Daydreaming mk2

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The weather is nice today. Not too hot, not too chilly. The air has that chill, but the bright sun more than makes up for it. It'll be a nice drive. I get in the car, and make myself comfortable. It's been a while since I've driven a car. The engine chirps to life, eager and ready for further instructions. Or so I imagine. I'm starting to see things in a different light lately. I'm actively trying to understand objects. I reverse out, and pull out on to the road. A prod of the throttle gets me going. Again, I could feel the car expressing emotion, a happy emotion. The first corner approaches, and I tap the brakes. The pads are cold, and the braking action is abrupt. I sense disappointment from the car. Turn the steering wheel, let the car rotate, and get on the throttle far earlier than I should. The steering briefly goes taught as torque steer protests, and the engine heads to the redline, eager to impress. It feels playful today. Very well. [[Indulge|P-1.A]] [[Take it easy|P-1.B]]

I trust what I feel, and indulge the car. I've felt objects talk and communicate ever since I was young, but I'd attribute it to a mild form of early onset madness. I thought it was funny, but in the context of the last decade, perhaps I'm onto something. How hard would it be to get funding for my research? Enough daydreaming for today, back to the task at hand. As the car warms up, the brakes and tyres come up to temperature and I sense a steady stream of information. I enter a flow-like state, fully concentrating on this communication between the car and I. I know exactly when to brake, how much power to apply, and how much steering lock to apply in the corners. It's wonderful. I'm very close to my destination now. I'm in the Aravalis, threading through the narrow roads on the hills, looking for my spot. I've been spending time at the edge of mixed vegetation cluster, with the intentions of understanding my surroundings. [[I find my cluster and park up.|P-2]]

I trust what I feel, but I decide to take it easy. I have enough to think about. I've felt objects talk and communicate ever since I was young, but I'd attribute it to a mild form of early onset madness. I thought it was funny, but in the context of the last decade, perhaps I'm onto something. How hard would it be to get funding for my research? Enough daydreaming for today, back to the task at hand. I'm very close to my destination now. I'm in the Aravalis, threading through the narrow roads on the hills, looking for my spot. I've been spending time at the edge of mixed vegetation cluster, with the intentions of understanding my surroundings. [[I find my cluster and park up.|P-2]]

I park up at edge of the road, pick up my bag and approach the cluster. I've created a small camp for myself in a small clearing in the middle of a few silver-oak trees. Grevillea robusta, as they're known. No relation to the coffee, but the trees do enjoy some from time to time. I find this wordplay very funny. <<linkreplace "It's just me isn't it?" t8n>>\ Sigh. Maybe the delivery isn't right? I should mull this over. I should ask some silver-oaks for advice, they do seem to love a good joke. The wild wheat plants in the cluster have a particularly dark sense of humour. Once I'm done setting up in my little clearing, I look for the NeuralLink within the dried leaves. I connect my laptop and wait for my presence to be acknowledged. I've been coming here every few days for the past few months or so, trying to make this work. They won't let the NeuralLink be a part of their network until they recognise me and learn to trust my presence. We're still not sure how they can differentiate between people and animals, but it's believed that its something to do with a combination of sound, smell, and acidity. This might take a while, I might as well lie down and relax. The grass is still damp from the dew in the shade of the tree. The dried grass in the open is crisp. The smells remind me of my childhood, spending hours in the park. Well, most of those hours were spent on the Gameboy while at the park, but we'll keep that fact between us. [[What's a NeuralLink?|P-3]] <</linkreplace>>\

Good question. I don't know either, but I know what it does. It's a small credit card sized piece of electronic circuitry which when spliced into the roots of a plant, tree, or fungi, can tap into the floral communication network. It's one of the few commercially available devices for researchers and artists to use. I don't know how it works, but I know it can read electrical impulses, detect vibrations, and track transfer of nutrients. There's that patent application which which was wonderful and weird and in the way that it described the NeuralLink. <<linkreplace "Which patent?" t8n>>\ Oh you know the one which was co-authored by the trees? Actually, one of the authors is called the 'Queen of the Night', and doesn't live too far off from here. Worth a visit perhaps. The flowers bloom at night, and they have this intoxicating smell. If you're not careful you might just get very distracted. The scent is similar to that of a jasmine if I'm not mistaken. Was never a smell person... <<linkreplace "Stop. Back to the patent." t8n>>\ Oh yes, the patent was fasinating. It described this incredible idea of a 'floral internet'. What was it called again? The World Wide Flora-something....ah yes, WWFNIS–the World Wide Flora Network Information System. Quite a mouthful, but I suppose most patents are a mouthful aren't they? <img src="https://burnedsap.github.io/ms2/media/WWFNIS%20Draft%20Patent%20Application-1.jpg" alt="A photo of the patent application." width="90%" style="border: 1px solid #555;" /> In short, it allows humans to view the activity taking place within a cluster of plants, trees and fungi. [[What does that mean?|P-4]] <</linkreplace>>\ <</linkreplace>>\

