Information Content

Why don't most people like movies where they can predict what will happen next? How can talking to some people seem so boring? How are these related?

Information Content is what makes things exciting. Meeting someone for the first time, if the two of you share a common language and use it, is exciting! Why? Because there is a high rate of information content and transfer when you meet this new person. After a while, you kind of know the person, so the information content of dialog is lower, and therefore much less interesting.

Applying the same principle to movies and works of fiction, we see that it is when the movie presents a new idea that it is interesting. If we know what will happen in the movie based on the previews, the information content of 2 hours of the actual movie will be really low. But movies with a lot of interesting dialog or a lot of explosions have a much higher content.

Why did I hate "Lady in the Water" so much? Very little information content for the time spent. But I love Grosse Pointe Blank, why? Lots of things happening in the background. You know what I mean - think back to a movie you've seen a few times. Notice in those movies how you find something new about them each time you see them?

Apply this to relationships over time and it brings us back to my Lies post. People you have a connection with, there should be a constant high level of information content. If it gets boring, then this is probably the cause of the problem. This is why some people have kids, take a vacation, spent time apart, etc. Things to artificially generate this content to make their relationship more interesting.

This, I believe, is why they claim sociopaths and psychopaths are supposed to have this weird aura or attractiveness about them. Things they say and do are unexpected to most people they meet, so they become fascinating to these other people. Charisma, that was the word I was looking for, these people radiate a kind of charisma.

But remember, if something is too far outside of the range of the person to be communicated with, it all breaks down. Movies can be too weird, TV shows too smart, books to technical (or dry), people too crazy, for a general audience - there has to be enough common language or this appeal via information content breaks down.

And this is the line I try to walk when creating blog entries.

The Edward

Modern Porn

Well, with a title like that, I could talk about most anything. I could take the essence of what we consider to be pornographic and ask the question "What aspects of our modern life contain this same essence? What do we lust after as much as seeing pictures of other people having sex? Maybe we can apply this in some unique way and discover an interesting truth about modern society?" Or I could just talk about how porn, defined as seeing pictures of people doing it, has changed over the years. Sure, not as deep (ba-da-bing) but easy to ramble about at this late hour. So, let's dive in.

Porn sure has changed over the years. In used to be cave drawings, then... well, maybe too far back. I think the 70s porn everyone had Afros, but I do not know for sure - movie theatre only, and I was "too young".

In the 80's, porn videos had women with big hair everywhere and the movies were movies (ie plot, dialog, etc). Something like "Pizza delivery. You can't pay for it? Maybe we can work something out..." or "Plumber, I'm here to fix the sink. It is in your bedroom? And you can not pay for it? I'm sure we can work something out..." then the sex begins.

That was kind of nice, there was a context. But, with the advent of video, people realized that they could fast forward over the dialog and skip right to the sex. The movie production companies (ie two guys with a camera and some bucks to hire "actress wannabees") realized they didn't need to hire a writer! (kind of like what Hollywood realized around then too) People just want to see the sex, so they created sex only movies. The movies start out with the guy balls deep in the women and they just go from there. Or if it is a lesbian movie, four fingers in and ready for more. Or if it is a gay movie... well, I can not speak to that, sorry. Oh, and both men and women were shaven in the 90s.

Once the internet came around, I must admit I lost track of my good friend Video Porn. A few years ago, I decided to catch up with my old friend, see what he was up to. Anal, that is what he was doing now. I do not remember any 80s or 90s movies with this, but now it seems that it is not a movie unless all of the women in the movie get it in the ass. I found this kind of shocking, so I wrote my congressmen and asked them to ban these new types of movies because they offended my sensibilities. What, is good old fashion vaginal sex just not good enough to get this current generation off? Somethings should just not be put on film - some lines should not be crossed, so I ask that you join me, and together we can help stamp out this anal sex perversion before it corrupts the very moral fiber of this great nation.

Okay, I didn't write my congressmen - too much of a hassle. Where I would like to see porn go is: positions. Throughout all of the years of porn, there are maybe 5 positions. I personally own a book with 365 positions! (Guess why there are 365 of them...) I keep thinking I need to send a copy of this book (which I purchased at Good Vibrations) to some porn studios in the hopes that it helps them get over this creative block. I want to see movies that contain such classics as: Crew Practice, The Mighty Wind, The Doctor Is In, "Are Those Lee Press-Ons", The Edward Scissorlegs, and of course The Steam Cleaner.

-Edward

Week without power

Sorry, I haven't had much power this week. The lights came on a few times, but I guess the infrastructure couldn't handle 100 degree temperatures. Very odd, since I know it has been hotter at times in the past. And since we get our power from boiling water, you would think it would be easier to boil that water when it is hotter outside. Unless of course they have the air conditioner running inside the boiler room.

