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DWorld

dworld

So, this is absolutely just another example of me playing around too much, but I had to share. As I mentioned in my yesterday, Google's AI Studio now supports uploading files and working with them in your prompt. post Today, I decided to give the Chat interface a try as I hadn't yet played with it. On a whim, I googled "dungeons and dragons rules PDF" and... well, you won't believe what happened next. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.) First off, the most important thing to note if you want to test with PDFs, ensure that they are OCRed. Right now, AI Studio does not handle that well, but it should be corrected in the future. My Google search turned up the PDF here: , and I confirmed it was properly OCRed with a very scientific test by trying to select a few words. https://media.wizards.com/2018/dnd/downloads/DnD_BasicRules_2018.pdf Note that it's from 2018 and probably a bit out of date, but I figured it was good enough. I uploaded the PDF to Gemini and ensured I was using Gemini 1.5. This is important as the size of the PDF (180 pages) means a rather large token size. The UI reports this nicely: For my first test, I simply asked, "What are the attributes of a player character?" Here's what I got: In Dungeons & Dragons, player characters (PCs) are defined by several key attributes: Race: This determines your character's physical characteristics, ancestry, and innate abilities. Examples include humans, elves, dwarves, halflings, dragonborns, tieflings, etc. Each race has unique traits that affect gameplay. Class: This represents your character's chosen profession and determines their skills, abilities, and progression path. Examples include fighter, wizard, rogue, cleric, bard, etc. Each class has unique features and abilities that define their role in the party. Ability Scores: These six scores represent your character's core physical and mental capabilities: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. They influence almost every action your character takes, from attacking and defending to interacting with the world and casting spells. Skills: These represent specific areas of expertise your character has developed through training or experience. Examples include Athletics, Acrobatics, Stealth, Perception, Persuasion, Arcana, etc. Skills are tied to ability scores and determine your character's success in various tasks. Background: This details your character's history and past experiences before becoming an adventurer. Examples include soldier, criminal, noble, sage, etc. Backgrounds provide additional skills, proficiencies, and roleplaying hooks. Equipment: This includes weapons, armor, tools, and other items your character carries. Equipment affects your character's capabilities in combat and exploration. Personality and Alignment: These define your character's moral compass, beliefs, and behavior. Alignment is a combination of two factors: morality (good, evil, or neutral) and attitude towards society and order (lawful, chaotic, or neutral). Backstory: This is the narrative of your character's life before the game begins, including their motivations, goals, and relationships. A well-developed backstory adds depth and helps you roleplay your character. These attributes work together to create a unique and well-rounded character that you can roleplay and guide through adventures in the D&D world. I'm pretty rusty in D&D, but that surely seems right! (When I shared this in a chat related to Gemini, William Ito skimmed it and said it looks correct for that era - so, I'm taking that as another sign it worked well.) I then asked, "What races are available to player characters?" The most common player character races in Dungeons & Dragons are: Humans: Adaptable and versatile, with no major strengths or weaknesses. Elves: Graceful and long-lived, with a natural affinity for magic and a resistance to charm effects. Subraces include High Elves, Wood Elves, and Dark Elves (Drow). Dwarves: Stout and hardy, with a resistance to magic and poison, and proficiency in combat and craftsmanship. Subraces include Hill Dwarves and Mountain Dwarves. Halflings: Nimble and small, with a natural ability to hide and a resistance to fear. Subraces include Lightfoot Halflings and Stout Halflings. The Player's Handbook also introduces several less common races, including: Dragonborn: Proud and draconic humanoids with scales and the ability to breathe fire. Tieflings: Demonic descendants with a natural affinity for magic and resistance to fire. Gnomes: Inventive and curious small creatures with a natural ability to tinker and a resistance to magic. Half-elves: Combining human and elven traits, they are versatile and have a resistance to charm effects. Half-orcs: Combining human and orc traits, they are strong and fierce with a resistance to being knocked unconscious. Additionally, some campaign settings and sourcebooks introduce even more exotic races, such as Aasimar, Firbolg, Goliath, Aarakocra, Genasi, and many others. The availability of these races depends on your Dungeon Master and the specific campaign setting you are playing in. Remember, the most important factor in choosing a race is to pick one that excites you and fits the character concept you have in mind. I have absolutely no clue if those exotic races exist, but I did a quick search on Aasimar, and it looks like it certainly does: Aasimar Alright, now, at this point, I was impressed. But I thought - why not push my luck? "Given the rules to create a character, create one with all the required characters and give it a name" And holy crap - Gemini delivered! Character Name: Lyra Swiftfoot Race: Lightfoot Halfling Class: Rogue (Thief) Background: Entertainer (Dancer) Alignment: Chaotic Good Ability Scores: (Using the standard set) Strength: 8 (-1) Dexterity: 17 (+3) Constitution: 14 (+2) Intelligence: 13 (+1) Wisdom: 12 (+1) Charisma: 15 (+2) Hit Points: 10 (8 + 2 from Constitution modifier) Proficiencies: Armor: Light armor Weapons: Simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords Tools: Thieves' tools, Disguise kit (from background) Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence Skills: Acrobatics (+5), Perception (+4), Performance (+6), Stealth (+7) (Expertise in Stealth and Performance) Equipment: Rapier Shortbow and quiver of 20 arrows Leather armor Two daggers Thieves' tools Disguise kit Backpack Bedroll Mess kit Tinderbox 10 torches 10 days of rations Waterskin 50 feet of hempen rope Pouch with 15 gp Personality Traits: I have a quick wit and a fondness for pranks. I am fiercely loyal to my friends and always look out for their safety. Ideal: Freedom: Everyone should be free to live their life as they see fit. (Chaotic) Bond: I will do anything to protect my younger sister, who is the only family I have left. Flaw: I have a weakness for shiny objects and can't resist the urge to steal them, even if it means putting myself at risk. Backstory: Lyra grew up on the streets, using her nimbleness and charm to survive. She learned to dance for coins and honed her skills in stealth and deception to pilfer from unsuspecting onlookers. After her sister was kidnapped by slavers, Lyra vowed to do whatever it takes to find and rescue her, even if it means venturing into the darkest corners of the world. This is just a basic example, and you can further customize Lyra by adding details to her appearance, personality, and backstory. You can also choose different skills, proficiencies, or equipment based on your preferences and the campaign setting. By the way, the formatting above is a bit off, but that came from me copying and pasting from Gemini and being a bit lazy about sprucing it up. I figured I'd push my luck and try again: "do that again please" Character Name: Falion Sunstrider Race: High Elf Class: Wizard (Evocation) Background: Sage (Researcher) Alignment: Neutral Good Ability Scores: (Using the standard set) Strength: 8 (-1) Dexterity: 14 (+2) Constitution: 13 (+1) Intelligence: 17 (+3) Wisdom: 12 (+1) Charisma: 10 (+0) Hit Points: 8 (6 + 1 from Constitution modifier) Proficiencies: Weapons: Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbows Tools: None Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom Skills: Arcana (+6), History (+6), Investigation (+4) (Expertise in Arcana and History) Equipment: Quarterstaff Arcane focus (crystal) Scholar's pack Spellbook with six 1st-level wizard spells (Burning Hands, Charm Person, Detect Magic, Mage Armor, Magic Missile, Shield) Backpack Bedroll Mess kit Tinderbox 10 torches 10 days of rations Waterskin 50 feet of hempen rope Pouch with 10 gp Personality Traits: I am deeply curious about the world and always eager to learn new things. I am absent-minded and often lost in my own thoughts. Ideal: Knowledge: The path to power and self-improvement is through knowledge. (Neutral) Bond: I am searching for the lost library of a legendary archmage, rumored to contain powerful spells and forgotten lore. Flaw: I am overconfident in my abilities and sometimes underestimate the dangers I face. Backstory: Falion spent his youth studying in a prestigious academy of magic, quickly surpassing his peers with his thirst for knowledge and natural talent for evocation magic. After hearing rumors of a lost library containing powerful spells and forgotten lore, Falion set out on a journey to find it, hoping to unlock its secrets and further his magical abilities. This is just a basic example, and you can further customize Falion by adding details to his appearance, personality, and backstory. You can also choose different skills, proficiencies, or equipment based on your preferences and the campaign setting. So, at this point, I was blown away. Like, I don't even care if it broke any particular D&D rules; that was just fun. But... yeah, I pushed my luck ... ... ... one last time "Of the two characters you just made, who do you think would be a better party leader?" Between Lyra Swiftfoot and Falion Sunstrider, Lyra would likely be the better party leader for several reasons: : Lyra has a higher Charisma score, which is important for inspiring and motivating others. Her background as an entertainer also suggests she is comfortable in front of crowds and skilled at interacting with people. Charisma : Lyra's skillset is more suited to leadership. Her expertise in Persuasion and Deception allows her to negotiate effectively and navigate social situations, while her proficiency in Perception and Stealth makes her a good scout and strategist. Skills : Lyra's personality traits suggest she is quick-witted and loyal, both valuable qualities in a leader. Her flaw, while potentially problematic, can be mitigated by her other strengths and the support of her party. Personality : While wizards can be powerful, their focus on spellcasting and relative lack of social skills often makes them less effective leaders. Class Falion, on the other hand, excels in knowledge and magical power, making him a valuable asset to the party in terms of strategy and information gathering. However, his lower Charisma and lack of social skills might hinder his ability to effectively lead and inspire others. Additionally, his absent-mindedness and overconfidence could lead to poor decisions in critical situations. Of course, the effectiveness of a party leader also depends on the specific campaign setting, the party composition, and the players' roleplaying preferences. In some situations, Falion's knowledge and magical prowess might be more valuable than Lyra's social skills. Ultimately, the best party leader is the one that the players and the Dungeon Master agree upon and who can effectively guide the party through their adventures. My god. That's just... perfect. And honestly, it feels like the right choice for the right reasons. Anyway, this isn't necessarily a deep look at this particular feature, but it was so fun I had to share!

