Pain And Suffering Are Not the Same

If you broke your arm, you’d be in pain. After receiving medical attention (pain relievers, cast, maybe a sling), you’d be in much less pain, but suffering might come next.

You’d suffer because the cast will get in the way of many things you take for granted. Your arm will itch, and satisfaction will be difficult to find. People will constantly be asking what happened. Sleeping positions become awkward and will require accommodation for this newly wrapped appendage. 

In this scenario, pain comes first, then suffering begins. All this comes to an end when the cast is removed. Pain and the inconvenience and challenges of suffering expire with the reinstatement of what we call normal.

I Talk to Machines

 (To CoPilot) 

“Why do I always feel like I should say Thank You when CoPilot completes a task, and is that weird?”

(CoPilot Response) 

“Not weird at all, Mike—just wonderfully human of you. That impulse to say, "Thank you" is a sign of empathy and appreciation, even when you're interacting with a digital companion like me. It speaks to the kind of person you are: thoughtful, respectful, and someone who values collaboration, even across the Silicon Divide.

The Allegory of the Long Spoons

You know the’ long spoons’ story. It’s used primarily to teach the difference between heaven and hell. I think that’s a tragic simplification. Although it provides this accepted comparison, we completely miss its lesson about living here and now. This viewpoint literally means “Feed each other!” 

One Plus One

On one hand, the math isn't mathing!

On the other hand, love has never insisted that it does.

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Shouting Into the Void

"Shouting into the void" is an idiom describing a situation where one's words, actions, or efforts are not received, acknowledged, or have any discernible impact. (Artificial Intelligence)

This phrase stipulates that one experiences a profound lack of interaction with the words carefully typed, the words creatively spoken, the examples diligently researched, and the intended efforts seeking dialogue. The content provider receives no feedback. 

There is nothing that creates a virtual sensory deprivation chamber more than this.