A Picnic in True Freedom

Hyperreality, Pseudo-events and the Future of Awareness - Part Two

2011-09-09T11:22:00.000+09:30

If you are new to this blog, or have not been here for a while, I suggest reading part one of this series before going further. Today I will be exploring the idea of reality being a real-time event.

You may have noticed that I have not been blogging much recently. Nor have I updated Considerate Awareness Magazine's website since earlier this year. I have not even visited my Twitter feed for some time.

My interest in reality is quite useful in daily life. I find it far more useful than fantasy, although you may wish to disagree with that. Is most information (and misinformation) you receive on a daily basis more useful in relation to your fantasies rather than your sense of reality?

I am sure that if you are interested in the same topics as me, you will be wondering how real or hyperreal your perceptions of the world have become. If you consider yourself to be more of a fantasist than a philosopher, or other people regard you as the former rather than the latter, or you have no idea of what I am on about here, then do let Wikipedia's article about hyperreality give you a little more detail. I cannot guarantee, however, that the article or this blog post will clarify your thoughts in any way.

Perhaps it has come to your attention, if you have ever visited the home page of Considerate Awareness Magazine, that I say that I will respond to queries within two and twelve weeks. Some people, including yourself, may be surprised at such slowness in today's world. "Why not make it between two and twelve hours?" you might be saying. If you are a hyperactive hyperrealist, you may think it strange I do not respond within twelve minutes, or even within twelve seconds.

What should be the pace of life, and the pace of response, within any setting, especially a media setting? What difference will it make if I, or you, choose not to respond to something at all? Would the receipt of a response be an event in itself or a pseudo-event? What is an real event?

Perhaps it will be another year or more before I write part three of this series. In the meantime, the real world beckons.

Good Societies

2011-02-21T10:03:00.000+10:30

Do good societies seek critical, compassionate and creative ideas - simultaneously?

Creative Analysis and Insights

2011-01-03T21:30:00.002+10:30

Do you seek creative analysis and insights of universal worth? If so, where do you usually find them?

Humanity Media Awards 2010

2010-12-24T18:12:00.001+10:30

Winners of the 2010 Humanity Media Awards for Considerate Democracy - sponsored by camaggi.com - have just been announced.

Discover more at Considerate Awareness Magazine.

A Considerate Democracy Blog

2010-12-18T17:42:00.001+10:30

Would you like to visit a blog that is purely devoted to the topic of considerate democracy?

I've started one today!

Considerate Democracy

Take a look. I hope you'll find it interesting.

Policies and Elections

2010-12-07T12:36:00.000+10:30

How do you decide which policies matter most when choosing candidates in elections?

Elections and Awareness

2010-11-18T21:30:00.000+10:30

What has been the most significant example of considerate awareness you have witnessed or experienced in an election campaign?

The Best Possible Future

2010-09-26T16:33:00.000+09:30

What do you consider to be the best possible future for humanity? And how are you helping it to happen?

The Business of Politics

2010-09-26T16:31:00.000+09:30

Is democracy compatible with a business model?

Interesting Ideas

2010-09-26T16:26:00.000+09:30

How should politicians define an interesting point of view?

Choosing Governments

2010-09-26T16:21:00.000+09:30

How do you decide which policies matter most when choosing governments in elections?

Views and Hues

2010-08-27T18:35:00.001+09:30

One of my interests is the way colour impacts on reasoning. Do you sometimes judge ideas through the hues of paper, ink, paint, pens and screens?

Poetry

2010-08-24T12:18:00.000+09:30

If some of the greatest philosophy can be found in poetry, what is the wisdom you have found there?

Psychology

2010-08-13T13:25:00.000+09:30

There are many people nowadays who seek understanding, of themselves and others, through the study of psychology rather than philosophy. What can psychology teach that philosophy cannot, and vice versa?

Finding Understanding

2010-08-05T22:30:00.000+09:30

Where have you found understanding on your philosophical travels?

Thinking and Writing

2010-08-05T22:28:00.002+09:30

Do you believe that thinking and writing require time rather than money?

Humanity Media Awards

2010-08-05T22:26:00.002+09:30

Who would you nominate for a Humanity Media Award for Considerate Democracy?

Considerate Democracy

2010-08-05T22:24:00.000+09:30

Do you have any thoughts on the topic of considerate democracy? If so, please leave a comment.

