The Importance of Empowering Women

  As a rule, I generally try to avoid political labels, because labels imply a sort of rigidity in one's thinking. Once a label is applied, it generally tends to stick, especially when it is applied to oneself. Labels are generalizations, ways in which we simplify the world in order to make it easier for us to understand, and sometimes this is necessary, but when overused they lead to lazy or rigid thinking, stereotyping, prejudice, and in some severe cases, even outright Conservatism. But I digress. I only mention this before I go ahead and embrace the “Feminist” label, so that you might understand that this isn't some off-the-cuff position that I adopted because it seemed politically fashionable, but rather because there are very good reasons to be a Feminist, in the sense of the term that implies a deep support for the equal rights of all women.

  The fact that in many parts of the world roughly half the population lives in servitude and virtual slavery to the other should profoundly disturb us. And yet, this is the situation faced by women in countries everywhere, where “cultural norms” are used as justification for their humiliating, often brutal, and occasionally fatal subjugation to men. Cultural norms, I would strongly suspect, that have been dictated by generations of very highly privileged men, raised by their fathers to thoroughly believe in their own sex's superiority. As a Western male, I should mention that although I'm quite happy with the gender I was born with, I find the idea that men are somehow innately superior be frankly laughable, given how very keenly flawed we often prove ourselves to be, and how many exemplary and brilliant women I have had the privilege to know or read about. One thing the West has learned very well since elevating our women to the legal status of equals is that they really are equally capable, and while in general their aptitudes may differ slightly due to differences in the wiring of male and female brains, there are certain areas in which they consistently outperform men (anything requiring working in a team, for example). Treating women like property, hindering their education and affording them little more status than one would give to livestock is a contemptible practice, that demeans them and squanders their innate capacity to contribute to society.

  While tolerance certainly is a necessary ingredient in creating a healthy global civilization, it is also necessary to know when to draw the line, and to call a spade a spade. There is nothing politically incorrect in shaming countries that perpetuate atrocities against women – in fact I would argue quite the opposite. If your culture advocates or even condones throwing acid in the faces of girls who want to go to school, then it should be obvious to anyone with any moral sense at all that something is deeply wrong with your culture. When a culture reaches such a point, it deserves – nay, begs - for criticism, from within and without, and we are morally obligated to provide it, lest we commit a terrible sin of omission. One could only hope that such criticism might motivate a degree of self-reflection, so that a culture may, in the long term, choose to purge itself of such a sickness. Citing culture does not provide blanket immunity to moral questions, and if we wish to think of ourselves as moral creatures at all, then we must not be afraid to ask such questions. It is only through the power of conversation and public debate that cultures develop over time, and if there is any hope of moving such frankly primitive attitudes toward women out of the stone age, then the conversation cannot be indefinitely deferred in the name of political correctness.

  One might hear the argument made that cultural norms are all relative, but even a cursory look at actual sociological data would reveal this to be apologist nonsense. I believe cultural relativism to be a dangerous concept, used to justify too many human rights abuses in the past, particularly women's rights abuses. The fact is we all have certain emotional and social inclinations from birth, perhaps aside from sociopaths and psychopaths. These inclinations are cross-cultural, hardwired into our brains by evolution, and are then modified by our environment and upbringing, and so it is quite possible to argue that we do have a certain “universal morality”, that can be extrapolated from our natural, intuitive social impulses.  Organizations like the UN and Amnesty International already appear to recognize this to a certain extent, but it is important for us all to recognize this on an individual level as well. Those traits most common to societies around the world, a global average of social norms, if you will, could (and often do) guide us toward a standard for universal morality. If we want to refine this further, and find universal norms most likely to lead to positive social outcomes, then we need only look at those societies that score highest on indicators of social well-being, and weight their social norms proportionally when determining an overall average. I would be willing to bet very heavily that countries with equal rights for women would score very highly in such an assessment. They do, as a matter of fact, tend to do much better economically – having a population in which anyone can potentially become a member of the workforce tends to have this effect. This was a very large contributing factor the success of the U.S. Post World War II.

  This last point is one of the main reasons that I advocate women's rights – it is simply the most practical way to elevate entire societies out of poverty. Christopher Hitchens put it very well – we have a cure for poverty, one that works every time that it is tried, and that is the elevation of women. In many countries today, there are initiatives to provide micro-loans to women in rural communities, and this is happening because it is proving stunningly effective. These women, when given even the smallest bit of opportunity, have consistently demonstrated an ability to create successful small businesses. They overwhelmingly tend to become contributing members of the business community, repaying their loans at a higher rate than is typically seen in developed countries. Furthermore, as they do this, they help to pull their entire communities out of poverty by generating cash flow, hiring employees, and sharing their experience. This is the true face of the “job creator”, not the ultra-rich (and generally male) business executive. I'm pragmatic, and simply believe in providing support to those who have proven their worth to the rest of society, and in this case, it is the former, not the latter.

