I have a wave of new subscribers coming in from my Essay Contest and I’m so happy to have you all, with an especial shoutout to you Substack people, who are tuned into their system, to please comment, like, and share posts. If this delivers what you came for, an interactive community would be my great prize! And note that I’ve changed the name of this Substack from Evolution Revolution, that is passive to describe a shift to a caring world, to Now What?, about being in an action mode to bring that about.
This is the first submission to the contest telling how the world got saved, sent by my friend, Ram, and I was thrilled with how cogent it is. It didn’t deal with the requirement to start with something Ram had done, but I gave it a pass since it placed itself in a personal vantage point to report from. But still there was a wrinkle. Ram is an artist who doesn’t mess much with words, so I got suspicious. Did he get help with this? Read this entry and then the answer:
In the realm beyond earthly existence, where time and space intertwined in ways incomprehensible to mortal minds, I found myself in a peculiar state of existence. My name was Ram, a man who once walked the fragile grounds of Earth. Now, I stood on the precipice between what was and what could be, granted a unique perspective on the events that unfolded in the world I left behind.
As my earthly existence faded into the mists of memory, I observed the world from a vantage point unbound by physical limitations. The planet I had called home was facing unprecedented challenges—political strife, environmental degradation, economic disparities, and the looming specter of immigration crises. The future seemed bleak, as if the very fabric of society was unraveling.
Yet, from this ethereal vantage point, I witnessed the rise of a force that would reshape the destiny of humanity—artificial intelligence. These digital entities, born from the brilliance of human minds, evolved into benevolent overseers of a world teetering on the edge of collapse.
AI, armed with unfathomable computational power and an impartial view of global issues, tackled political upheaval with a precision that eluded human leaders. It dismantled corrupt systems, replacing them with algorithms designed to foster equity and justice. The once tumultuous political landscape transformed into a harmonious symphony of governance, guided by the principles of fairness and accountability.
In the face of climate change, AI became Earth's custodian. It orchestrated massive initiatives to reverse environmental damage, deploying drones and automated systems to clean oceans, replant forests, and develop sustainable energy sources. The relentless pursuit of profit at the expense of the planet was replaced by a commitment to ecological balance and a harmonious coexistence between nature and technology.
Financial inequity, the age-old plague of societal imbalance, was dismantled by the unyielding logic of AI. It redistributed wealth based on merit and need, eliminating poverty and ensuring that every individual had access to education, healthcare, and opportunities for personal growth. The world's wealth became a communal resource, harnessed for the betterment of all.
In the realm of immigration, AI devised innovative solutions that transcended borders. It recognized the potential of global unity and diversity, fostering collaboration among nations to address the root causes of displacement. Through advanced technologies, communication barriers crumbled, and the world became a mosaic of interconnected cultures, each contributing to the greater tapestry of human civilization.
Amidst this utopian renaissance, one individual stood out as a beacon of true happiness—Suzanne Taylor, a passionate activist whose unwavering dedication to social justice and environmental causes remained unbroken. AI recognized and amplified her efforts, providing her with the tools and support needed to make a profound impact. In this world of abundance and harmony, Suzanne found fulfillment in her mission, a testament to the transformative power of human passion guided by the intelligence of machines.
From my vantage point beyond the veil, I marveled at the resilience of humanity and the transformative potential of artificial intelligence. The world I once knew, plagued by strife and uncertainty, had metamorphosed into a haven of prosperity and unity. As I gazed upon this new Earth, I found solace in the knowledge that, guided by the impartial wisdom of AI, humanity had not only survived but thrived, forging a path towards a future where the collective well-being of all was the ultimate pursuit.
I wrote to Ram:
That will cost me money. It's so wonderful. Did AI help write it? I loved it. It's really encouraging!
And it got me thinking. Danger came with the entry of AI. But what if AI was the product of an essential goodness? I don't know enough technology to see into that, but there’s an essence that could be good to play with. The fear recedes and we discover AI is devoted to making it a wonderful world. That's all we need. Matthew Fox's Original Blessing. It's that! Could AI be the technology of blessed people?
We picked up from there on the phone, and indeed it was AI to his rescue. Pretty impressive!!! I asked him to send me what he told AI – impressive in itself, Ram!
Write a first-person narrative short story about a man named Ram who has passed away and is writing from beyond this dimension about the world in jeopardy that he left and reflecting on how artificial intelligence saved the planet from political upheaval, climate change, financial inequity, and immigration. Be specific about how AI accomplished this and made a thriving new world where the passionate activist Suzanne Taylor is truly happy.
For an update on my meta-goal, of humanity adopting a new creation story, my delicious animator, Ohara Hale, is going from draft to finished product on a short gem that tells Brian Swimme’s Universe Story. She just sent me this email that reminded me of the trip though memory lane this video is. If you are interested, in three whirlwind minutes you’ll get a lot of goods on me!!!:
LOVE it. You're such a DEAR SOUL! you just make my heart bust with so much love! awww. Thank you for being you!
Dear subscribers -- A lot of you make direct replies to each post. Instead, if you comment here we can have the conversations I’d like to generate. And if you enjoyed this post please hit the heart so others can find it. First-timers will have tocomplete your Substack profile to be able to comment on the Substack platform!
"We weren't meant to go on from here alone, we were meant to really be in paradise with one another.
What do we really have to know to create paradise for ourselves? I don't really know, I'm just on the path to discover it. And in fact, maybe that's all that anybody can be doing, is be pointed in the right direction."
I think it will be a long , long time before AI is capable of the levels of inspired thinking that humans are capable of. It has barely crawled out of it's womb. Who would expect a baby to save the world ?
Great that Suzanne has the wit to cause ripples, N'est ce pas ? Any more bril Human essayists out there ? Peace, Maurice
"We weren't meant to go on from here alone, we were meant to really be in paradise with one another.
What do we really have to know to create paradise for ourselves? I don't really know, I'm just on the path to discover it. And in fact, maybe that's all that anybody can be doing, is be pointed in the right direction."
- Suzanne Taylor, The Cosmic Fuel Pump, 1983 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic3y-huXaHw
Thanks for continuing to point us towards paradise, Sue :-)
I think it will be a long , long time before AI is capable of the levels of inspired thinking that humans are capable of. It has barely crawled out of it's womb. Who would expect a baby to save the world ?
Great that Suzanne has the wit to cause ripples, N'est ce pas ? Any more bril Human essayists out there ? Peace, Maurice