For example, do you believe there is a relationship between considerate democracy and having a true sense of humanity?

What do you think it means to be considerately aware, and considerately democratic?

Democratic Possibilities

2010-08-05T22:20:00.000+09:30

Where is the best research on the democratic possibilities of social media?

A Global Phenomenon

2010-08-03T16:53:00.001+09:30

Is considerate awareness a global phenomenon?

Writing and Publication

2010-08-03T16:52:00.002+09:30

Is writing a pastime and publication a privilege?

The Future of Books

2010-08-03T16:51:00.002+09:30

You are invited to respond to my ponderings on the future of books. Have you explored the section of Considerate Awareness Magazine on this subject?

Wise Voters

2010-08-03T16:50:00.000+09:30

What is the wisest way for a voter to behave during an election campaign?

A Successful Society

2010-08-03T16:48:00.003+09:30

What are the legislative, judicial and interpersonal features of a considerate, successful society?

Hyperreality, Pseudo-events and the Future of Awareness - Part One

2010-07-27T15:27:00.021+09:30

Does authenticity have an important purpose? Does reality have any meaning? These are questions I have been exploring in relation to social media.

Some of my recent blog posts have mentioned my Twitter experiments. One of these experiments involves the categorization of "followers". Before I began, I did not know who any of the followers might be or how I would categorize them.

Here is a link to my earlier post called New Media and Social Media

I began my main Twitter account, @camaggicom, by following a few Twitter accounts of journalists. Then I followed some of the Twitter accounts they follow, and who follow them. This was done in a mostly random way.

Journalists were chosen because I wanted to ensure that at least a few of the Twitter accounts I followed were of people who had an interest in public policy issues, whether in Australia or elsewhere. Gathering useful information about public policy has been a side benefit of the experiments.

My main interest, however, has been to see who might follow my main Twitter account, and to attempt to assess why they might do so.

Interestingly, some of the first "followers" of the account were comedians. I do not know what this might say about considerate awareness!

The name of my first Twitter list was therefore "amusing". The second list I began was called "uncertainty", mainly because I was uncertain why some followers had chosen to follow my account. Those particular early followers appeared mainly to be promoting a commercial product or service of little relevance to me.

I soon changed the name of the "amusing" list to "absurdity". This was because the comic followers were mainly interested in political satire and I felt "absurdity" to be a more appropriate word to describe their reflections on political life than the word "amusing".

The next problem I faced was one related to the difference between knowledge and opinion.

I observed that even by mainly putting philosophical questions into my Twitter feed, it was very difficult to keep my own opinions separate (and private) from the knowledge I wished to gain.

My hope was that I could also develop a list of especially knowledgeable people from amongst the "followers". There were a few I categorized as this quite early and placed them in an "experience" list.

Several politicians and journalists also became "followers" and I placed them mainly in a "politics" list, rather in the "experience" list. I will allow you to form your own conclusions about my decision.

I also began a "philosophy" list, hoping that people with philosophical insights and interests might follow my Twitter account and perhaps also contribute to this blog.

My final list was called "society", where I placed all the followers who did not quite fit appropriately into the categories of any of the other lists. I then decided that I had enough lists, and perhaps even too many.

You may be wondering what most of this has to do with the title of this blog post, or with the questions I posed at its beginning. One reason for the title and questions is that I am interested in perceptions.

Perhaps, for example, people would be concerned or annoyed about the Twitter listing I gave them or their organisation, but I have not yet received any indication of that. Observing and documenting other people's perceptions of social media will be topics for later blog posts.

After two or three weeks of using Twitter, I decided that the "knowledge" list and the "absurdity" list needed to be removed. One reason for this was that some of the other lists were growing quite large and those two were still very small.

A list called "diversity" was needed, I thought, to separate some of the people from the "society" list into a separate category, and to add a few from the "uncertainty" list to the "diversity" list. My reasoning for this will become clearer in future blog posts.

Following the "followers" I was not already "following" had also been part of the initial plan, at least for most of those who did not fit into the "uncertainty" category of my listings. I hope you are following this blog post quite well and are not confused.

If you follow my main Twitter account, and you do not seem to be mainly interested in trying to sell me something, then I will probably follow your account in return.

