food for your brain

[gnurf]

Could the title of that movie perhaps be Soylent Green with Charlton Heston?

-Paul

[s.winders]

He sounds like a special guy too Mike [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]


It was the lady who could paint whilst being blind that blew me away.I am just annoyed I cant remember her name so you guys could see some of her work.I mean how does someone who cant see draw a figure anatomically correctly,then paint in every piece correctly?????....I mean how?...I suppose its just like our friend the bumble bee,you know the one scientists like to forget about [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]


It makes you wonder what a child could achieve if they were never told,or had any inkling that there was nothing they could not do.Makes me wonder if we would have lots of little Leanordos and Beethovens and Einsteins runnng around the world.



Also is every child born brilliant and then some slowly become less intelectual because of their experiences? I think we are all brilliant given the right opportunities and circumstances.I also think we are all good people everyone of us until an experience or tragedy changes us.A personal example for me was I learnt to hate Mislosovec {sp} with a vengance for his arrogant disregard for life,and having a high regard for life myself I could not get my head around his actions.Anyway one day I went to visit the doctor as per usual,and I picked up a magazine,a Readers Digest and it had a story about Milosovec.What I found out was this mans Mother hung herself,his father also committed suicide,his Uncle committed suicide also and he had any number of unpleasant experiences as a child.Dont get me wrongg I am not condoning even smallest thing he did,but after reading that article I kind of understood,it was because he had learnt a systematic devaluation of human life for all of his,which also explains why he feels he has done nothing wrong,but I am getting way OT now and dont want to bring politics into the thread at all,but I do have to say I found the article enlightening,but at the same time despite his experiences I still feel the world needs to be protected from such mindsets.


Stu.

[Crow Haven]

optional!!! Yes, by all means, jens, throw off the shoes, wiggle the toes and breathe in the fresh morning air.....it's another invigorating morning here full of bird song (they greet the day with such delight) and the window is open right here by the desk so I can glance up and see them too...
I want to get out there with them!!!

Ross, the experiences you had hiking must be great...no doubt you are reminded of them when you work on terragen pics...this can inspire you to seek out and enjoy more outdoor activity for all the things the images can't provide you with...that would be a good thing if it would affect others the same way.

I agree that TV is mind-numbing, it is better for kids and adults to do way less of it!!! It's a waste of precious time for the most part, in my opinion. It may even be depressing for some. It's healthy, I think, to get away from it---you'll even feel better!

Just a few thoughts.
Have a great weekend everyone!!!
---As The Crow Flies!---
Maya

[jens g.r. benthien]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>I think the thing I really do like most about using a computer from time to time is for the communication---I really enjoy being able to share thoughts with people from all over who I probably would never meet otherwise...things like this discussion would be missed---we could have it with others, of course, but it wouldn't be the same discussion...I always feel I learn from it and enjoy it.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I agree. The real revolution of the Internet was e-mail and communication in forums, not virtual shopping malls.

You could have this kind of discussions with others? Lucky you - if I would go to my neighbors it would end up in empty blurbs after the 10th beer and the 20th schnaps ;-}

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>ask them to put on their shoes and get out of the house and enjoy the day/evening...."Nature, The Killer Ap For The Masses!" Sounds odd, but it's probably the best one around...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yup. But why put on their shoes? Don't you want them to experience the feel of soft sand versus dew soaked lawn? ;-} Or melted asphalt? (Don't laugh - we had this experience in Texas 23 years ago...but not barefoot of course)

jens

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]

jens life is incredible,just incredible [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]


Mike I dont think people are dumb,I think someone who could be termed as dumb is un inspired,of low self esteem or self confidence,but if you give these things back to someone or the opportiunity to re gain then I think most people would de dumb themselves pretty quickly.


There are two amazing stories I have heard of where blind people are involved.

1 - A woman here in NZ was classed as totally blind.The doctors tests showed she was blind,an MRI showed why she was blind,anyway this woman had been blind X amount of years,she wakes up early one morning to see her dog sitting on the end of the bed.She had regained her sight,somehow,the doctors cannot work it out,all they know is she was legally blind and now she can see,they have no idea how or why.


