The sky over Metropole Prime was the color of dead glass, a dull, perpetual twilight where the sun had been tamed by atmospheric regulators. Citizens moved in steady streams, their steps synchronized by the Neural Harmony Network. No one lingered. No one spoke beyond what was necessary. Erasmus-9 knew better…
Category: Social and Self-Help
Exploring things social, inspirational and motivational
Living Beyond Money: Reclaiming the Wealth of a Non-Monetary Life
Modern life is so entangled with money that imagining an existence without it feels radical, even impossible. We measure success in dollars earned, hours billed, and possessions acquired. Yet, beneath this financial scaffolding, a quieter, deeper economy persists—one of time, relationships, skill, and purpose. Stepping outside the monetary system, even…
The Devouring God: Capitalism and the Cult of Growth
There is an ancient god who walks among us, though few dare to name him. He has no temples, no hymns, no solemn rites. Yet his presence is everywhere—woven into the fabric of our lives, shaping our desires, devouring our futures. His name is Moloch, and in the age of…
“The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power,” by Shoshana Zuboff – a review
Shoshana Zuboff’s seminal work, “The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power,” explores the emergence of a new economic order where human experience is commodified for data extraction and profit. Zuboff, a professor emerita at Harvard Business School, meticulously examines how…
The Tyranny of Too Much
No one would argue that having enough is a bad thing. It’s good to know where your next meal is coming from, to have a roof over your head, to live without constant worry over basic survival. In fact, for most of human history, people dreamed of abundance. More food,…
Are We Living in a Fake Reality? The Truth Will Shock You!
Here’s a thought experiment for you. Is this in fact a world where reality—true, unfiltered reality—is something no one ever actually experiences. The trees are real, the sun burns hydrogen, and the ground beneath our feet isn’t about to dissolve into binary code. But the moment we open our eyes…
My First Love – Myself
There is a silence in the morning, before the first notifications arrive, before the mirror reminds us of the day’s expectations. In that silence, there might be a whisper—something small, something nearly drowned out by the machinery of routine. It is the voice of the self, asking, however hesitantly, for…
The Fine Art of Fairness and the Alchemy of Reciprocity
Somewhere between the first handshake and the last farewell, human beings have been bartering favors, swapping kindnesses, and engaging in an age-old ritual known as not being a jerk. This delicate repartée—this unwritten contract of fairness and reciprocity—has built civilizations, sustained friendships, and, on occasion, prevented certain relatives from being…
A Future That Feels Uncomfortably Present
When a novelization of a film is done well, it should feel like more than just a scene-by-scene transcription—it should deepen the themes, stretch the atmosphere, and give us something new to chew on. Elisabeth Hand’s 12 Monkeys, based on Terry Gilliam’s 1995 film, manages just that. It doesn’t just…
Getting Knocked Down then Getting Back Up
There’s something almost primal about the chorus of Chumbawamba’s Tubthumping. A few simple words, belted out over a driving beat: I get knocked down, but I get up again. You’re never gonna keep me down. It’s not poetry in the traditional sense, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s a…