food for your brain

[jens g.r. benthien]

Long time ago - 20 years or more - I've watched a horrifying movie: humans who were supposed to die in a range between 1 and 3 months had to move to a certain hospital. They could decide to spend the rest of their days in the 'traditional' way or to enhance their last days with 'daydreams'.

All of them went for the daydreams, got cabled and connected to a hughe computer. So when they started thinking about traveling to see the mountains, the beaches, the rolling hills, deep sea the machine reacted in real time and presented the movies on a hughe display in their rooms - almost the size of one wall.

However, those movies have been computer generated scenes, far from reality, just beautiful scenery.

The people watched those movies addictively until they died and... well, let's stop here, the rest is even more cruel.

Today, 20 years later, I've visited the Vue d'Esprit site gallery at (http://www.e-onsoftware.com/Gallery/Gallery.php?Index=0)

The first thought was: illusion or reality? Then I remembered the movie. Conclusion: today it **is** possible to put this scenario into action. The only thing that's still missing is the direct link between the computer and the brain.

A nightmare.

jens

jens g.r. benthien
designer
http://www.sacalobra.de

----------//--
If you don't know how to dream you'll never be a designer.
----------//--

[jens g.r. benthien]

TV or not TV?

I don't have a TV, I don't watch TV. Only on rare occasions - 3 or 4 times a year. All I know about current TV content is from some elaborate newspapers. Maya, it's simple to get rid of the TV: pull the plug and cover it with sticky tape. You'll feel like an addicted smoker the first days, but then you will notice that you have more dreams, a sound sleep, no broken fingernails after watching a chainsawhalloweenmonstermassacre. And believe me - you can laugh out loud without soap operas ;-}

Your message sounded like poetry to me - it's sad that I can't write with your style because I don't have all the right words on hand. OK, I could torture my dictionary, but then it would take ages to post my messages.

Hey, aren't we lucky? I've lived in mega cities like NY, Singapore, HongKong etc - there we didn't have the slightest chance to walk without shoes - too dangerous because of broken glassbottles. And if you leave the city, you need shoes - boots! - because of snakes, dangerous spiders...

As nice as a jungle is - I am glad to live in a moderate climate zone where we don't have all these beasty animals ;-}. Sure, sometimes it's frustrating to never see the sun for weeks, but at least we have 4 seasons (though I could easily omit the winter season!).

Isn't life beautiful? I mean except for the annoying things like tax laws, parking tickets and the rest of necessities for 'civilization' and 'urban life'.

Ross,

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Creativity, innovation, and philosophical thinking are optional for the individual in the socio-political "world" we have constructed. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Nope, I definitely didn't construct it ;-}

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>While each person was born with such capabilities built-in, the world order we were born into doesn't demand much of us.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I disagree. It demands that we fight for our personal freedom, to break the chains they want to tie us down with.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>For the complacent majority, that world is just 'is' - they never realize it is a created construct subject to evolve and change. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Absolutely true. I have to apologize if I can't remember the latin expression of the philosophical statement 'I think, so I do exist'. I only know it in German: Ich denke, also bin ich [Descartes]

Quid quid agas, agis prudentere et respice finem (Latin, meaning 'Whatever you do, do it carefully and consider the result or outcome')

I wish the 92% of the 'dumb' people would at least sign this statement.

And now the original - it just popped into my mind (my Latin is more than lousy!): Cogito ergo sum.

Unfortunately you can't reverse this statement into 'I am so I can think' :-}

And now the ultimate question for your homework:
Can plants think? Cave Carnem (Latin: watch the dog!)

I really enjoy this thread.

And yes, before I forget to reply to Mike:

Explain the color 'red' to a blind. Well, that an often used statement. IMHO we should focus on the 'normals' surrounding us before we start to discuss the exceptions. Of course blindness is part of the nature, but it's an accident in between the rather large bandwidth of 'normal' or 'healthy'.

However, as much as deaf people can experience music by feeling the vibrations you can describe colors to the blinds. It's a bit rude, but some scientist proved that it is possible. Did you ever experience a hard beat on your head, like being knocked out? Not as hard as to knock you out, but you will see colors because the impact on your head forces the brain to react - generating colors. They discovered that hits on different parts on the head generate different colors.

So it's more or less BANG - this is read, BANG, this is green etc. And you can stimulate the same process with tiny electrical shocks - much nicer method I'd say.

The brain **can** process colors, but the blind people don't have the 'network cable' from the eyes to the brain. Sorry again for the simple explanation, but my vocabulary is not trained for this area <sigh>

And now my parrots are screaming - our blue golden macaw is reaching the 130 dB limit, so I will quit here for today and wish you a great weekend.

jens

(please keep this thread going!)

jens g.r. benthien
designer
http://www.sacalobra.de

----------//--
If you don't know how to dream you'll never be a designer.
----------//--

[s.winders]

Life is about now not tomorrow,and its all the little nows which make up tomorrow.Live in the now and let the tomorows take care of themselves [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]


Oh Paul very cool gems...forget to post a comment..doh! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]


Stu.

[Mike Bailey]

Maya,
The state of being concerned for the welfare of others can also be a 2 edged sword, Almost any activity if taken to the extreme can become grounds for an argument.

jens,

;<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>I wish the 92% of the 'dumb' people would at least sign this statement.