  Men have certainly had their time as leaders, and we see the results quite clearly when we look back at history – a propensity for war, materialism, and a general lack of flexibility in negotiation. We were the hunters, historically, and as such are inclined to territoriality and aggression – this is simply built into the wiring of our brains. Although we can (and often do) overcome it, it is only through great effort, typically, and many men simply do not care to expend this effort. If you doubt this, simply glance at violent crime statistics virtually anywhere in the world, and you will see which sex is more inclined to use violence when solving problems. Women, conversely, were the gatherers in early human societies, and as such are more inclined to working cooperatively, working together to find mutually beneficial solutions for problems facing the social group. In today's world, this is rapidly becoming the only viable means of problem-solving left to us. As we develop more and more catastrophic weapons, we will eventually have no choice but to give up war, lest the slightest conflict spiral out of control and lead to the extinction of our very species. In our history, armed conflict, distasteful as it is, may have served a purpose, but we simply do not have the luxury anymore, and as such, perhaps we should elect leaders who are less inclined to use it. In almost any situation, there are typically ways of resolving disputes that can allow both parties at least some benefit, and women, I believe, are simply better at finding these options.

Ensuring women are educated, given equal status, and a voice in social policy can change societies dramatically, and overwhelmingly, it is for the better. This was a difficult transition for Western society many years ago, no doubt, but it is one we can now look back on with pride and satisfaction, and I sincerely hope that in this century, we can help other areas to see the benefits of making this same transition. Too long have we shamed ourselves through the exploitation of women, too long have we wasted so much human potential, and too long have we allowed patriarchy and machismo to dictate how we live. A change in the status quo is long overdue – this is why I am a proud Feminist, and you should be too. 

The Reasons We Play

 I'll start by saying that I am an avid gamer – video games, board games, you name it – and I have been since I could first hold a controller or a set of dice. I also rely heavily on games as a teaching method in my current role, teaching English in Japan. I've encountered a lot of people who don't understand how I can sit for hours in front of a video game console, pore over a board game with friends for the better part of a Sunday afternoon, or use games to teach effectively, so I felt the need to explain why we are designed to play games, and how doing so truly does enrich us, both intellectually and yes, socially.

 As children, we learn many of our core social and motor skills through gaming. Games and play in general are a way for us to learn without really realizing we're learning, and that is part of their beauty. In many cultures we have come to accept the idea that for “real” learning to occur we must put away the games and hit the books, but this is not necessarily true. While I'm also a huge fan of books, I don't believe that they are necessarily a superior medium, as everyone has their own learning style. While books are an invaluable resource, some people are simply more suited to interactive styles of learning. I have seen ample evidence that complex skills can be effectively taught and reinforced through games; they simply require well-designed game platforms to make learning the skill-sets fun and challenging. Well designed activities and computer programs can aid in learning a wide variety of subjects, and allow us to increase our learning capacity by extending our attention span and engaging us more fully. It is simply a matter of adapting your technique to the subject matter, in my opinion - I see it working in my classroom all the time.

 If you don't believe me, there are actually a number of studies that have been done that show how playing games enhances our cognitive skill sets. Hand-eye coordination, recall, problem-solving, multitasking, sustained attention, and audio/visual processing are all abilities that can be challenged through gaming, and indeed as gamers are challenged, it has been shown that these skills do improve. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that in older adults, gaming can help to maintain these skills longer, holding off the cognitive effects of ageing and even blunting the symptoms of disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. The term “use it or lose it” applies just as much to the brain as it does to the body, and as we stretch our capabilities and develop new skills through gaming, we are in a sense working out our brains. George Bernard Shaw put it best: We do not stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.

 This being said, a major drawback with gaming as a hobby is that it is typically very sedentary. Spending hours on end sitting immobile and staring at a screen is not the best way to stay in shape, and this was probably the main criticism that my parents have leveled at me over the years. Lately however, this is becoming less true. Thanks to motion-tracking systems like the Wii, games are now becoming physically as well as mentally interactive, and a happy side effect is that gamers are, in general, getting more exercise. As this sort of technology improves, we will no doubt eventually be able to immerse ourselves in virtual realities and engage in any matter of physical activity, much like in the holodecks on Star Trek. As this happens, perhaps exercise will become less of a chore for many, and more of a fun and engaging experience. It will also allow those who are uncomfortable with their bodies to exercise easily from the comfort of home, probably one of the most significant challenges that obese people face when they decide to start getting in shape. Using games and virtual environments to promote physical activity could be society's best new secret weapon in fighting off the pounds.

 As someone who has been a lifelong gamer, I'll pass along a little anecdotal evidence here. Despite spending more time gaming than some people spend watching television, I'm happy to report that my eyesight is just fine, I remain capable of staying in reasonably good shape, and I genuinely believe that gaming does help to keep me sharp, in a way that passively absorbing television isn't able to, particularly in the areas of strategic thinking and problem solving. Furthermore, most of my close friends are gamers, and are among the more intelligent and rational people that I know. While there is admittedly a subset among gamers who can be obsessive and petty, this does tend to get stamped out over time, as a sore loser, or poor winner for that matter, will soon find themselves without other people willing to play with them. The gaming community in general encourages fairness, good manners and honesty, and when one compares this with the social norms portrayed in most popular television, you may see why gaming is something that we should encourage. It is, like any form of media, simply a tool, and one that has great potential if used wisely.  