After making the lists mentioned above, I felt it was time to be more selective in the people I had been "following", as my previous post on the topic has mentioned.

Over the past two weeks I have reduced the number of Twitter accounts I have been following, including some of those who have followed my account, mainly because journalists and others interested in the news appear mainly to say similar things and frequently repeat what I have already heard elsewhere. I do not want my Twitter account to be boring, either to myself or anyone else.

The experiments are continuing and I look forward to your comments about them.

The Right to Know

2010-07-26T21:02:00.000+09:30

Many thoughtful people search online in the hope of finding knowledge. One of the main topics of philosophy concerns the meaning of knowing, in other words the philosophy or theory of knowledge. It is also called epistemology.

Another area of philosophy is moral philosophy, otherwise known as ethics.

My question today links these two philosophical topics: What do you believe it means to have a right to know?

Resources for Thinking Well

2010-07-25T20:50:00.002+09:30

My observations of social media appear to indicate that opinions often take precedence over wisdom. Considerate Awareness Magazine and A Picnic in True Freedom are intended for people with more interest in wisdom than opinion.

Where do you find wisdom online?

The Art of a Good Mind

2010-07-22T15:43:00.003+09:30

You may be aware that there is currently a federal election campaign happening in Australia. I would be interested to know about examples of considerate awareness that you have discovered in election promises of various candidates, wherever you are in the world, in any election.

Perhaps it has been your observation that journalists, politicians and would-be politicians appear to be mainly excited by power and influence than good policy. You may even believe that considerate democracy does not need politicians at all.

During an election campaign, what do you think it means to think well?

Universal Worth

2010-07-18T12:09:00.001+09:30

Do you believe there to be anything of universal worth?

Geographical Considerations

2010-07-18T12:03:00.000+09:30

Is it the case that people often assess the worth of an idea based on the geographical location of its originator?

Importance

2010-07-18T11:56:00.005+09:30

Is it usually more important to have questions than answers?

Descriptions

2010-07-18T11:51:00.003+09:30

I am interested in why people think and act as they do, and why they use particular verbs and adjectives to describe events and experiences. This especially applies when considering the way journalists and politicians communicate with the public, and with each other.

Perhaps my observations could apply especially to social media, for example Twitter. I am not yet sure if everyone is an editor - especially their own editor - online, or whether the editorial process has been bypassed completely.

How do you determine when a description is factual and when it is a matter of opinion?

(You may also observe that today I have again made my blog postings into a Twitter-like presentation.)

Honesty

2010-07-18T11:42:00.002+09:30

Is honesty more about truth than trust, or vice versa?

News and Peace

2010-07-18T11:26:00.000+09:30

Which is more important: The future of news or the future of peace?

Being Considerate

2010-07-18T11:21:00.000+09:30

Under what circumstances may it be possible to be both considerate and wasteful?

Reflection

2010-07-18T11:19:00.002+09:30

Why is it important to recognise that reflection is not a competitive pursuit?

A Successful Society

2010-07-18T11:18:00.002+09:30

Can a successful society be accurately define and measured?

Past and Future

2010-07-18T11:15:00.002+09:30

Do most contemporary philosophers discuss the past rather than the future?

New Media and Social Media

2010-07-13T14:21:00.005+09:30

Over the past couple of months, I have been researching the topics of new media and social media. An experiment has taken place on this blog, too. Have you noticed it?

If you have found the frequency of questions here more than usually overwhelming on a few days, then that may be because I have experimented with a similar format to a Twitter feed. Please be assured, though, that the original frequency of questions will soon be resumed!

You are, however, still welcome to comment on any of the blog posts here. I would also suggest making a comparison between the Wikipedia article on new media and the one on social media. I'd be interested to know about your observations.

Wikipedia - New media

Wikipedia - Social media

My experiments have also been conducted on Twitter itself. Initially, I planned to develop a Twitter feed by following 1000 Twitter users. Those chosen mostly have an interest in media, politics, philosophy and/or psychology. By the time I reached 900, I realised that I cannot possibly follow that many in a useful or informed way.

What have been your most worthwhile experiences of new media and social media?

Courage

2010-07-07T12:56:00.002+09:30

I hope you have the courage to explore and reflect upon this blog in an informed way. Perhaps you may discover more about your inner and outer worlds in the process.

