Outer Space

Propulsive

Technology is an accelerant. At increased speeds, conflict happens and any direction becomes arduous to command.

Welcoming the confluence of humans and machines reduces the gap between human potential and artificial intelligence. Positive intent with ethics at the forefront of progress may help avoid an imbalance, but there’s still no guarantee that comes with our trust in technology.

Complacency leaves room for degraded integrity. This means we must remain inquisitive. Pushing elephants into the room encourages critical thinking, invites problem-solving, and provokes new perspectives. Here are brain teasers to rise above cliché conversations:

  • With answers so easy to come by, how can we celebrate experiential wisdom to maintain a willingness to learn?
  • A single AI prompt uses roughly the same energy as running a light bulb for 15 minutes. Adaptive computing, alternative energy, and other bridges to tomorrow will support more efficient interactions. But how might careless consumption impact long-term sustainability?
  • What is worth sacrificing to achieve progress?
  • Is learning to code more about understanding the capabilities and communicating with AI?
  • Unlimited access will raise the bar, but with fewer sources, does everything become mediocre?
  • Will enhanced productivity make humans lazy?
  • How do humans avoid isolation when technology makes perceived connection effortless?
  • Do we care about reduced privacy, or is it that we never like feeling surprised, sold out, or exploited?
  • If AI-generated content dominates the internet, might the overwhelming slop tempt exhausted humans to hibernate? If dark forests grow, will the beauty of collaboration in our connected era be fragmented or strengthened when the only participants truly care?
  • Should personal truths, political truths, and objective truths be held or conform to meet new facts in a changing reality?
  • How might the story of money end? When this happens, is attention or your network a more valuable currency?
  • In post-labor economics, how do humans spend a lifetime when jobs/tasks are less of a concern?
  • Instead of trying to inhabit other planets that fight against life, perhaps we use them to accommodate what we don’t want on Earth?
  • Is energy the most valuable natural resource?
  • Can humans and machines thrive in equitable ways, while progressing to a Kardashev Type II or Type III Civilization? If so, what are pit stops to harness the energy of our own star and eventually command the luminosity of our entire galaxy?
  • What prompt might you add to bend the mind?

                                The ethical aspects of technology can feel like a drag. Unfortunately, the ease of overlooking short-term issues usually leads to long-term problems.

                                Extra Shot

                                “Once you wow an audience, the same trick may not work anymore.” –Seth Godin

                                To find an equilibrium with artificial counterparts, elevate what we’re good at and do the same with technology, but slow down to avoid irreversible damage. As we align answers together, trust in a shared direction celebrates limitless diversity while ensuring a future that respects the past and remains open to next.

                                Brewed From Within
                                #88 📖 Technology

                                By Ben McDougal, ago

                                Conspicuous Kindness

                                Kindness enhances integrity and welcomes other good vibes. It’s empathetic but not without boundaries.

                                Consistency may be what people want in business, but the discipline to stay centered is challenged by constant change, and history makes it hard to imagine world peace. If war and the winds of outrage are human nature, conspicuous kindness can help de-escalate tension and heal the future.

                                Acts of kindness are seen every day, but what happens when conflict tests humanity? We long for a picturesque utopia where peace and progress co-exist, but reality is altered when humans play by their own personal and political truths. This unavoidable imbalance combined with complexity make global alignment close to impossible. Interplanetary travel may shift geopolitical stress, but when survival or perceived ownership is at stake, desperation sets in. This instinctive reaction devolves into animosity when anonymity lacks an interest in kindness and isolation fuels fear that apparently can justify begrudging rage.

                                Fortunately, life on Earth has long been resilient.
                                Unfortunately, any single planet has limitations.

                                With 8–10 billion humans consuming finite resources and our species altering the earth like never before, conflict may be inevitable. If we know conflict is coming, can we extend the kindness we teach children to our shared experience with friends and foes? What equilibrium must humans achieve to make everyone feel thankful, appreciated, motivated, and significant? Kindness cannot be the only answer, but it feels like part of an equation where we assume positive intent, welcome the opportunity to be wrong, appreciate healthy debates without regret, and let others lead.

                                If vulnerability is necessary, how can we lean into kindness without being taking advantage of? Start with boundaries and expectations. Be clear about what we are willing and not willing to do. With edges set, kindness does not have to mean weakness; we can be kind and firm at the same time.

                                Externally, consider the intentions of those you are interacting with and trust your instincts. If something feels off, take a step back to re-evaluate the situation. As you do, keep in mind that people’s life experiences impact innate responses. Was trust broken in the past? Has there been generational oppression that is destined to create tension? When evil is normalized, virtue feels unfathomable. Perhaps when kindness feels removed, kindness is needed the most.