"Quid quid agas, agis prudentere et respice finem (Latin, meaning 'Whatever you do, do it carefully and consider the result or outcome')<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


When one or a few individuals publicly base a hypothetical argument on their concern for the masses, some elements of the argument could be viewed as a pretentious state of arrogance by those to which it references.


Be careful

[This message was edited by Mike Bailey on May 27, 2002 at 11:14.]

[Crow Haven]

I hadn't thought of that...hmmmm! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] Fear is often masked in odd ways I guess...fear of losing something?...But I hope that is not the case. On a brighter note, though, I think the encouragement is going to overcome the negativity and things will now be ok (you know I know how to step in "It" sometimes! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] )...that's ok, though it washes off [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] .
---As The Crow Flies!---
Maya
P.S. I've seen Seinfeld--and I'm sure I've seen the very episode you're mentioning---but my feeble brain can't now recall his great retort to the telemarketer!!! Arghhhhhh! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[Mike Bailey]

Amazing observations Stu. I played guitar with a blind fellow, He was amazing. His hearing was so well tuned he could tell you the notes of any composition as he listened to it.

Who's dumb? I only know people with varying levels of expertise in a vast array of subjects.

[s.winders]

Maya generally when someone tells someone else that they wont get the results they want in an un helpful manner it is because the that person is scared they will [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]


If you want to know why people say certain things employ reverser engineering if you will,for instance what is the pay off from that comment that was made,ie fear as in above the new person to the app was going to out perform the older user,which is probably an esteem issue for the older user ?


Stu.

[s.winders]

Sorry Mike apologies from me,I thought you used the word dumb for some reason [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]



About the color and head hitting.I was hit on the head repeatedly years ago and now I see colors a lot more brightly,I dont know if it is any brighter then you guys,but to me they have a different richness to them [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] ,which is like a bonus really [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]


Stu.

[Ross Macintosh]

This is indeed a interesting thread. Thanks for getting it going and continuing to support it with your insightful remarks.

I sense from your comments the idea that the "masses" using these "realistic landscape generation programs" might be failing to seperate their creations from reality. Unfortunately, there are no computer graphics programs that have mass appeal. The analogy to painting is a good one. Painters, like computer graphic artists, are certainly in the minority - very few people actually create the realistic landscapes that prompted this thread. I rather doubt any of them confuse what they are doing with reality. Sure some of them must feel like they are "God" as they create but I doubt a single such person thinks they are God. As has been stated, it is likely the predominate motivator is recreation. Creative processes are at play when you use Vue d'esprit, terragen, mojoworld, bryce, etc. To me that abundance of creative activity needs to be celebrated rather than cause concern.

The "masses", unfortunately, tend to seek their recreation in passive activities that involve little creative thought. I'm thinking of television watching. It has been said that the popularity of mass-media television is the non-demanding escapism it provides. It provides a highly accessible escape to other "realities". Watching it our imaginations can be transported to other places, times, universes, etc. Whilst imagination is sparked, creative thought processes are put on hold: So much so that many people don't know the thrill of being creative. I believe creativity is intrensic to all people but that it must be exercised and honed. Without nurturing and exercising - creativity withers. In our culture the wonderful creativity of childhood thinking, more and more, gives way to relatively dull adult thought processes. That scares me.

It would excite me if there really was a mass-market computer program that encouraged creativity. Someone needs to create such a 'killer application' that can rekindle creativity in the "masses".

Regards, Ross

<a href=http://www.designstop.com/>DesignStop.Com</a>

[Crow Haven]

thought/ideas!!! Stu, it would be great to see that lady's artwork---amazing, but it goes to show, as you've pointed out, that we all have enormous potential. It is sad when circumstances affect people negetively....

This brings to mind something I am trying to help with right now---someone trying to learn to use techniques in a program for art...and this person being told not to expect to get results like someone else because they themselves won't even try it-----projecting this attitude of "if I think I can't do it, you shouldn't expect to either..." That really bothers me!!! I don't go for anyone telling someone they can't achieve something!!!!!!! I don't see how that could be of any help!!! Anyway, I'm offering to give all the help I can and I know from personal experience that anyone can do a portrait or any other type of image when given some help using the tools and a bit of direction/answering their questions with examples, etc...instead of just someone going on about how someone else can do it and "man, don't bother to think you will any time soon." If I can figure out how to do it, anyone can, especially with some questions answered.
My rant for the moment---sorry, but I know that I could help this person get the hang of it in a very short span of time. I've helped people learn to paint who had never tried it before and they thought they'd never be able to.......

I understand Stu's, and all of your points...and it's interesting to have something just crop up in the middle of all these thoughts which fits into the discussion of creativity and how to encourage it. Don't tell people they can't do it! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] That's the first thing. Give encouragement and help with the questions, have patience.

Yes, the bumblebee---sorry to say it was deemed aerodynamically unsound---guess we'll have to scrap it! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] Nature has answers to questions we've never even thought of...I think we have abilities untapped (as that blind artist example vividly shows).

Terrific ideas everyone!!! I really appreciate your sharing them. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
Have a great day!!!
---As The Crow Flies!---
Maya