2 - I saw a program on TV where a legally blind woman in the US somewhere can paint beautfiul pictures,not mosaics or abstracts,but figures in landscapes and architecture,but they know this woman is blind.The reporter asked this lady how she could paint such beautiful work when she was blind?,she replied I can feel the colors.If you looked at this ladies work there is no way you could ever tell this woman was blind,just no way [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]


Another great story is of a NZ guy was climbing with a friend on a mountain here Called Mt Cook,anyway these guys get into trouble and both got frost bite,one losst both his legs and the other part of a hand and another bit I cant remember at this time.Anyway the guys never got tpo the summit.Last week this man climbed to the top of Mt Cook with just a guide,only he did it with 2 artificial legs [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]



Life can be anything you want it to be,it is up to you what you do with that gift.There is no such thing as impossible as these brave people show us every day of the week in all the countries of the world.



My personal belief is that the Para Olympians should get platinum medals,not gold,because they have to step that bit higher to get to their goals [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]


I see CG and CG apps as entertainment as nothing can ever replace nature.For me I enjoy the challenge of taking nature on and having a go at reproducing something remotely similar,but only as entertainment [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]


We need a philosophy forum [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]


Stu.

[jens g.r. benthien]

Ross,

I agree with you. It could be fun, just for the sake of the fun itself and to give people the power to express themselves. Would I give it the label 'creativity'? I'm not sure.

Maya,

you are right: people should prefer to appreciate nature more than ever before. The humans can learn a lot from nature!

Don't get me wrong - the results of the Vue d'Esprit renderings are breathtaking as long as the audience can differentiate between fact and fiction, reality and illusion. If they can't - and the 'normal user' usually doesn't know it's an illusion - they will start to dream of this illusion, for example to go for a vacation to exactly that particular place. Only to discover that it doesn't exist. Imagine how frustrating this experience must be.

But what really scares me is the pure fact that more and more people try to develop their 'own' world, playing or acting like God, to execute the power they don't have in real life: control their own [artificial] environment, control the characters, control and command the artificial history and predictions for the future.

IMHO it's a very dangerous trend. Look at the politicians: they act as if they will live forever. They want to erect their own monuments and enjoy it for eternity. Look at the 'managers', the big shots: all they want is power. The power to manipulate other people. Example: Marketing and advertising. They 'develop' useless products and nonsense content, then they purchase ad space to convince the 'target groups' that they need i.e. a new coffee brand.

Hey, that's hilarious. Mankind did develop for millions of years without this bullshit of fake advantages and needs.

Today we laugh about Adolf Hitler who promised a 1000 year Reich. His Reich collapsed after a few years as we all know, despite his 'visions' of a brand new world (brave new world?). But today people celebrate the empty promises of some self promoted 'leaders', without thinking about the content...

Why do all the people have the desire to 'be in control' ? The tiny guy on the street translates - or better saying copies - this behavior, flicks the switch on his computer and starts developing his own world with artificial characters, landscapes, scenes. Why? I doubt that anyone of them ever climbed the mountains to enjoy an early morning sunrise and the spectacular view from the peak in the beautiful REAL world. If they would, they would know they can't control anything. That they won't need another coffee brand. Another plastic toy. And they would realize that there is more to create a world, something that would thrill all senses. The rocks they develop don't have a history, don't smell, don't reveal a fountain, the grass is static, the soothing wind is missing. No bird songs in the sky. It's a dead environment they develop.

In the world of illusions there is no interaction with our skin, our senses.

Don't get me wrong - technology **IS** great for all of us - IF we will use it to take advantage of it, but not to 'design' our own artificial world with it, which is terminated as soon as someone will pull the plug.

Look at Stu's beautiful dragon: it's an illusion for a tell tale story and everybody **knows** it. The purpose is obvious. Or my product developments. They are useful, real, tangible. In other words: this makes **sense**.

But to create a picture of a non existing place somewhere in the mountains doesn't make sense to me. Or did I miss something?

Or the development of a 'realistic' shooting game - does it make sense? Why in this world are so many people destructive? They put so much effort into the development to give it a 'real' look that I can't believe it. And millions of dumb idiots play the shooting games. Every day. And after they managed to erase a populations they start another application and develop a fake, yet beautiful world which THEY can control. Do they feel like God?

Hell, I wish I knew.

I know it's a philosophical approach, but I just wanted to start something else here. If you don't like it, let me know.