Google Gemini: Your New Dungeon Master?

গুগল মিথুন: আপনার নতুন অন্ধকূপ মাস্টার?

Google Gemini: Ihr neuer Dungeon-Meister?

Google Gemini: ¿tu nuevo maestro de mazmorras?

Google Gemini : votre nouveau maître de donjon ?

गूगल जेमिनी: आपका नया कालकोठरी मास्टर?

Google Gemini: あなたの新しいダンジョンマスター?

Google Gemini: 새로운 던전 마스터?

Google Gemini: seu novo mestre de masmorras?

Google Gemini: ваш новый мастер подземелий?

Google Gemini: Yeni Zindan Ustanız mı?

Google Gemini: Chủ nhân ngục tối mới của bạn?

谷歌双子座：你的新地下城主？

Augmented reality is hard to pin down. Some sources cite computer scientist as the creator of AR in 1968, others point at in 1992, and still others lay the credit at cinematographer ’s door all the way back in 1957. One thing is for certain: in the past few years, AR has garnered more interest and attention than ever, largely because of advances in technology — and because of how many new areas it can be used in. Ivan Sutherland Louis Rosenberg Morton Heilig Branding is a classic example. Wherever new technologies crop up, application to branding and marketing isn’t far behind. From the first enhanced to the now-normalized everyday practice of virtual product testing (think the use of AR by companies like Ikea and Wayfair), AR is enhancing the process of branding on every conceivable level — and there’s more where that came from. reality print ads (from BMW in 2008) Ultimately, the question is less about “How did AR get started?” and more “How can AR help me to enhance my branding?” Ground To Sky Design In my career as a serial entrepreneur, with a host of startups and ventures under my belt, I’ve found that keeping on top of advances in branding is one of the most valuable ways to spend time during development. Whether it’s your brand’s design team or you, as the entrepreneur yourself, ensuring top-notch branding with a finger on the pulse is one of the best ways to guarantee a good launch — although “guarantee” is not a word to throw around lightly when it comes to launching a brand. And I don’t mean just keeping up on what’s on-trend when it comes to branding. Some may take the view that augmented reality is just a fad, something that will pass through — but with an increasing interest in VR and AR across the board, the applicable principles behind AR-enhanced branding and design are here to stay. For example, any startup owner wants to feel that “the sky's the limit” when it comes to their new business. AR developers, too, aim for the sky. For AR-enhanced branding, I advocate a “ground to sky” approach. In other words, as you develop your branding, it’s vital to build in AR-friendly design elements from the very beginning. The first design style that may come to mind in the context of AR is 3-D. Three-dimensional logos seem to have AR elements built into them; it’s a simple way to cater to AR development while ensuring the usability and uniqueness of your logo even without AR. The scope for design within the 3-D world is enormous, too, which gives any entrepreneur or designer plenty of room to play. Apart from 3-D, or in addition to it, there are other aspects of logo design that help it to be an immersive, ground-to-sky design. Enhanced Logo Design In The AR Realm Augmented reality is based around the principle of enhancing what we see, whether that’s with the aid of wearables (like Google Glass) or by using a mobile device. I already mentioned a few brands that use AR to help their customers try out products. Making products and services available to your clients is an important part of branding overall, too, but since I’m focusing on visuals in this article, let’s talk about how branded visuals appear in AR. Basic elements of a good logo design, for example, includes ensuring visibility, legibility, and clarity. Designers have to make sure that their fonts are readable and their images understandable against the background they appear on; checking black and white and monochrome variables are all part of the design process to keep the logo as effective as possible. Logos in the augmented reality space face an unusual challenge: you can’t be entirely certain what the background will be. A normal, real-world logo needs to be scalable, to appear on everything from a small print advertisement to a billboard. Scalability is even more important in AR, when your logo could be showing up almost anywhere. As the branding process moves forward, checking the logo against possibilities in AR is just good design sense. I also like AR-enhanced design for how it encourages designers to think outside the box in creating reactive, in-motion, and themed logos. Here’s a quick run-down of those design choices: Reactive logos can change according to input by the viewer or the environment. Picture a logo that lights up when the company is mentioned I-motion logos, also known as logomotion, include a moving or animated element. Picture a logo with a blooming rose that goes from bud to full flower. Themed alteration logos change depending on external elements set by the designer, such as holidays or other events. Google’s search page logo display is perhaps the most well-known example of this. All three of these design choices can be mixed and adapted to better fit into AR — and to enhance the immersive experience of branding as a whole. Changing the branding experience to fit seamlessly into AR adds an entirely different level to the consumer — which is a benefit to both customer and company. I like to use logos as an example simply because a business logo is the single piece of visual branding that will be used most — not to mention being most readily identified with the brand in question. This makes logo design a perfect place to start for planning and , but of course the principles behind AR logo design can be expanded to any other visual, including marketing materials. Using the same principles and goals to guide your branding journey can ensure a harmonious, cohesive end result — branding that is instantly recognizable, regardless of where it’s spotted. developing immersive branding experiences How AR Impacts Branding Now At the beginning, I mentioned the first use of AR in the marketing world, with BMW’s advertisement in 2008. Overall, AR has been used more in marketing and in giving customers a chance to try products virtually than it has within branding itself. But I think that should play an important role in how we brand our companies to begin with. Making sure that we keep a cohesive brand experience across the board, regardless of whether it’s in AR, VR, or just plain old reality, is part of what draws customers to a brand. And as AR applications continue to expand, it’s only natural to speculate that immersive branding will have to find new ways to keep up. After all, if your customers spend most of their time in AR or VR, you’ll want to make sure that your brand is in there along with them. There’s always new advancements in brand design to be discovered. And as with augmented reality, there’s always more where that came from.