With five days of darkness, it gave me a lot of time to think of new blog posts! And to realize how far away we really are from being a pan-galactic civilization. Or even a pan-Earth one. If we can not get power, water, and food to anyone on the planet, we really are not too far along on the scale of civilization.

To advance, we need better power technology, because with limitless power (and the means of moving it around a bit) there would be no end to what we could accomplish! "With great power comes great stuff", I believe is how the quote goes. And I am all for stuff!

So, let's all chip in to make this happen! The only way to do this is to use as much power as you can. Increased demand will require increased research on how to fulfill that demand. That is how business and the free market work: there is a need to be filled, someone will come up with a way to fill it. If we cut back usage of anything, then there will be no incentive for someone to work to fill a decreasing need, and we will stumble back into the Dark Ages. Only by pushing the limits forward will we advance as a civilization. So, go out and buy a new AC and set it 65 degrees or lower, and know that you are helping humanity by doing so. Buy the biggest car you can afford - it is the only way.

Consume as much as you can and the future generations will thank you for your foresight!

-Edward

General Semantics, Part 1

What is General Semantics? Funny question, that.

Science and Sanity: An Introduction to Non-Aristotelian Systems and General Semantics by Alfred Korzybski first published in 1933, with a few updates over the years. I first read it back in the 80's. Then again in the 90's. I have another copy on the way so I can read it again (or at least have it as a reference). This book probably influenced the way I think, talk, and view the world more than any other book that I can think of right now. I've learned to modify my speech a bit since I first read the book, but it still comes through, I believe.

Enough of that personal crap for a bit, on to the Arcane stuff. If I had to summarize the general ideas behind GS, I would say this: It presents a system by which one can learn to realize what is abstract and what is concrete. It describes how language influences our thoughts, and how we are bound by abstractions. It tells us that the world we think we know doesn't really exist, but that we have models of it, and these models have limitations. Models are useful, but so is the knowledge that we only have models and that we know what the limitations of those models are. And that our nervous system has limits as well, which further influence our views. And then there are all of the interactions between all of the levels of abstractions. And then there are multivalued words, which turn out to be pretty much useless. And then there are words that can create shocks to ones nervous system and therefore prevent correct processing. It is a long book, so there are many more Ands than I can do in what I am calling Part 1.

Probably the most important phrase, one that I believe sums up GS: The map is not the territory. Alfred Korzybski coined this one and I think it works well.

Another important point, there is no "is" of equality. A is not A - another great GS quote (sometimes called Null-A). And the basis of what I consider to be funny about the first line of this blog. When you see a truck on the road, it is important not to say "That is a truck", but rather "That is called a truck" or "That is being used as a truck". It might sound odd, but it really can open doors to thoughts not otherwise experienced. I read an article claiming that raising ones child this way from the start can be one of the best ways to get these GS ideas ingrain in one. I don't know, I think I adapted to it fairly well.

My view of the world, my view of what people say to me, and my view of what I think of the world, are all based on what I learned from GS. Most of my humor comes from GS-based observations. If you know me in the real world, you probably notice some GS in me. And you might now notice some in my posts.

I was going to try and make this a funny post, but it turned out mostly to be an explanation - laying down the ground work for future conversations, and showing how the past posts tie together.

What's a 4 letter word for a woman that ends in "unt"? You probably say it a lot more than you think... And it really does describe some women very well. Why, I do not believe our society would be what it is today with this word and concept.

The Edward

PS aunt

Immortal

I am immortal. I've known this for some time now. "Sure," you say, "how do you know you are immortal unless you have died." Well, more accurate, until you haven't died. And since I haven't died yet, as far as I can tell, this matches the definition of immortal.

Say there is some person out there who dies. You might say, "Ha, look, that person thought his was immortal, and now look at him!" So, he was wrong. How does someone else being wrong make me wrong?

"Everyone else has died." Really, what about all of those people alive right now. How many dead people do you personally know? A handful maybe. Yet you probably know a lot more people who have resisted dead, ie still alive. Just because other people say that everyone is doing it, does that mean that you have to as well? Sure, inductive reason is the basis of all science, but does that mean it is correct? Just because every tree I see has a bird in it, does that mean all trees have birds, or that I just haven't seen enough trees? Maybe there are people who haven't died, just like the billions we have on hand right now.

Something else to consider. Say you think you are immortal as well. But let's also say that you die one day. After you are dead, are you going to know it? Will you be saying, "Gosh. I'm dead. Man alive, I am not. I guess I wasn't immortal." Probably not. So, as long as you are alive, as far as you know, you are immortal. And if you do die, you will not know it. Therefore, to think of yourself as immortal is the only logical choice, since as long as you are thinking, you are immortal.

