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Friday 16 September 2016

Grampy Already Covered That Ground, or At Least It Seemed Like He Did

A couple of months ago, I signed up to receive a weekly email from the BBC website. It's called "If You Only Read Six Things This Week ..." and it provides links to intriguing articles on events and ideas that I'd probably not encounter otherwise.

Last week's links included a fascinating discussion on the idea that we could be living in a simulated world where nothing is real, even though it feels real to us, along with the question of whether it matters if it's real or not. The piece is titled "We might live in a computer program, but it may not matter," and was a good read. If you're interested in that sort of thing, you may enjoy it as well.

My grandfather thought about a similar concept around fifty years ago. He always talked to my brother and me as if we were adults, and during one visit when I was about ten years old he speculated about the possibility that the earth was merely a project on the mantelpiece of a vast being who, from time to time, peeked in on us to see how the experiment was going.

I've thought about that idea many times since. I don't know if it was an original thought or whether he simply read about it and wanted to share it. But it tickles my fancy to think that he was wondering about those things so many years ago, and that I've run into the concept again.

"What if none of this is real?"

As long as we feel it's real, does it matter? Pain still hurts, and joy still uplifts.

I watched the cloud formations in the video below shortly after I'd read the BBC article. This seems like a good time to share them. Note the banks of white clouds that hardly move, and the grey puffy clouds that travel along at a good clip. It was a windy day along the river, raw and refreshing, and it made me feel connected to the world and beyond. Illusion or not, I was happy.

You may wish to leave the sound off, as the only audio is wind noise. On the other hand, it does add to the ambience, making the video, on the whole, only slightly less boring than watching paint dry :)




And a photo of the same thing, for those who don't "do" videos; you can see the two layers of clouds, white and grey, the leaves bent by the wind, and the ripples on the water:

 

This was too far for me to walk, so I drove to the trail and hobbled to the lookout shelter. Illusion or not, my hip still hurt! (Update: since then, my physio person and I have made inroads on my issues - turns out my back is involved, and as that resolves, my pain is greatly decreased. Illusion of joy! and it's pretty nice, I have to say.)

Do you have a place where you connect with nature? What kind of weather makes you feel alive?

Happy weekend, folks!

13 comments:

Elephant's Child said...

There is so much we don't know/can't know that I am moderately comfortable with it. I just live my life as best I can.
I connect with nature often. Inside watching the birds, outside playing in the garden, watching clouds scud by, at dawn, at dusk, walking...
If ever I came into bucketloads of money I would like to live beside water though. Moving or still I find it such a bension.

Steve Reed said...

Ah, shades of "The Matrix" and "The Truman Show"! It is interesting to speculate about. I think we ARE ultimately just a tiny experiment, but rather than being on some being's mantle we're hurtling around the vastness of the universe.

Joanne Noragon said...

I am surrounded by nature and not able to enjoy it on foot, as before. Soon I hope to try acupuncture.
But, I can still look up, and clouds continue to fascinate me. I am too literal for alternate worlds, but could listen to my brother speculate by the hour.

jenny_o said...

It's intriguing how water draws so many people, isn't it, almost like it's an instinct, and maybe it is. I don't particularly want to be IN it but I love to hear it and watch it.

jenny_o said...

It's very unwonderful to be unable to walk, isn't it. I hope the acupuncture makes a difference for you.

jenny_o said...

Hah! yes. Nature's experiment.

dinthebeast said...

What does "real" mean? It reminds me a little of when I made jewelry for a living, and people were forever coming up to me with some bauble or other and asking "Is this real?" I knew what they were asking, but I will admit to getting annoyed a few times and answering "No, you're definitely hallucinating it."
Maybe I have grown somewhat mechanical in my search for underlying meaning.
Those clouds look a little like the sort of formations I used to see along the coast of far-Northern California when I was young.

-Doug in Oakland

jenny_o said...

Wait, you made jewelry for a living? Please start your blog soon and write about it! Or write about it here ... I have made very rudimentary stuff for the local craft fair and would be interested in your story.

Mr. Shife said...

Happy weekend to you as well. Also, glad you are getting some relief from your hip pain. The one place I have the most connected with nature is Zion National Park. It just spoke to my soul I guess. I'm also curious about life here on Earth. My favorite theory is that we are living alternate timelines. Living the same life but making different choices that lead to hopefully a better future. One day we will get it right kinda like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. Take care.

jenny_o said...

I just Googled Zion National Park - what a beautiful place; no wonder it's your favourite.

LL Cool Joe said...

I love sitting outside in the sun, not too hot, but not too cold either. Noting beats the warm rays soaking into my skin. Of course as long as I'm wearing sunscreen.

Nope I think this world is real, it's too complex not to be.

jenny_o said...

The warmth of the sun feels absolutely real, doesn't it!

Steve Reed said...

Exactly!