Self-awareness

2010-07-07T12:53:00.000+09:30

How philosophical, ideological, dogmatic, erratic, wise or otherwise, are your ideas?

Certainty

2010-07-07T12:31:00.001+09:30

Is understanding beyond the limits of certainty?

Philosophical adventures

2010-07-07T12:30:00.002+09:30

What has been your most interesting philosophical adventure?

Uncertainty

2010-07-07T12:29:00.002+09:30

How do you relate to uncertainty?

Absurdity

2010-07-07T12:28:00.002+09:30

How do you relate to absurdity?

Dignity

2010-07-07T12:27:00.002+09:30

Should dignity ever have a price?

Good Policy

2010-07-07T12:27:00.000+09:30

Does good policy require good questions?

Ideas of Quality

2010-07-07T12:25:00.002+09:30

Are most good thoughts deep ones too?

Influence and Insight

2010-07-07T12:23:00.000+09:30

Is it more important to be influential or insightful?

Interesting

2010-07-07T12:22:00.000+09:30

I like to publish interesting responses to my blog posts. How would you define an interesting point of view?

Instinct

2010-07-07T12:19:00.000+09:30

How do you know something instinctively? Is it really just a culturally conditioned response?

Good Thinking

2010-07-06T11:04:00.003+09:30

Is good thinking more about philosophy, psychology or health?

Good Questions

2010-07-06T11:01:00.002+09:30

How do you tell when a question is good?

Open Minds

2010-07-06T11:00:00.000+09:30

How do you recognise an open mind?

Friendships

2010-07-06T10:58:00.000+09:30

Do true friends often discuss philosophical issues?

Meaning

2010-07-06T10:54:00.002+09:30

What does philosophy mean to you?

Thinking Well

2010-07-06T10:53:00.002+09:30

What does it mean to think well?

About Philosophy

2010-07-02T21:12:00.003+09:30

Why is philosophy important?

Important Questions

2010-07-02T21:12:00.000+09:30

What are the most important philosophical questions and who should answer them?

Useful Answers

2010-07-02T21:11:00.000+09:30

Who are the philosophers (if any) who have provided the most useful answers to your questions?

Philosophical Questions

2010-07-02T21:08:00.003+09:30

Which philosophical questions do you find the most challenging, and why?

Another Level

2010-06-29T11:20:00.001+09:30

If you know why the title of this blog is now A Picnic in True Freedom, why not take your philosophical adventures to another level?

You might enjoy exploring my four other blogs. None of those is linked to this one, however, and each requires a password. You will find that each of the more exclusive blogs has been designed specifically for particular types of clients of my independent training and consultancy services.

You can find out more about my work by visiting the website of Considerate Awareness Magazine.

The magazine offers a wide range of invitations and opportunities, for all sorts of thoughtful people, not just those who use my services. Do you know what sort of person you might be?

Adventures for Philosophical Travellers

2010-06-29T10:57:00.005+09:30

Adventures always involve risk. Philosophical adventures mainly involve the risk that our perceptions of certainty may disappear.

I'm very interested in your answers to a few of the challenging questions I have encountered as a philosophical traveller. You are therefore cordially invited to express your thoughts about any, or all, of my blog posts.

Even if you believe that you just have a very ordinary point of view, please leave a few comments. Someone on a philosophical journey may find your views of interest, and perhaps even useful.

Until today, this blog was entitled Adventures for Philosophical Travellers. The subtitle was "Mapping the territory of a peaceful, prosperous world through considerate awareness". If you have visited this blog before, you may have noticed quite a few changes here recently.

I hope you will enjoy your own ongoing philosophical adventures, too. What does being a philosophical traveller mean to you?

Online Social Networking

2010-06-27T08:03:00.002+09:30

I have avoided using online social networking until now because I already have a very busy life. However, over the past month I have set up two twitter accounts.

The main one is http://twitter.com/camaggicom. It is for anyone who has an interest in considerate awareness and considerate democracy.

The other one is http://twitter.com/camaggibooks. It is for anyone who is interested in my book publishing activities.

Time to Think

2010-06-27T07:52:00.001+09:30

I wonder if I have offered enough questions here to keep your mind occupied for a while.

My hope is that my questions will encourage you, and many other people around the world, to take the time to think about the situation of humanity, as it is now and how it might be in the future. The moral task, though, is to act as well as think. The ethical task is to work out how to do so.