Bringing Your Logo to Life: Immersive AR Branding Experiences

If you thought freedom of speech was worth preserving, next comes freedom of thought: perspective Thanks to AI and the Internet of Bodies (IoB) ecosystem, decoding the human brain is already well underway, according to a World Economic Forum (WEF) presentation. Five years after historian Yuval Noah Harari told the WEF that humans were hackable and that , Harari’s insights have been fully realized. organisms were algorithms Thursday’s WEF Annual Meeting 2023 session on “ ?” opened with a short video showing a dystopian scenario where employees’ brainwaves were not only decoded to determine their performance in the workplace, but also to determine whether they participated in illegal activity. Ready for Brain Transparency While the scenario in the video below is fictional, the technological framework is already in place. “We can pick up and decode faces that you’re seeing in your mind — simple shapes, numbers, your PIN number to your bank account” — Nita Farahany, World Economic Forum, 2023 https://twitter.com/TimHinchliffe/status/1616107080259100672?embedable=true “Artificial intelligence has enabled advances in decoding brain activity in ways we never before thought possible” — Nita Farahany, World Economic Forum, 2023 The above video illustrates just one of the many dystopian scenarios that can occur when the human brain is no longer autonomous. In her presentation at Davos on Thursday, Nita Farahany from Duke University explained that the technology to decode brainwaves already existed and was currently being rolled out in some use cases. “What you think, what you feel — it’s all just data — data that in large patterns can be decoded using artificial intelligence” — Nita Farahany, World Economic Forum, 2023 “Artificial intelligence has enabled advances in decoding brain activity in ways we never before thought possible,” said Farahany. “What you think, what you feel — it’s all just data — data that in large patterns can be decoded using artificial intelligence,” she added. And the devices to decode the human brain don’t have to be as invasive as a brain implant. The devices can be as non-invasive as a “Fitbit for your brain.” “We’re not talking about implanted devices of the future; I’m talking about wearable devices that are like Fitbits for your brain” — Nita Farahany, World Economic Forum, 2023 https://twitter.com/TimHinchliffe/status/1616114732536303619?embedable=true “We can pick up emotional states — like are you happy or sad or angry” — Nita Farahany, World Economic Forum, 2023 “We’re not talking about implanted devices of the future; I’m talking about wearable devices that are like Fitbits for your brain,” said Farahany. “These are headbands, hats that have sensors that can pick up your brainwave activity, ear buds, headphones, tiny tattoos that you can wear behind your ear — we can pick up emotional states — like are you happy or sad or angry. “We can pick up and decode faces that you’re seeing in your mind — simple shapes, numbers, your PIN number to your bank account.” “Surveillance of the human brain […] has a dystopian possibility of being used to exploit and bring to the surface our most secret self” — Nita Farahany, World Economic Forum, 2023 https://twitter.com/TimHinchliffe/status/1616157819207548951?embedable=true Farahany would go on to say that while decoding the human brain had its benefits, it could also be used for very nefarious purposes. “ can be powerful, helpful, useful, transform the workplace, and make our lives better,” she said, adding, “ . Surveillance of the human brain It also has a dystopian possibility of being used to exploit and bring to the surface our most secret self “ . It threatens fundamentally what our own self-identity is in some ways, and threatens to become a tool of oppression https://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2023/sessions/ready-for-brain-transparency/?embedable=true “We are no longer mysterious souls; we are now hackable animals” — Yuval Harari, World Economic Forum, 2020 Farahany’s 2023 presentation falls right in-line with what Yuval Harari had been saying for years at Davos — that “ .” We are no longer mysterious souls; we are now hackable animals According to Harari, “To hack human beings you need a lot of biological knowledge, a lot of computing power, and especially a lot of data. “If you have enough data about me and enough computing power and biological knowledge, you can hack my body, my brain, my life. .” You can reach a point where you know me better than I know myself “Just imagine North Korea in 20 years where everybody has to wear a biometric bracelet, which constantly monitors your brain activity 24 hours a day. “You listen to a speech on the radio by the ‘Great Leader,’ and they know what you actually feel — you can clap your hands and smile, but if you’re angry, they know you’ll be in the gulag tomorrow morning.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOsKFOrW5h8&embedable=true “Just imagine North Korea in 20 years where everybody has to wear a biometric bracelet, which constantly monitors your blood pressure, your heart rate, your brain activity 24 hours a day,” said Harari in his “How to Survive the 21st Century” speech at the 2020 WEF meeting. “You listen to a speech on the radio by the ‘Great Leader,’ and they know what you actually feel — you can clap your hands and smile, but if you’re angry, they know you’ll be in the gulag tomorrow morning. “And if we allow the emergence of such total surveillance regimes, don’t think that the rich and powerful in places like Davos will be safe,” he added. “ iological knowledge multiplied by omputing power multiplied by ata equals the bility to ack umans” — Yuval Harari, World Economic Forum, 2020 B C D A H H https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3czZpAHS-tk&embedable=true The historian even came up with a “danger formula” for hacking human beings, which he believes “might be the defining equation of life in the 21st Century.” That equation is — which means iological knowledge multiplied by omputing power multiplied by ata equals the bility to ack umans. B x C x D = AHH B C D A H H “The power to hack human beings can of course be used for good purposes like provided much better healthcare,” said Harari in 2020, adding, “but if this power falls into the hands of a 21st Century Stalin, the result will be the worst totalitarian regime in human history, and we already have a number of applicants for the job of 21st Century Stalin.” The Internet of Bodies “might trigger breakthroughs in medical knowledge […] Or it might enable a surveillance state of unprecedented intrusion and consequence” — RAND Corporation, 2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0bXUxRqy8g&embedable=true Aiding the process of collecting the massive amounts of data needed to hack human beings is the Internet of Bodies (IoB). The IoB is an ecosystem of wearable, attachable, implantable, or consumable devices that connect the human body to the internet, much like the Internet of Things (IoT), but for people. According to , the IoB “ […] .” a RAND Corporation report from 2020 might trigger breakthroughs in medical knowledge Or it might enable a surveillance state of unprecedented intrusion and consequence Additionally, “Increased IoB adoption might also increase global geopolitical risks, because .” surveillance states can use IoB data to enforce authoritarian regimes The IoB is emerging from the so-called fourth industrial revolution, which WEF founder Klaus Schwab says will lead to the fusion of our physical, biological, and digital identities — transhumanism. The WEF is fully behind widespread adoption of the IoB despite recognizing the enormous ethical concerns that come with having “an unprecedented number of sensors attached to, implanted within, or ingested into human bodies .” to monitor, analyze, and even modify human bodies and behavior “After the Internet of Things, which transformed the way we live, travel and work by connecting everyday objects to the Internet, ,” , Fellow at the WEF’s Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. it’s now time for the Internet of Bodies wrote Xiao Liu “ .” This means collecting our physical data via devices that can be implanted, swallowed or simply worn, generating huge amounts of health-related information “Surveillance of the human brain […] threatens fundamentally what our own self-identity is in some ways, and threatens to become a tool of oppression” — Nita Farahany, World Economic Forum, 2023 With the ability to decode brainwaves, humanity is on the cusp of what could be the worst totalitarian surveillance regime in human history. What would you do if you woke up one day and your thoughts were no longer yours alone? If you thought freedom of speech was worth preserving, just wait until they come for your thoughts, your feelings, your dreams. In this nightmare scenario, anything you think can and will be used against you by the pre-crime thought police. This article was originally published by Tim Hinchliffe on . The Sociable The lead image for this article was generated by HackerNoon's AI Image Generator via the prompt "human mind control device".

