What keeps me blogging. (and what I have learned)

If you thought as a blogger I must think myself clever, you'd be right.  If you also thought maybe I like  to widen the platform for my opinions that is also true.  Vanity plays a big role but my motivation goes much deeper than that.  As I get older my memory fades.  I want to understand and remember the good times.  Learn from my mistakes and unhappy times. It challenges my brain--I don't post a blog every day, but I do write, edit, research every day.  One thing I would add is that blogging is FUN.

Birthdays can be transitional and reflective.  Originally my daughter Heather set me up with this blogging site on a birth day, but for over a year I avoided it, mainly for technophobia.  I do love writing so I did give in to the urge and then fell in love with the idea.  Through a mix up mostly on my part the annual dues did not get paid.  My old title had been made inaccessible, but worse than that, instead the owners set it up as a porno site.  From that experience my education advanced a little and communications improved. 

I have always had a few missions, but that they have changed with circumstances.  1).  I was a salesman when I started and at that time wanted to reinforce what I had learned, realizing that in truth everyone is a salesperson. 2) to boost world understanding by promoting sub-titled movies--stumbled on this after discovering the pleasures and then realizing that we all make assumptions about other cultures, especially ones far away--subtitled movies are really a small tool in the effort to understand others, but it is an underused tool and can be very enjoyable.  3).  politics are boring for most people, but the reality is the end results have a controlling effect on our lives--Proportional representatives seems to be the most practical way for average voters to take back some of the control lost to first past the post--but if not educated, largely wasted   4) Trump has been  a topic by himself.  Myself and many cartoonists will have to find another subject that draws as much attention.  Even after the election he will be causing problems and the afterwards there may be years of court cases.   5).  Understand myself and others better.  Humans are an odd combination and you of course can pick and choose--but if you are bored it might hit a nerve.    

A few random thoughts:

My vanity takes a bit of a beating when I realize that a high percentage of page views are really robots and many others are just casual peeks, often by mistake.  Not sure how Google works, but understand the more popular they think you are the higher ranking your blog will appear when one of your tag words is requested.  You don't get many page views if your blog is ranked on page 2 or higher.

One long term strategy was to review my blogs with the idea of editing.  I try not on principle to "update" any post.  If someone stumbles on one of my blogs I want it to run as smoothly as possible.  To encourage more stumbling I look for more relevant tags that might be of common interest.  Another strategy is use links for other blog posts--often the best measure if someone actually read the first blog.  Sometimes if there is a follow up blog afterwards I give a link so the reader will know the latest development and my updated thinking without burying the original thoughts.   

I have been pleasantly surprised using the name of a non celebrity would occasionally draw attention--once from a child hood barber, a woman I worked with, and once with an acquaintance who helped me appreciate horses.

As I research, analyze my life I am constantly learning, something satisfying in itself.  Organizing your thoughts, researching and actually writing help to enrich one's understanding and sometimes even change my mind.  The challenge of sequencing words and stringing together ideas to make a point.

Blogs open you to criticism.  There is no idea that cannot be challenged and all too often not in an intelligent, considerate way.  I admit to sometimes trying to be provocative and also realize my range of interests do not exactly coincide with most people, making us all unique.  I occasionally do change my mind and frequently modify my thinking.  As a salesman I recognize it is almost impossible to get someone to "change" their mind, but sometimes they will modify their opinion with some new information.

One questions who, what, where, how and why?  Why did I select a movie or a book?  Was it totally random?  Some of my blogs are a spur of the moment--something big (in my mind) has occurred and I realize facts are still emerging, but I want to record how I feel with existing facts.  I don't feel I have been too far off years afterwards, but do admit that more analysis takes time

Yes, I am aware that my thoughts are not original.  I believe all new ideas are just rearrangements of old ideas or ideas off the beaten path.  Most readers have seen very similar thoughts expressed in very similar ways, but sometimes a reminder enables one to get back on the path or maybe cast a small doubt-- aggregating opinions and facts is common.  Roger Ebert-- a movie lover and critic was one inspiration.  I think his interest in trying to understand the world manifested itself in a love of understanding movies.  He earned a platform and used it to express political and social views.

To generate more interest in my blogs I have developed the use of inter links to direct interested readers to another relevant blog.  It sometimes assures me that somebody read the first blog enough to reach the link.  Here is an example:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2020/06/what-sub-titles-offer-you.html

My posts are popular enough that the odd comments happen, but not popular enough that they attract trolls.   Pretty well all positive and appreciative.  I read other blogs, often political and encounter toxic comments.  Too many are inflammatory, bigoted, ignorant, etc.  It is ok to gain some understanding of an opposing viewpoint, but many complainers show little respect for bloggers who have the courage to articulate views and make themselves a target.  Constructive comments are always welcome.

