I’m A Survivor

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

These days, I often find myself thinking the unthinkable. Namely, what am I going to do if, well, the world ends. Now, obviously “the world ends” is something of a spectrum ranging from simply becoming a domestic political refugee to something far more severe like living through the aftermath of a DPRK H-bomb attack on DC or NYC.

I keep thinking about food. I keep wondering how I will eat in such a situation. I can’t cook and I can’t hunt. And while I have a downlow survivalist relative who wants to camp out in the middle of the woods armed — he lives in the wrong place. AND, he kind of misses the point — the state is going to be involved in any collapse of the US and, as such, I need to head to a safe Blue state should the worst happen.

In general, if the worst happens, I’m going to grab a few essentials and head north. First to Richmond than maybe see if I can get to NYC. Now, obviously, I’m working on the assumption that I won’t be alone leaving. I probably won’t even be able to leave until some sort of infrastructure exists that will allow me to live until I find succor somewhere safe.

But I do think a lot about this. I just don’t know how things are going to work out going forward.

We Live In Surreal Times

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

Everything is so dumb. And one of the dumbest things to happen in a long time — and that’s saying something — is how MAGA is absolutely determined to attack Taylor Swift, to make her the focus of the culture wars.

Insane. Totally, completely insane.

All I can think of is that maybe that think that because of what she looks like — and her background in country — that she’s something of a “traitor” to the MAGA cause. So much so, that they totally ignore how popular she is and how the base of her support is liberal white women, not a group known to be swayed by the ranting of malignant ding-dong Trump.


I fear this is yet another example of how the greatest nation the world has ever seen could very well collapse into chaos because of…vibes. It could be that just because we don’t like each other that the US will implode into revolution and civil war a lot sooner than you might think.

I continue to worry about what might happen as part of the 2024 presidential silly season. It will be interesting to see what happens when we meet a Moment of Truth when Federal elected officials have to decide if they’re going to jump ship to some rebel forces.

Anyway. At the moment, that’s kind of bonkers to even speculate. But the point remains — leave Tay-Tay alone.

I Need To Work Seriously On An Additional Novel

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

I keep expecting to see a headline about some movie or novel that steals a creative march on my novel. And, yet, this novel is so personal and specific that while that is very possible….it’s not probable?

Add to how old I feel and how I know no matter how much success I might be able to get because of this novel — I’m still old and will never be “young in NYC.” It’s enough to give one pause for thought.

But I can’t think like that.

I have to have hope. I have to think about if I do manage to garner any success because of this novel that I will still be alive and be able to have some sort of kooky fun — even if any attempt at such fun with a smoking hot 24-year-old will be looked down upon as….creepy.

All of that is just a daydream at this point. I still haven’t finished the novel. I need to buckle down and get this baby done — and also start to develop some sort of back up plan in case the worst happens. I have three solid scifi novels that I want to work on.

It’s just a matter of pulling my self away from the main task at hand every once in a while to the point that I can do that.

It’s a lot of work.

The Release Of The Apple Vision Pro as The Long-Awaited ‘Vibe Shift’

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

We may finally lurch into a new era if people feel comfortable wearing the Apple Vision Pro in public. The moment that happens, then the usual dynamics of capitalism will kick in and, before you know it, the headsets will start to be leaner and sleeker to the point that there will be a Before and an After.

But that’s all very speculative at the moment.

A lot could go wrong. It could be that a Second American Civil War / WW3 might break out. It could be that the Apple Vision Pro is all hype and, in the end, no one will want one and, as such, we will punt the dream of a vibe shift down the road another few years.

But the combination of VR / AR, robotics and AI all coming to a head at the same time is definitely the makings of a vibe shift in the near, near future. No one, especially me, can predict the future, so, lulz.

Who knows.

Another Fork Of My Novel

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

Things are going really well with this alpha release of the third draft of my first novel but for one thing — I’ve so forked the beginning of the novel that it’s forcing my hand when it comes to re-writing things.

My novel is meant to be an old brown shoe for readers of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

My hope was that I could just EDIT what I’ve already written of the new first act. But today it’s clear that while I’ve significantly improved the novel by re-writing the very beginning — simply editing what I’ve already written just isn’t going to cut it.

I’m going to have to do an extensive rewrite, as well.

I think I can handle this. It’s just re-writing rather than editing is going to slow me down a great deal. But it’s worth it because the end product is going to be so much better. I’m really beginning to get to the point where the novel is sufficiently professional that I could be within shouting distance of sticking the landing when it comes to querying later this year.

That is, of course, unless a Second American Civil War / WW3 breaks out between now and then. But I can’t think like that. I have to believe. And I feel as though if I just keep my eyes on the prize — and maybe don’t get drunk so much — that I can actually wrap this novel up around late April like I have been planning to for some time now.