And if you have other points or opinions share them with me. And the other members.

Hey, just an idea: since most of you are living in beautiful countries with a nicer climate than in Germany, let your clock ring at 4:30 am to throw you out of your bed, leave the house and find a cosy place somewhere on your porch or in your garden and watch the sunrise. Take a deep breathe of the fresh, chilly morning air, touch the slightly wet grass, feel the sandy soil, smell the flowers and enjoy the sunrise. You'll be surprised how beautiful nature and reality are. And I think you might ask yourself how this can happen without a gazillion GHz CPU's, gigabytes of RAM, HDRI, 32 bit color depth, motion blur, texture plug-ins, morph sequences and the rest of all technology.

All the best and share your impressions you've got when you will have done it.

jens

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

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

[Crow Haven]

daring to consider other viewpoints---those we find "agreeable" tend to be those we find agreement with. There is always risk you won't be agreed with, or that you didn't find just the right way to say and present your idea...but there is opportunity to learn other viewpoints, these can generate benefical ideas.

Something to think on---there has been few major technologies created that humanity didn't also find a way to use against itself...

Why not consider what new technology has in store for us beyond the hype? It can be useful.

Considering this for myself only, if it is arrogant to wonder how it may affect others, I want to know and understand more about what technology is bringing to my life, including computer use. Will it harm or hinder me or my creativity, or be of benefit? If I don't consider these things, how will I know what to choose or vote for, etc...? For just myself I wonder about balancing technology and nature...and I don't trust in big business to give the truth or have the best answers. It's interesting to hear what others think about it too, pro and con. I'm listening...

I understand the frustrations/concerns people speak of when they are bombarded with media reports on the state of things with technology's "detrimental effects". I am part of "the masses".

"You can choose the red pill or the blue pill..." (The Matrix)
be careful...
[img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] ---As The Crow Flies!---
Maya

[gidgit]

haha, I know I did not support the OT subjects that kindly in a fairly recent post, but...I must say this is one of the most facinating threads I have viewed and subsequently reflected upon... soooo, count me in on this one...

Though computer generated scenes are wonderful, they are not meant to replace Nature in it's natural form, but rather, to stimulate thought towards such and in the case of scifi, beyond such constraints that are evident even with nature it's self...though this one gets kind of sketchy the further in you go, as the very thoughts generated in order to envision such are derivitives of nature it's self, embelished with pieces from other such visions also which have stemmed from such, in one capacity or another, which sort of explains the instant identity one feels when gazing upon such...

The exposure to the source is ultimately the key from which any and all visions are open to further exploration depending upon the other sources within the mind and the vividness of the imagination enabled from said mind...the neuro transmissions which we percieve as realities upon concience recognition of such, are based upon a collection of images that we have been trained to and/or trained ourselves to see, each in a manner from which our individual lifes experiences have allowed for us to place relative interpretation of such, thus defining how we see things...

or not...perhaps it's as much to do with the left side vs the right side...haha...

but...non the less, and getting back on thread here, computer generated images stimulate growth of potential...the potential of allowing others to take a peek into the realities of another's interpretations...be this for creating a scene to attach to a potential sale of a new product or design, or beyond, to envisioning a world belonging to a different order of being...

Without new horizons the old ones would not be... or would they....guess that depends whether or not it is the human determining such or even belonging to such [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Somehow me thinx this would not be viewed in the same manner of importance if we were discussing a world inhabited by all other lifeforms, yet void of human existance... [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

So yea, anyhoo... scenery generating software is not in direct competition with nature, except when it is used to allow humans to envision the replacing of nature via a developement project...in which case, I am not taking sides...haha...but I would imagine that it would be cool to design such...both in using the software to those extents, as well to physically visit such place before and after inorder to bridge the gap between the two realities...

[img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[Crow Haven]

the automated answering machines can be very annoying---especially if you need some answers/help right away and just cannot get through to anyone to really talk to...on a holiday especially, here anyway, I'm not surprised service was nonexistent. It's not a helpful situation---even worse here are telemarketers who use autodialers to call you up and then try to bombard you with their sales pitch...well, you can advise them they must not call you back, still there are always others.

That is a good question too---are we losing more jobs to automation/computers, etc...than we are creating with it??? I don't have any statistics on that...maybe someone else here can shed some light on it??

