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This is not so much a book review, but more of a reflection on the story of one of the characters, and what it symbolizes. As Anathem is only the second Neal Stephenson book I have read; the first being Cryptonomicon; I can only suggest that this book and it’s characters represent an achieved style of drama, compared to, say Cryptonomicon. It isn’t hysterically funny, and more poignantly, is not the same kind of book. What it is though, is a sincere meditation on technology, philosophy, the wonder of knowledge, and respect for the knowledge of others. The difference between knowing something, and really believing it. Faith is hardly exclusive to religion. That is where, this review begins.

The World of Anathem:

Thousands of years prior to the events in the novel, society was on the verge of collapse due to unchecked technological development, especially in the areas of genetic engineering and nuclear warfare. After much disaster, the solution was to have two societies, and so it was for a few thousand years. One like ours, and the other made up of the mathematicians and scientists, the intellectuals; those who live to work things out on a chalk board, instead of using computers. These people have chosen to live like this; to maintain great knowledge, and not be corrupted by the influences and extravagances of the outside.

Communication does of course exist between each society, and there is a hierarchy of persons to facilitate this on different levels. It serves the planet well to have equilibrium in this way. Little technology allowed inside the Mathic society, and there are rules, and violation of such rules result in one being thrown back (expelled). Note also, that neither society is more inherently intelligent than the other. Simply put, people have chosen their way of life.

The Story of Orolo (the cosmographer):

The thing most noteworthy of Orolo’s character, is that he was truly looked upon, as not only an intellectual, but as a spiritual leader by many amongst his students. He was special to them; he had something like that warm kind of respect that you get from people who can’t help but believe in you.

The launch [pun intended] in the story entails something that puts Orolo on his journey. It is not specifically the incident itself, mind. But the challenges and revelations that are resultant. He is provided a glimpse of something; that for someone like Orolo, instantly gives purchase on something that is bigger than just about everything. It’s cosmic.

Immediately following this, is the first indication of real faith; when Orolo, in a serious violation of the Discipline — as commerce is not allowed — sells the Math’s mead to purchase a Speelycaptor after learning about the increased resolution of the newest models. He is of course then subsequently thrown back.

Faith

The relevance here is that selflessness is in lieu of any other affection. There is no want of validation in trying to convince others of his findings, and certainly no need for Orolo to make it known that he had discovered something with such overarching impact. Only the thunderous silence of the unspoken actions set forth by a man so obviously at peace with with an unshakable belief.

Further to all of this is the notion that Orolo was a man acting only on the indication of something; the details are really fuzzy, but the initial event is enough for someone who knows something so deeply in their heart to sacrifice everything in their life, an Orolo does, including, quite obviously, his own existence.

This really is a beautiful story within the real story, because, in saying that Orolo has already wholeheartedly consigned himself to sacrifice, it is really something more than a simple act of bravado, more than putting his life on the line for another, or even one million or even the whole world. It is this unshakable belief in something so much deeper, so profound. It is faith, and an elegant fervor for a philosophical view of existence of everything, bigger than religion. Something that might unite everyone under the whole raft of different religious beliefs.

This all seems grandiose I’m sure, and it kind of is. But it got me writing for at least two reasons. 1. It’s great to read such a massive work, in both it’s actual volume, and the audacious scope of topic that’s explored. 2. It got me thinking about belief, and how fragile our belief systems really are. For all the front that we have most of the time, we really are unsure of so much, so much of the time.

Moral courage is often so misrepresented; with definitions of such usually existing somewhere left field of where it’s claimed to be. Well, hopefully it is somewhere betwixt here and there that my examination of this whole allegory takes place.

I still remember what it was like to take a day off. Although, it’s been a long time since I did that for a specific reason. As much as I can see it from a certain perspective, I personally have never really been able to understand why toast comes to me unbuttered; no one even asks. Of course, such things are a matter of taste, but I’m not the kind of person who enjoys a dry chewy salad either. I expect food that has has been prepared with that vital ingredient called passion.

Perhaps it’s got a lot to do with age, and if so is all the more ironic. Another thing worth mentioning is that as far as I can tell, everyone actually wants something like the same, and why wouldn’t you? Literature, and movies endlessly stream out messages of the desire to live beyond the pale, proportionate to our encroaching middle agedness and beyond. Yet, mostly we don’t really do that.

