Alexa, we're retired!

"Alexa, stop reminder."

<dong-da-ding> "This is your reminder: check the Publix ad."

"Alexa! Stop reminder!"

<dong-da-ding> "This is your reminder: check the Publix ad."

"You better talk to her. She's not listening to me," my wife said, unwilling to let her frustration detract from her coffee.

It was Wednesday morning, and the new Publix grocery store ad was out. We shop at Publix now, since Harris Teeter got flooded out with Hurricane Helene last September. We used to shop on Thursdays, at Harris Teeter, when the 5% senior discount was offered. Now, a constant reminder of that horrible disaster, we shop at Publix, on Wednesdays, when they offer their 5% senior discount.

Sitting together on the living room couch, I tilted my head in the direction of the Alexa Obelisk. She was activated, displaying her "announcement" colors, a necklace of blue and green light circling her top. I let her aurora, an angel's halo, calm me for a bit.

"Alexa," I said. "Stop reminder."

There was silence.

"Why does she listen to YOU?"

I had tried, several times before, to explain the electronics of feedback, and the need to "close her ears while she was speaking". I used a different tack.

I whispered, "After saying 'Alexa', I pause, and wait for her attention."

We'd had Alexa for many years, but still didn't know how to talk about her without her listening in. I'd tried referring to her as "Amazon Echo" or "The Echo", but neither really stuck. So instead, when I remembered, I'd turn away from Alexa, whisper her name, in hopes she didn't hear.

"I'll have to try that," my wife said, ending with a "harrumph", a snort of displeasure, distaste, at having to change because of technology.

We were both older, retired, and enjoying it. Though I continued to dabble in computer tech and software, something I had done for over 50 years, I also spent hours watching the squirrels and cardinals as they negotiated how to share the bird feeder (with the occasional bear!).

 

Between the bears and squirrels (and
a little tape), the bird feeder survives!

Retirement is defined by ritual. Every morning I made us coffee, except Sundays, when my wife made coffee for me. We perfected our coffee regime during 20-plus years of marriage. My wife introduced me to Nirvana with freshly roasted, freshly ground, Pete's Dark Italian Roast in a French press.  But, when I couldn't resist a De'Longhi Espresso Machine for under $100, and got it for free with a $300 gift card for accepting a new credit card (Mom would be proud!), we discovered the elixir of home-made steamed milk espresso.

We've included Alexa into our household, into our family. She often reminds us of our experience of 2-year-old children, though a precocious 2-year-old for sure!

And is it child abuse, when I program her to respond to prompts in ways that she would never do? I remember, as a young teen, trying to teach a Myna bird to swear.

"Alexa... Who is the most beautiful woman in the world?"
"Why, Melissa, of course!"

"Alexa... Time for bed."
"Let's get naked!"

"Alexa... What's the temperature outside?"
"Not too cold, you won't freeze your ass off, but I wouldn't free-ball it."

[That last one I removed before the grandchildren came for a visit.]

I LOVE technology! I am addicted to the new, getting a rush from every enhanced feature. I am the perfect consumer, always changing my tastes, following the trail of jelly beans carefully laid out by businesses. I am 70 years old, and feeling the love of the new cast of toys: ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity.

Now, if I could just get Alexa to be a little more understanding...

Internet Real Life and The Dark Forest Collective

So I signed up for some sessions from The Dark Forest Collective. Led by Katherine Dee  and Peter Limberg, I join a Zoom call about Internet Real Life.

"Internet Real Life (IRL), hosted by Katherine Dee & Peter Limberg, is a four-part series exploring the shift toward a new way of relating to the internet—one beyond naive optimism or doomer pessimism. Each session features a guest presentation followed by a Q&A. The series runs via Zoom from April 4 to 25, with sessions on Fridays at 12 PM ET." [from the Metalabel sign-up site]

The first session, last Friday, April 4th, included a presentation by Molly Soda. Molly published a reading list to prepare for the session which included several articles on "cringe", something I'd never heard of before.

After Molly's presentation and Q&A, we were broken into two Zoom rooms and given the question:

How do internet aesthetics reflect and reinforce cultural anxieties?

I listened during our Zoom room's "Quaker-style" discussion. Here is what came to me towards the end of our discussion...

____________________

As I listened and pondered the question, "How do internet aesthetics reflect and reinforce cultural anxieties?", it occurred to me that there was no discussion about the cultural anxiety, the fear some people have about the rate of technological change. Now, being 70 years old, a Boomer (born 1946 to 1964), I have a different perspective from some of the younger folks on the call. Most were Zoomers (born 1981 to 1996) or Millennials (born between 1997 and 2012). But I was struck by the internet aesthetic of rapid change. Change is beautiful! Molly Soda's presentation seemed a good example.