Scientific Literacy is the New...Literacy

 In my lifetime, I've been very pleased to see one trend in society taking shape, and that is the increasing popularity of science with the general public. The increasing exposure that scientific endeavors now receive in the media may not reach all audiences just yet, but is certainly reaching a broader audience than in the past. As a result, the public is becoming more aware of the good that science can do (and has done) in their lives, and this can only be for the good. It used to be that when you talked about science to anyone other than a scientist, you would either get blank stares or open hostility. When I grew up, the smart people (adults too, not just children) actually tried to hide the fact, whereas now, looking “slow on the uptake” is the ultimate deal-breaker, be it in a job interview or on a date. The schoolyard mentality that science is only for geeks is melting away, as the value of science becomes increasingly, glaringly apparently to an increasingly technological and information-driven society. Gone are the days where the majority of people could make a decent living without the benefit of a higher education, and as an increasing majority of society pursues higher education, geek is becoming the new chic. As someone who has been a geek virtually since conception, I can't quite convey how much I'm loving this development.

 The thing is, science isn't just about cool new gadgets, or advancements in health care. It is to a point, and certainly provides many of these attractive fringe benefits, but underlying it all, science is about expanding our understanding of our own reality. We all want, on some level, to understand why we're here, to place our existence in a larger context, and science does this with more eloquence than any other system we have ever come up with as a species. Carl Sagan put it best: “Science is more than just a body of knowledge. It's a way of thinking, a way of rationally interrogating the world.” Although we live in a “middle world”, too large to perceive atoms and too small to perceive the structure of the galaxy, we have through the rational process of science managed to unlock many of the secrets nature has stored away at these mind-boggling scales. We have determined the most basic components of what we are made of (we believe) and now understand our place in the larger universe in much more intricate detail than would have ever been possible without looking through the illuminating lens of science. People are coming to understand this, and are increasingly being drawn into this amazing, ongoing narrative as it unfolds. Our quest to understand the universe is, when you think about it, the universe's way of knowing itself, and a life spent in the pursuit of such understanding can only be a life well spent. In the past, people often turned to religion when asking themselves the question “Why are we here?”, but recently, this thirst for understanding and the never-ending quest to expand that drives science it is providing a much more satisfactory purpose for increasing millions worldwide. I believe it no coincidence that this wave of reason and rationalism coincides with the massive decrease in worldwide violence, both at the individual and national levels, that the past few decades have seen.

 If current trends continue, science will change our lives even more dramatically in the coming decades than it has in the past. Technology and research are not just cumulative, but amplify each other, with advances in materials science, for example, spurring leaps forward in computer technology, renewables, and a number of other fields. As such, our technological progress as a species is increasing at an exponential rate, and that being said, we had better be prepared. Only by utilizing science for the unique tool that it is, and fostering a deep general understanding of it among the public, can we hope to successfully ride out this unprecedented transition. It's been said that our species faces a bottleneck very shortly, as our population reaches the limits of what the Earth can naturally provide for. If this is the case, as I believe the evidence indicates it to be, then the only way we can avoid a great deal of suffering is to find and implement innovative solutions via science. Every day, amazing new innovations and technologies are announced that can help us to make the transition into a more humane, prosperous and self-sustaining society, but only through legislation can they be widely and quickly implemented, and this is contingent on a well-educated public creating the political pressure to do so. This is the most fundamental reason for every one of us to keep informed – we need to be, in order to ensure our democracies function well, and remain in step with the times. We should not delude ourselves about the fact that societies can collapse, and in the past, it has been the ones that refused to adapt that have most often met this fate. The countries of the world, now deeply entangled by the internet, economic ties and global travel, are forming a fledgeling global civilization, but in the face of the grotesque environmental damage we are inflicting in the process, it should be obvious that we are not immune to potential catastrophe. Without wisely implementing policies to mitigate this damage, and mitigate the threat from other dangers, we are simply tempting fate.

 On a brighter note, the amount of human potential that science stands to unlock this century is incredibly inspiring. In a recent blog post, I made several predictions about how science and technology will likely enhance our lives in coming decades, and these were perhaps conservative. New and completely innovative ideas emerge all the time in science, often completely by accident, and by properly funding new research and development, we increase our odds of such happy and beneficial discoveries. In brief, this decade is likely to see the end of cancer, the dramatic expansion of the human lifespan, the eradication of extreme poverty, and the beginnings of our colonization of the solar system, all thanks to science. Such accomplishments should make us all proud of what we can accomplish as a species, and inspire us to continue pushing at the limits of our knowledge. The beginning of wisdom, it is said, is to understand that you know nothing, and I would argue that the next step to wisdom is refusing to accept this as the status quo.