In my experience the best relations are born of intimacy. I’m not talking about the kind of fantasist romantic reckoning that is an endless stream of dates; gentle conversations and late night text messages. Likewise, numerous times I have engaged in the back-and-forth of email messages; wondrous correspondence; massively stimulating; finding out much about someone, who in actuality, exists only as a visage projected through eyes of interpretation. Meeting in person is not the same thing. We may well have been pen pals. The sex was missing. Sexy, sweaty, slippery, salivating, nasty, noisy, dirty sex.

Strangely, as this would be obvious to many people, paradoxically, a good portion of society subscribes to the archaic concept of dating, right? There’s nothing actually wrong with dating itself, but there are at least two major downsides to the whole practice. I have always believed that there’s no romance without good sex; potential or realized. So firstly, for some pairs, it’s just not necessary. Here’s the kicker though, I do not want to wait a long time for my order, only to find that my toast hasn’t been buttered.

Hang in there, it goes deeper. When was the last time you went out to dinner; ate incredible food; got drunk; went out drinking some more; started kissing in public; got nasty in the taxi; woke up in the morning and both decided to take the day off work and stay in bed? Lucky for those of you who can say yes. The point of all this is that what was really going on in this example was passion and simply taking a chance. Sometimes, an endless procession of dates is really just putting-the-cart-before-the-horse.

The disclaimer here, is of course, that it’s not the same for everyone or every situation, and sometimes, dating someone and moving towards something greater really works, but ultimately it’s the sex, that’s the rub.

I like going out on dates, but it seems that with real sex not out of the way, the spell is not really cast, and to to the contrary, what would be dates, are now romantic dinners, with intimacy not possible without the precursor of great sex, and real closeness.

Even a kiss; sometimes, there is so much in a kiss.

This guy was a good manager, because he was always on deck, and not sending emails from his quarters.

I balled my eyes out. I really did. I’m not even a big Will Smith Fan. Perhaps, I had really wanted something like this. I read some reviews of this film, and what reviews I read, only served to highlight for me, the fact, that any film review, as we all already know, is supposed to be a detached; an objective experience. But, I disagree, and know full well, that if I was to take inventory — which in casual conversation — I already have, this film has reach.

I, myself, am a critic; staunch, and hyper-critical. But, the inescapable thing in critique of something, is that to trully offer one’s critique of something; one should lower all defenses. I would lay you London-to-a-brick, that anyone who has canned this film, has had neither the disposition, or life-experience generated incumbent circumstance to accept the motivation of such a beautiful story at face-vale. That’s the problem with cliches sometimes; they can be truly relevant.

Probably the reason, that the fact that this movie stands apart as an example, is not just because it was universally canned by critics, but lauded by the general film-going public (which , if you research meta-critic or rotten-tomatoes, is true, and the first free clue), but because, the premise; the concept; the story, and the original writer’s motivation, hopefully transcends every aspect that is, or maybe should, in a perfect world be vulnerable to critique. That’s a big call, I know. The point of this though, should surely highlight; notwithstanding the flaws and failures on a film-making level — is that, quite simply, ambition should be lauded. The film as a whole can be reviewed, but sometimes, it’s good, to look at things, in the context of what they are — It’s not rocket science, and all critics — great and small — should take note.

Anyway, I happen to like long films. There exists a certain fascination with the economy of words in the contect of film making.  A three hour film, quite honestly, is not particularly long. I find it amusing that reviewers will say something to the effect of  “after two hours it becomes tedious”.  I say. bring it on. If you are so affected by the modern world that you –  as the cliche goes — can’t stay focussed for more than twent minutes

The

You know, this is such a clichéd film.s

I don’t know I got to be such an angry person, but I have this somewhat vague idea of the events that have really crystallized this state. From what I can remember, I have always been an uptight person; never settled, and now I feel, that the truth of it all is that it’s now really upon me.

In all honesty; everyone has their breaking point. That may seem like a very simple thing to say, but in all actuality; as a society; we have a very long way to go, in understanding the human condition. I knew a good man. I knew a man I looked up to; someone who I wasn’t, but aspired to be.

