Things are getting interesting.
I’ve been interacting with a number of people lately. More than I anticipated. Allow me to explain, please.
There is a novel from the great Carl Sagan, Saint Sagan as he is known in certain circles. That novel is Contact. They made a movie out of it with Jodie Foster. It was remarkably close to the novel, as much as a book made into a movie can be, in my neophyte opinion. I am not an expert in movies. Or books for that matter.
Anyway, there is a portion portrayed well in the movie that speaks to the matter at hand. It is when they have received what they hoped was an encyclopedia galactica. It was “the message.” Except no one could figure out how to decipher it. They do of course, and they do so by making this observation:
A truly advanced species would strive for multiple efficiency on multiple levels. Once they understand this they are able to see the message, turns out it is blueprints for building a machine. But that isn’t the point here.
I like the idea of striving for multiple efficiency on multiple levels. Sometimes this isn’t apparent when the eyes that read are not looking for it. I’ve been having multiple conversations on multiple levels with multiple people. And all these people think I am only talking to them, or primarily them. Sometimes I am. Sometimes I am not. True, there is one in particular who has every right to feel that I am primarily talking to them.
But because I am having these interactions privately and all the parties involved aren’t aware of the other parties…. I strive for multiple efficiency on multiple levels. And I do not have permission from parties involved to talk about them. I take this very seriously. Trust is hard to establish. Harder to reforge once someone feels it has been broken. I know how to keep a secret. I kept one for 51 years.
Now, I have made more than a few people…irked. I admit, I have baited some. Because I was insulted. And threatened. And then not apologized to. I am only human. I apologize when I give offense, both privately and publicly. A gentleman is only ever rude on purpose. I fail at this sometimes. Sometimes it is very much on purpose, when I am trying to make a point. But when I apologize:
I MEAN IT.
When I point out the error of insulting and threatening me, namely, that I can neither be insulted or threatened, then I have had one of two things happen to me so far.
One: I have been ignored and not talked to any longer. I accept this as my failure. I have no one to blame but myself. If you fall into this category, I sincerely apologize. The failure is mine and I hope you find it in your heart to one day forgive me. For I bear you no ill will whatsoever, on the contrary – I hope you receive all the gifts that wisdom, joy, and health can bear.
Two: I have been painted as having motives that I do not, or accused of this:
Plagiarism. I find this laughable. First of all, there is a thing called fair use. I believe everything I have stolen, and oh yes, I have stolen shamelessly, falls under this. Secondly, I don’t get paid for what I do here, so what am I stealing, exactly? In fact, my family pays to use what I do. Youtube should be happy. I am not seeking an academic position. So I don’t have to worry about the pitfall that just happened, unfortunately, to the outgoing president of Harvard.
Now, for motives that are ascribed to me that I do not possess, I have no reason to apologize for. As for plagiarism….
Allow me to introduce my special guest essay.
Please forgive my ignorance in embedding, apparently only the link will work. At least as far as I am able to discern. I am new to all this.
If you fall under the second category, namely, you have ascribed motives to me that I do not possess, this too, is my fault. I take full responsibility for failing at what I attempted. I sincerely apologize. If my presence offends, if you find that I am too sarcastic, too caustic, too acerbic, or my personality just plain rubs you the wrong way, well….
I will vanish faster than the smoke in my bong. And I will do so with a song in my heart and laughter on my lips.
