim like the Human Experiment is becoming more than a little jaded. History often repeats itself as has been duly noted but when this repetition comes at the price of 'progress' (however we may choose to define this slippery concept) then should we begin to question our raison d'etre? From a sort of evolutionary perspective humanity exists to further its existential goals (a little tautological but bear with me). Of course though we have evolved (supposedly) a little beyond our evolutionary programming to develop a consciousness that is able, for instance, to imagine the creation of artificial versions of ourselves be they biological, silicon or indeed a mixture of the two. However even those artificial testaments to our superiority are prone to the same kind of Achilles heel that has plagued us since the year DOT! Notably, we are most commonly our own worst enemies. We love to fight each other and more often than not will find the slightest excuses to prolong the arguments. Indeed whole economic systems of earthly existence have become so intertwined with this propensity for conflict that imagining a life without war of some sort or other is impractical for those we bestow 'leadership' responsibilities upon. And so those artificial versions of ourselves also become extensions of our fragile egos and hence weaponised to further particularly nation state and blocs' aims. Of course, there are some who realise that this inevitable battle between 'good' and 'evil' just like some fantastic science fictions blockbuster is simply a narrative albeit a convincing one (for the majority) replete with its heroes and villains. So, whilst the mainstay of society focuses upon trying to impose their own version of how we should be inhabiting this planet (with others looming just a stones throw away) some do try to find 'alternatives' that do not depend upon this ultimately dualistic conflict at the heart of a 'good/bad' delineation. Meanwhile, time marches on and our species becomes increasingly out of touch seemingly with its one main goal; that of SURVIVAL. We do all we can to fight each other in the name of all manner of complex arguments which, frankly, most have lost sight of. And so this brings me to the end of 2017 and my own Delirious wishes for a peaceful New Year for you, yours and the random strangers we all encounter on our travels upon this particular planet we are blessed to share. Please do not forget that existence is a privilege bestowed upon the Human Race to respond to accordingly. Peace. DD.

Dr Dims 'Alternative' Christmas Message

Christmas is traditionally a time for giving, sharing and extending peace to all men [sic]. In a time of advanced materialism and personal gain we could ask if this does any longer have any bearing whatsoever in our everyday lives? I would contend that giving and sharing may be about to form a part of a new kind of socioeconomic system which could supplant particularly global capitalism and find a place somewhere between the previous goalposts of capitalism and socialism. Numerous citizens are beginning to realise the benefits of sharing especially when coupled with the Internet to find like minded souls among disparate communities. Of course, this is not to say that the local should necessarily be eschewed for the 'less local' (I hesitate to say global otherwise we would be back where we started). Indeed, local economies could become essential parts of a devolved politics forming power bases far from the current influences of capital cities, for instance, thus further enabling more regional economies with concomitant narrower social segregation...And this is important for increasingly segregation is being 'blamed' for the ever widening gaps between our communities. If power could ideally be reinstated in the hands of those communities then it is the contention that segregation and the resulting ostracised communities could be welcomed back into the fold. This could create, for instance, fewer reasons for communities - of whatever religious or ideological persuasion - to be inclined to demonstrate their dissent especially through violent means. Hence, we arrive at the conclusion that if the current tendency to create a 'sharing economy' was to take a firm hold in the modern psyche then it may eventually lead to increased peace and security for all those upon this delicately poised globe. So, there are some important lessons to be learning from Christmas which, after all, was what it was all originally about. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! DD.

Dr Dims 'Alternative' Christmas Message

Its been a mixed up year or has it? The usual misunderstandings among our fellow human beings have been leading to the inevitable consequences - and that's not news. I suppose it depends upon your perspective. So maybe Stephen Hawking had a point after all, or at least one of the commentators upon his comments did, i.e. notably that in the 'grand scheme of things' humanity hasn't been in existence for all that long really and, in Hawking's scenario, is quite capable, therefore, of extinguishing itself in the blink of a cosmic eye! Whether it will be an AI that will lead to our eventual demise or something less benign (?) like our changing planetary climate only time will tell I suppose though time itself may be possibly prone to manipulation in the not to distant future. This could be our saving grace. Ultimately the survival of the species will be down to all of us acting together as we attempt to unravel where we may have been going wrong to date. Once we've all figured out the 'bad' stuff its then simply a matter of doing the opposite. I did try to point out this some time ago but everyone just put it down to the delirium! ;) Thanks Nature. And so we usher in 2015. I said some time ago that it could well prove to be a landmark year. It is a confluence of a number of global efforts attempting to reorient our path upon this delicate planetary system. I suppose these efforts will be heralded as a great success. I can imagine the self-appreciative speeches being penned already. However, again, it will be our willingness (or not) to act as one which will lead to the necessary change of tack of humanity's 'development'. This is not easy given the present tendencies to be interested in number one given the dominant socioeconomic system. And I may have argued elsewhere that a 'paradigm shift' (which others are actually alluding to now) could be our saviour - in addition to the manipulation of time and space! Ultimately many folks will sell you false hopes of a tenable future for our current species of humans, assuming you are willing to pay. Its not difficult to tell fortunes as long as the palm is crossed with silver. I guess post-humans will have different ideas though. Right now we do not quite know what these post-humans will be like though it possibly appears that our evolution - aided by technology of all kinds - is now increasing in pace more than linearly? Hmm...now you must excuse me, I've a time machine to complete. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! DD.