Live long and prosper.

The Edward

To Your Health!

I'm a health nut. As I see it, if you do not have your health, you don't have anything. I care about my health and the health of others, and so I'll pass the savings on to you.

Chocolate. 10 years ago, I remember reading that one chocolate bar had as much fat as a few pieces of bacon. Being a doubter, and by good the fortune of having plenty of both in the frig, I looked at the packaging. Alas, it was true! But luck was on my side yet again, because it really doesn't matter how much fat is in something! If eating fat made you fat, where does fat come from? We eat vegetarians (or more correctly herbivores), and yet they have fat in their bodies... Grass must be very fatty indeed. But I digress. Chocolate has major health benefits! Antioxidants! (so be sure to eat some before you go to one of those Oxygen Bars at the Mall) Well, many other benefits as well, so no need to rehash them here - use the web, Luke.

Orgasms. Lots of information online about this, including the latest research claiming at least one orgasm a day has many, many health benefits to both sexes. The didn't distinguish how one achieves these orgasms, either by self, partner, group, flock of geese, etc. The only important point is that doing this greatly reduces heart disease and increases mental health, among its many other benefits.

Cold. Reducing the average room temperature by a few degrees doubles the lifespan of rats. Does this have the same affect on humans? I aim to find out by living in a comfortably cool house of 65 degrees. That is how much I care.

Well, there are 3 major things you can do to improve your health! And I know many more too, so this just might be the beginning. Some people, I believe of Puritan descent, believe that true happiness only comes from punishment and pain. So, they restrict themselves from things that they enjoy, even though enjoyment is a great stress reducer. The abuse their bodies, and not in the positive wholesome masturbation-type way, but by running many miles, swimming many laps, biking, rowing, flogging, dripping water on their foreheads, slowly destroying their bodies... sorry, I had to stop, it was becoming too painful to think about, and I believe in avoiding all pain. As the saying goes, "No pain, no pain."

I hope you will follow my tips to a healthy, happy life. Indulge in these things to excess! And anything else that feels good. If we did evolve, we would have evolved to get positive sensations from things that help us survive, so if it feels good, do it! If we were created, why would a creator surround us with pleasurable things unless it is for us to experience them! (unless he or she or it is a cruel god that likes to wave tasty donuts in the faces of very hungry people. if I believed in a god, I would believe in a loving, caring creator, someone who would only want the best for his or her or its children. us.) As I always say: there is no way to lose by being healthy.

Excuse me for a minute, I need to go take care of my health.

-Edward

PS Avoid doctors. They are not in the business of keeping you healthy, but treating the sick and getting people hooked on drugs. No doctor has ever healed anyone. The human body heals itself. If you break a bone, a doctor would set it in place, but your body then does all of the work. You did build your entire body from a single cell, right?

Super Hero

While unpacking a few boxes last week, I found one of my favorite short stories: One of the Boys by Lawerence Watt-Evans. It is a classic story of a superhero. He has a secret identity. At night he runs around in tights while helping people. He fights scary alien monsters bent on destroying the world. Etc. But, one of the women he saved decides that she wants him in a romantic way, so she follows him and learns his secret identity and confronts him. What was interesting in this story is that he was from another world, but raised by humans. Sure, sounds familiar, but the twist here is that he was an alien, unlike other superheros that fit this description.

Being an alien, he didn't understand humans at all. After years of studying and practicing, he could fit into the role of superhero. As long as the conversations stayed to this topic, he seemed like he was one of the boys. But, when this women tried to talk with him, she found out his true alieness. He couldn't read tone of voice or facial expressions, so he could tell if someone was lying. He kept vats of cleaning chemicals in his apartment because the smells seemed more homey. He kept his place at 90 degrees. And after years of being sick, found out which "foods" he could eat.

This all shocked the woman, because she thought he was a strong handsome man under his costume - one who would sweep her off of her feet and do her right there, but what she found was too revolting for words. She even asked him why he protected earthlings from alien monsters when he was one. And that was the classic part, it was only because he was raised to be human and he was trying to fit in, but if anyone found out his secret, the humans would hunt him down as an alien monster.

So, what is so appealing about this story? We may have an internal nature, but we can not be more than the sum of our experiences. Everything you believe to be true is based on something you heard from someone else. Well, okay, I didn't really get that from the story, that is just my own internal perspective. What I liked about the story was the sense of his being trapped on a planet with a people that he could comprehend. What if you were on a planet where nothing made sense to you? The next level of human is coming, will it be like that for them?

-Edward