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(see the YouTube version of this post here)

There are only two kinds of acts in the world - innovation and integration. One builds the building, the other keeps the integrity of that building.

Do you not believe me? What am I doing now? I am both integrating (bringing outside knowledge into a single discourse) and innovating (applying that knowledge in a brand new way). What are you doing? You are integrating (bringing in knowledge from my blog, an outside source) and probably innovating at the same time (applying this thinking in new ways yourself). Every action is a mix between these two fundamental acts. For example, take a look at the economy.

In the creation of a product, there are four main actions, two innovations and two integrations. The order they occur is: (1) an innovation, (2) an integration, (3) an innovation, and (4) an integration. This is the relentless march of progress.

Allow me to elaborate:

1: Innovation - A researcher or scientist studies information and discovers new things about the universe.

2: Integration - A designer takes the data from one or more scientists and combine them into an idea. In some cases, the first two actions are performed by one person.

3: Innovation - A manufacturer then makes the idea work. He forms a product out of the design. He might also be called a programmer, if the product is a service of some kind.

4: Integration - Another designer takes the various products or services and,

a) in the case of a product, compares products via cost-benefit analysis to determine the best choice or implements them in one product (thereby being an innovator, as well).

b) in the case of a service, seamlessly links multiple services so that they work together.

Here are some examples:

Einstein was an innovator by creating new concepts of the world.

Facebook and Twitter are innovations by the creation of new services.

TweetDeck is an integration, linking Facebook and Twitter so that they work on one convenient client.

The iPhone is both an innovation (a brand new phone) and an integration (bringing in outside concepts, such as mp3 players, applications, internet, etc., so that they work on one 'convenient' product).

God looks down and thinks...

What does God think when it looks down at humanity? Is God pleased, displeased, or simply apathetic. Has it abandoned all hope for humanity at this point and simply no longer cares?

As I was pondering this, I thought of these words. This is what I imagine God thinking when it looks at humanity:

'I look down upon my kingdom gravely. They all see me, but none understand me. They do not even see each other. My creation has not realized its potential. Perhaps, it never will. Humans plow through their lives, never seeing, like clockwork. Go here, do this, return home. Repeat. They are no more than the machines they create. Oh, the things I would do differently if I tried again. Maybe they are not beyond saving. But how can we wake them up? Through a bright, blinding light. And where will we find such a light? In those that see and understand.'

I think God is sorely disappointed in humanity, but I do not think it has given up hope. If there is even one person left that understands, God will not give up. Such was the case with the Ark (Noah was saved) and the burning of Sodom (Lot was saved). Such is the case now, I think.

-Brian West (Apeiros Sophos)

A balanced lifestyle

A balanced lifestyle is one of the most important things you can do in being healthy. Work? Yes, but do not overdo it. If you work too much, you become stressed, which is extremely bad for you health. Play? Yes, but if you play too much, you will not have the financial stability to support yourself or your family, so do not overdo it. These two things working together in harmony make for a financially stable and stress free lifestyle.

Also, a glass of wine can be good for the same reason: it relieves stress. However, too much alcohol and you end up poisoning yourself. Thus, once again, moderation. Also, as a warning, alcohol taken before the brain fully matures will stunt brain growth.

This was one of the core teaching of the Buddha - everything in moderation.

So, I would give the following advice (passed down through my family):

Finish your work first, then go and enjoy the day without guilt.

This alone will do much in the way of longevity by merely eliminating much of your stress.

-Brian West (Apeiros Sophos)

The consent of the governed

I figure that it is now time to bring my attention to the Iran election.

First of all, I would like to point out this interesting article: Iran Protests: Twitter, the Medium of the Movement.

Second, let me summarize my argument. Governmental power rests on the consent of the governed. There is not a thing that can be done to change this. Every society rests on this key principle of democracy, even monarchies, oligarchies, and dictatorships. If the people disagree and refuse to submit, what can a leader do? The military will not enforce his will, because they disagree; the citizens will not obey his will, because they disagree. This is an inerrant 'law' of society.

Thus, if the people of Iran refuse to submit to the will of their leader (whether the election was faked or not), then he is incapable of leading his nation. Election results mean nothing without the cooperation of the people. If they refuse to listen, a new leader will rise up and remain in power until he is disliked and ousted.

This, again, returns to circumstance control. We are in charge. If we do not like something, we have within our grasp the power to change it. What we are seeing now is an expression of that power by the Iranian people.

How do I think it will turn out? I do not know. However, the majority will rule, whether the majority says the election was fair or unfair. No amount of military intervention can change the mind of a dedicated people. They will get what they want, and the end result will be a more stable Iran; although, that 'stable Iran' could be more or less dangerous to the surrounding nations, depending on the will of the majority.

