Ricardo Villarreal

Think, Therefore Think Again

Yes, You Have Time to Read Books

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Reading BooksOften, I hear people say they don’t have time to read books. Their lives are simply too busy that they cannot find any time in the day to make room for reading.

For me it’s all a matter of priorities and really wanting to do it. But I’ll show you here one area where you can find plenty of time to read books.

According to statistic portal Statista, global internet users spend an average of 135 minutes daily on social media platforms. That is, 2 hours and 15 minutes each day!

But let’s go further. According to TechCrunch, mobile device users in the US spend 5 hours daily on mobile apps!

Which apps are absorbing most of their time? Facebook takes 19% of the time spent, followed by those related to music, media & entertainment, other social media platforms (Snap Chat, Instagram, Twitter), text messaging, and gaming.

Of the total 5 hours spent daily on mobile device apps, only 9% of the time (27 minutes) is allocated to “productivity.” But let’s say I’m willing to give you texting as part of your work too. That amounts to 1 hour of productivity and 4 hours of time spent on non-essential activities.

And here is where we find time to read. Because I am generous, I’m willing to give you half the time out of those 4 hours so you can waste spend them on social media and entertainment. That leaves 2 hours a day to read books!

Now, a 300-page book could be read anywhere from 4 to 6 hours depending on the book, your reading pace, page/font size, etc. Lighter novels are also faster to read than more technical science essays, for example.

If we take the more conservative number of 6 hours to read an entire 300-page book, and we allocate 2 hours a day to read, that means you could read a book in 3 days.

But let’s say you simply can’t dedicate two hours a day to read, and all you have is one hour. Fine, since it will now take you double the time, that means you could read a book in 6 days.

If we translate this number into a year time, that means you can potentially read 60 books in one year!

You think it’s still too much? Ok, this is my last dispatch of generosity. Cut the reading time in half again, and you can still read 30 books a year.

You now have time to read. It’s up to you to make it happen.

 

Our Doom in the Hands of Morons

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DoomsDayWhat do you do the day your invention, the atom bomb, is finally dropped on a city killing millions of people? Do you watch the event on TV with a feeling of total regret by the horrific atrocity your creation caused humanity? No, not at all. Instead, you find yourself at ease playing a string game of cat’s cradle.

In his hilarious satire Cat’s Cradle, Kurt Vonnegut masterfully created a novel about the risks of technological advancements, the ridiculousness of political ambitions, the absurdities of religions, and how the entire human race could come to a destructive end in the hands of irresponsible, foolish, ignorant, and selfish people in positions of power. Sounds familiar?

Yes, it does. Cat’s Cradle was first published in 1963, but it’s relevance today fits perfectly with the current political environment we see around the world.

Today, the two political figures that pose the highest risk on humanity are Trump and Kim Jung Un; two childish, egocentric, authoritarian, easily irritable, and mentally unstable individuals who have access to nuclear weapons capable of destroying the planet where 7.8 billion people live.

And the threat is real. To convey its seriousness, the scientists behind the Doomsday Clock have set its time at two minutes before midnight, representing the highest risk we’ve ever been since 1953 of being close to a global nuclear catastrophe.

The main reason for this alarming display? Trump’s decision to leave the Paris Agreement ignoring the threats of climate change, and his reckless, unpredictable, violent, and provocative nuclear rhetoric against North Korea and Iran.

And all it takes is a moment of rage (which commonly happens in humans like Trump) to commit an atrocity.

The man who is supposed to be the “leader” of the free world, who should guide all nations into achieving world peace, and who should reaffirm unity and collaboration, is actually the biggest threat to the planet.

How quickly we have arrived at this vulnerable place! This just shows we cannot take anything for granted and we need to be more politically active. We have no choice if we want to protect our future and secure world peace.

But if we can’t do anything to prevent Doomsday… well, there’s always reading Cat’s Cradle and enjoying its brutal dark humor. What better way to face the end of the world than laughing your pants off.

 

It’s (kind of) Happening Here

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Barbed WireSinclair Lewis’ dystopian political novel It Can’t Happen Here was written in 1935, but it regained popularity and relevance lately due to the unavoidable parallels of the story with the current state of political affairs in the United States under a Trump presidency.

Lewis, the first American to win a Nobel Prize in Literature, wrote this masterpiece warning us about the rise of totalitarian regimes in free nations, and how they can destroy the foundations of freedom and democracy when they exert obstructions of checks and balances, when there is suppression of the press, and when government focuses more on military power than in the advancement of science and education.

