Inspired by the artists who hid minute details in the woodwork of magnificent churches, my partner and I play a game that involves hiding and finding this tiny wooden mouse anywhere in the house. The mouse, a replica of wooden mice hidden as relief details in many churches in England, is hidden in a room with the sole requirement that it must be visible. When one finds it, one must hide it elsewhere. The other player notices the mouse is missing and thus knows it is their turn to seek it.

As stupid as it sounds, the little wooden critter avoided me for months while staring at me from atop a picture frame I see every time I enter the house or move from any room into the kitchen area. Wondrous. And terrifying: how much else we think we want is right in front of us, and we remain blind to it?

Hidden in plain sight

As I listen to this AI-generated audio version of a 20-minute-long article, the end comes out of nowhere, abrupt and jarring. The beautifully crafted ending has an implicit thump, a masterfully devised drop, a carefully written final sentence that should make the reader pause and reflect on what they have just read. A couple of seconds later, our eyes will continue down and see where we can find more on the writer and how to keep getting these articles in our inbox in the future. In the AI-narrated version, the voice artificially and ungracefully reads the latter as part of the last paragraph.

Doubtlessly, technology will improve and reach unfathomable heights in the coming years. I can easily imagine a product manufactured to touch humans in ways humans cannot emulate. Certainly, in ways that no human can order another to touch them. Imagine a bot that can perform, surgically, the task of arousing us only to give us a flawless professional massage and then a generous and friendly hug when we feel down and wish we had a friend in the room. These motions could be designed to be better than those a human can deliver: with perfect skin texture and precise pheromones, the touch could be crafted to exquisite detail. Moreover, the bots would learn to become exactly what their owner requires every time, anticipating their needs and whims.

Yet, it probably won’t happen. Even if it does, it won’t replace the human touch. The messy, imperfect, absent-when-wanted, present-when-unwelcome human touch will remain. Sometimes, we crave the pause. More often, we crave someone being there not because we order them to but because they want to, in their imperfection, with terrible timing, out of their capricious will.

Imperfect humans going nowhere

Complaining is important, perhaps even necessary, as a first step. It must be a reaction, even an action, but never a state.

Too often, we become complainers, and complaining is all we do. Whenever we express dissatisfaction, we should already be thinking of where we want to go next and how we’re getting there.

Complaining and getting there

Every moment we don’t spend evolving, we spend devolving. Such anxiety-inducing thought should urge us to embrace the fun we can only find in learning, improving, trying something new and meeting someone different.

The stable alternative is not so stable, after all. Firstly, the world changes, so staying put is also a form of movement—often in the wrong direction. Secondly, stagnation doesn’t keep us the same but induces atrophy.

All too rapidly

It has become rare to find people who can understand those they disagree with. When we witness it, we should take a moment to appreciate those who publicly express their disagreement with a decision while also understanding the person who made it. While at it, we could take another moment to wonder if we could do the same. If we didn’t like someone’s choice, could we try to comprehend the motives behind it?

Ultimately, civilisation boils down to our collective capacity to live alongside those who lead a different lifestyle.

Different lifestyle, identical empathy

A leader can convince us that the set destination is worth rowing towards.

A leader can expect our faithful rowing without the need for rational argumentation.

Regardless, a leader needs to elicit conviction or faith from their followers. They may need to display charisma or exert brute force, but they must activate their followers and spur them into action.

Those who follow have choices too. One may be to stop following altogether.

Martian Thoughts

Hidden in plain sight

Imperfect humans going nowhere

Complaining and getting there

All too rapidly

Different lifestyle, identical empathy

Unfollowers