-Brian West (Apeiros Sophos)

Why God transcends words

I have mentioned it before, but I never elaborated on the subject. God transcends words. Religion is an attempt to describe the indescribable with a series of metaphors. These metaphors have become so complex and so vast that many no longer recognize them as merely metaphors and have begun to view their brethren as strangers.

It is like this:

You are a child, and you wish to reach the cereal box at the top of the refrigerator. The cereal box is God. Religion is a chair. You can use the chair to reach the cereal, and, indeed, you need to when you are younger, because you are not yet tall enough to reach the top of the refrigerator on your own. However, as you grow older, you will become tall enough to reach the box of cereal without the assistance of the chair. Yet, despite that, some insist on using the chair even after they grow up. This type of thinking only serves to stunt your spiritual growth. You do not become taller, stronger, or smarter, in a spiritual sense, when you continue to use these 'crutches.'

God is a spiritual being. We are spiritual beings exiled and trapped in physical bondage (our bodies). We, right now, speak only with our physical bodies in a physical language. Because our physical bodies have never experienced God or perfection, they obviously cannot express God in physical words. Thus, God is indescribable with words...

...until we break free from physical chains and learn to speak in a spiritual language (likely not anything remotely similar to a physical language, which consists of utter grunts and syllables).

While the metaphors we use help us to understand what God is, let us not get carried away with them. We need to remember that they are, in fact, only metaphors.

-Brian West (Apeiros Sophos)

Consciousness

(see the YouTube version here)

Greetings,

Consciousness is a process. It is something we do, not who we are. So, do not be afraid for your beliefs when a scientist says, 'We are close to uncovering the secret of consciousness.' Instead, think to yourself, 'Okay, so you've found the apple that falls from the tree, but have you found the gravity that causes the apple to fall?' We stimulate the consciousness to do specific things; that is how we interact with the world. Naturally, we do not have to use our consciousness; we can set our bodies to act on autopilot. We only respond with our instincts. We do not really hear or retain anything that is said to us. We all have periodic moments in which we are not 'conscious;' when we are only reacting, not causing the world to react to us.

This all goes back to taking control of your circumstances. When you are not conscious, you are a victim of your cirumstances. You do 'x,' because of 'y.' Instead, you should do 'x', to cause 'y.' You control your circumstances, if you are conscious.

Our ultimate goal, then, is to become conscious all the time. Right now, how often are you conscious throughout the day? Four hours? Three hours? Less? Increase it each day. Try to be conscious for four hours and ten minutes, then be conscious for four hours and twenty minutes the next day, and so on. Always be bettering yourself, not in the sense of necessarily having more money or stuff (because these things are chains that make it harder for us to become conscious), but in the sense that we realize we can change our situations. It is enough to know that we can do it.

Take, for instance, martial training - learning to fight. You do not learn to fight in the hopes of fighting with someone in a life or death situation, but to know that if we got into that situation, we would be prepared, ready. That is our goal in this 'taking charge' training.

-Brian West (Apeiros Sophos)

Unhappiness

(see the YouTube version here)

Greetings,

A friend of mine asked a question:

'What would you say to someone that is addicted to drugs and wants to kill himself?'

I had to think about it for a moment. Not because I think the person might be right, but because the person might think he is right.

So, the first step is for the person to realize that our situation is a product of our attitude. If I say, 'I am unhappy. I am addicted to drugs,' then I open my life up to that. I, essentially, open the gate up and shout for all the criminals to enter the city. I have to prevent that from happening. I have to lock the gate; I have to say, 'I am happy. I am not addicted to drugs. I love life.' Understand, this is not self-denial. I would not be denying my circumstances, but rather closing the gate, not allowing myself to be affected by my circumstances.

It is like this: you are rolling a dice with the intent of getting a six. You roll, and you get a five. You have two options; you can either live with the five and give up, or you can roll again and try for the six until you get it. That is what you have to do. You do not say, 'I will be happy when...' Rather, you say it in the present, as though it has already happened. 'I am happy, because I am successful, and I am not addicted to drugs.' Do not let yourself become a victim of your circumstances. Too often, people are not in control of their lives, when they should be.

You are in control of your circumstances. If you are stuck in a rut, change it. Our circumstances are the result of our perception[1], and we are not bound by them. The rut is an illusion. It does not exist.

So, I would ask, 'Who is in control of your life, you or your circumstances?'

[1] taken from YouTube - nowupgradingmind

Fine Again - Seether

Greetings,

I was listening to music (as I am apt to do throughout the day), and "Fine Again" by Seether came up. The lyrics of this song really seemed to speak to me. The part I am specifically interested in is:

'It seems like every day's the same

and I'm left to discover on my own

It seems like everything is gray

and there's no color to behold

[...]