The Future, According to Science (Fiction?) and Sociology

 Human beings have always been fascinated with what the future holds, and I'll be the first to admit I'm particularly curious about where this big experiment called civilization will eventually take us. I've been a science fiction fan since I was a kid, one of a generation that was raised on Star Trek and Star Wars, and have read most of the works of the great sci-fi authors like Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke and Robert A. Heinlein. Here I could launch into a glowing endorsement of all the fantastic science fiction authors you should try if you're even mildly interested in cracking into this genre, but I'll just settle for giving you the Wikipedia link. Although as a Canadian, I can't help but mention Robert J. Sawyer, since he is probably one of the best new authors on the scene, and bases more than one of his books in his native Canada.

 What really fascinates me about science fiction is that it is often eerily predictive of how society actually evolves. For example, it wasn't a scientist that brought us the concepts for portable communicators, diagnostic beds, or telepresence – that was Star Trek. What began as science fiction fifty years ago eventually became reality, as scientists began tackling real world problems using the ready-made solutions that science fiction writers conveniently suggested. I would hazard a guess that many of these scientists were sci-fi fans themselves as children, and recognized that the possible futures envisioned in science fiction were in many cases better and more desirable than the present in which we find ourselves. To write fiction that people want to read, a writer has to have some understanding of human nature and basic psychology, and as such, they seem to be uniquely gifted at predicting what technologies that we will tend to embrace, and how societies will adapt as a result.

 Having read a lot (and I mean a LOT) of science fiction, and as someone who keeps on top of the latest science news, I'd like to take a stab at a few predictions of my own. Having seen certain technologies that I read about as a child emerge and become commonplace during my lifetime, it's hard to ignore the fact that these technologies are changing our lives, and even harder not to wonder where we will be in fifty years, given how far we have already come in such a short time. I believe that technology stands to vastly improve the human condition and provide us with exciting new opportunities (if we don't destroy ourselves in the interim, of course), and here's a few ways that I think this will happen:

