Babel vs. the PC
Imagine a time when mankind was young. Migration led many to the land of Shinar. It was during that time, that man came together and decided to build not only a city but a tower that would reach the heavens. Seeing the structure, the Lord was not very pleased. In fact, He knew what trouble this could lead to, so He confused mankind with different languages and scattered them across the face of the earth. Thus, is the story of Babel. (Babylon, the remains of an ancient city, is now located in Iraq.) Eerily, times of a rich, historical past parallel today's society. The familiarity to modern civilization is uncanny. In the biblical tale of the tower of Babel, men came together with one language and one common goal: the desire to control the land and all that lay beneath the tower. Making the impossible - possible to Human nature. The construction of the tower of Babel tells a story of man and its amorous lust for greed and power. To build such a massive structure that led directly to the heavens, what a marvel it must have been. Though the tale is simple, its meaning is vast. Herein lies the virtue of society itself. With the industrialized world at its peak and infinite computerized technological advances, we have reached the brink of Babel. In this day and age, mankind has the means to communicate to the far outreaches of all the earth. With mere strokes upon a keyboard, we can speak with persons of different languages, cultures, race, religion and region. There are no boundaries to the human initiative. What began as an oversized "brain" made of wires, metal and countless conductor boards, has evolved into the modern PC. We have at last designed the perfect mechanism to do our bidding. It thinks for us, supplies and stores information, and now with more and more technology, we can even speak to other peoples by means of a computer translator. The small screen that sits atop our office counters, our workbenches and our personal desks at home has become the brainchild of society's modernization, and has revolutionized the way we do and encounter most things. Although it is just a machine, it has served a wonderful purpose. Through the use of computer equipment, time is no longer a challenge. Messages, tests and reports can come back to us in a matter of seconds. Physicians, technologists, mechanics, archeologists, biologists, and so many other career paths have endless uses for this manmade tool. It has rewarded us richly with its knowledge, as we have enriched it with ours. But, the question still remains: At what point does the tower of Babel (figuratively speaking) collapse? When has humankind reached its boundaries and at what interval will all be lost because of modern technology? The world is our oyster - but what we must never forget is that the pearl of an oyster is created by disease. Just a thought to ponder. © 06/2003 C. Bailey-Lloyd
aka. LadyCamelot
Public Relations' Director &
Staff Writer for Holistic Junction - Your Source for information on Healing Arts Schools
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
10 Feng Shui Tips for a Better Life
Ever walked into a house that felt like home? Ever reminisced about the best year of your life, and wondered why everything came together for you? It could be Feng Shui.
The Dazzling Beauty of the Shwedagon Paya
The Shwedagon Paya is much more than just another temple. It is the cultural and religious heart of Myamar. Built on a small hill in central Yangon (Rangoon) the great golden dome rises almost 100m and dominates the city skyline. Rudyard Kipling was moved to call it "a golden mystery".
Sixties: The Decade of Rebellion
It is safe to say that in the sixties everything changed: society, fashion, music, art, media, everything was impacted. It was a time when everyone truly believed they could make a difference, when it seemed as if the world had limitless possibilities and a few people trying really hard, willing to sacrifice everything, could change the direction of everything.
And it proved the power of believing in yourself. Ordinary people did change things, extraordinary things like the attitude of society at large, like the way people viewed war and music and art. Student protests, often led by folk musicians, helped lead to the demise of the Vietnamese War, helped make social consciousness and equality for all a living fact, helped people really achieve the freedom that America and the West have always striven for. It was a remarkable time, and no wonder that many people look back to it as a time of dreams and passion.
Social Activism, Celebrities, and Music
Rock music became its own genre in the mid-1950s. Less than ten years later, the Beatles burst onto the music scene, the vanguard of a revolution in music. Parents hated them, sometimes even worse than they hated Elvis. But the kids loved them, and would buy anything with a picture of John, Paul, Ringo, or George. Their innovations paved the way for later artists, both British and American: the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, The Doors, The Mamas and the Papas ? dozens of legendary bands have the Beatles to thank.
By the middle of the decade, the Beatles were writing songs about social issues, like war and loneliness. And other bands followed suit. There was a lot to write about; in the United States, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was leading American Blacks to unheard-of levels of social equality, and soon the British would put special military troops in Northern Ireland to quell the unrest there, leading to nearly-open guerilla warfare with the IRA. Women all over the world were following a movement to equal rights. And anti-war activists like Jane Fonda were making a name for themselves, both famous and infamous.
Food: Trends Good And Bad
Though founded much longer ago, McDonalds and other fast food restaurants grew into a major power in the food industry during the 60s, probably driven by the high energy of the time coupled with an increasing dependence on automobiles as a means of transportation. At the same time the stuff that's bad for you became popular, other people began to realize that you really are what you eat. Because of new age conservationist movements, those people began to eat healthier: whole grains, organic foods they grew themselves, and semi-vegetarianism, vegetarianism, and vegan lifestyles.
War: What Is It Good For?
