Imprisoned by societal groupthink, I try to free myself through self-think.

Part I | Verse

I got these words on lock
Then I threw the keys away.
My mental prison’s getting crowded
My poems are the words that got away.

Part II | Stream of (Sub)consciousness

I held out my wrists to society to be shackled by golden handcuffs, now I’m a psychedelic prisoner in a monochromatic cell. My wrists glow with an auric aura, but I’m locked up so I don’t think anyone can tell. The gold bars sitting in my cell are starting to rust over time, but the iron bars holding me back will far surpass my lifetime. I’ve been in a Stanford Prison Experiment since I imprisoned myself, my Id and my Superego battling in each and every one of my cells. We’ve been in a Stanford Prison Experiment since we imprisoned ourselves, under social contracts signed by our forefathers who forsook their Edenistic heaven for a hedonistic hell. They say time will tell, but time hasn’t spoken to me yet. So I shout into the winds of history, hoping my descendants will hear my desperate yells. But first I need more gold to buy a window for my cell, else Narcissus will just Echo as he stares upon himself. …

Why we need a guiding hand to curate humanity’s technological tree.

Natural Enlightenment

Is innovation growing or slowing?
Many great minds have tackled this issue because it’s a litmus test for an important point of pride for humanity: do we create exponential growth that surpasses the natural law of natural logarithms (ln), or are we just another species subject to the authoritarian dictates of nature?

• Does Gaia still command us as loyal subjects of her Animalia kingdom?
• Have we renegotiated our natural contract with our sovereign like the colonists renegotiated their social contract with theirs?
• Are we demanding universal rights to be free from nature’s kingdom, 250 years after we demanded our natural rights to be free from human kingdoms? …

Big Tech companies make money by mining your data. They refine this data using machine learning then sell it for profit. This business model is okay for mining companies because they are mining rocks. But when the resource being mined is humans, is that okay?

Big Tech companies are basically middlemen that don’t pass the profits from selling your data to you. This makes the average human similar to a serf living on the digital property of Big Tech feudal lords — you receive no compensation for your hard work toiling to make the property of the feudal lords better. However, it’s dangerous to leave their property and fend for yourself. You can’t survive without the protection of feudal lords’ hired armies or the compelling digital services provided by Big Tech’s army of brilliant programmers. You won’t leave the status quo unless you have the resources to fend for yourself. We need to give people either the resources to fend for themselves, or a more equitable social contract between the average person and these Big Tech feudal lords (a la The Enlightenment). …

Cultural Contact & Its Implications

We’ve spent considerable time & effort devising ways to communicate details of our existence to aliens (see: Golden Record, Arecibo message, Cosmic Call).

How naive are humans to give valuable intel to aliens voluntarily? Would the Carthaginians have given intel to the Romans, or the Aztec to the Spanish? Did ancient humans living on remote Pacific Islands drop coconut capsules filled with traces of their culture into the deep ocean, hoping that they would wash upon another Pacific island’s cloistered civilization and have an audience to satisfy their desire to share?

Yes. probably. Perhaps humans felt comfortable satisfying their desire to share before they realized that their colonizers were a different brand of human — humans more barbaric, more willing to do what it takes to dominate and succeed. They were not here to be a passive audience — they were going to burn the stage down. …

An analysis of Big Sean & the rap game

Big Sean faces heavy criticism for his “lack of depth”, but it only takes a cursory listen to his music to realize this criticism is unfounded. Set against a vivid background of complex themes & sonic soundscapes in both “Dark Sky Paradise” & “I Decided.”, any attentive listener can pick up on Sean’s ability to combine lyrical talent with impeccable flow to create bars that provide initial delight & replay value. …

Collection of color names that facilitate vivid imagery.

“Red” | Ruby, Scarlet, Burgundy, Crimson, Brick, Incarnadine, Rose, Tulip, Wine, Sauvignon, Raspberry, Strawberry, Blood, Infrared, Vermillion, Saffron, Paprika, Inferno, Lava

“Blue” | Azure, Lapis Lazuli, Indigo, Navy, Mediterranean Ocean, Sea, Teal, Rain, Cyan, Cerulean, Neptune, Ice, Turquoise, Diamond, Cobalt, Blueberry

“Purple” | Ultramarine, Tulip, Violet, Ultraviolet, Lavender, Rosemary, Fuschia, Grape, Berry, Mauve, Satin, Roman Royalty

“Pink” | Pastel, Hot Pink, Rosé, Rose Gold, Salmon, Petal, Lilac, Orchid, Carnation, Coral, Peach, Melon, Flourine

“Green” | Verdant, Lush, Forest, Leaf, Fern, Moss, Organic, Overgrowth, Arbor, Evergreen, Pasture, Marijuana, Tea, Clover, Shamrock, Mint, Parsley, Thyme, Basil, Oregano, Kiwi, Celadon, Jade, Emerald, Veridian…

an aesthetically imperfect story; an epitome of wabi-sabi principles.

Reading 1Q84 was like taking a leisurely stroll through a beautiful world, with intriguing characters coming in & out of view as Tengo & Aomame walked past them, inching towards each other. The world was never tied together in a clear, summarized map of all-knowing & all-connecting storylines — it was an exploration of an unknowably broad world where one can’t possibly understand it all, just like how life is actually experienced. A story can be enjoyable for its unexpected delights & clever side-thoughts, not only for its final destination.

I get the feeling that I’ve genuinely lived in another world & another life, one as meandering & serendipitous as my own. There are really no rules to writing a story — just because a gun is introduced doesn’t mean it has to be fired. Not every detail & observation in my life will be relevant or important in the future, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worthy of indulgement & appreciation. …