Hi friends,
We have achieved Friday — the 13th, no less. It was another challenging week on earth. Having already published a dumpster fire post and a hell-in-a-handbasket edition this week, I feel compelled to offer some good things to end your week.
The Youth Committee at NY Renews created this comic as part of the campaign to get young people to send letters to legislators about the Climate, Jobs, and Justice package that they need to pass this year. I enjoyed it and I thought you might also.
Tell NYS legislators to pass the Climate, Jobs, and Justice package! This one-click action is from NY Renews.
I also want to recommend some books that I love, because as an amateur futurologist I’ve developed a new taste for science fiction. [NOTE: I lied last month when I said that I was a doctor of futurology; there’s going to be a special prosecutor assigned to my case.]
I only like the sci-fi that offers a future that is based on the improbable events that will create a better world.
Read A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers.
They are the first two books in a trilogy of monk and robot books. In the tradition of deeply human non-human characters — Data on Star Trek and Janet on The Good Place, to name two of my favorites — Mosscap is a robot who offers great wisdom and insight to his human companion, Dex.
I will share two of my favorite bits of Mosscap wisdom here — one from each book.
In the first, Dex and Mosscap are discussing the fact that humans created robots with a purpose in mind. The improbable event that shapes their world is that when robots rejected the purpose assigned them, the humans respected that decision and allowed the robots to leave human society.
Dex is questioning their own purpose and asks Mosscap,
“how does the idea of maybe being meaningless sit well with you?”
Mosscap considered. “Because I know that no matter what, I’m wonderful,” it said. There was nothing arrogant about the statement, nothing flippant or brash. It was merely an acknowledgment, a simple truth shared.
And Mosscap is wonderful, as in full of wonder. Mosscap is an observant and delighted naturalist. In the second book, Mosscap points out a feature of the forested landscape that Dex had not noticed before. Dex notes,
“I don’t really know trees, just some of their names.”
“Well, that’s the nice thing about trees.” Mosscap put its hands on its hips as it looked around. “They’re not going anywhere. You can take all the time you need to get to know them.”
The books are slim volumes, with beautiful cover art. And they are free at the library!
Finally, I am going to invite you to a book event this Sunday. If you haven’t yet got your copies of Olmsted Trees by Stanley Greenberg and want a signed copy, come by.
Olmsted was another kind of futurologist, populating parks with trees he would never get to see in the fullness of their beauty. He planted them for us.
Have a wonderful weekend!
with love,
L