an n of one

My published works can be found here. This page is for short, stream of consciousness thoughts.

Building a Better Ship

I have always been an optimist. When I see a broken system or process, I believe it can be more than just fixed - it can be improved. The goal of a society should not be to merely right the ship. Instead, we must replace rotten boards and chaffed ropes. We must add new sails and streamline our hull. If our ship becomes that of Theseus, then so be it. Sometimes, fixing means replacing, and sometimes, replacing means upgrading. So what if it's not the same ship? If it is better, then we have succeeded. 

Seafarer, Stargazer

For millennia, people have looked to the stars for answers. Every ancient culture found patterns and meaning in the stars. The stars told stories of fierce battles, tracheary, and love. As our scientific knowledge improved, the stars told even more amazing stories – of faraway suns just like our own, some with planets, and some, perhaps, with life. We look to the stars not just for scientific knowledge, but also for the wonder they stir in us. They are both universal and deeply personal. We should never stop looking toward the stars with wonder, awe, and curiosity.

People may spend their whole lives stargazing, but as a species, we need to do more than just gaze. We need to explore. When the ancient man stepped onto the sandy shores, he wondered what was out there in the offing. But wonder was not enough. He had to see for himself. He had to explore. Exploration is in our DNA. We gaze into the unknown and then go into the unknown. We must continue to explore as a species to ensure survival. And that includes exploring our planet, our universe, and ourselves.