My actions include writing this blog and inviting your comments. Do you think my next question should be: What happens next?

A Democratic Society

2010-06-27T07:48:00.001+09:30

How should ideas be explored and communicated in a democratic society?

Important Ideas

2010-06-27T07:47:00.002+09:30

What are the important ideas that are usually ignored?

Journalism

2010-06-25T11:18:00.002+09:30

Do most journalists experience representative democracy as a spectator sport?

Knowledge and Opinion

2010-06-25T11:17:00.003+09:30

Are opinions more about emotions than knowledge?

A Few Moments

2010-06-22T13:50:00.002+09:30

Do you think it is worthwhile to pause for a few moments, to reflect on your own philosophical ideas, as you answer the questions posed in this blog?

Aspects of Existence

2010-06-22T13:12:00.002+09:30

Do you have a genuine, heartfelt appreciation of a few aspects of existence? How do you know if your answer is true?

Expressing yourself

2010-06-22T13:10:00.001+09:30

Do you express yourself in sensitively critical, compassionate and creative ways, perhaps even simultaneously?

The Language of Democracy

2010-06-10T15:57:00.003+09:30

What is the language of democracy?

How do you express it?

What is the relationship between language and the development of policies?

Ecology

2010-06-09T10:02:00.002+09:30

How do you apply a considerate understanding of ecology in your daily life?

International Essay Competition

2010-06-08T15:37:00.003+09:30

Could you write an insightful, concise essay about considerate democracy?

If so, you might like to participate in the annual writing competition I sponsor.

All essays should include a definition of considerate democracy but there are very few other requirements.

Only 500 to 3000 words are required.

The closing date is 1 May each year.

The competition is open to all ages, education levels and nationalities.

Each entry must be typed and submitted in standard English.

Winners in one year have the chance to be judges in the following year.

Visit the website to discover more about the competition, and about prizes.

Nature or Culture

2010-06-08T15:33:00.002+09:30

Is natural beauty or cultural beauty most ephemeral?

Resources for Improving the World

2010-06-06T13:08:00.004+09:30

Perhaps the world can be improved with the use of the right resources.

What is a resource?

Why is this blog so focussed on asking you about the definitions you use?

Do definitions have value?

Are definitions a resource?

What is the relationship between resources and politics?

What is the relationship between resources and political corruption?

Can any resources improve the world?

How is improvement defined and measured?

Communication, information and education are actions and resources.

How should we turn thoughts into actions, and actions into resources? Which of your resources, and mine, might improve the world?

Popular Government

2010-06-05T11:47:00.002+09:30

In 1904, Leonard T Hobhouse wrote in Democracy and Reaction:

Is it that the Democratic State, the special creation of the modern world, and the pivot of the humanitarian movement, has itself become an obstruction to progress? Does popular government, with the influence which it gives to the Press and the platform, necessarily entail a blunting of moral responsibility, a cheapening and vulgarisation of national ideals, an extended scope for canting rhetoric and poor sophistry as a cover for the realities of the brutal rule of wealth?

How relevant are the above questions today?

Democracy Without Ideology

2010-06-04T17:14:00.003+09:30

Do you believe it is possible to have democracy without ideology?

What is democracy?

What is ideology?

Why is it important to ask such questions?

Who should attempt to answer them?

The Global Conversation

2010-06-02T13:56:00.001+09:30

Since beginning this blog, I have been attempting to ask and answer questions of relevance to the global conversation about considerate democracy and the meaning of humanity.

I have been a regular participant in the conversation since early 2003. If you have not yet had the chance, you are most welcome to participate in the conversation, too. It's easy!

You may like to use the comment spots in this blog to express your points of view.

Perhaps start with this question: What does it mean to have a true sense of humanity?

Literacy and Understanding

2010-05-30T16:17:00.003+09:30

Those of us who have the ability to read are at a tremendous advantage over those who struggle to understand written words.

Whatever language we speak, as long as we can access written information in that language, we gain benefits.

Imagine you were looking at this screen and nothing here made any sense to you. (Perhaps you think that nothing in this blog makes sense, anyway!)

The questions I ask might be a challenge, but at least you have the opportunity to explore many great ideas that have been written down during several centuries.