Not only that, but there are also warnings about having an ignorant population of political zealots who easily fall prey to the false rhetoric conducted by the antagonist character in the novel, Buzz Windrip, a populist candidate who wins the presidential election in the United States.

Similar to Trump, Buzz Windrip’s political strategies to escalate his agenda involve inciting fear among his followers, shutting down opponents, and fabricating conspiracies for personal gain and power, while dividing the country.

The author describes Windrip in a way that sounds like a description of Trump: “(Windrip) was vulgar, almost illiterate, a public liar easily detected, and his ‘ideas’ almost idiotic…” Early in the story, there is even a mention on how Windrip, the presidential candidate, wants to “make America prosperous again.”

And while the parallel between Trump and Windrip is quite unequivocal, let me remind you again Sinclair Lewis wrote this novel in 1935, eleven years before Trump was born.

But the magnificence of this cautionary tale is universally applicable to even moderate politicians who have utilized totalitarian practices against their population.

Surely, the novel It Can’t Happen Here reminds us of Trump today. However, the George W. Bush administration also comes to mind when we discover a reference in the story on how Americans in the 1930’s, during the war hysteria against Germany, started calling sauerkraut “Liberty Cabbage.” Pretty much the same level of stupidity as when many Americans in 2003 started calling French fries “Freedom Fries” after France voted against the Iraq War at the UN Security Council.

Just like Buzz Windrip in the novel, Trump publicly mentioned he would fight the banks and the powers of Wall Street. But once he got into power, he has given banks power and influence in his cabinet, hired Steve Mnuchin (a former bank executive) as his Secretary of the Treasury, and, among other things, repealed consumer arbitration rule in favor of banks.

As far as other key people, I believe an obvious comparison in the story is that of character Lee Sarason and Steve Bannon. Sarason was the right-hand man of President Windrip, and was also invited to work with him having been the managing editor of a popular newspaper, where he was “building up” Buzz Windrip for years before his nomination as President.

It’s also inevitable thinking about Melania Trump when the author mentions that “no potential dictator ought ever to have a visible wife.” Buzz Windrip did have a wife, but she was not noticeable. In fact, she didn’t even live in Washington. Compared to previous First Ladies, Melania Trump’s lack of involvement is quite notorious.

The political philosophy of Buzz Windrip is described in his “Fifteen Points of Victory for the Forgotten Men” and incorporates fascist and confederate ideas, prevalent in today’s Alt-Right movement. Just to list five examples of this platform created to please his base, we have the following:

  • All persons are guaranteed absolute freedom of religious worship, provided, however, that no atheist, agnostic, nor any Jew who shall refuse allegiance to the New Testament, nor any person who refuses to take the Pledge of the Flag, shall be permitted to hold any public office or to practice as a teacher, professor, lawyer, judge, or as a physician.
  • The Government will decide which Labor Unions will stay and they will have the power of decision in all labor disputes.
  • The size of the military, armaments, and naval establishments shall be consistently increased.
  • African-Americans shall be prohibited from voting, holding public office, practicing law, medicine, or teaching in any class above the grade of grammar school.
  • All women employed shall be assisted to return to their incomparably sacred duties as home-makers and as mothers of strong citizens.

The above points sound horrific indeed, but the scary thing is many in the far-right today will have no problem with any of those concepts.

Another resemblance of Windrip with Trump is shown on Buzz Windrip’s eagerness of having business dealings with… Russia! And similar to Trump’s “America First” catch phrase, Buzz Windrip is anti-trade and wants every single thing the country needs to be produced at home.

The exertion of a Corporate State in the novel dramatically impacts education as well, where the authoritarian government does its part to get rid of any intellectualism, “dangerous thinkers,” literature, and science .

Funny thing is, one of the Corpo universities in the novel was named Windrip University after the president. Yes, just like a Trump University, and a total scam as well.

Of course, Trump hasn’t gone as far as executing people who discredit his administration or imprisoning journalists who cover him negatively (although he has retaliated against CNN publicly over their reporting and has referred to any news network not covering him favorably as “fake news”).

Neither has Trump established labor camps and a paramilitary army at his service, nor has he made the liberal Supreme Court members resign and replaced them with his friends, among other draconian measures that Buzz Windrip does impose in the novel.