1. Genetic engineering, regenerative medicine, cloning, and nanotechnology stand to vastly improve human health in the coming decades. Already, after only about a decade or two apiece as serious fields of study, each have provided huge advances in our understanding of our own bodies, and enabled incredible new therapies to be pioneered. In the coming decades, we will likely see therapies that are being tested today come to a hospital near you, allowing us to beat many forms of cancer, cure previously untreatable genetic diseases, enhance our immune systems to fight increasingly more drug-resistant pathogens, restore lost limbs, hearing, or eyesight - the list goes on and on. What has been and will no doubt continue to be a controversial issue however, is our increasing ability to alter our own genome. Nonetheless, I believe that as the technology becomes increasingly available, we will increasingly embrace it. Given the choice to cheaply and safely do so, I believe many potential parents will, sooner or later, begin medically manipulating the genes of their unborn children. Within my lifetime, I foresee an increasing percentage of parents requesting detrimental genes, like the ones for cystic fibrosis, haemophilia or for certain types of cancer be removed from their children before birth. Eventually, this will extend to non life-threatening maladies such as nearsightedness, and finally to cosmetic but generally undesirable traits, such as baldness. Eventually, as the technology becomes more proven, we will begin adding traits to our genome in much the same way we do with produce today, most likely beginning with enhancing the immune system, adding resistance to certain toxins, or perhaps even increasing our (occasionally limited) mental capacity. Inevitably, we will also use these technologies to combat ageing and death, as a generation of Baby Boomers enters retirement and provides the economic incentive to do so. Already, research is being done that will allow us to remain healthier and more robust for much longer, and this trend will only increase sharply over the coming decades. One theory put forward by Aubrey de Grey, a pioneer in gerontology and regenerative medicine, states that year by year, as we increasingly get better at extending the human lifespan, eventually we will reach a point where it is extended by more than one year per year. This effectively would be the tipping point, after which we could, as a species, become more or less immortal...barring accidents of course. Without getting too technical, he has identified seven factors that underlie the detrimental effects of ageing, and believes it well within the reach of science to eventually eliminate them all. The sociological implications of this would of course be immense, but given the inevitability of this in the next hundred years at most, it is a topic that we should certainly begin considering. Further off, but still on the horizon, is the potential for nano-machines, otherwise known as nanites, that could actually enter our bodies and safeguard our health. Within a fifty year time-frame, we will likely see this emerge as one more way in which we enhance our bodies and quality of life. While some may see this as one step closer to turning us into the Borg Collective, we in fact already incorporate a great deal of technology into our bodies. Pacemakers, joint and limb replacements, artificial organs – these allow many people who would otherwise have difficulty functioning to live productive lives, and they do not make us any less human. It is similarly easy to argue for the benefits of nanites - they could clear plaque from our arteries, destroy bacteria and viruses, and even help to repair damaged tissue. With such immense potential, it seems highly unlikely that we will overlook nanotechnology for long, just because some of us find it "spooky".                                                                                                       
2. Materials science, propulsion technology, and robotics will likely open up the solar system to us in exciting new ways over the coming decades. We are explorers by nature, and having conquered most of our own planet, we need new frontiers. Luckily, new technologies are being developed today that will provide us with the ability to much more cheaply launch both human beings and increasingly advanced robots into space, as well as to both travel and work in space much more effectively. One of the most promising new developments is the SKYLON space plane concept, a single stage to orbit (SSTO) aircraft that can take off and land like a plane, but also propel itself into orbit. This sort of design eliminates the wasteful use of rockets and the need to carry massive amounts of fuel, thus vastly cutting the costs of space development and truly opening space up to us. In combination with the recent entry of private companies into the race for space, this will mean that the commercial development of our solar system is just around the corner. The reason that this is inevitable is simple economics – there is more wealth in our own cosmic back yard than most of us can imagine, even if you can imagine an awful lot. Scientists estimate that the asteroids and extinct comets that litter the inner solar system and even occasionally cross Earth's orbit are laden with many of the materials vital to modern industry here on Earth, such as gold, zinc, platinum, cobalt and rare earths, as well as water ice that can easily be processed into fuel. There are already companies proposing to capture one of these into a stable Earth orbit and mine it – imagine, if you will, a chunk of iron, gold and platinum the size of Mount Everest, and then imagine the wealth that mining it could inject into the world economy. Moreover, the asteroid belt that sits between to orbits of Mars and Jupiter is teeming with such objects, providing enough raw material to keep humanity busy for hundreds or even thousdands of years. The key to global prosperity is up there, if we're willing to just go up and get it. As the new space-race heats up (and it will, as more and more nations enter it), there is a general consensus within the scientific community about how this will progress. Asteroids first, then onto the moon and the inner planets – Mars, Venus and Mercury. A base on the moon is a logical step after the space station, as it has its own deposits of minerals and ice to mine, meaning that it could be self-sufficient. Eventually, it could potentially serve as an excellent place to build space-craft (low gravity = low launch costs), and the dark side has been looked at as a good place for telescopes, since there would be very little light pollution. The next stop on the list would be Mars, which gets a lot of attention of course, as it is the one planet in our solar system most like the Earth, and therefore is the best candidate for colonization. Already there are organizations looking at a permanent base there, because the technology to create one (or perhaps a few) already exists. Once the wealth from asteroid mining hits the world economy, this will become a much more appealing and politically popular option than it is today. Instead of being seen as a pie-in-the-sky dream, it will become the next logical step outwards, and a home away from home for those involved in mining the asteroid field just beyond its orbit. There are many ways that Mars could be made more hospitable, such as introducing soil bacteria and algae to begin making real soil out of the dust that coats its surface, as well as intentionally crashing a few hundred water-laden asteroids into it, adding instant oceans and atmosphere. These are options that we can begin to implement very soon, paving the way for a green Mars in the not-too-distant future. Venus, our other solar neighbour, would be a bit more of a challenge given its runaway greenhouse effect and toxic atmosphere, but science actually has a few ideas about how to tackle those sticky issues. Because that's a bit beyond the time-frame I'm trying to look at I won't go into too much detail, but if you're interested, feel free to take a look at this handy Wikipedia article.                                                                                                                                                
3. The internet and advanced communications technologies will change global society, making it...well, more global. This one is a bit of a no-brainer, because we can easily see the beginnings of it all around us. We are better connected now than we have ever been, and although what you see in the news may cause you to sometimes think otherwise, we are actually living in the most peaceful era that humanity has ever enjoyed as a direct result. Being able to access news from around the world and talk to people anywhere in the world creates a much deeper understanding of and empathy for our fellow human beings, and this is having a definite political effect. Populations are much more hesitant to support wars now, and governments recognize this. Add to this our increasingly interconnected trade networks, and of course, the nuclear arsenals many nations now possess, and governments have greater incentive than ever to negotiate before resorting to force. We are lucky enough to be witnessing the birth-pangs of a truly global civilization. While there are concerns now about communications technology being used for spying, the quantum encryption and transmission technologies that scientists are working on today will eventually help to ensure an essentially “spy-proof” internet, where it is physically impossible for governments to intercept private data. This will change the dynamics of how government works, giving more power to the people, and making governments more accountable. The high levels of transparency that using technology in government will allow will make it easier to root out corruption and waste in real time. The days of rule-by-decree and the tin-pot dictator are numbered, because the people will be able to organize too effectively for this to be possible. Furthermore, we are, as a result of communications technology, becoming increasingly intelligent as a species. No, really. General intelligence has shot up over the past few decades, as education improved and as information became readily and cheaply available, and this is driving policy in new and positive directions. An informed population is an excellent safeguard for democracy, and allows emerging democracies to develop without many of the growing pains that would otherwise occur. Viva la communicacion!                                                                                                                                
4. Advances in 3-D printing, artificial intelligence and automation will revolutionize the economy. It may not happen overnight, but it's already underway. 3-D printing is an amazing technology, and it is already on the verge of triggering a new industrial revolution. Creating ready-made products in one's own home, without the need for a large manufacturing plant, shipping, or any of the other costs associated with traditional goods could streamline our economy and eliminate immense amounts of waste. Goods can be made not only more environmentally friendly, but more cheaply, at a time when both the environment and the working class could use a break. The ability to easily and rapidly produce goods that are tailor made to precise specifications has some pretty massive advantages. Applications range from food to industrial design to medical implants, and already there is talk of using this technology in space exploration - picture robots using massive 3-D printers to create bases on other planets. Coupled with automation, what 3-D printing means for the workforce is that there will be very few manufacturing jobs. On the surface this may sound bad, but when you think about it, most people don't actually like manufacturing jobs, and there will be lots of other more highly skilled and interesting jobs created to replace them. Of course, this will require that education be much more readily available, and to do this, charging tuition for a higher education will likely have to be abolished entirely. In an information-based economy, this is really the only rational choice. Educational institutions will simply have to be regulated, and although they might initially protest, I'm sure they will come to realize that they will always have a pivotal role to play in society, whether they are funded by tuition or by tax dollars. At least if they are funded by and overseen by the government, there will be legal incentives for them to be as efficient as possible, and not overcharge, as they are currently known to do...frequently. On the subject of artificial intelligence, it should be said that we are already using machines to do a great deal of our thinking for us, and that this has been (generally) a good thing, as it tends to make us a great deal more productive overall. There is of course the problem of over-relying on computers to manage our lives, to the point that we lose our self-sufficiency, but by and large, computers simply help us to do the things we already do, only better. As computers increasingly become able to perform higher-level tasks at parity with their human counterparts, this will increasingly be the case. Humans will simply have more leisure to become better at doing those things that are difficult for computers – jobs involving creativity and complex social interaction, for example. Also, as computers shrink in size, they will eventually be completely ubiquitous, and integrated into not just our homes and cars, but also our clothes, and even our bodies. Within fifty years, we will surely have artificial intelligences able to either think for themselves, or do such a convincing job imitating our thought processes as to be indistinguishable from the real thing. The implications of this are fairly enormous, but foremost I imagine most people will have at least one companion AI, either built into their home, in humanoid form, or integrated into their personal devices like SIRI, that will be a constant companion. Featured in several science fiction novels that I've read, I believe that the human need for companionship will make this a reality, and that we will integrate artificial intelligences into our families. After all, we assign human traits so easily to animals that it seems hard to believe we would not easily do so with a robotic intelligence, and in doing so, help them to share our values and goals. For this reason I'm very skeptical of movies that depict apocalyptic wars with machines of our own creation. While certainly fun to watch, I don't believe they offer any sort of realistic view of the future.