You can probably follow written instructions, especially if they are in clear, simple language. You may even have the ability to compare different points of view from many different generations and cultures, just by reading words. Perhaps a few of those ideas have been translated from other languages.

Can you imagine what it is like to be unable to read? How might your understanding of the world be reduced if you had no direct access to written words?

How do you celebrate your ability to read and write? How might you provide assistance to those (especially adults) who do not have that ability?

Why is literacy important?

Fact or Fiction

2010-05-30T16:15:00.003+09:30

Is philosophy fact or fiction, or does it sit somewhere in between?

What Is Philosophy?

2010-05-29T11:07:00.000+09:30

How do you distinguish between philosophy, science, ideology, religion, politics and spirituality?

Why is it important to make those distinctions?

True Freedom

2010-05-27T17:03:00.001+09:30

What is true freedom and how does it relate to considerate democracy?

Is true freedom about travelling at the speed of life?

Is it about having the right to travel at the speed of life?

Do you find these questions difficult or easy to answer?

Boundaries

2010-05-27T16:58:00.002+09:30

What are your boundaries? What do you do when they are crossed?

Inner Beauty and Reality

2010-05-26T17:00:00.003+09:30

What is inner beauty? Is it real?

Has it something to do with a depth of awareness and respect for the minds of others?

Investing Your Time

2010-05-10T15:02:00.000+09:30

How do you decide whether or not you are making a good investment of your time?

The Value of Your Time

2010-05-10T15:00:00.001+09:30

If you are contributing to considerate awareness on your own philosophical journey through life, how might this blog assist your reflections and activities?

Important

2010-05-01T11:04:00.002+09:30

What are the most important problems to solve in the world?

Social Networks and Philosophy

2010-03-15T12:56:00.000+10:30

Do you ask philosophical questions within your social networks? If so, you may like to include some of the questions asked in this blog.

Please feel free to tell me about the responses you receive.

History

2010-03-09T14:25:00.002+10:30

Is history the most useful source of understanding?

Online Upgrades

2010-03-03T11:59:00.002+10:30

If you have tried to read Considerate Awareness Magazine online recently, you may have experienced a few difficulties as its digital systems are currently being upgraded.

You may also have experienced a few problems sending me emails.

A new and improved service is on its way...

Coping With Challenges

2010-02-07T14:36:00.000+10:30

In today's world, we can often feel overloaded with information, and problems, and things to do. Our minds can feel cluttered and confused, bombarded with sensory stimuli and fraught with the stresses of a challenging schedule.

I attempt to cope by finding a quiet and restful space, in both the outer world and inner one.

How do you cope?

The Landscape of Peace

2010-02-02T13:30:00.000+10:30

What shape is the landscape of peace? This question is important to answer because we cannot draw the map of the territory without recognising and understanding the landscape and its features.

Preventing Cruelty

2010-01-30T16:47:00.001+10:30

The primary goal of a good society (including a good government) is to prevent cruelty.

Is the above statement true?

A Place for Books

2010-01-13T16:45:00.000+10:30

One of the most challenging tasks for a book publisher is to distribute the product. It is often expensive to move paper from one place to another, whether printed or not. It is also expensive to promote books and encourage librarians, booksellers, gift givers and potential readers to buy copies. There is probably nothing new about this.

But what sorts of physical books do we still need in this digital age?

Purpose

2010-01-09T18:13:00.001+10:30

A wise person goes on journeys to gain understanding.

What do you hope to understand better while on a journey?

The Ethics of Consideration

2010-01-07T13:06:00.008+10:30

You can participate in my work just by leaving comments here. You may like to answer the questions I pose, give an opinion, suggest further possibilities for research, offer some mentoring, give examples, or communicate about anything else that is appropriately considerate.

You may like to think about these questions:

How well do you understand your own mind?

How do you reflect on why you think and act as you do?

Why is it important to answer these questions?

You may find these questions difficult to answer. Perhaps you feel that your answers are too private and personal to share here.

I hope, though, that you may have some ideas on how I, as a very private person myself, may improve access to knowledge about a culture of consideration, and especially about considerate democracy.

From Philosophy to Spirituality

2010-01-06T17:00:00.003+10:30

How do you know when your philosophical travels reach a spiritual ascent?

Developing Awareness

2010-01-05T16:50:00.003+10:30

How might your mind become more aware of its own development through time?