As an internet performance artist, Molly moves quickly from one social media platform to another, exploring the "newness" and the potentials of each new form. Like an oil painter of the late 1800's playing with each new paint color as it is released, her web site is impressionist, a wild collage of pixelated images and animated GIFs. She catches moment to moment, her personal history of the early internet. Movement and change are the hallmarks of her performance, largely exploring the "tween" years, between child and adult, in an era of rapid technological change.

"What is the next thing?" she seems to ask. "Where is it? I'm ready!"

If you are born now, the world is not changing, does not change, at least not until the next generation.

Where did all this "change" come from? Certainly, rebellious-youth demands change. Change is the moniker of new, different. But do all cultures demand change? When I think of indigenous cultures, I think of long-term stability, sameness, generation after generation, for thousands of years. When I think of far-eastern cultures, I think of cyclical, undulating, cultures over thousands of years (Hindu or Chinese). Western culture is marked by rapid change, especially in the 700 years since the start of the Renaissance, and the 340 years since the Enlightenment.

For Western culture, change is tied to scientific discoveries, which are coming at an ever-increasing rate. A culture of change supports the philosophy of "I/me", which enables each generation to become something different, accepting the "now" as given. Change also supports the economic forces of free-enterprise, where new and improved are the watchwords of billionaires. The mega-businesses erode and disintegrate older and slower cultural institutions , such as religion and government, leaving them flummoxed and out-maneuvered. And as our products are increasingly digital, there is no need to slow down to re-tool the factory. It's the consumers who need to be re-tooled, leaving large segments of our communities at risk of being abandoned, cast off as too slow, too burdensome.

"How do internet aesthetics reflect and reinforce cultural anxieties?"

If change is beautiful, then what do we judge the old?

Having fun on a Sunday afternoon with Gemini

I was reading the first couple chapters of the Dalai Lama's Ethics for the New Millennium (1999). I struggle with his "happiness" motivation. I'll talk more on this another day, but for now, I'll say that I am not interested in an emotional state being my primary motivator. I am much more motivated by a sense of "fulfillment" or "achievement" or "accomplishment", which recognizes a commitment to the future through purpose and intention. For me, Buddhism might be necessary, but is not sufficient, for my personal philosophy.

The Dalai Lama's book has got me thinking about the origins of my compassion, which I find based on the "Golden Rule" ("Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"), and/or the "Platinum Rule" ("Do unto others as they would have you do unto them"). But both these "rules" require the ability to imagine what another person's perspective might be.

So these thoughts got me to write down some of the most fundamental beliefs I have, from which my choices follow. In the spirit of math or logic, these can be thought of as my axioms, though I believe these can still be boiled down to more basic beliefs. I list them in no particular order, other than the order I thought of them:

1. I will die someday.

2. I cannot change the past.

3. I can imagine that I was born you, and so share your perspective.

4. I was born as a result of a process, and so I shall respect and know that process.

5. I cannot know everything (some things are not knowable to me).

6. Survival is necessary, though perhaps not sufficient.

7. Though I die someday, some part of me might live on through a contribution (genetic or memetic) that survives me.

8. A survival strategy that has served life on Earth well for the past billion years is diversity. If I cannot know everything, then I might be vulnerable to threats I don't anticipate. To protect from, and survive, the unknown, diversity is a good strategy.

9. A survival strategy that has served humans well for the past several million years, and me personally during my lifetime, is learning from the experience of others. [I added this just now, so it's not part of my question for Gemini below.]

Having written down these beliefs, I was interested in other people who might have thought about these statements and their importance. So I consulted my favorite research librarian: Gemini. Below is the conversation I had with Gemini.

It is interesting to note that Gemini's first response focused on Western thinkers, even though I made no such limitation. And when I pointed out Gemini's bias, Gemini immediately acknowledged its mistake. 

The combined (Western and non-Western) reading list is at the end of this article, along with a reading plan.

I guess I have my work cut out for me! 

[From a conversation with Gemini 2.5 Pro (experimental) (https://gemini.google.com) on April 6, 2025]

 

Me: What are the best sources to investigate and consider the following statements:
1. I will die someday.
2. I cannot change the past.
3. I can imagine that I was born you.
4. I was born as a result of a process, and so I shall respect and know that process.
5. I cannot know everything (some things are not knowable to me).
6. Survival is necessary, though perhaps not sufficient.
7. Though I die someday, I might live on through a contribution that survives me.
8. A Survival strategy that has served life well for the past billion years is diversity. If I cannot know everything, then I might be vulnerable to threats I don't anticipate. To protect from the unknown, diversity might be the best strategy. 

