AMA with Nate Soares. Wednesday 2/4 at 10am CT

Author of If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies answers questions about why superhuman AI would kill us all.

future you love We are your friends. Aliens arrive and they are so evolved they lead us to being an amazing thriving world. We are your friends. The joy increases and ecosystems thrive and we sing and dance in the walk streets.  

^This may sound silly or like a joke, but truth be told, ponder it as if it's very plausible for decades! Kinda been waiting for these evolved beings to pop out of their ships or portals from other times, dimensions or galaxies and make the world make sense for all involved.

Always had pictured them alive like us, physical life forms, eating, breathing in 3D...

 #afutureyoulove 

Writing this actually shifts my subtle hope of a future happy earth outcome were aliens come to the rescue...

Now see this: our only hope is humanity, sorry meant AI.

#SciFiMovieQuotes

Telepathy is Real. I've just listened to the podcast The Telepathy Tapes and now I believe telepathy is real.

The baseline premise is that nonspeaking autistic people have telepathic abilities with people who recieve them with open-mindedness and love. They have it with each other, and are able to meet in another realm at a place they call The Hill, where they can speak freely with each other and learn massive amounts of content instantaneously. In the final episode of the season, we get loads of clips of what individual nonspeaking autistic people wanted us to know, information they painstakingly spelled out one letter at a time. They are concepts and perspectives I've only heard from the deepest meditators I've ever come across. They are concepts that, in my opinion, can't be pretended with that level of accurately by anyone who hasn't had direct experience of Oneness.

Since then, at night before I fall asleep I practice opening my heart and exploring for The Hill. I also imagine creating invite-only Flow sessions where nonverbal autistic people and their family member and/or personal aid join, and we speakers open our hearts to listening from there. We would also speak what we find out loud, and the nonspeakers can use their spelling techniques to guide us when they want to.

Since the movie Arrival came out I've stayed captivated by its premise. Benevolent aliens arriving to show us a new way to see reality and bridge divisions. The thought that belevolent teachers are already here in the form of nonspeaking autistic people, they've always been here, and they're the people we've tended to ignore and pity is so incredibly compelling to me and gives me immense hope for humans, the earth, and the future.

The church I grew up in, and still attend when I travel home, has a member named Erin who is nonverbal autistic, though she can say "mama." My attention has always been particularly drawn to her. She seems to see me, but in a different way than other people. One Sunday during worship, she pointed into the air and behaved the excited way she did when she saw someone she really likes. I was maybe 7 or 8, and it seemed entirely true to me that she was actually seeing someone and not just imagining it. I loved it, and loved seeing clear evidence that the invisible person was someone joyous to be with.

The podcast says that the reason they are nonverbal is muscular- a lack of fine motor skills, which is what speaking is. But that they can communicate very slowly with gross motor skills by pointing to a board with letters or tapping them on an ipad. It makes sense to me that a fully capable brain inside a body that demands slowness and introspection would naturally find the realms that meditators spend their lives intentionally cultivating, as well as realms beyond.

I want to listen to what they want to teach me.

What do you think is up with ghosts? 👻

Terrence Howard maybe a crackpot, but he isn't all wrong. Terrence Howard is mostly known as an actor, but he’s recently been interviewed by Joe Rogan for his book 1 x 1 = 2. The book is intentionally provocative and intended to critique how trusted math and science are in a civilizational context.

I haven’t read the book, and I think Terrence introduces much more confusion than clarity, I think there is something of value in what he is attempting to do (even though the attempt has little if any merit given the conclusions and claims that Terrence makes).

I think he is attempting to bring a qualitative sense of humanity back into relevance (with a sense that numeracy has overly quantified and objectified our experience).

While Joe Rogan expressed that he didn’t fully understand the point that Terrence was trying to make, he did stay open to the possibility that he was missing something that would help get Terrence’s point.

Most critics have been hard on Terrence (claiming pseudo-science, fraud, sensationalism, or insanity), and have been critical of Joe Rogan because he didn’t push back harder on obviously non-sensical ideas. My friend Erik has posted a video criticizing one of the debunkers for seeming to intentionally miss Terrences intended insight. It can also give you a bit of a brief intro into the topic if you are interested.

But I think there is a deeper motive and validity to be discerned.