And I am aware now of how

everything's gonna be fine one day

[ ...] I am prepared now,

seems everyone's gonna be fine...'

The first verse shows what life is like before we wake up to it. Before we realize that we are in control. Everything is bland, very plain. We are victims of our circumstances. But when we wake up - when we become 'aware' - we realize that we are in control, we do not need to be worried about life anymore. Everything is fine right now; the song says 'one day,' but, in reality, when we become aware, everything is fine right now, we do not even need to change anything. Once again, it is a matter of how we look at life.

It is certainly something to think about. We have to realize that we are in control.

Edit:

The problem right now is that most people think, 'Well, I'll be happy as soon as I get that promotion, or that car.' That's not what life is. I am happy now.

End edit

-Brian West (Apeiros Sophos)

Life as an energy flow

Greetings,

Life is what you make of it. If you want to be unhappy, you will be. If you want to be happy, you will be.

It's just a matter of taking charge, making the world's energy work for you.

The world is filled with energy, and this energy nourishes our spiritual side - the side responsible for our disposition. There are two types of energy: good and bad. If you fill yourself up with bad energy, you will be an angry person, but if you feel yourself up with good energy, you become a happy person.

We have all experienced moments of extreme, irrational anger - times when we did not even know why we were angry; we just were. When we are not in control of the energy we consume, we are at the mercy of the environment we live in, just as if we are not in control of what food we eat for our physical bodies, our physical health is at the mercy of what food is available. Chances are, you have noticed that when you are habitating in the country, where nature is most prevalent, you are more relaxed, happier, whereas when you are in a big city, you become stressed, angry.

This is because big cities are feeding grounds of bad energy, and nature is filled with good energy. That's why so many people, seeking spiritual growth, go to the countryside, or become nomads. They are surrounding themselves with good energy.

What they do not realize, however, is that does not actually make them more aware of the good energy; it merely eliminates (or reduces) the influence of the bad energy. They do not grow spiritually at all. Just as a flu vaccine contains some of the flu virus (enough that your body can handle) in order to make you healthier, you have to experience the bad energy to become spiritually healthier.

Whenever you converse with someone, you are exchanging energy. That is a defining characteristic of social interaction. She takes some of your energy, and you take some of hers. That is why you have to take care when choosing a partner. While you can increase your resistance to the bad energy, you cannot keep your guard up 24/7. Thus, you must choose the right person.

If the person you are talking to has good energy, then that good energy is feeding your soul. But, it does not follow that we should only associate with people that have good energy flows. Life is an infinite game, after all, so we need to keep people participating. We need to enable them, and, as Jesus said, 'Healthy people don't need doctors; sick people do.'

But, if a person has a bad energy flow, we must be very careful not to absorb it. As soon as you sense bad energy entering you, cut off the flow. This can be done while continuing the conversation. Feed him your good energy, but do not take his bad energy.

When the conversation is over (or during it, if possible), push the bad energy out of you. Think good thoughts. Surround yourself with nature. Then, imagine the good energy from your surroundings and thoughts (because thoughts are energy, and they feed your soul, whether good or bad) flowing into you and nourishing you.

I still have moments of that anger, and I doubt that will ever go away, but I am glad to say that it is conquerable - you can get rid of it as it arises. Ideally, you will conquer it sooner and sooner after its appearance, until eventually you conquer it before it arises. I'm on the path, which is a step forward.

-Brian West (Apeiros Sophos)

P.S. What do you do to get rid of anger?

Finite and infinite games

(see the video version of this post here)

Greetings,

I am reading a book titled Finite and Infinite Games, by James P. Carse. To say the least, it is quite interesting. With currently 130 pages left (out of 177), it has already given me a new view of life. Basically, life is a series of 'games' that we play. These games are either finite or infinite.

The core distinction between the two types of games is that a finite game is played with the goal of ending it, whereas an infinite game is played with the intent of continuing it. It is quite abstract, and I have to reread passages often, to make sure I understand it.

The publisher's excerpt reads:

'The rules of the finite game may not change; the rules of an infinite game must change.

Finite players play within boundaries; infinite players play with boundaries.

Finite players are serious; infinite games are playful.

A finite player plays to be powerful; an infinite players plays with strength.

A finite player consumes time; an infinite player generates time.

The finite player aims for eternal life; the infinite player aims for eternal birth.'