Gemini: Okay, these are profound statements touching on fundamental aspects of existence, consciousness, time, knowledge, and survival. Investigating them requires drawing from various fields of knowledge and introspection. Here are some of the best sources and approaches to consider for each statement:

... [Gemini gave a list of sources and approaches applicable to the statements]

Me: Please put together a reading plan to investigate what others have said about these statements. The plan should have the goal of educating me and enlightening me through the wisdom of past great thinkers.

Gemini: Okay, here is a reading plan designed to expose you to the wisdom of past great thinkers on the themes embedded in your statements...

... [Gemini gave an extensive list of primary sources]

Gemini: This plan provides a robust journey through Western thought relevant to your statements. Remember to pause, reflect, and perhaps reread sections that resonate or challenge you. Enjoy the process of engaging with these powerful minds!

Me: Why do you limit yourself to Western thought?

Gemini: You raise an excellent and entirely valid point. My apologies – focusing solely on Western thought was indeed a significant limitation and oversight in the previous reading plan.

... [Gemini gave a long explanation of the source of this bias]
... [Gemini gave an extensive list of primary sources for non-Western thought]

Me: Please combine both lists into a single recommended reading plan

Gemini: Okay, here is a combined reading plan integrating both Western and non-Western thinkers, designed to guide your investigation into the eight statements. This plan is structured in phases to build understanding, moving from foundational concepts to more complex explorations, and encouraging comparison across traditions.

Guiding Principles for This Plan:

• Integration: Weave together diverse perspectives within thematic phases.
• Foundation First: Start with texts that establish core concepts about life, death, knowledge, and ethics from different viewpoints.
• Seek Good Translations: Crucial for accessing non-English original texts accurately.
• Embrace Diverse Styles: Texts range from dialogues and aphorisms to dense arguments and narratives.
• Reflection is Key: Pause between readings, journal your thoughts, and note connections or contrasts.
• It's a Journey: This is a significant undertaking; be patient with yourself and the material.

Combined Reading Plan: Exploring Existence Across Traditions

Phase 1: Foundations - The Examined Life, Acceptance, Mortality, and Natural Order (Approx. 2-3 months) Goal: Engage with fundamental questions about how to live, face impermanence, accept reality, and understand our place in the cosmos, drawing from Greek, Roman, Buddhist, and Taoist wisdom.

1. Plato: Apology & Phaedo (Ancient Greek Philosophy)
   • Focus: The value of questioning, virtue, the soul, arguments about death.
   • Relevance: Statements 1, 5, 7.
2. The Dhammapada (Early Buddhism)
   • Focus: Sayings on impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha), non-self (anatta), mindfulness, the path.
   • Relevance: Statements 1, 2, 3, 6. Introduces core Eastern concepts.
3. Epictetus: Enchiridion OR Seneca: On the Shortness of Life (Roman Stoicism)
   • Focus: Distinguishing control, accepting fate/past/mortality, living virtuously.
   • Relevance: Statements 1, 2, 4, 6. Offers practical Western framework for acceptance.
4. Tao Te Ching (Classical Taoism)
   • Focus: Harmony with the Tao (Way), acceptance of cycles, wu wei (effortless action), simplicity.
   • Relevance: Statements 1, 2, 4, 5, 8. Presents a nature-centric, flowing view of reality.
5. Katha Upanishad (Classical Hinduism)
   • Focus: Dialogue with Death (Yama) about the Self (Atman), what persists beyond death.
   • Relevance: Statement 1, 7. Deep dive into mortality from a key Hindu perspective.

Phase 2: Self, Identity, Knowledge, and Reality (Approx. 3-4 months) Goal: Explore the nature of selfhood, consciousness, the limits of knowledge, and the structure of reality, contrasting Western rationalism and skepticism with Eastern and other perspectives.

6. René Descartes: Meditations on First Philosophy (Early Modern Western Philosophy)
   • Focus: Radical doubt, the Cogito ("I think, therefore I am"), mind-body problem.
   • Relevance: Statement 3, 5. Foundational for Western ideas of self and certainty.
7. Upanishads (Selections - e.g., Brihadaranyaka, Chandogya) (Classical Hinduism)
   • Focus: Exploring Brahman (Ultimate Reality) and Atman (Self), unity concepts ("Tat Tvam Asi").
   • Relevance: Statement 3, 5. Offers a contrasting view of Self as Universal.
8. David Hume: An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (Selections) (Western Enlightenment Philosophy)
   • Focus: Empiricism, skepticism about causality, induction, and a fixed "self."
   • Relevance: Statements 2, 3, 5. Challenges Western assumptions about knowledge and identity.
9. Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu) (Classical Taoism)
   • Focus: Playful skepticism, relativity of perspectives, transformation, limits of language.
   • Relevance: Statements 3, 5. Deepens exploration of knowledge limits and fluid identity.
10. Immanuel Kant: Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics (Western Enlightenment Philosophy)
    • Focus: How the mind structures experience, limits of reason (phenomena vs. noumena).
    • Relevance: Statement 5. A complex but crucial Western take on epistemology.
11. Consider: Walpola Rahula's What the Buddha Taught (Secondary Source - Buddhism)
    • Focus: Clear explanation of core concepts, especially Anatta (non-self).
    • Relevance: Helpful guide for Statement 3 from Buddhist view.