Privacy is a touchy issue. I have no desire to embarrass anyone (well no one I actually know). I realize there are literally millions who don't share my views and in fact would hold them against me if they had the power.  There is a part of me not in these blogs--the part I want to remember and be remembered for is mostly here.

The world may or may not be better off as more bloggers catch the bug.  By allowing an outlet many bloggers find some benefit to venting.  We all see things from a limited perspective and we all benefit when we can expand that perspective.  While taking a nite course years ago I encountered a young accountant whose passion was drag racing which seemed incomprehensible to me.  He did set me straight on a few points and I have a little more respect.  Most of us have something that gives us if not a sense of purpose, a "buzz"  Understand and appreciate that in others and you will get along a lot better.

For a more up to date perspective see http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2026/01/an-impulse-to-blog-helps-keep-me-going.html

Edward O Wilson tackles "The Meaning of Human Existence"

After completing a trilogy of Edward O Wilson books I would like to quote from the last paragraph of the final book.  "...we are the mind and stewards of the living world.  Our own ultimate future depends upon that understanding."

Edward O. Wilson is a scientist who has specialized in the study of ants.  Might seem an almost insignificant start for universal truths, but in reality it is as good as any other study.  Previously I blogged on "The Social Conquest of Earth" which in layman's terms outlined our evolution in physical and cultural terms.  It explores our past and future and gives thought to our purpose.  Some might be put off by comparisons with ants and termites, but they are apt. http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/11/the-social-conquest-of-earth.html

"The Meaning of Human Existence" seems like a meaty title and it is.  Near the beginning he writes that meaning implies intention, intention implies design and in turn implies a designer, but he doesn't see it that way.  He feels the accidents of history, not the intentions of a designer are the source of meaning.  Each event is random, but alters the probability of later events.  A key to human evolution was to reach a stage he called "eusociality" that involves child rearing and sacrificing self interest for the good of others.  A very few other species have reached this stage such as ants and termites.

Altruistic individuals will almost always lose to selfish individuals, but altruistic groups can beat selfish groups.  Science is a continuum and we are not at the center.  He deals with the big question of free will and I believe reaches a practical compromise.  Science tries to explain the known and religion tries to explain the unknown.  Wilson suggests we are becoming designers.

For such a high level scientist he has a great deal of respect for the humanities seeing them as another side of the same coin.  In the earlier book he quotes Picasso; "Art is the lie that shows us the truth."

"Half Earth" just published in 2016 is the culmination of the trilogy.  His main contention is that earth is threatened by diminishing bio-diversity.  The title comes from his belief that mankind in order to survive must reserve half of the earth as natural conservation areas.

Approximately 65 million years ago the earth was hit by a meteorite with such ferocity that 70% of all species disappeared after attacks of volcanoes, earthquakes, acid rain, heavy waves and blocking sunshine to stop photosynthesis.  Altogether scientist have determined there have been 5 periods of mass extinction and they are anticipating a 6th, but this one man made.

Some of the forces include habitat destruction, invasive species, pollution, population growth and over-hunting.  Global warming/climate change is accelerating pressures.  Life has survived in a Goldilocks equilibrium (not too close or too far from the sun) for millions of years but is now facing new man made challenges.

The inter-relation of species is little understood.  Starting with the human body, millions of microbes help us function while others fight invaders.  Bacteria breaks down and secretes organic material, cleans toxic waste and captures and collects energy from the sun.  We have much to discover within our own bodies, but just as much about the environment that has nurtured the earth for eons of time.

At present there is a little less than 15% of land and 2.8% of ocean set aside to protect bio-diversity and that is not enough to halt the acceleration of species extinction.

Wilson has a few suggestions to turn the situation around.  He feels we would appreciate nature more if in the protected areas were placed cameras whose views could be accessed easily by computers.  He also sees synthetic biology as a solution which may frighten many, but he thinks is mostly positive.  Wilson also regards artificial intelligence quite differently than depicted by Hollywood.  The only purpose of artificial intelligence is to extend human capability.  The human brain has been thought to be the most complex system in the universe, but Wilson thinks the individual natural eco system and the collectivity of eco systems comprising Earth's species-level biodiversity are more complex.

Taking a philosophical look at evolution the author notes that groups with individuals willing to sacrifice for the group were favored.  Groups naturally get bigger, starting with the family, the tribe, nation, humankind and beyond to the biosphere.  What we need more of he calls biophilia, love of the living process.  Earlier he quoted a French writer Jean Bruller before WWII, "all of mankind's troubles are due to the fact that we do not know what we are and cannot agree on what to become."

It is difficult to explain his concepts in a relatively short blog, but his books are well worth exploring. As he implies before you can better deal with the future you need to better understand the past and present reality.  Keep up to date with his thinking at http://eowilsonfoundation.org