Hacking Humanity: Can We Record and Decode Human Brainwaves?

হ্যাকিং মানবতা: আমরা কি মানব মস্তিষ্কের তরঙ্গ রেকর্ড এবং ডিকোড করতে পারি?

Hacking Humanity: Können wir menschliche Gehirnwellen aufzeichnen und entschlüsseln?

Hackear a la humanidad: ¿podemos registrar y decodificar las ondas cerebrales humanas?

Hacking Humanity : peut-on enregistrer et décoder les ondes cérébrales humaines ?

हैकिंग मानवता: क्या हम मानव मस्तिष्क तरंगों को रिकॉर्ड और डिकोड कर सकते हैं?

人類のハッキング: 人間の脳波を記録して解読できるか?

인류 해킹: 인간의 뇌파를 기록하고 해독할 수 있을까?

Hackeando a Humanidade: Podemos Gravar e Decodificar Ondas Cerebrais Humanas?

İnsanlığı Hacklemek: İnsan Beyin Dalgalarını Kaydedebilir ve Çözebilir miyiz?

Hacking Humanity: Chúng ta có thể ghi lại và giải mã sóng não của con người không?

黑客人类：我们可以记录和解码人类脑电波吗？

A Short History of the World, by H. G. Wells, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here . SUMERIA, EARLY EGYPT AND WRITING SUMERIA, EARLY EGYPT AND WRITING The old world is a wider, more varied stage than the new. By 6000 or 7000 B.C. there were already quasi-civilized communities almost at the Peruvian level, appearing in various fertile regions of Asia and in the Nile valley. At that time north Persia and western Turkestan and south Arabia were all more fertile than they are now, and there are traces of very early communities in these regions. It is in lower Mesopotamia however and in Egypt that there first appear cities, temples, systematic irrigation, and evidences of a social organization rising above the level of a mere barbaric village-town. In those days the Euphrates and Tigris flowed by separate mouths into the Persian Gulf, and it was in the country between them that the Sumerians built their first cities. About the same time, for chronology is still vague, the great history of Egypt was beginning. These Sumerians appear to have been a brownish people with prominent noses. They employed a sort of writing that has been deciphered, and their language is now known. They had discovered the use of bronze and they built great tower-like temples of sun-dried brick. The clay of this country is very fine; they used it to write upon, and so it is that their inscriptions have been preserved to us. They had cattle, sheep, goats and asses, but no horses. They fought on foot, in close formation, carrying spears and shields of skin. Their clothing was of wool and they shaved their heads. Each of the Sumerian cities seems generally to have been an independent state with a god of its own and priests of its own. But sometimes one city would establish an ascendancy over others and exact tribute from their population. A very ancient inscription at Nippur records the “empire,” the first recorded empire, of the Sumerian city of Erech. Its god and its priest-king claimed an authority from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea. BRICK OF HAMMURABI, KING OF BABYLON ABOUT 2200 B.C. Note the cuneiform characters of the inscription, which records the building of a temple to a Sun God At first writing was merely an abbreviated method of pictorial record. Even before Neolithic times men were beginning to write. The Azilian rock pictures to which we have already referred show the beginning of the process. Many of them record hunts and expeditions, and in most of these the human figures are plainly drawn. But in some the painter would not bother with head and limbs; he just indicated men by a vertical and one or two transverse strokes. From this to a conventional condensed picture writing was an easy transition. In Sumeria, where the writing was done on clay with a stick, the dabs of the characters soon became unrecognizably unlike the things they stood for, but in Egypt where men painted on walls and on strips of the papyrus reed (the first paper) the likeness to the thing imitated remained. From the fact that the wooden styles used in Sumeria made wedge-shaped marks, the Sumerian writing is called cuneiform (= wedge-shaped). EBONY CYLINDER SEALS OF FIRST EGYPTIAN DYNASTY Recovered from the Tombs at Abydos in 1921 by the British School of Archæology. They give evidence of early form of block printing An important step towards writing was made when pictures were used to indicate not the thing represented but some similar thing. In the rebus dear to children of a suitable age, this is still done to-day. We draw a camp with tents and a bell, and the child is delighted to guess that this is the Scotch name Campbell. The Sumerian language was a language made up of accumulated syllables rather like some contemporary Amerindian languages, and it lent itself very readily to this syllabic method of writing words expressing ideas that could not be conveyed by pictures directly. Egyptian writing underwent parallel developments. Later on, when foreign peoples with less distinctly syllabled methods of speech were to learn and use these picture scripts they were to make those further modifications and simplifications that developed at last into alphabetical writing. All the true alphabets of the later world derived from a mixture of the Sumerian cuneiform and the Egyptian hieroglyphic (priest writing). Later in China there was to develop a conventionalized picture writing, but in China it never got to the alphabetical stage. The invention of writing was of very great importance in the development of human societies. It put agreements, laws, commandments on record. It made the growth of states larger than the old city states possible. It made a continuous historical consciousness possible. The command of the priest or king and his seal could go far beyond his sight and voice and could survive his death. It is interesting to note that in ancient Sumeria seals were greatly used. A king or a nobleman or a merchant would have his seal often very artistically carved, and would impress it on any clay document he wished to authorize. So close had civilization got to printing six thousand years ago. Then the clay was dried hard and became permanent. For the reader must remember that in the land of Mesopotamia for countless years, letters, records and accounts were all written on comparatively indestructible tiles. To that fact we owe a great wealth of recovered knowledge. THE SAKHARA PYRAMIDS The Pyramid to the right, the step Pyramid, is the oldest stone building in the world Photo: F. Boyer Bronze, copper, gold, silver and, as a precious rarity, meteoric iron were known in both Sumeria and Egypt at a very early stage. VIEW FROM THE SUMMIT OF THE GREAT PYRAMID OF CHEOPS Showing how these great monuments dominate the plain Photo: D. McLeish THE TEMPLE OF HATHOR AT DENDEREH Photo: D. McLeish Daily life in those first city lands of the old world must have been very similar in both Egypt and Sumeria. And except for the asses and cattle in the streets it must have been not unlike the life in the Maya cities of America