We find ourselves in a strange time. Never before have so many had the power to socialize with so many. Yet due to the current limitations of our technology and software, we seem to be in a situation where the most vile and shocking communications seem to be reinforced. While expressions of genuine love, compassion, and logic are rarely given even equal footing. Speaking from my personal experience having seen such goodness in the world prior to the dominance of social media it can start to degrade ones faith in humanity. This, in turn, can reinforce the natural tendency to pay attention to negative things. Eventually we might even begin to transmit negative memes ourselves.

We must find a way to break these cycles. We must take a long critical examination of not only the medium itself, but our relationship to it. I personally now find myself in a rehab facility for alcohol dependence. I was using alcohol nightly to force myself to disengage from the toxic, amazing, empowering, dis-empowering, humanizing, and dehumanizing environment that is social media. I must note that this list of adjectives is by no where near complete. I must also note that social media is the closest tangible thing to a higher power we have ever experienced. The next closest would have to be the global financial markets. The global financial market, when first accessed by a significant percentage of the populace, was also treated with the same sort of hype and hope without a full understanding of the potential risks, and without any real meaningful regulation. This, of course, resulted in the widespread financial destruction of the great depression. I fear we may be on the brink of another catastrophe which I label the Great Outpouring. At this point, which direction this memetic chain reaction is going to go is out of any legal or moral control. Additionally any technological solution may result in chaotic blow back which could unleash violence on an unprecedented scale.

So what are we left with? In short, we have to encourage and hope for the best of human nature. We have to spread love to counteract hate. We have to spread logic to counteract prejudice of all types. We have to spread hope to counteract apathy.

To all of you out there I love you. I love you despite your fear and hate. I love you because of your intelligence, wisdom, and humanity. Ultimately my fate is in your collective hands. I surrender to you and beg mercy for my flaws.