Factoids for the Robotic Generation

In order to better understand why people say what they do when they do for their own reasons, I decided to take a look at statistics - the cold, hard facts of numerical measurements - to gauge future emotional outbursts.

I looked at U.S. demographics. I looked at North American demographics. I looked at demographics in general. I looked at data compiled by the government that controls the area of the world I live in. All U.S.-centric, though. So I looked at old data of world population trends from the U.N. perspective. I looked at the U.N.'s version of our world (political, of course).

I took the expanded international version of an open source version of the Sims for world leaders and reran trend data reports.

I went back to the discoveries of the migration patterns of the east African plains ape and the insights provided to the ape before it left its first continent. I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked at myself in my electron scanning microscope. I looked at myself in the trees and wildlife outside the window. I set my chin on my fingers folded together and meditated on all of the above.

I feel happy, seeing all the positive achievements of my species. We have survived cataclysmic events on local, regional and worldwide geographic scales. We have survived the ecological changes that helped wipe out larger land species, enjoying their meat, skins and bones along the way. We have discovered ways to harvest and genetically modify (through selective breeding and gene manipulation) grains and other growing things.

I am still an ape, prone to all the behaviours of my species. I know what my species can do to itself. I am not trying to change the world but I want my species to be the first one on this planet to say it has populated other planets in its same form. Now, whether we say it is evolution or God's plan or whatever, that's for other members of my species to say. I'm not concerned about the words we use (although others say I should be concerned or ignore at my peril). I don't care what color or body shape we have when we populate other planets. I don't care what language we use. I'm in the midst of all the negative terminology that divides us by body type but I'm putting myself in a place outside all the negativity. I want an ape like me - male, female, whatever - to be able to set foot on another planetary body and say the equivalent of "This is my new home, where I will raise a family."

In the meantime, the rest of us can find ways to coordinate our lives here on Earth for safer and more enjoyable times together. Mass migration will cause discomfort unless we state as a species and show on the individual level that it'll improve our general conditions. There will always be those who employ migrants illegally as a way (intentional or unintentional) to support migration for the species even if it looks to law-abiding citizens like they're being cheated. Migration and setting down roots are two of our species' strong characteristics. Those who put up fences to protect their turf will always be opposed to those traveling through their territory - we should recognize and acknowledge those characteristics, rewarding both, rather than set the two characteristics against each other.

I may be sarcastic in my writing but I am sarcasm-free in my happiness today. Everything in moderation, including moderation, as they say. I had let myself be sidetracked in local and international issues, looking for trends like flash trading and mineral mining for personal gain, and now my time on that circuitous route is finished. I am happy about what my species has accomplished to this day. We will achieve much happiness in the future, arms around each other and hands at each other's throats (some holding affectionately and some squeezing a little too tight, being the species that we are).

I wave hello to all my fellow apes and say "howdy." It's a beautiful day here in my neck of the woods. I'm going to enjoy myself and thank every one of you for sharing this planet with me. Time to put down this electronic pen and listen to the sounds that my planet is singing today - bird calls, squirrel grunts, roof hammering, car squealing, garbage truck loading, ears ringing and heart pumping. My species is alive today - what more can I want?