three or four thousand years later. Most of the people in peace time were busy with irrigation and cultivation—except on days of religious festivity. They had no money and no need for it. They managed their small occasional trades by barter. The princes and rulers who alone had more than a few possessions used gold and silver bars and precious stones for any incidental act of trade. The temple dominated life; in Sumeria it was a great towering temple that went up to a roof from which the stars were observed; in Egypt it was a massive building with only a ground floor. In Sumeria the priest ruler was the greatest, most splendid of beings. In Egypt however there was one who was raised above the priests; he was the living incarnation of the chief god of the land, the Pharaoh, the god king. There were few changes in the world in those days; men’s days were sunny, toilsome and conventional. Few strangers came into the land and such as did fared uncomfortably. The priest directed life according to immemorial rules and watched the stars for seed time and marked the omens of the sacrifices and interpreted the warnings of dreams. Men worked and loved and died, not unhappily, forgetful of the savage past of their race and heedless of its future. Sometimes the ruler was benign. Such was Pepi II, who reigned in Egypt for ninety years. Sometimes he was ambitious and took men’s sons to be soldiers and sent them against neighbouring city states to war and plunder, or he made them toil to build great buildings. Such were Cheops and Chephren and Mycerinus, who built those vast sepulchral piles, the pyramids at Gizeh. The largest of these is 450 feet high and the weight of stone in it is 4,883,000 tons. All this was brought down the Nile in boats and lugged into place chiefly by human muscle. Its erection must have exhausted Egypt more than a great war would have done. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. H. G. Wells (2011). A Short History of the World. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022, from https://www.gutenberg.org/files/11870/11870-h/11870-h.htm This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org , located at https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html .

SUMERIA, EARLY EGYPT AND WRITING

Football is widely considered to be the most popular sport in the world, with approximately billion fans worldwide and 250 million players globally. This made it the obvious choice for cryptocurrency companies to get involved with as a means of that still exists within the space, and reaching a broader audience. 3.5 combating the negative stigma and perception In 2021, Spanish striker David Barral, became the first-ever professional footballer to have his transfer fee paid in cryptocurrency, using Bitcoin.  Whilst this may have been the first transfer fee to ever do this, commercial relationships between the football clubs and various cryptocurrencies are becoming increasingly common. In , multiple English Premier League sides including Tottenham Hotspur and more partnered with the trading platform . According to the UEFA, the cryptocurrency sector has partly helped clubs to fill lost revenue streams – – that was caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. 2018 eToro estimated at around €9 billion As football and crypto-currencies both grow and reach more people in all corners of the world, corporations around the world have projected at least a 20x increase in the global market cap by 2027. Similar crazy values have been placed on footballers, with the most recent confirmation by Paris Saint-Germain forward, on their re-signing of Kylian Mbappe. The him football’s highest earner now earning just under €1million/week in wages, as well as him receiving an enormous signing-on fee said to be worth €100million. One can only be glad they don't have to make these payments personally. contract makes French star’s new Fan Tokens Platforms such as Socios have taken over the “fan token” ecosystem, with a number of clubs such as Man City, Barcelona and more releasing their own fan token. Fans and enthusiasts globally have traded these like any asset, with real-world perks attached such as discounts in club shops - taking the fan experience up a notch.  Clubs like Juventus have also allowed token holders to choose a song when a goal is scored! Questions remain if fan-tokens, trading assets and million-dollar sponsorships are as far as the Web3 market goes? Projects like So-Rare, RealFevr and __ __are helping change that - giving fans and users utility through the ever trending NFTs, play to earn games and metaverse. With their latest player onboarding, Metasoccer announced Ronaldinho, a true legend of the game to become their exclusive and licensed player within their football manager game on the metaverse. Initiatives like these have given users the opportunity to not just buy and trade, but actually meet, win signed merchandise, own exclusive player assets and earn by playing in the games. Metasoccer Through the use of Web3.0, and partnering with projects such as Metasoccer, there is the possibility to allow football fans to direct ownership of players in the game, through non-fungible tokens (NFTs). No one, not even the game's creators, has the power to take away this ownership of the NFTs. And, if the fan decides to stop playing the game, they have the option to simply sell or trade their in-game NFTs on open markets and recoup their value. In Argentinia MetaSoccer ( ) has partnered with Aston Villa and Argentina National Team goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, Arsenal FC midfielder Thomas Partey, and of course Ballon D’Or, World Cup and the Champions League winner, Ronaldinho - A true legend of the game. Players of the game actually get the chance to use these NFTs within the game and win rewards by simply playing. These players become more than just an NFT, but part of the actual game. You as a player now have the ability to manage these superstars. This is exactly how a club can move beyond simply having a token, but rather create an immersive experience for their fans and players, not only generating additional income for players and club but giving back to the fans and bringing them closer than ever before. $MSU Looking at the opportunities that Web3.0 and Metaverse are able to provide, it's clear that multiple stakeholders are set to benefit. From the clubs to the players, avid investors to those who are simply football fans. They have the opportunity to not only get closer to the players and clubs they love, but have the opportunity to capitalise on a multi-billion dollar industry, as well as one that is ready to do a nearly 20X. The wise words of Jock Stein ring ever more true… Football Without Fans is nothing. The question is will your club take the leap and embrace web 3.0 or will they simply get left behind?