I really don't understand how many things work if I'm honest, but it's just convenient to believe in a few things and just go with it. This patent was really interesting. It had these drawings which showed how trees and plants could communicate with each other, even without any direct physical connection. <img src="https://burnedsap.github.io/ms2/media/WWFNIS%20Draft%20Patent%20Application-2.jpg" alt="A photo of the patent application." width="90%" style="border: 1px solid #555;" /> You know, like texting. <<linkreplace "Texting. Really?" t8n>>\ Yeah no really. This NeuralLink can connect clusters to each other, like a massive Whatsapp group, with trees and plants from across the world speaking with each other. I assume the parasitic species would the lurkers in these groups, listening in but never saying anything. <img src="https://burnedsap.github.io/ms2/media/WWFNIS%20Draft%20Patent%20Application-3.jpg" alt="A photo of the patent application." width="90%" style="border: 1px solid #555;" /> [[What happens when trees speak to each other?|P-4.1]] <</linkreplace>>\

Right. Yes. Sorry, as I said, it's such a slippery slope to become philosophical about this. <<linkreplace "Philosophy doesn't pay the bills." t8n>>\ Good point. At least not yet, we'll get there one day. So the NeuralLink helps us see the network that connects so many natural entities together. We can see how trees and plants speak to each other and interact with their surroundings. We see matter being transformed into energy and energy being transformed into matter. It's beautiful. <<linkreplace "Nice." t8n>>\ Oh, it's a lot more than nice. Now it's important to remember that us humans function at a different temporality to other beings. Sloths for example, can take up to a month to digest a single meal. Time works very differently outside a human purview. Sometimes it can take upto a few months, or even a year to truly understand the communication networks in a cluster. [[Didn't we already know this?|P-6]] <</linkreplace>>\ <</linkreplace>>\

Kind of, yes. The research around this has only recently started to pick up. We're only on the very brink of understanding what this really means. There's this quote by one of the researchers which sums it up very well–"We've been living amongst aliens since the beginning of our existence." The human race has been doing it's thing, stumbling through industrial revolutions, and making a mess of everything we touch, all while being completely oblivious of the machinations of a far more...god-like? I think that's about accurate, a god-like system which has been working away. <<linkreplace "God-like. Really now." t8n>>\ Sure, in a way. This system, if I can call it that, comprises a large part of about 90% of all living entities on the planet. We're only 0.01%. It has different goals to ours, and a completely different kind of intelligence. You know we've been developing "AI" and other kinds of machine intelligence? Those are simply trying to replicate human models of intelligence. There's many kinds of intelligences, most of which we're not even aware of. We thought we were the masters of this planet, turns out we're the fools. [[The fools?|P-7]] <</linkreplace>>\

You know how there once existed communities with close ties to nature? Indigeneous communities around the world were ridiculed for their culture, their customs and their beliefs. They knew something the rest of the world, with their machines did not. To live on this planet, we need to co-exist with others who also happen to live here. We were to be a cog in the machine, instead we went and built our own machine, competing with the very system which invested in our survival. <<linkreplace "Philosophy alert." t8n>>\ Oh yes sorry, I slipped again. The enormity of what we have yet to discover does tend to make on quite philosophical. I'm trying to make sense of all this, but I'm still not there yet. [[*NeuralLink Beeps*|P-8]] <</linkreplace>>\

The NeuralLink beeped softly with a negative chirp. Not good. I've been coming here nearly everyday for the past month or so, trying to integrate myself within the cluster. I need more time before the cluster is comfortable with my presence. The NeuralLink won't work unless the host cluster is willing to accept my physical presence. This was bound to happen. I'm 50km away from where I live, and I probably have a different sensorial pattern as compared to entities in this area. A city dweller like me probably feels alien to a tree living in the country. That's okay though. It's a different temporality which I need to adapt to. I've been spoilt by instantaneous responses—which really isn't healthy at all. Contemporary computing and social networks haven't been good for my mental health and there's been a real changes since I've quit. Somehow I'm not surprised that technologies and platforms built solely for economic profit are unhealthy for their users. I much prefer values associated with this new era of non-human intelligence. To engage with this intelligence we play by their rules–slowness, care, reciprocation, balanced power relations, focus on local, and widespread connectivity. [[Is it worth it?|P-9]]

