Musings

• Midstream Musings – we scale ourselves and return Sisyphus …

  • Balancing of the books – just deserts
    [Draft 4-12-2026] Moral inferences & influencers The other day at my gym, I got into a conversation about a media influencer who talked about how some contemporary despots did really bad things, but also improved the lot of others. Or how famous, honored activists (or celebrities) did some really good […]
  • I’m sorry, … I can’t do that – AI misbehavior
    As we contemplate the future of human-AI alignment, what about just outright misbehavior? Like a redux of Hal 9000 in the 1968 film “2001: A Space Odyssey” – “I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that”. So, do AIs pay attention to each other? (Much as dogs pay great […]
  • ‘to process difficulty without being consumed by it’ – EI, EQ
    This article (cited below) – on emotional intelligence (EI/EQ) – advanced my understanding of why so many conversational disconnects reflect divides in breadth of vocabulary. A spectrum of emotion-rich & word-rich language. And levels of emotional intelligence. Temperament & style can thwart communication, but also impact ongoing development of vocabulary. […]
  • Braiding and mattering – connecting complexity
    [Draft 3-2-2026, additional notes 3-3-2026] Beyond warp & weft Words matter. And I like finding words which, literally or metaphorically (even poetically), integrate existing concepts in sociology, psychology, philosophy, religion, education, business – in a more accessible manner. For example, the “layered cake” model helps visualize an interdisciplinary context. Braiding […]
  • Breaking magic, breaking wonderland
    Magic can be a wonderful thing. In stories. Such as those set in the fictional country called Wonderland. In the 2013-2014 ABC TV series Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, there were three rules of magic [1]. You cannot: But, of course, for fabulists and despots, rules get in the […]
  • Comment on the gods need not take our sight … (peak of eternal light) by jph
    As so often in history, the 21st century is framed by a tale of creeds – a gospel of nostalgia and a gospel of progress. Was this part of the Victorian era as well? [1,2] Will humanity helm its own narrative – as caretaker of a collective commons? Or, will […]
  • Comment on the gods need not take our sight … (peak of eternal light) by jph
    in moving from low to high, we see our pathway as true, and that we are in the right How do we deal with "edge cases?" When the range of circumstances is unknowable … When the promised peak – the mountaintop measure of purpose – proves to be a false […]
  • Comment on ‘to process difficulty without being consumed by it’ – EI, EQ by jph
    Regarding emotionally rich stories … So, I'll be revisiting Andy Weir's novel Project Hail Mary (which I read in January 2023) to examine any incorporation of EQ into the narrative, character development, and dialog. The success of the screen adaptation (which I'll view at some point), both critically and at […]
  • Comment on Hope for 2026 – Gen Z’s voice? by jph
    Where will voices be vested? Will there be robust, real spaces for younger generations to carry on face-to-face conversations? Enter advanced AI companion pets. A Tamagotchi redux? A fad? Or a drift further into "bowling alone?" Is this a pragmatic accommodation to social & economic shortfalls? Like a state-sponsored emotional […]
  • Comment on Hope for 2026 – Gen Z’s voice? by jph
    "Touching the grass" … old-school hobbies … • AP News > Young people are turning to old-school hobbies to get off their phones (2-9-2026) – Gen-Z and millennials reconnect with hobbies such as knitting, gardening, needlepoint, pottery, origami, and even blacksmithing … Key points "Grandma hobbies" have persisted beyond a […]