How Fan Tokens Are Changing Football

HackerNoon Interviewer: First, tell us a bit about yourself. For example, name, profession, and personal interests. My name is Anndy Lian. I have provided advisory across a variety of industries for local, international, public listed companies and governments. I am an early blockchain adopter and experienced serial entrepreneur, book author, investor, board member and keynote speaker. Currently, I am appointed as the Chief Digital Advisor at Mongolia Productivity Organization, championing national digitization. I am also appointed as the Chairman, Asia for BigONE Exchange, a global cryptocurrency exchange started in 2017. I believe in giving back to society. I am doing philanthropy work in Asia on my own, helping different grassroots organisations to aid several communities. On top of this, I am also the Non-Executive Chairman at EG Association, the social impact body of Elongate. Please sum up what the metaverse is in 1 to 2 paragraphs. Put simply, the metaverse is a virtual digital world that exists alongside the real world, though like the real world it’s got no single creator or commonly agreed on definition. First used in Neil Stephenson's 1992 fictional novel ‘Snow Crush’ the term metaverse refers to a loose federation of 3D immersive shared spaces, including social media, augmented reality, online gaming, and cryptocurrencies and NFTs. Are you currently, directly or indirectly, working on building a metaverse? At BigONE as an innovative cryptocurrency exchange, we are supporting projects developing decentralized finance (DeFi) which are key to building the payment rails for an interoperable metaverse - what I like to call the ‘metaverseFi’. DeFi needs to play a key role in the development of the metaverse, to avoid two versions emerging: one dominated by the likes of Facebook, and the other built on open interoperable platforms. Together with NFTs, the role of DeFi is to provide the essential infrastructure for the vision of an open metaverse which liberates us to explore our online identities in both work and play. In your opinion, is the metaverse inevitable, or is it just another passing trending tech topic that'll lose hype? It’s understandable that many regard the metaverse as a tech concept that may never fully materialize into the grand vision for a virtual world of the future. Certainly, in its recent review of the metaverse, the BBC concluded, “everything is in the early stages. The evolution of the metaverse - if it happens at all - will be fought among tech giants for the next decade, or maybe even longer”. Yet just a couple of days later it reported plans from Facebook to hire 10,000 people in the EU to work on the metaverse. However, on its own, the involvement of tech titans like Facebook is not enough to make the metaverse inevitable unless people see real value in it. This is why the work Facebook is putting into building VR remote working apps for its Oculus VR headsets is particularly relevant in our post-COVID world of remote working. That said, we believe the ultimate success of the metaverse will rely on the engagement of engaged individuals and communities, connected by their use of gaming worlds such as Fortnite and able to easily build their online identity and creative work through crypto-enabled NFTs. Why is the metaverse such a revolutionary concept? Tim Sweeney, the chief executive of Epic, which is behind the metaverse-like game Fortnite explained the potential impact: “This Metaverse is going to be far more pervasive and powerful than anything else. If one central company gains control of this, they will become more powerful than any government, and be a god on Earth.” Clearly, the development of a fully functional metaverse has the potential to fundamentally alter how people interact with the digital world. A collective virtual experience would reimagine the creative industry and open new doors for creators, gamers, and artists. Just as smartphones created the mobile internet the revolutionary impact of the metaverse would not just be in a parallel digital world, but it is connecting the digital and physical worlds together for the first time in a seamless experience. As Mark Zuckerberg outlined recently in his vision of the immersive metaverse this for example would allow you to take your office with you whenever you went, and in return allow colleagues to see the full context in which you are working, from anywhere around the world. What can people build in the metaverse that we can't build on the Internet, or in virtual reality today? What limitations of our current technology does the metaverse free us from? Currently, our use of technology with smartphones isn’t in a simple sense that far removed from the vision of the metaverse, in that we are connected to our phone from waking up to going to sleep, talking to friends and colleagues, with a whole host of uses from dating apps to cryptocurrency trading. The vision for the metaverse is removed from what critics often see it as currently, a bolt-on VR headset like out of a scene from Ready Player One. Rather it’s a place where we can merge our online and offline worlds together more naturally, so that for example in a workplace in the metaverse you would have a sense of being in the same physical space as people, as you do in the real world right now. But with the metaverse, we can dress our virtual selves as we see fit, attend the meeting from all corners of the world, and bring up documents and the like in a 3-D environment, rather than the current 2-D world of Zoom we deal with currently. If you still cannot visualize what I am saying, for starters, you can find out more about metaverse from The Sandbox. You can experience, play, create, own real estate and monetize their virtual experiences. Snoop Dogg is there too. How are the metaverse and blockchain related? Can we build a metaverse without blockchain technology? A key reason why the future of the metaverse is inextricably linked to the use of blockchain technology comes down to the use of cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum as programmable payments rails. The properties of blockchain as inherently decentralized, trustless, and able to automatically compensate users means that developers can build apps for the metaverse confident they won’t be dependent on a proprietary payment currency as exists in online games currently, for example. As metaverse guru Matthew Ball explains: “Today, only a tiny fraction of online users and gamers even have a crypto wallet, and almost no brands and games issue NFTs. But irrespective of multi-month dips in the blockchain/crypto/NFT economy, we see more of these groups embrace blockchain-based experiences each month. This produces a virtual cycle that drives more users to register a wallet, mint an NFT, or integrate crypto assets.” So, while we do not yet know what it will look like, or say when a metaverse is finally created, the key role of blockchain-based cryptocurrencies and NFTs in making it a reality is already apparent. How quickly do you think the metaverse will be developed? How much can we expect metaverse tech to grow in the next 5 to 10 years? The DeFi and NFT technology to enable payment and identity as well as interoperable wallets within different virtual worlds are already here, and only likely to accelerate in development following news of Facebook’s big bet in this sector. Only in August this year the world’s first intelligent NFT was released by software developer Alethea AI this year, and later auctioned off for $478,000, while securing $16 million in funding via private token sale to create a metaverse populated by its bots. What’s interesting is that as AI bots, they have the potential to take the metaverse to the next level with “fully interactive, engaging and autonomous agents that can learn and evolve from the environment." Therefore, as more and more connected technologies come together, pulling together blockchain and AI, NFTs, and gaming, the rate of development could see a tipping point in the next few years, which makes talk of timescales less useful than the kind of exponential growth that is already taking place in new technologies such as electric vehicles and AI. What is your hope for the metaverse? Do you have any worries or does the concept pose any threats? The metaverse has a lot of potential to bring people together, not just corporate works connecting with their colleagues over virtual meetings, but also in giving hope to people who’ve had less opportunity to earn a living for themselves or learn new skills. Certainly, the growth of play-to-earn gaming, with the likes of Axie Infinity, where a younger generation of gamers in countries like the Philippines shows how this can make a real financial difference to people’s lives. This is also why the role of DeFi in the metaverse, can be so important in providing people with a low-cost way to earn, save and send money from person to person. I believe like any radical technology, which is attracting the attention of large players such as Facebook and no doubt governments keen to keep control of the internet, there are risks involved as well as rewards. But I’m optimistic that the decentralized community-led nature of the development of an interoperable metaverse will ultimately have positive outcomes if user safety is a key part of it using NFT and blockchain solutions. Thanks for your time! Any final words? The development of the metaverse concept may still be in its early stages, but the example of Facebook’s backing shows it’s here to stay, as people’s activities and technologies converge online. While we do not yet know what it will look like or say when a metaverse is finally created, the key role of cryptocurrencies and NFTs in making it a reality is already apparent. With the combined involvement of tech giants, the advancement of cryptocurrencies, and the NFT sector, it appears to be a matter of when, not if, the metaverse will become mainstream! This article is part of The hosted by HackerNoon in partnership with Gaming Metaverse Writing Contest . The Sandbox Submit your today for your chance to win up to $2000. #gaming-metaverse story