 So, I hope I blew your mind a little here today. If so, you have a taste of why I keep coming back to both science fiction and science in general – they're just frickin' awesome. There is a lot more that could be said, and certainly any number of alternate predictions that could be made here, but this is merely an extrapolation of the technologies that are either on the drawing board or emerging into the real world today. In my lifetime alone, we have made huge leaps forward, and as new technologies interact, there is no doubt that such leaps will continued to be made, and at an increasing rate. I hope I'm around long enough to see whether or not these predictions come true, but even if I'm wrong, I'm sure the reality will be as mind-boggling as any fiction.  

The Sociology of Inequality

 As I mentioned in my original post, I am a student of Psychology and Sociology. I believe them to be very broadly relevant subjects, as do many universities, clearly, since they are considered mandatory courses for most first-year students. As I look back, I'm glad I chose to study these subjects in depth, even if they are somewhat under-appreciated in the marketplace. This is because I believe they are incredibly useful in building a working understanding of the complex motivations of individuals, the grand social dynamics that shape the world, and the intricate web of cause and effect that links the two together. More and more of us are coming to the realization that we live in a world where everything is connected, and if any of us are to ever have a hope of understanding the world in any real and meaningful way, it is important to have a grasp of just how these intricate connections interact.

 Many of us enjoy playing armchair psychologist for our friends, or bandying about pet social theories over a beer at the pub, and so we think of these topics as intuitive, but the more research is done, the more this proves not to be the case. While some of the key factors that contribute to healthier individuals and societies may be fairly easy to understand, there are also a great many factors that we have, historically, gotten wrong over and over, and continue to do so today. This is why I consider Psychology and Sociology sciences like any other, where it is important to acquire empirical evidence, and use it to refine our knowledge in a systematic way. Sometimes it is hard to maintain the necessary objectivity because of how personal our views of individuality and politics are to us, but it is precisely because these subjects are so relevant to improving our lives that we must struggle to remain objective, and respect what the research tells us, even if it conflicts with a preconceived belief. I don't think it at all hyperbolic to argue that the future of our global society depends on our ability to do this.