Better Living Through Technology

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

It definitely seems as though we’re in for a significant “vibe shift” caused by technology in the very, very near future. This fact has gotten me thinking about how there might be some unintended political consequences to something akin to a Petite Singularity.

I came to this realization walking around Wal-Mart today. Imagine if instead of struggling to find a human to tell me what I needed to know, the place was crawling with one of those androids that Elon Musk is working on. Put Grok or ChatGTP in them and download the entire floorplans and the stock of the store and they could replace the humans that work at the store.

This might happen at an affordable level by 2030 — if we don’t blow the world up first.

But imagine if there was a sudden tipping point on the android / AI front and a lot of DDD jobs that undocumented people usually fill were done by androids. That might turn off the tap of people coming across the border simply because androids would be doing the jobs they would otherwise be paid to do.

Everything is so dumb

Also, isn’t it at least POSSIBLE that that, unto itself, might unfuck up our politics when it comes to MAGA and abortion? And if Incels can fuck a sex bot instead being idiots thinking women have a responsibility to fuck t hem, then…maybe a lot of the culture war fueled by feminism and a low birth rate….might just vanish?

So, there might be some upside to the rise of coming AI android overlords. Of course, this solution will, in turn cause the rise of an AI / android rights movement that I’m sure MAGA will love to oppose.

And remember, we still have the possibility of absolute chaos at home and abroad starting from right about now until sometime in 2025. It could be that just like how WW2 paused the development of TV that the coming Second American Civil War / WW3 will do the same thing with the Petite Singularity.

It could be that after about 1 billion people die across the globe — specifically and directly because of the actions of MAGA and Trump — and all that is sorted out that it won’t be until about 2030 that all the cool technological goodies that we’re being promised today will actually be rolled out.

At Least House Republicans Are Being Honest With The Mayorkas Impeachment

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

Impeachment, by definition, is a political process. That’s why President Andrew Johnson was impeached by Radical Republicans without there even being any articles — they filled them in later, after the vote.

So, I find the looming impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas rather honest and refreshing — it’s being done by House Republicans for no reason but spite. They don’t even pretend that it has anything to do with “high crimes” — they just want to “send a message” to the Biden Adminstration.

And so, I wish they would do the same thing with Biden himself. Spare me the Hunter Biden bullshit. The only thing President Biden is guilty of on that front is of loving his wastrel son too much.

House Republicans should impeach Biden because of the “crisis at the border” and be done with it, rather than some sort of sham influence peddling charge.

But Republicans can only function in bad faith, so, lulz.

Screw NeuralLink, Give Me A Mindcap

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

I joking — not joking — still think that it’s at least POSSIBLE that some sort of digital teleplay technology is floating out there in the depths of Big Tech. Which, of course, opens up the possibility of some sort of technology that would do the same shit that Elon Musk wants his NeuralLink to do without drilling into anyone’s brain.

In Arthur C. Clarke’s novel “3001” everyone wears a mindreading device called a Mindcap. I would much, much rather wear a Mindcap than drill a hole in my head for something like a NeuralLink.

And, yet, it seems as though if any form of digital telepathy actually exists, it’s super top secret and never something that would be commercialized for the average person.

Which I think is a shame.

Civil War & WW3, Oh My!

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

The stand off between the Feds and Texas and the stand off between the US and Iran share one thing in common: they both risk uncontrollable escalation that might lead to some pretty insane things happening.

With the Fed – Texas situation, this is exactly the type of situation that members of the American Far Right have longed for for decades. It doesn’t help, of course, that the Russians are using social media to egg the situation on. One false move or misjudgment by either side and there could be, at least, a severe insurrection, and potentially a secession crisis.

Meanwhile, WW3 could break out if ANOTHER regional war broke out, this time in the Middle East. And such additional destabilizing event on the globe might push the DPRK over the edge and the next thing you know, the nukes are whizzing around.

As I’ve written before, one way to re-elect Joe Biden would be a Black Swan event like WW3 or a Secession Crisis. Hopefully, of course, none of this is going to happen and we can fight Trump politically on the merits.

Even though, of course, if he loses, he might start a civil war by demanding a National Divorce so he doesn’t go to prison.

The Petite Singularity Is Near

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

I’m beginning to believe that a lot of our social problems are being caused by the looming arrival not of a Hard Singularity where we’re uploading or minds into a big database, but a much softer Petite Singularity.

If you combine social media, AI, VR / AR, streaming, biotech and robotics, you definitely have the makings of a transformation in human civilization to the point that the average person can’t catch up. What is the whole “trans” movement, but just the fact that changing genders has becoming affordable to the masses on a medical basis?

It definitely seems as though it won’t be too long before the “transhuman” movement goes mainstream, too. And AI / robot rights. Which, of course, makes one wonder if the next phase of MAGA will be some sort of neo-Luddism.

That is a very big question at the moment going forward.

Anyway. All of this could be moot if The Fourth Turning happens and Western Civilization collapses.

Good times!