On The Metaverse with Anndy Lian

The ability for the masses to create art has become commonplace in our highly technological society. Everyone can be an artist, especially with all the online art-making tools available now. In the past, a person needed artistic skills to make art. Now all we need are certain websites that make the art for us through a form of artificial intelligence. To reiterate, I am not talking about tools that are coming soon. I am talking about free art-making tools that are available right now. A person needs to look no farther than to see the truth in this. Artbreeder On one hand, making art simply by pressing buttons is a good thing, since more people can express themselves creatively. On the other hand, it may not be great for those trying to sell their art in an increasingly flooded and talented market. As the supply of art increases, it's value will decrease. Therefore the future of art--as a highly valued commodity--lies not just in creating "better" art. Rather the future of valuable art lies in creating a better art experience. When art gets integrated into gaming environments, art can get radically more fun, relevant, and valuable. The exhibit halls, galleries, and artists able to make art-viewing and collecting more of a literal game are the ones who will rise to the top of an over-saturated art market. Gamified Art Gadget is rare digital art by Joe Chiappetta on MakersPlace . This animated tech cartoon alludes to what must happen for the art industry to be saved. The Plight of the Current Art Market Some might still argue that the art market is fine as-is and does not need fixing. People might point to a few high-profile art sales at auction. However, these stories are in a fractional minority, and in most cases, the artist gets nothing from the resale of their work at auction. Moreover, the rate at which colleges are cranking out graduates with $100,000 art degrees is staggering because most of those poor folks end up in horrible debt with no career in the arts to show for it. According to a , only 10% of those with art degrees make their living in the arts. So there is a massive disconnect between what the art market can currently sustain verses the myth sold to naive art students. Such issues can only fester for so long. 2014 report on art degree results Revitalizing the Art Market Through Game Integration A number of companies already see the writing on the wall for the art market and are providing solutions to this matter. Opportunity has presented itself in the form of a whole generation that has grown up with video games, craving more, more, more. Therefore some digital visionaries are making bold moves to blend art and gaming into one integrated ecosystem. A number of companies already see the writing on the wall for the art market and are providing solutions to this matter. Opportunity has presented itself in the form of a whole generation that has grown up with video games, craving more, more, more. Therefore some digital visionaries are making bold moves to blend art and gaming into one integrated ecosystem. , , , and all have projects that combine gaming with art in various ways, providing potential economic opportunities for the entrepreneurial artist. It should come as no surprise, since I am a and , that I am an active member of these communities. In fact, I spend a good deal of time touting the benefits of these new projects because most still don't know that these opportunities exist. I drink the Kool-Aid--so to speak--as do a growing number of professionals in the art and gaming industries. EverdreamSoft CrystalSuite MakersPlace pixEOS CryptoVoxels long-time artist art collector Ironically, all 4 of these projects are blockchain-based, with cryptocurrencies playing a key driver in their innovation and economic agenda. All 4 projects also have ways to issue limited-edition cryptocurrency that is tied to artwork. This effectively makes owning limited-edition digital artwork possible too.  Yet the surviving projects will not be the ones who simply flash cryptocurrencies around... or rare digital art around. Rather the attractive companies will be those who integrate payments seamlessly (as in user-friendly) into their systems while also maintaining a lively gaming and artistic atmosphere that leaves customers coming back for more. Soon it will not be enough to just collect art, or view art. The rising population of digitally native people will want to experience new adventures with their favorite art. Games can provide the perfect vehicle for such art. Imagine a virtual game where collectors shoot at each other's avatars while holding defensive shields that take the form of particular pieces of their art collection. Perhaps the art remains digitally scarred for a week before reverting back to its original appearance. The winner of the game could receive new rare digital art from an artist. Or perhaps the winner could receive a piece of the defeated collector's art. Or imagine a virtual 3-D world where you--as an avatar--walk through digital galleries that display art on virtual walls that prompt you to discover new art by solving mysteries or riddles. All sorts of gamified incentives can be coded into this realm. Perhaps the more artwork of other artists that you share about on social media, the more points you receive that can be traded in for new artworks. Another option is that members of this 3-D virtual art world can earn new gallery wall space to exhibit their own collections as they complete certain online games or tasks. As you can quickly see, such experiences are well-suited for building memorable interactions, and they are exactly what is needed to keep art more relevant as a highly valued item in our fast-paced, attention-competitive society. Therefore to the galleries, curators, artists, and collectors, I pose this question as a challenge; To build a more vibrant future, how will you gamify your corner of the art world today? Joe Chiappetta

The Gaming Industry can Boost the Declining Art Market. Here's How.

Are You Hungry, Bro? Let’s Hack Your Favorite Food Delivery App

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¿Tienes hambre, hermano? Vamos a hackear tu aplicación de entrega de comida favorita