Nothing is more sobering than seeing a good person turn bad. In both reality and fiction, I have seen such great men and women on the edge; believing in what what was once the most grounding thing, now ,with time shifting like nature; an uncompromising resolve. I have seen the most selfless people exist with nothing but thankfulness for their lot. I have seen these people hold fast in the face of adversity. Seen them not compromise in hardship; witnessed the steadfast belief in nothing but the most quiet ideals.

Most of us, we could say, have lived a fortunate life. I know of a few things that I cannot yet fully welcome. As I have heard and identified with: “Our integrity is all we really have. It is the very last inch of us. But within that inch we are free”. What else do we really have?

Everything breaks eventually.

10 – 1 Signs that people are not doing things the way they should be

10 -1  Reasons why it’s no greater knowledge than leaving school

10 – 1 Analogies (using items in a pencil case – Rules, Protractor etc)

Even now, as I type this; in the background, in another tab holding youtube.com.au; in the audio, I can hear the familiar whine of supposedly tech-savvy middle management – blogger hybrid peoples’, delivering even more synopsis of Google Chrome. Firstly, the aforementioned; like a lot 0f people I know, should stop being any kind of fan-boy or girl or whatever, and start practicing in the making of non-weighted unemotional decisions. This means you too, almost without exception.

The modern paradigm of computing is not just too complex for most people, but so mired by implied values through marketing, that the only way, I feel, that one can have a fresh and lucid perspective on it all, is to have a universal mandate, that permits no one to analyze anything as a user of Windows, Mac or Google, whatever…

In the face of years of empirical evidence; the last thing you want to do, from a business perspective or from the thinking of pure common-sense, is be recalcitrant to admit the foibles of your favorite OS. Don’t do that. Don’t take sides. Have clarity. Be critical of what you like the most; what’s prevalent in your home or organization; it’s healthy. This is really basic stuff, and should be a staple of any business culture.

Microsoft and Apple have been completely blind-sided; this will come to be the general consensus. IMHO, it all comes down to this. Google is attempting to take over the world. You have no idea; I can very easily prove it. Google will have some degree of success, because unlike MS & Apple, their third party apps work reasonably well. More poignantly, the bevy of subtleties in the way the apps integrate with the cloud would blow your eardrums, be it a single clap of thunder. But here’s the rub. In terms or company direction, Google seems to me more interested — for the moment — in what people want and use day-today. It’s not rocket science. Props to Steve Jobs; what a comeback! But is the iPhone & iPod market dominance really as overarching as the consolidated Google platform. Not even close.

Apple went vertical, but Google has it in spades. Google had it for a long time… You have no idea. As a multi-billion dollar organization, you kind of need to have a change management plan. Better still you want to be that change.

We ARE the web browser for fuck’s sake. Wake up, if you don’t already realize this. At a guess, I would say that this is one of the keys to Google’s philosophy, when imagining many new products. They are not bound be their own vendor lock in, and crippled business models, because that is not their lifeblood. They already own you, because you go to them, and that ownership is subsidised. Right?

I am critical of Microsoft, Apple AND Google. One has to be. It’s still early-days, but in regards to a few certain factors, the daylight that exists between Google, and the others, is the platform that their technology is built upon, and the scope of vertical extension that this offers. Google technologies are generally pretty good, and dare I say it, not as “flaky” as the top-level app-ware that runs on Apple & Microsoft operating systems. Further to this, is the emancipation from the obligation of running a heavy and resource intensive OS on a single machine, including music libraries, accounts etc. iTunes or Microsoft Office ring a bell? Their OS is not the forthcoming “Chrome”, but the consolidation of everything they have.

The thing is; an untold number of opportunities have passed by us, and this is our own fault. You see Google is on the money at the moment. You have no idea. I can now recant almost a myriad of ideas that I have entertained; either as flashes that were gone within seconds, or real true solutions to problems, that worked their way around my head for months, before being trashed, for lack of support. My people are bagging Google — for the right reasons — but fuck me, Google keeps coming up with concepts, that address the right issues. where were you my friends? I had a few ideas.

“I want to break free…” Break free from the desktop, and be free in the browser — not.

“that’s really ccol” — In past experience; every time I hear that, I see a flag, and hear whistles blowing.

what’s really cool, is not what you just saw, but the more subtle implicatins of what it represents. Just have a think about that.