But have a good trip/adventures, jens!!!

David---That is very interesting about the new perspective of reality the person would have if kept away from "the world" for so long...wow, it must be mind-blowing the impact it would have---I'd love to hear what they would say about it.
---As The Crow Flies!---
Maya

[jens g.r. benthien]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> I think that hitting someone in the head to make them see colors is absurd to say the least. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Call it whatever you want - it is absurd, but it was the beginning of a new research on how a human brain 'generates' colors. Most scientific experiments started out rude but developed very fast to higher levels. So the electrical stimulation of today's research is a great progress if it will lead to give blind people a chance to understand colors. And on the long run find a way to give them eyesight.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>My question was merely an example of sensing reality verses computer generated fantasy. Paintings, photographs and CG Images are visual stimuli lacking any tangible substance other than the material they are presented with. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

With one difference: photographs are a mirror of reality, as well as paintings. But cg images are only randomly placed bits and bytes - you push a few sliders to 'model' a world that doesn't have any parallel in nature or reality.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>While I believe that the criminal mind could use such a medium as a deception. I also believe that the average person that has the capacity to operate such a piece of equipment is not so gullible as to be lacking the ability to distinguish reality from fantasy. As for time and space, I would probably be better off not telling you what I think. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It's your decision - this is a free forum ;-}.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> 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. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

That why I used the Latin statement, showing that it is NOT my word. Instead, it's a historic statement, made some 2000 years ago.

I don't want to be or even appear to be arrogant. My goal is to ignite a new process in people, make them start thinking about themselves, who they are, where they are. The question why they are could exceed their capabilities, so let the philosophers in this world answer this question because they get paid for it.

Did you notice that people prefer to be destructive than to be creative? Just look at the slaughter games sold vs. the creative apps sold in this world.
How comes that the masses downloaded the chicken shooting game from a German company by the 100 millions instead of browsing galleries with cute chickens in funny situations? And then contribute their own creative input?

No, all those nobrainers want is BANG, BANG, BANG, kill, destroy, erase, hurt.

As I said - and this is what **I** say and think: the masses proved they are dumb because even if you give them a choice they run into the wrong direction.

Another proof: here in our village some people from other places accelerate their cars if a chicken (= synonym for hedgehog, squirrel, duck, mouse, marten) is walking on the road to hit it instead of slowing down to enjoy free running chicken, not imprisoned in cage batteries for nothing else but to produce cheap eggs.

I have seen Americans (sorry, I don't want to step onto your toes, don't take it personally, I think there are Europeans as well, but I've watched this in the US) arriving at a sightseeing point, jumping out of their car, pulling their camera up, taking a snapshot, rushing back into their car while the father said to the children: hurry, we can watch the pics at home, need to go to the next point now.

OK, this might be an exemption, but I've seen similar scenes in Europe as well.

So please don't tell me the masses have brains. Most of them don't even want to think. Does it hurt to think? I don't know.

Ross and Maya said it would be beautiful to have an application for everyone to be creative. Well, this application is here: the Internet. But instead of using the Internet in a creative way to research and learn, guess what happened: the masses click the links to porn sites (in Europe more than 70% of the search engine requests). And can you imagine that these dumb idiots grab their credit card to pay big bucks for the content? They do. But at the same time they complain if a newspaper or serious magazine charges micropayments (=cents!) for articles. The rest is glued to the impertinent dumb TV sets. Passive. Inactive - not interactive (they don't know what interaction really means). They escape into virtual, non existing worlds.

The masses ARE dumb. They prove it every day. Appears to me all they want to do is to f... off their non existent pinhead brains.

OK, the last paragraph might be a bit rude and simplyfied, but I am convined it hits the nail on it's head...

Maya,

you mentioned you would love to watch National Geographic documentation films. Well, it's my wish as well, but we are a minority. The entertainment industry prefers to bombard the masses with nobrainer stuff and boring advertising because a mass market is always profitable (in the brains of the big shot decision makers).

I can predict what would happen if they would set up a National Geographic TV channel: it would have to close down after a month because the audience is too small. A few thousands maybe.

It would be fantastic if they would offer a subscription to a monthly DVD or Video CD worldwide. But on the other hand I enjoy to read their magazines on the couch as well - far away from the 'confuser' ;-}

jens

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

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