                                Brewed From Within
                                #122 📖 Life & Happiness

                                BONUS CONTEXT

                                “I believe that leaning into conspicuous kindness without being taken advantage of starts with setting boundaries and expectations. It is important to be clear about what you are willing and not willing to do, and to communicate this to those around you. Additionally, it is important to be mindful of the intentions of those you are interacting with and to trust your instincts. If something feels off, it’s okay to take a step back and re-evaluate the situation. Finally, it is important to remember that kindness does not have to mean weakness; it is possible to be kind and firm at the same time.” –BEN BOT

                                By Ben McDougal, ago

                                Goodnight Moon

                                Star parties assemble people who are curious about the cosmos. Let’s set the scene. Imagine a remote place with dark skies and very little light pollution. Each campsite includes 1–3 telescopes. The astronomy equipment ranges from homemade to expensive. There are scopes made for visual observations and others geared for astrophotography.

                                Extra Shot
                                Explore my cosmic creations.

                                Daylight is relaxing, but the heavenly show starts as the sun begins to set and the first observations kickoff an evening of exploration. Tonight, our first stop is our own setting moon. From there, we spin the scopes to target a transitory comet. Planets in our solar system are next, then we go deeper. Globular clusters form dimensional shapes, with distant galaxies that look like eraser marks on black paper. The Milky Way can be seen all night, as constellations help star gazers navigate the rotating sky.

                                Space is for everyone, and astronomy makes everything feel small. Star parties remind us how we are all weird. Not an alienating type of weird, a wonderful weird that bonds people who care about anything together.

                                Brewed From Within
                                #106 📖 Life & Happiness

                                By Ben McDougal, ago

                                Totality

                                I sit atop this hill, soaking in the darkness of a lunar eclipse, reflecting as I celebrate 40 trips around the Sun. As our pale blue dot moves between the moon and our closest star, I first notice the moving shadow’s blurry edge. As I think about the time we spend on Earth, so much is devoted to finding our place in the universe. Even when we feel alignment, the blur of distractions will remain constant.

                                Anticipation takes over as the final sliver of moonlight goes dark. The orange haze of this blood moon is now the only cloud in the sky. The twinkling stars seem to serenade the silence of this moment. As the darkness holds time still, an eerie peacefulness is accompanied by welcomed loneliness. My thoughts sync into the shadow of this cosmic darkness. It becomes useless to resist the overwhelming appreciation I have for so many people who have given my life meaning.

                                Extra Shot

                                Jodie and Kate, you are the light of my life and my own totality. My greatest achievement is us. We make each other better, have fun, and experience the meanings in life. One of my favorite things will remain writing life’s stories together, but when I do turn my final page, know that you’re both forever loved, I’ll be with you always, and I wouldn’t have changed a thing.

                                Within the darkness of totality, I’m soon struck by the discomfort I feel, not knowing when the moonlight may return. We’ve all heard how dark it is before the dawn, yet it still feels natural to consider things that have not gone to plan. Accepting past failures, broken relationships, and future challenges was not an expected emotion, but perspective determines how we respond. I’m thankful that it’s hard to think of anyone who may need to hear this, but if I’ve ever wronged you in any way, I want to say that I am sorry and wish only the best for you.

                                Extra Shot
                                Perhaps the transitory quest for totality is an impossible pursuit, but one that provides meaning and makes life fun.

                                As the first sliver of moonlight returns, eminent joy and assuring enthusiasm seem to rush over me. It’s as if the light of our moon has never been brighter. The subsiding shadow of our planet slowly releases the cherished moonlight back into the night sky, which lights renewed optimism. As the moon shines brighter than ever, so does my appreciation for all that we share. Now and forever, thank you.

                                Brewed From Within
                                #107 📖 Life & Happiness

                                By Ben McDougal, ago

                                Dark Matter

                                Invisible forces look like nothing, and anything that is so inconspicuous will receive less attention, yet the unseen fills our universe and impacts everything.

                                The gravitational effects of dark matter can also be a brainy comparison for misguiding mindsets or bad experiences that have altered our own trajectory. Traps await us at every turn, but poor habits, surprising disappointments, unhealthy relationships, and mysterious feelings are not uncommon.

                                No matter how your own dark matter manifests itself, the gravity it wields will direct the light in your life.

                                When energy levels have been low for too long, identify the dark matter that may be pulling you in the wrong direction. Even the slightest reduction on a negative charge opens a void that welcomes positive growth.

                                Brewed From Within
                                #109 📖 Life & Happiness

                                By Ben McDougal, ago