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It's December 24. It's Christmas Eve. In a vinyl-sided house, there are little children. There are half-hearted decorations, but there are not going to be any toys tomorrow. No presents this year. There were no presents last year or the year before that. That’s a secret and no one is supposed to know that. At school, there are candy canes and Christmas music. The little drummer boy pounds a frenzied rhythm to culminate in what might be a joyous holiday for some people. In this vinyl-sided house, there’s only a disappointment that looks and smells like cold oatmeal. When all the students come back to school from Christmas break, everyone is wearing the new clothes they got for Christmas. The children from the vinyl-sided house go back to school, but they hope no one will notice that their clothes aren’t new. They didn’t get anything tangible for the holidays, but they did get emotional baggage. The kids from the vinyl-sided house eventually grew up and they moved out of the vinyl-sided house. Everywhere they go, they carry their emotional baggage. They can’t put it down. There isn't an inn where the emotional baggage is welcome so the kids have to hide it. They pretend they don’t have it. But it sure is hard to carry anyway. The grown up kids strain under the weight of their emotional baggage.  They are putting on a brave smile to hide all the hurt. There isn’t a place where they are given leeway to express their hurt. The emotional wounds bleed all over everyone they meet. Other people make fun of them for their emotional baggage if these grown up kids show vulnerability. Actually, though, everyone has some emotional baggage and they hope other people won’t find out. “It's the Hap…Happiest Time of the Year!” It's the Holidays. People feel a variety of ways about this time of the year. When people travel to see loved ones, they carry a suitcase full of clothes and presents.  There is another suitcase people carry that you can’t immediately see - the emotional baggage. From November to January: It's a party, but none of us are coming empty-handed. We are coming with expectations. What is emotional baggage? Like the spices on a spice rack, emotional baggage comes in all flavors. Some examples include, but are not limited to: “Things I don't want to deal with…” “People I don't like that I have to go see…” “Memories I want to forget…” “I miss someone that isn’t here.” “I can’t keep up. Everything costs too much.” “I am hurting but I can’t tell anyone…” “It’s so lonely, but I am supposed to be happy…” “I feel so cold and bored…” “I am sick and tired…” Let’s say that despite all that we are going to go shopping for Christmas presents.  It's hard to wait in long lines and traffic jams. No one has compassion for others if they don’t learn self compassion for themselves. Imagine going to Costco and finding a piece of luggage you will fill with bricks and affix to your back for the rest of your life. Then from November to January, you are expected to dance with it on. So why be kind? I think Barbara Kingsolver wrote about it best when she told the story of “How They Eat in Heaven” from her novel The Bean Trees. In Hell, she writes, everyone is hungry because though they have ample food, they only have long handled spoons that are too long to comfortably reach their own mouths. In Heaven, they have the same food and the same spoons. But in heaven, other people feed you and you in turn feed other people. No one goes hungry in heaven. To put it bluntly, everyone has some pain or unconscionable ache that can’t be assuaged because they can’t personally reach it. But kindness can. This is the difference between living in heaven and hell. The grown up kids from the vinyl sided house are at a party and someone that knows their secret attacks them, “I know you did not have any presents at your house when you were a kid. It must be such a treat to come to my party today.” This is hell. In contrast, this is heaven.
“I am so glad we can spend this holiday together, and make this one better than any of the others we ever had.” One time, a friend’s grandmother died around the holidays. The family asked for a donation in memory to a charity. I gave a small donation, but eventually the friendship ended badly. The charity never forgot me though my friend did. Every few months for the next few years, I got a letter from the charity asking for more money. The relationship that caused the donation had long since ended but the letters brought me painful reminders. The simple piece of paper opened up a wound that would not heal. And that is similar to how the Holidays themselves can bring an annual sadness and reminders of emotional baggage no one knows we are carrying. The antidote is kindness. Be kind. ** ** It's December 24. It's Christmas Eve. In a vinyl-sided house, there are little children. There are half-hearted decorations, but there are not going to be any toys tomorrow. No presents this year. There were no presents last year or the year before that. That’s a secret and no one is supposed to know that. At school, there are candy canes and Christmas music. The little drummer boy pounds a frenzied rhythm to culminate in what might be a joyous holiday for some people. In this vinyl-sided house, there’s only a disappointment that looks and smells like cold oatmeal. When all the students come back to school from Christmas break, everyone is wearing the new clothes they got for Christmas. The children from the vinyl-sided house go back to school, but they hope no one will notice that their clothes aren’t new. They didn’t get anything tangible for the holidays, but they did get emotional baggage. The kids from the vinyl-sided house eventually grew up and they moved out of the vinyl-sided house. Everywhere they go, they carry their emotional baggage. They can’t put it down. There isn't an inn where the emotional baggage is welcome so the kids have to hide it. They pretend they don’t have it. But it sure is hard to carry anyway. The grown up kids strain under the weight of their emotional baggage.  They are putting on a brave smile to hide all the hurt. There isn’t a place where they are given leeway to express their hurt. The emotional wounds bleed all over everyone they meet. Other people make fun of them for their emotional baggage if these grown up kids show vulnerability. Actually, though, everyone has some emotional baggage and they hope other people won’t find out. “It's the Hap…Happiest Time of the Year!” “It's the Hap…Happiest Time of the Year!” It's the Holidays. People feel a variety of ways about this time of the year. When people travel to see loved ones, they carry a suitcase full of clothes and presents.  There is another suitcase people carry that you can’t immediately see - the emotional baggage. From November to January: It's a party, but none of us are coming empty-handed. We are coming with expectations. What is emotional baggage? Like the spices on a spice rack, emotional baggage comes in all flavors. Some examples include, but are not limited to: “Things I don't want to deal with…” “People I don't like that I have to go see…” “Memories I want to forget…” “I miss someone that isn’t here.” “I can’t keep up. Everything costs too much.” “I am hurting but I can’t tell anyone…” “It’s so lonely, but I am supposed to be happy…” “I feel so cold and bored…” “I am sick and tired…” Let’s say that despite all that we are going to go shopping for Christmas presents.  It's hard to wait in long lines and traffic jams. No one has compassion for others if they don’t learn self compassion for themselves. Imagine going to Costco and finding a piece of luggage you will fill with bricks and affix to your back for the rest of your life. Then from November to January, you are expected to dance with it on. So why be kind? I think Barbara Kingsolver wrote about it best when she told the story of “How They Eat in Heaven” from her novel The Bean Trees. In Hell, she writes, everyone is hungry because though they have ample food, they only have long handled spoons that are too long to comfortably reach their own mouths. In Heaven, they have the same food and the same spoons. But in heaven, other people feed you and you in turn feed other people. No one goes hungry in heaven. To put it bluntly, everyone has some pain or unconscionable ache that can’t be assuaged because they can’t personally reach it. But kindness can. This is the difference between living in heaven and hell. The grown up kids from the vinyl sided house are at a party and someone that knows their secret attacks them, “I know you did not have any presents at your house when you were a kid. It must be such a treat to come to my party today.” This is hell. In contrast, this is heaven. “I am so glad we can spend this holiday together, and make this one better than any of the others we ever had.” In contrast, this is heaven. “I am so glad we can spend this holiday together, and make this one better than any of the others we ever had.” One time, a friend’s grandmother died around the holidays. The family asked for a donation in memory to a charity. I gave a small donation, but eventually the friendship ended badly. The charity never forgot me though my friend did. Every few months for the next few years, I got a letter from the charity asking for more money. The relationship that caused the donation had long since ended but the letters brought me painful reminders. The simple piece of paper opened up a wound that would not heal. And that is similar to how the Holidays themselves can bring an annual sadness and reminders of emotional baggage no one knows we are carrying. The antidote is kindness. Be kind. ** **

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