In other words, finite players play to win. Because they play to win, they need rules, to balance the game. These rules may not change, otherwise the balance is upset, and whatever actions taken to win might not be advantageous anymore. Their goal is to get from point A to point B before everyone else. They do not want to make point B further away, because their goal is not to make the game last longer, but to win it. Therefore, making the point further away is superfluous. Because a finite player is so concerned with 'winning,' he constantly looks for ways to complete his goal faster. Thus, if something does not further his goal, it is a waste of time. The finite player plays with the intent of surpassing everyone else, of disabling everyone else from reaching the goal. Thus, he plays 'to be powerful.' The ultimate goal of the finite player is to 'not lose.' Death is the final loss, so he seeks to prolong life as much as possible, to live longer than all other people - which is, once again, a victory, a path to power.

Infinite players, however, do not need rules, because their purpose is not to win a contest, but 'to continue the play.' Because of this, they are always extending their possibilities, increasing what they (and others) can do. They play with the purpose of initiating the actions of others (which continues the play). The more they enable others to act, the stronger they are. They do not see anything as a 'waste of time,' because they make time, essentially. They put it into their game, to enable actions. Therefore, it is inherently impossible to waste time. Finally, the infinite player always wants to try new and exciting things, to experience the world as much as possible - to expand her boundaries.

I got to thinking that the reason we have laws in the first place is because finite players exist. Finite players see life as a competition, where they need to get ahead. They will do everything in their power to get ahead, so laws are established to balance the game. If everyone was an infinite player, then laws would not be needed. Because an infinite player plays with strength, to enable others, he would automatically do what is best for civilization. The goal is not to get ahead, but to further the play.

Laws were created to make the goal of the finite players similar to that of the infinite players. Naturally, they still seek to get ahead, but the laws prevent them from doing anything to get ahead that does not 'continue the play.' They are not allowed to kill or steal, because these actions prevent another person from acting; these actions are weak.

So, if we all eventually realized that life is not about getting ahead, then the laws we have now would be unnecessary.

So, I'm curious - how do you look at life as a whole? Do you look at it as finite or infinite?

-Brian West (Apeiros Sophos)

Introduction (video) and a brief overview

Hello again,

Let me start off by saying that today I went out and purchased a webcam for the first time to use as a supplement to this text blog. It took a little bit of time to figure out how to get it working, as well as get my headset to start working so you could actually hear what I was saying.

There are three parts to my blog:

(1) This site, where I will discuss news articles and books, etc.

(2) My YouTube channel, which will also have similar content, though not exactly the same. I will probably use this to focus more on my opinion, whereas the blog will be my review of others' opinions.

(3) My Twitter account, where I will post day-to-day activities, as well as links too short to write a blog entry about or when it is inconvenient for me to do so.

So, without further ado, I present the first video of the video blog.

-Brian West (Apeiros Sophos)

Hello world! o/

Greetings,

I think that all good blogs begin with an introduction, and all good introductions begin with a name.

Mine is Brian West.

I'll be honest - I was not enthusiastic about getting a blog. I've lost count of how many times I was told, "Get a myspace," or "Get [blog name]," etc. They just never really appealed to me.

Don't get me wrong, I love blogs. They're extremely interesting (at least when they have quality content). What I liked was the idea of the blog, not the blog itself. Think about it:

"A way that everday people can participate in the media, share their opinions, and expand their horizons and knowledge - all from the comfort of their home computer."

Is that not attractive? The problem was what it has become, at least in my society. Rather than a medium through which to exchange ideas and discuss topics in the news and elsewhere, it has become a way to expand our ego. For evidence of this, you need look no further than your (and my) facebook accounts. How many friends do you have? One hundred? Two hundred? Three hundred? I know people with six hundred friends! Now, how many of those people are you actually friends with? Maybe five. So why have the other five hundred ninety-five? It makes you feel better. You look and see all these updates and think to yourself, "Wow, everyone loves me!" There is nothing wrong with that, perse. It's when it permeates all social mediums that it becomes a problem. Facebook is only a social networking site. It's sole function is to allow for that kind of casual interaction. But that's not what blogs are for, in my opinion.

I've seen the blog posts of some of my friends. They are all one line things such as, "I'm going to the store."

Keep the Facebook stuff to Facebook, the Twitter stuff to Twitter, and the blog stuff to the blogs.

I have a Twitter account ("BrianMWest") where I will post all my short day-to-day updates. Here is where the real thinking will happen. I might not get here every day, but I can get to Twitter wherever I have cell phone service. If you are interested in the mundane activities of my life, look there. If you are interested in my thoughts and opinions on subjects, you are in the right place.

So, without further to say, I will take my leave of you for now, and I look forward to hearing from all of you, whether it be on Blogspot or Twitter.

-Brian West (Apeiros Sophos)

P.S. "Apeiros Sophos" means "Infinite Wisdom" (a paradox, I know) in Greek.