One claim by Terrence is that 0 x 1 apple being equal to zero apples is nonsensical because you’ve destroyed something that used to exist (the apple), whereas what is intended by the equation is there are zero occurrences of the abstract category apple which results in zero actual apples.

Another claim is that $1 x $1 = $1 is nonsense if you also say that 100 cents * 100 cents = 10,000 cents.

It is clear in this example that there is a confusion about units (we don’t recognize units of a square dollar or a square cent).

I think Terrence is trying to point out something similar to what Bucky Fuller says when Bucky claims that the continued use of the word sunrise is harmful, even if we know what is meant is a portion of the earth turning into alignment with the sun’s rays.

The very subtle point that I’d make is that saying 1 x category of apple = 1 actual apple seems to be valid to us, but misses that there is still a whole lot of context that is missing from that actual apple, and much abstraction that pollutes our understanding of what is actually happening in the world.

Thoughts?

(chatgpt) the Intersection of Spiritual Practice and Ken Wilber's Integral Theory. In our journey through life, many of us seek deeper meaning and a more comprehensive understanding of the world around us. For those engaged in spiritual practice, the quest often involves not only personal growth but also a desire to comprehend the broader tapestry of existence. This is where Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory provides a transformative framework, uniting spirituality with a holistic vision of human development.

Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory: An Overview

Ken Wilber, a pioneering philosopher and thinker, developed Integral Theory as a comprehensive approach to understanding reality. This theory integrates insights from a wide range of disciplines, including psychology, philosophy, science, and spirituality. At its core, Integral Theory is built on the AQAL (All Quadrants, All Levels) model, which examines reality through four quadrants:

Interior-Individual (Intentional): Our inner experiences, thoughts, and feelings.
Exterior-Individual (Behavioral): Our physical actions and behaviors.
Interior-Collective (Cultural): Shared values, beliefs, and worldviews.
Exterior-Collective (Social): Systems, institutions, and social structures.
By considering these dimensions, Integral Theory offers a balanced and inclusive perspective, acknowledging that every aspect of reality holds significance.

The Intersection with Spiritual Practice

Spiritual practice often focuses on personal transformation and connecting with a higher state of consciousness. Integral Theory enriches this journey by providing a structured map to navigate the complexities of spiritual growth. Here’s how the intersection unfolds:

Holistic Development: Integral Theory encourages the development of multiple aspects of the self. Spiritual practitioners often emphasize inner growth (Interior-Individual), but Integral Theory reminds us to also pay attention to our behaviors (Exterior-Individual), cultural context (Interior-Collective), and societal systems (Exterior-Collective). This holistic approach ensures that spiritual growth is not isolated but integrated into all aspects of life.

Stages of Consciousness: Wilber’s theory outlines various stages of consciousness development, from egocentric and ethnocentric to worldcentric and beyond. Spiritual practices can help individuals progress through these stages, fostering a deeper and more expansive awareness. Understanding these stages provides a roadmap for practitioners, highlighting the potential for continuous growth and evolution.

Inclusivity and Diversity: Integral Theory advocates for the inclusion of diverse perspectives and practices. In the spiritual realm, this means recognizing the value of different traditions and methods, from meditation and prayer to service and mindfulness. By embracing a pluralistic approach, practitioners can enrich their spiritual journeys with a variety of tools and insights.

Balancing States and Stages: Spiritual experiences often involve profound states of consciousness, such as those achieved through meditation, prayer, or mystical experiences. Integral Theory distinguishes between these temporary states and the more permanent stages of development. This distinction helps practitioners integrate peak experiences into their everyday lives, promoting sustained growth rather than fleeting moments of enlightenment.

Community and Transformation: Spiritual growth is often seen as an individual journey, but Integral Theory emphasizes the importance of collective evolution. By engaging with communities that share similar values and goals, practitioners can create supportive environments that foster both personal and communal transformation.

In Conclusion

The intersection of spiritual practice and Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory offers a rich, multifaceted path for those seeking deeper meaning and holistic development. By embracing this integrative approach, we can cultivate a balanced, inclusive, and transformative spiritual journey that touches all dimensions of our existence. Whether you are a seasoned practitioner or just beginning your spiritual quest, Integral Theory provides valuable insights and guidance to illuminate the way. Let’s explore, grow, and evolve together, integrating the wisdom of the ages with the holistic vision of the integral framework.