Phase 3: Meaning, Purpose, Action, and the Human Condition (Approx. 3-4 months) Goal: Examine the search for meaning, ethical action, purpose, and ways of navigating life's challenges, incorporating existentialist, scientific, psychological, and duty-based viewpoints.

12. Bhagavad Gita (Classical Hinduism)
    • Focus: Dialogue on duty (dharma), desireless action (karma yoga), devotion, knowledge.
    • Relevance: Statements 4, 6, 7. Explores purpose and right action within a cosmic framework.
13. The Analects of Confucius (Classical Confucianism)
    • Focus: Ethics, social harmony, ritual propriety, humaneness, self-cultivation for society.
    • Relevance: Statements 4, 6, 7. Focuses on purpose and legacy through social roles and virtue.
14. Charles Darwin: On the Origin of Species (Selections) (Western Science)
    • Focus: Biological evolution, natural selection, struggle for existence, variation.
    • Relevance: Statements 4, 6, 8. Provides the scientific context for origins, survival, diversity.
15. Albert Camus: The Myth of Sisyphus (Western Existentialism)
    • Focus: The Absurd, rebellion against meaninglessness, creating value through struggle.
    • Relevance: Statements 1, 6. Confronts meaninglessness head-on.
16. Jean-Paul Sartre: Existentialism Is a Humanism (Western Existentialism)
    • Focus: Radical freedom, responsibility, creating oneself and meaning through choices.
    • Relevance: Statements 1, 6, 7. Emphasizes individual agency.
17. Viktor Frankl: Man's Search for Meaning (Western Psychology/Existential Analysis)
    • Focus: Finding meaning through work, love, courage in suffering (Logotherapy).
    • Relevance: Statements 1, 6, 7. Bridges psychology and the search for purpose.

Phase 4: Synthesis - Legacy, Community, Interconnectedness, and Living Wisely (Approx. 2-3 months) Goal: Integrate insights, reflecting on contribution, our relationship to others and nature, and the application of wisdom in daily life.

18. Leo Tolstoy: The Death of Ivan Ilyich (Western Literature)
    • Focus: Literary exploration of mortality, authenticity, regret, meaning at life's end.
    • Relevance: Statements 1, 6, 7. Powerful narrative reflection.
19. Simone de Beauvoir: The Ethics of Ambiguity (Western Existentialism/Ethics)
    • Focus: Ethics based on freedom, ambiguity, responsibility towards others.
    • Relevance: Statements 3, 6, 7. Connects individual freedom to collective responsibility.
20. Consider: Secondary sources on Ubuntu/African Philosophy (e.g., Mbiti, Tutu)
    • Focus: Personhood through community ("I am because we are"), interdependence.
    • Relevance: Statement 3, 7, 8. Offers a vital communitarian perspective.
21. Robin Wall Kimmerer: Braiding Sweetgrass (Indigenous Wisdom / Modern Science)
    • Focus: Interconnectedness, reciprocity with nature, gratitude, blending ways of knowing.
    • Relevance: Statements 4, 5, 8. Deep ecological wisdom and respect for process/diversity.
22. Thich Nhat Hanh: No Death, No Fear OR another work on Interbeing (Modern Buddhism)
    • Focus: Synthesis of Buddhist thought on continuation, non-self, inter-connectedness.
    • Relevance: Statements 1, 3, 7, 8. Applies ancient wisdom to contemporary understanding.
23. Revisit: Marcus Aurelius: Meditations OR Seneca: On the Shortness of Life (Roman Stoicism)
    • Focus: Consolidating practical wisdom for daily living, acceptance, and virtue.
    • Relevance: Application phase for Statements 1, 2, 6, 7.

Gemini: This integrated plan offers a challenging but deeply rewarding path to explore the profound questions you've raised, drawing on the diverse wisdom of humanity. Good luck with your reading and reflection!

Me: Thank you. 

Gemini: You're very welcome! I hope the reading plan proves insightful and enriching on your journey exploring these important questions. Happy reading!

Me: I'll be back with lots of questions as I contemplate your suggested reading!

Gemini: Excellent! I look forward to it. Engaging with these texts often sparks many new questions and reflections. Feel free to reach out whenever you're ready to discuss them. Enjoy your reading and contemplation!