You can't talk about the sixties, the decade of peace, without talking about war. Particularly, you have to look at the Vietnamese war. The US entered the country in Southeast Asia in the early 1960s at the request of the French ? who subsequently abandoned the war. And America's presence in Vietnam grew, gradually forcing a draft of the very young men who were just discovering the dizzying freedom the sixties ushered in. The result? An impressive increase in the numbers of young people going to college, and an equally impressive increase in the number of young men moving to Canada.
Ref: http://www.sixties.gb.com
But why was this war so different from Korea, only about ten years earlier? The simple answer: television. Reporters with cameras covered the bloodiest parts of the war, capturing the pain on both sides in film. And those films made their way to broadcast television, which for the first time could be found in half or more American homes. It was difficult to watch the images of war without being moved, and it was a real shock to teenagers and young adults who had never known the touch of violence before.
But there was another kind of war going on, a social war. Blacks in America were discovering their power, partly spurred by the thought of the draft and partly by the energy of the decade carrying them forward. Women throughout the world were discovering not only their political power, but the social freedom brought about by a little pill ? the birth control pill. For better or worse, relations between the sexes would never be the same.
Sixties Fun, Games, and Fashion
Toys were undergoing change, too. Physical games, like Frisbees and Twister, became very popular indeed. Boys began collecting Matchbox cars, the latest rage; and the self-image of little girls everywhere was changed as Barbie dolls, Sindy dolls, and other anatomically correct dolls that weren't baby dolls entered their pink frilly rooms.
Older boys were finding they had much more to look at than ever before. Girls' skirts moved from the near-ankle-length full skirts of the fifties to the short ? shorter ? shortest skirts of the sixties. Short skirts and midriff-revealing hipster jeans also made it important that as little cellulite as possible showed ? girls could no longer wear industrial-strength girdles. The most effective way of getting rid of cellulite? Be as thin as possible. The other problem with changing clothes was that if you used garters (or suspenders, if you're in Britain) they showed under the short tight skirts. The answer? Pantyhose, an invention of the devil.
Inventions and Innovations
Computers also moved from being a scientific curiosity to a genuine industrial innovation; punch cards and tape were the programming tools of the time ? until the integrated circuit, the precursor to today's microchips. This innovation led to the development of the hand-held pocket calculator by Texas Instruments, though calculators did not come into general use until the early seventies. But the world didn't understand how much science and technology was really going to change their lives ? until Neil Armstrong spoke to the world from the surface of the Moon in 1969. It was a fitting end to a remarkable decade.
Lance Armstrong Bracelets: Fashion Accessories for a Worthy Cause
Lance Armstrong bracelets, the yellow rubber wrist bands inscribed with the motto LiveStrong, are tangible parts of champion American cyclist Lance Armstrong's legacy. Diagnosed with testicular cancer on October 2, 1996, Armstrong battled with the disease and didn't let it get in the way of his will to wear the yellow jersey once again to compete in the Tour de France cycling tournament. In partnership with sports apparel firm Nike, he started selling his Lance Armstrong bracelets for a dollar apiece, with the profits going to the Lance Armstrong Foundation to fund cancer research.
My Introduction To Northwest Coast Native American Art
I had lived in Vancouver very briefly as a child and it was during that time when I was first exposed to the art of the Northwest Coast Native American Indians. It was the towering colorful totem poles out in Stanley Park that everyone gazed at with wonder and appreciation. It took about 30 years later during a return trip to Vancouver when Northwest Coast Native American art caught my eyes again.
Feng Shui Horoscopes
A great tool to help you find out more about yourself.
Peruvian Artist Shares Why Preservation of Culture and Rituals Sacred To His Art
My artistic endeavor have led me towards a personal sense of mission, because the visual arts are more than a passive representation of the life style and culture of the Incas, Aztecs, Mayas and Chinese of the Asian-pacific.
The Origin of Americas Corporate Elite (BC)
Ephesus had a shrine to the Anatolian mother-goddess and the Cretan Lady of Wild Things that was later incorporated into the Greek worship of Artemis. (33) This magnificent statue has many 'cosmic eggs' on it that are extremely relevant to the Berber painting of ostrich eggs that are found in the Saharan finds mentioned in Carthage as well as connected to the Druid's eggs. A Cambridge scholar I saw on a TV show recently was still calling these eggs 'breasts'. It is ludicrous and almost funny if you look at a picture of the statue with over a hundred 'breasts'. What level of academic ineptitude is this? We have seen many who know the worldwide importance of the cosmic egg including Gimbutas, but then perhaps this scholar knows were his bread is buttered. Smyrna is mentioned by Grant going back long before our present focus and shows Amazons (Kelts as we have shown) were once a part of the picture, but this is probably before the fall of Ariadne on Crete and goes back to times such as Malta shows had 2800 years before the Great Pyramid - with no weapons. Smyrna is the site of a great Merovingian family with a name you'll quickly recognize. Onassis, who married into another Merovingian family through Jackie Kennedy. Thus we ask you to remember what the old saws do say about history repeating itself.