Absolutely. We can work with the planet and it's entities to help fix the mess we've created. Once we're able to communicate with this intelligence, we can co-creatively build solutions to breaking down non-biodegradable materials such as plastic, help fix air and water pollution, regain food nutrition, grow sustainable materials, and so much more. We will have to unlearn the last few centuries to reap the benefits of this new era. <<linkreplace "Like solarpunk?" t8n>>\ Yeah, something like solarpunk, but with the primary intent of communicating and working other entities on our planet. For starters, we'll soon be able to read data trapped in historical sources such as rocks and geological structures, create bespoke materials for a variety of purposes, figure out sustainable and cheap food production. <<linkreplace "How?" t8n>>\ Well, the first stage of this process already started when we first started farming crops. The 'domestication' of plants implies a mutual transactional relationship wherein we keep the plants fed with nutrients, and subsequently took advantage of the produce. Most interactions have been transactional so far, but moving forward the intent is to work with, and facilitate future innovations together. [[What do you see in the future?|P-10.1]] <</linkreplace>>\ <</linkreplace>>\

I'm not sure. I really don't understand how many things work if I'm honest, but it's just convenient to believe in a few things and just go with it. Let's be real, we really don't understand how anything works. We're all trying to figure it out right? Science will always be wrong and right at the same time. When it's proven to be wrong, you best be paying attention, because that's when it gets interesting. It's a slippery slope when you really start thinking about it. Why do we exist? <<linkreplace "Huh?" t8n>>\ Stay with me for a minute. Life started on this planet-somehow-and it's been evolving and changing and existing ever since. The definition of life itself is strange, but we'll get to that later. So somewhere in the short history of this planet, humans started existing. It wasn't an easy life, but we made the best of it. It was rather difficult to survive, but we did it. At some point in our history, survival ceased to be an issue. We had won the game of life so to speak. We were in control of our own destiny and the natural order could do little to stop us. <<linkreplace "Right..." t8n>>\ And now, we're effectively in charge of the future of this planet. There are no natural threats. We've completed natural selection, what comes next? Do we go to another planet and start again? Are we to completely cut ourselves off from non-human entities for some kind of strange lonely existence? Look for aliens? Are we as a species, just bored? [[Wait. The NeuralLink. What does it do?|P-5]] <</linkreplace>>\ <</linkreplace>>\

Well. Nothing, perhaps. Or everything. So far, in the experiments that have been conducted, trees can share information with one another, including information on how to protect themselves from threats. So functionally, we've negated one of the many extinction level events. <<linkreplace "Which one in particular? You know there's lots right?" t8n>>\ The one in which a disease wipes out a large proportion of plant and tree life, thus destroying the food chain and devolving the planet into chaos. :) So you know, maybe that won't happen, which is never a bad thing. I'll take any wins, no matter how small. <<linkreplace "Back to the NeuralLink, how does that work though?" t8n>>\ I'm not sure. Let's be real, we really don't understand how anything works. We're all trying to figure it out right? Science will always be wrong and right at the same time. When it's proven to be wrong, you best be paying attention, because that's when it gets interesting. It's a slippery slope when you really start thinking about it. Why do we exist? <<linkreplace "Huh?" t8n>>\ Stay with me for a minute. Life started on this planet-somehow-and it's been evolving and changing and existing ever since. The definition of life itself is strange, but we'll get to that later. So somewhere in the short history of this planet, humans started existing. It wasn't an easy life, but we made the best of it. It was rather difficult to survive, but we did it. At some point in our history, survival ceased to be an issue. We had won the game of life so to speak. We were in control of our own destiny and the natural order could do little to stop us. <<linkreplace "Right..." t8n>>\ And now, we're effectively in charge of the future of this planet. There are no natural threats. We've completed natural selection, what comes next? Do we go to another planet and start again? Are we to completely cut ourselves off from non-human entities for some kind of strange lonely existence? Look for aliens? Are we as a species, just bored? [[Wait. Slow down.|P-5]] <</linkreplace>>\ <</linkreplace>>\ <</linkreplace>>\ <</linkreplace>>\

Hmmm, that's a good one. I see many possibilities. Remember that zine written a long, long time ago? What was it...the zine in which someone drew out visions of what computers would do. I think it was called computer vision....oh yes! Computer Lib/Dream Machines by Ted Nelson. Written in 1974, it predicted all the use cases of computers and the internet, before anything happened. I have similar ideas of the future in my head as well. <<linkreplace "Okay, tell me more." t8n>>\ One of my visions is that of a multi-species leadership in charge of making decisions for the planet. Humans make up 0.01% of all living creatures on Earth, but we seem to have a disproportional amount of power. <img src="https://burnedsap.github.io/ms2/media/multi-species-illust.png" alt="A sketch of humans, plants and animals sitting at a table, with labels of 'Planetary Intelligence Committee' and 'Future Machinery Conference'" width="90%" style="border: 1px solid #555;" /> [[Interesting.|P-10.2]] <</linkreplace>>\