 When I was in school, there was a particular theory that resonated with me, because it seemed to explain much about our needs as human beings with fairly elegant simplicity. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs was an attempt by Abraham Maslow to understand the motivations of the individual, however, I believe it can be extrapolated to explain a great deal about the potential benefits of poverty reduction and education, the existence of social classes, why inequality exists at all in society, and why it is ultimately self-defeating for any society that tolerates it. More information is available here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs

 In a nutshell however, Maslow was a believer in the potential of human beings to achieve great things, if only given the opportunity. He postulated that there are sets of needs that we as human beings are driven to meet, beginning with the most physiological such as food, water, air and shelter, and rising to more social and intellectual needs – in order: safety, love, esteem, and ultimately self-actualization. He maintained that while more basic needs remain unfulfilled, we cannot effectively address higher needs, and spend very little time considering them. While it is fashionable in conservative circles to believe the poor lazy when they don't “pull themselves out of poverty”, this simplistic view fails to consider how the poor often do just that when given sufficient opportunity, and the basic resources they need to think about more than living hand-to-mouth. Depriving people of basic necessities in order to create “incentive” has proven to be a cruel and futile effort, tantamount to class warfare.

 For most of us, it is possible to imagine that a young mind with the potential to be another Albert Einstein could very well exist in the slums of an impoverished city, but might never graduate from high school, being constantly preoccupied with the admittedly more pressing question of where his (or her) next meal is coming from. This, I fear, is exactly the scenario being played out in many parts of the world, and when one thinks about this being played out hundreds of millions of times over, one can start to get a true sense of the amount of human potential being lost. The fact that this can happen at all in a society is, to me at least, representative of a failure on the part of that society. After all, at the core of the social contract is an understanding that by working collectively, we can ensure that more of our common needs are met. At this point in history, with our technology and experience, we should in any part of the world be able to guarantee every citizen their most fundamental rights, and to not do this is to admit either incompetence or corruption. Furthermore, by failing to ensure the security of basic needs for citizens, governments are by extension failing to provide even the possibility to pursue other needs. This robs individuals of not only their material needs in the present, but of any real possibility of a meaningful future.

 Compounding this is the fact that poverty and its concomitant problem of poor education are often self-perpetuating across generations, particularly so without state assistance. Poverty simply breeds poverty, and while there are admirable exceptions - people who have beaten the odds and escaped poverty – this does not change the fact that the system, as it is, has essentially stacked the odds against them. In this case, where the system does not serve the majority, it is the system that needs to change, not the people. What makes this difficult is the prejudice against the poor that gradually becomes entrenched in a society. Classes evolve as this sort of state failure becomes systemic, and what may begin as a economic downturn may, over time, turn into what we are seeing in the United States today. While the wealthy once struck a balance with the rest of society, it is now considered morally acceptable to eliminate subsidies for the poor and create further breaks for the super–wealthy, a situation that only fifty years ago would have been considered morally contemptible. What has made it particularly easy in this case is that the media has colluded in convincing the lower classes that they too can “make it” some day as well, thus dulling their sympathies for their average fellow citizens. The reality, however, is that most of this generation will see their economic prospects decline, and the majority have mortgaged their future and their children's future on a long shot, rather than fighting for their rights.

 Time after time, social studies have demonstrated that inequality is toxic to societies, and although I typically let my readers do their own homework in regards to points that I make, this is critically important enough for me to make an exception and share the following:

http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2012/01/24/income-inequality-is-bad-for-society/

 If we are concerned at all about creating more just and prosperous societies as we move into the future, it is imperative that we start to clearly understand these facts, and act upon them in measured and appropriate ways. There are some fundamental fallacies and a few outright lies that underpin our current system, such as the myth of perpetual growth in a closed system, or the myth of trickle-down economics. No system based on a falsehood can survive for very long when tested against reality, and we are already watching as our current economic model creaks and groans, a sputtering testimony to what happens when greed is put before humanity and common sense.  

Mind the Politeness Gap

 Living in Japan, it's highlighted for me every day that there is a large gap between the Western standard for politeness and the Japanese. A gaping chasm, really. Japanese society, having evolved over hundreds of years towards a very structured and hierarchical state of organization, takes politeness and formality very seriously. This is most likely a remnant of the time, not so long ago, when hurt feelings could result in a samurai sword through the midriff. Understandable, but difficult to adapt to sometimes, especially for those of us who tend toward bluntness, and who generally don't like to sugar-coat anything. This typically describes Westerners, but I've known my share of Japanese who find this aspect of their own culture a bit grating. 

 As someone who came from a Catholic school, where the standards were wearing uniforms, attending masses, and a “kill-them-with-kindness” approach, I came to rebel against this, and to detest excessive formality. To me, it rang of a certain...insincerity, and I came to appreciate and admire people who simply spoke their minds. If we're talking role models, think George Carlin, or more recently, Christopher Hitchens. Whether people like them or not, most of us find contrarians simply more interesting, and for good reason. They articulate the things that many of us think, but censor ourselves from saying out of concern for how others might perceive us. In this way, they keep public dialogue from becoming too stilted and one-sided, and because open dialogue is the backbone of any democracy, they are critical to ensuring democracies thrive. Sometimes feelings may be bruised, but this is the price we pay for our freedoms. 