Jewelry Making for Fun and Profit
There is an old adage that says work isn't really work if you enjoy what you're doing. If one of your hobbies is jewelry making, why not turn this activity into a source of income? You're already having fun anyway, and it wouldn't take a whole lot more to share your jewelry creations with people who would appreciate them and be more than happy to pay for them. With a bit of extra effort, time management and discipline, jewelry making is a great way to have fun and make a bit of extra money on the side.
Top 10 Questions about Body Piercing
Body piercing has grown so much in popularity in recent years that it has
become almost mainstream, with more and more people sporting navel rings and
multiple ear rings. Facial piercings, surface piercings and lots of others to
choose from can make things confusing. If you don't know what to expect when you
decide to get a piercing, it can be even more intimidating. Here are some of the
top questions people have about body piercing.
The Different Styles of Inuit Sculptures
At first, all Inuit soapstone sculptures from the Arctic may look alike. However, there are variances in artistic styles among the different Inuit art producing communities. Although all communities produce Inuit sculptures featuring both animal and human subjects, some seem to do more animals while others do more people figures. Some communities make their subjects appear quite realistic with lots of high detail while in others, a more crude and primitive look is preferred. There are Inuit sculptures that have a highly polished finishes and some that are the complete opposite where they are left dull and unpolished.
The Original Nobility: Patricians and Knights
By "nobility" I refer to that class in society which once had hereditary political, financial and social privileges guaranteed by law. By "original nobility" I follow the German (and now internationally accepted) definition and refer to those families who were ennobled (or generally recognised as nobles) before the year 1400. With "patricians" I refer to those families who from time immemorial were recorded as local and regional leaders, and usually as a base for their power had vast landed properties. With "knight" I refer to the warrior class that emerged and developed during 900 - 1300 AD.
An Interview on History and Educational Media
1. Can you briefly summarize why you think history is a weapon of war against people?
Celebrating Obscurity: A Tribute To J. K. Rowling
A single-parent rose from obscurity in 8 years to become today the greatest woman celebrity, the richest woman (even richer than Her Majesty, the Queen of England) in the U.K, all through the power of imagination expressed through the power of her fingers!! She held the world spell-bound (270 million copies of her books sold so far).
Human Cultural Evolution
If we think about it at this juncture, clearly there is little to commend this Judaeo/ Christian/Islamic God if he is represented by the people who led this church. Pagans have a far better history and stand foursquare and 'head and shoulders' above this God of this often re-written Bible. The separation of man from his soul; man from his equal (woman); man from Nature and man from most all that is good; is all I see! Maybe Melchizedek or some other Biblical character (like the Mormon secret society is named after) will be raised up and made a new savior. Maybe it will be John the Baptist (the Johannites and Benjaminites) or it might even be one of the censored people of the Bible like Jasher who will be re-cycled and make it appear they've changed. Whatever it is, I don't want the same structure and would like to see people DOING what Jesus did. Thinking for themselves and communing with his soul 'within' to touch the beauty in all nature!
What is Your Birthstone?
Just about everyone knows what his or her birthstone is.
Why is that? Because people still enjoy the folklore associated with the tradition of the birthstone. They like believing that wearing a birthstone brings them good luck and protects them.
Mythology and Parables in Modern Communication - Part 1
Today there is a growing need to examine all our systems of thought and communication. We are witness to an information explosion. Never before has there been such a plethora of relevant and not so relevant information available on every subject imaginable. Most of us cannot even begin to fathom the depths of this apparent inexhaustible supply.
To Quote or Not to Quote
"By necessity, by proclivity, and by delight, we all quote."
Quotation and Originality 1876 Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
American poet and essayist
Michael Jacksons Latest Album Has Flopped
One month after being cleared of sex assault charges, Michael Jackson's latest album, The Essential Michael Jackson, has flopped. In the first week of its release only 8000 copies were sold. At this pace it will take nearly one hundred years to equal his most popular album, Thriller, which has sold 40 million copies. Jackson may have been cleared of all charges, but his fans aren't buying his product. Is this a portent of things to come? Let's look at some of the reasons why Michael Jackson may be long "past peak" when it comes to entertaining in the US.
The Red Violin - Film Review
The film portrays the creation, fate, and redemption of a father's legacy to his unborn child: a violin. Nicola Bussoti, a master violin craftsman, has created the "most perfect acoustic machine," in hope of his unborn son to be a great musician. Anna, Bussoti's wife, seeks knowledge about her future through an old woman, and her ability to foresee her fate with Tarot cards. The old woman makes five predictions about Anna's future: she will travel, there will be mountains and forests; there will be sickness everywhere she goes; she will meet with a man: the devil itself; and finally the rebirth: she will be desired amongst people, where her journey will come to an end. Bussoti's wife dies, taking with her their unborn child. This event will move Nicola Bussoti to finish his creation, varnishing the violin with her wife's blood.
|
