Exploded, unfurled New life in the spring Soaked up the sun To light everything Burst into flames Under the grays An unfiltered light For shortening…
Author: Trance
Artist. Writer. Truth seeker.
There is something remarkable about the prospect of beginning again. We carry our histories, expectations, rehearsed responses, and accumulated certainties into every new encounter, often mistaking familiarity for understanding. Yet something remains beyond all that, quietly waiting to be encountered, recognized, or remembered. We never quite know what might unfold when we finally take our seat at the table.
Creative Stewardship: Who Really Owns a Story’s Legacy?
Stargate, Star Trek, and The Future of Beloved Fictional Universes
There’s something to be said for a good science-fiction series that leaves you wanting to explore the universe rather than escape it. The kind that gives you memorable characters, interesting ideas, a little humor, and the occasional reminder that humanity might yet amount to something. Stargate and Star Trek, particularly their earlier incarnations, managed to capture something of that spirit. And perhaps that’s why their absence, and the rather curious treatment of their respective legacies, is worth discussing. There’s plenty of room for new stories, new talent, and new directions. What seems to be in shorter supply is the creative stewardship, imagination, and willingness to build upon what came before.
We inherit more than the circumstances of our lives. We inherit ways of seeing, interpreting, and making sense of the world, along with the fears, beliefs, and assumptions that shape our understanding of what is possible. Much of what we take for reality may be something we’ve learned to accept long before we’ve developed the means to question it. And perhaps some of the most important questions we can ask concern not only the nature of the world around us, but the nature of our own participation in creating and sustaining it.
You Cannot Redistribute Wisdom: The Human Problems Behind Economic Inequality
Wealth, Philanthropy, and Institutional Power
There’s no shortage of people willing to tell us what’s wrong with the world, who’s responsible, and what should be done about it. Economic inequality, wealth accumulation, philanthropy, and the familiar refrain that we should simply tax the rich are recurring subjects, often presented with a degree of moral certainty that leaves little room for meaningful examination. But beneath these arguments are some rather fundamental questions about human nature, personal responsibility, individual freedom, and the institutions we trust to manage our affairs. Perhaps it’s time we looked beyond the slogans and considered what we’re actually trying to accomplish.