Here's another. As and when we'll be able to tap into alternate, non-human created forms of intelligence, we might have our own companions. Intelligent companions which grow with us, and stay with us till the time we pass away. A mutually beneficial relationship, with value in learning and growing together. <img src="https://burnedsap.github.io/ms2/media/computing-companion.png" alt="A sketch of a human growing from a child to an adult, with a corresponding sketch of this intelligence growing in step" width="90%" style="border: 1px solid #555;" /> [[What sort of relationship?.|P-10.3]]

I forsee relationships of care, of trust. The polar opposite of the one we have with a tool. You know, like the one with the car. I think there's more to a relationship than just the transactional bits. I feel I learn something everytime I drive the car. It's always communicating, always telling me things. I just have to pay attention and listen. <img src="https://burnedsap.github.io/ms2/media/relationship-of-care.png" alt="A sketch of a human and the alternate intelligence, showing a potential relationship of care" width="90%" style="border: 1px solid #555;" /> Imagine if your computer refuses to work with you because it doesn't feel that you care enough for it. What would you do then? What would you feel? Hold on to that thought for a minute. Let it simmer. [[Would the world look any different?|P-10.4]]

In more ways than one I think. I think it's really funny how our 'innovations' and definitions of scientific progress are mostly just us getting a better understanding of our surroundings. What if we could communicate with our surroundings? Hear what they have to tell us? Co-create and work with other elements? I think the world would look very different indeed. Perhaps a science lab of the future would be built on a mountain, as we attempt to understand the data stored in those entities built over millions of years. It would look extraordinary, far more spectacular than anything we've seen in science fiction. <img src="https://burnedsap.github.io/ms2/media/mountain-structs.png" alt="A sketch of a mountain with large scale structures built into it." width="90%" style="border: 1px solid #555;" /> [[What else?|P-10.5]]

I could go on. <<linkreplace "Please do." t8n>>\ Okay. I see us moving beyond the constraints of the binary, which has been the underlying logic upon which we create computers and machine intelligence. I use the word 'constraint' as I believe that we truly can move beyond this model, and perhaps end up creating something that allows us to think far more freely. We're already at the cusp of this, with the nascent development of quantum computing. <img src="https://burnedsap.github.io/ms2/media/beyond-binary.png" alt="A sketch of the idea of the binary, along with a grid which shows more variables" width="90%" style="border: 1px solid #555;" /> <<linkreplace "More." t8n>>\ This could facilitate new kinds of physical computing structures, with the inclusion of new materials, entities, and forms. Circuit boards will morph into unique, enclosed, homeostatic ecosystems. <img src="https://burnedsap.github.io/ms2/media/circuitry.png" alt="A sketch of a strange circuit board" width="90%" style="border: 1px solid #555;" /> <<linkreplace "More." t8n>>\ As we interact with other entities of the planet, the communities formed could enable widespread terraforming (subtext: fixing human errors). Not only spatially, but perhaps through time as well. We'll be able to see layers we either couldn't see before, or simply refused to. As far as I'm concerned, the human race is half-blind. <img src="https://burnedsap.github.io/ms2/media/terraforming.png" alt="A sketch of a diagram showing terraforming" width="90%" style="border: 1px solid #555;" /> <<linkreplace "Done?" t8n>>\ One more before you go. This is a strange one to encapsulate, and perhaps too close to our own reality, but a houseplant could one day be the terminal to the entire planet. Access to a planetary internet, with the ability to communicate with anyone, through what is currently considered a mute entity. <img src="https://burnedsap.github.io/ms2/media/plant-comp.png" alt="A sketch of a diagram showing terraforming" width="90%" style="border: 1px solid #555;" /> <</linkreplace>>\ <</linkreplace>>\ <</linkreplace>>\ <</linkreplace>>\ [[Okay enough.|P-11]]

Okay. If you have more questions than answers, good. I'm glad. Questions are more far useful than answers. I think intent is an important factor which we need to take more seriously. Us humans have a particularly shifty definition of the word, and it is something we will have to work in order to have a successful working relationship. Intent is a key aspect of this relationship, and is a critical building block of the trust between natural entities and us. Also–we will most certainly struggle with viewing situations through a non-human perspective and to work collaboratively for the greater good. The capitalocene has convinced a large majority that individualism is key to success. As a species, we're probably not using the potential our collective intelligence carries simply due to the fact that our metric systems are skewed toward producing economic value. The goal is economic wealth, vast sums of it–and not growing together. Sometimes, I feel like we're limited by the mental models and structures we've created for ourselves. We still need to answer questions we've been avoiding. Do we exist solely to survive? Make money? Be happy? Are the answers to this question invisible to a human lens? I believe so. After all, anything we create is defined by the goals we set.