 I should clarify at this point that I am indeed aware that consideration of others is a fundamental building block upon which successful societies are built; I'm not advocating rudeness. However, where I draw the line is in taking this too far, in the vain and even counter-productive hope that you may always avoid hurting anyone's feelings. A very apt term that I've heard describe this is the “disease to please”. While it's generally a good idea to be a decent human being, spending an inordinate amount of time thinking about what others think of you is not only tiring, but ultimately futile, as there is really very little you can do about it. Despite whatever precautions you may take, there will always be someone who insists on taking offence, and so I generally find it best for my own personal sanity to save my energy for more productive pursuits than handling everyone with kid gloves. It's not that I don't care, it's that I care too much about people to humor them when they're wrong. It's this aspect of my personality that often causes me to bite my tongue until it bleeds in Japan. 

 I'm certainly willing to admit that often Western civilization could stand to learn a lot from the Japanese. It can be, at times, a little too blunt, bordering on crudity or thoughtlessness, and this is the other extreme to be avoided. Once, Ghandi was asked what he thought of Western civilization, and he replied “I think it would be a very good idea.” He had a point – sometimes calling the West civilized does seem a bit of a stretch. I believe that there is a happy middle ground to be reached, and perhaps this is why I've worked so hard to help build bridges between our respective cultures. The most important thing, I think, is to get to the truth, and to attempt to honestly answer whatever questions we collectively face. Western countries are (usually) quite good at this, but in the public sphere (especially lately) we would do well to remember that we are all in this together, and this notion is one that the Japanese truly understand. I am a staunch admirer of the mutually supportive nature of every Japanese community, and I believe that Western culture can learn a lot from this example. 

 Politeness and formality do have their place, but they must not prevent important questions from being asked, even if these questions are sometimes uncomfortable. I hope that as the world becomes increasingly inter-connected, as it has continued to become at an ever-increasing pace, we can also learn from one another, and find a middle road that draws from the best of every culture.

An Open Letter to My Students

 Working at Junior High Schools in rural Japan, I have come to grudgingly accept the fact that for now, at least, very little of what I say to you in English classes will get through. Some of you, of course, are like English All-Stars, and shine like bright beacons of hope in, let's be honest, an otherwise English-poor country. The rest of you I see struggle, and I can only hope that you persevere. Your education system is what it is, and although I could fill this letter with suggestions to improve both it and your English comprehension, I will save that tirade for another time. I will say, however, that it is improving, and after recently meeting with the director of the JET Programme at CLAIR, I am convinced that there is a genuine desire to make your English education more effective. My goal in this letter is simply to communicate to you why English is important to your future and the future of your country, because I genuinely do care about both. I also realize that a letter in English may not be the ideal way to communicate, but I'm working on a translation that will hopefully be soon to follow. In the meantime, I can only hope that the message may percolate down to you through your teachers or other English speakers. 

 Foremost, I would like you to be acutely aware that Japan is not only an island nation, but a language island as well. The fact that very few people outside Japan speak Japanese tends to isolate you from the outside world, by making it difficult for Japanese people to function when they travel outside of Japan, and also by making it difficult for outsiders to function when living in Japan. This is an unfortunate characteristic in an age when the world is increasingly more connected and interdependent, and this cultural isolation can do damage to Japan on several levels in the long run.

 One aspect of this isolation is that it effectively prevents the positive aspects of other cultures from reaching Japan, and prevents other cultures from gaining any deep understanding of Japan's culture. I find this particularly sad, as I believe we all have much to learn from each other. In the Meiji era, Japan was considered adept at adopting the best practices used in other countries, and this strategy could be just as effective at revitalizing an ageing Japan today, but language remains a barrier to making this process as smooth as it could be. I also believe that the rest of the world could learn a great deal from Japan about cooperation, community spirit, and determination in the face of adversity. I hope that in the future, a much more English-fluent population will help to facilitate this exchange between Japan and the rest of the world. On a more personal level, speaking an international language will also offer Japanese people the opportunity to make new friends around the world, an experience that I have always valued very highly in my own life.

 Another factor to consider is that the language of international business is English, and Japanese people, facing a slowing economy at home, would see vastly more opportunity both at home and abroad if they speak English more proficiently. The simple truth is, when conducting international business, companies are reluctant to do business in a country where language barriers will be a problem, and they typically desire employees that can converse with other employees and business partners from around the globe. This ability is becoming an increasingly standard requirement in the world today, and I would hate to see Japan or any of my students be left behind because they lack it. Especially in a rural community like Miyakojima, English can be a passport to a larger world and a more comfortable life. Even in a local context, English opens doors into the tourism industry, which is not only lucrative, but by many accounts very rewarding.

 Finally, it has been shown that having more than one language has a way of changing one's thinking, and broadening one's mind. It allows you to think in new ways that may not be as obvious in your native tongue, to see novel solutions to old problems, and to retain a mental flexibility that tends to last into old age. There is also, of course, a sense of pride that comes when understanding begins to dawn; when a language that was previously opaque to you suddenly starts to become clear. I hope, after studying English for years, you will eventually experience this moment, and that you will find it as rewarding as I did when I started to grasp basic Japanese. I hope that you will make the most of our time together, and I promise that I will do whatever I can to not only help you, but to make English as interesting and engaging an experience as possible.