But Trump’s authoritarian style, although at a smaller scale, is obvious. And as long as he remains in power, the threat against our democratic institutions is still there.

Extreme ideologies are hurting our country, and we must be smart in identifying and reducing divisive authoritarian groups in order to protect our freedoms.

As Doremus Jessup, the protagonist liberal journalist, observes: “the struggle today is not about Communism against Fascism, but tolerance against the bigotry that is preached equally by Communism and Fascism.”

We have been forewarned and cannot take things for granted. Towards the end of the story, and without giving any spoilers, Doremus Jessup leaves us with a final thought:

“More and more, as I think about history, I am convinced that everything that is worthwhile in the world has been accomplished by the free, inquiring, critical spirit, and that preservation of this spirit is more important than any social system whatsoever. But the men of ritual and the men of barbarism are capable of shutting up the men of science and of silencing them forever.”

 

 

Tributo a Rosaura Barahona

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Rosaura Barahona presentando el libro "Gracias África"
Rosaura Barahona presentando el libro “Gracias África”

Me voy apenas enterando del fallecimiento de mi Maestra Rosaura Barahona, una destacada escritora, académica y periodista de Monterrey, México. Su columna editorial en el periódico El Norte era de las más leídas por su brutal honestidad, su crítica intelectual, y su exitosa habilidad de hacer reflexionar a toda la ciudad.

Desde el primer día que la conocí, cuando fue mi maestra de periodismo en el Tec de Monterrey hace como 20 años, me apasionaron su manera de pensar y de ver la vida, su elocuencia verbal y escrita, su gran amor por el periodismo y la educación, y su enorme valentía para escribir critica honesta, intelectual y progresiva, antagónica a las entorpecedoras influencias conservadoras todavía presentes en Monterrey.

No se me olvida que, en el primer día de su clase de periodismo, nos hizo a todos hacerle la promesa de leer al menos 15 minutos diarios para continuar desarrollando nuestro hábito por la lectura. Siempre se me quedó grabada esa promesa, incluso ahora que leo en promedio un libro por semana.

Ninguna otra maestra influyó tanto mi pensamiento crítico como Rosaura Barahona. Incluso una vez graduado, lo siguió haciendo a través de sus columnas en el periódico y en las oportunidades que tuve de verla en persona.

En el 2007 me hizo el honor de presentar un libro que escribí (foto arriba), y en el 2013 me honró al escribir en su columna sobre mi documental “Ride with Larry” cuando se presentó en Monterrey. Y aún cuando cambié de dirección vocacional, seguido me preguntaba, ¿cuándo vas a escribir otro libro? Creo que ya es hora de irlo pensando seriamente.

En mis últimas idas a Monterrey procuré visitarla a su casa, donde me recibía con mucho cariño y siempre con deliciosos refrigerios. Las charlas que compartió conmigo fueron siempre muy enriquecedoras, llenas de lecciones y también de alegrías, pues tenía un gran sentido del humor y una risa contagiosa.

Sus anécdotas sobre el periodismo eran fascinantes, sobre todo aquellas que tenían que ver con personajes políticos y las siempre entretenidas batallas con los grupos conservadores de Monterrey.

De Rosaura recordaré siempre su honestidad, su amor por la vida, su fortaleza, su incansable lucha por el respeto y la tolerancia, y por hacer lo correcto. A ella le agradezco infinitamente todas sus enseñanzas, que además serán transmitidas a mi hijo Diego, a quien ella se refería como mi clon.

Caray mi estimada Maestra, cómo la voy a extrañar. Mis condolencias a su familia y gracias a quienes han compartido sus tributos por los diferentes medios.

 

Are Humans Artificial by Nature?

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Artificial NatrualNumerous people believe that many of the world’s problems today exist because we have turned our backs on what is “natural” and because we are out of touch with nature. They suggest going back to living in a more “natural” environment.

Others believe that trying to go back to what is “natural” limits our scientific progress and, because “natural” behaviors employ old traditional conventions, it could lead to suppressing modern social values of freedom and inclusion.

As an example, who hasn’t heard those against same-sex marriage refer to homosexuality as something unnatural? We sure don’t want to go back to those more “natural” periods of time where archaic laws discriminated against groups in our society, defended slavery, or limited women’s rights.

If we take away the scientific advancements on medicine and technology, perhaps our life could be more “natural,” but our life expectancy would probably be half of what it is today and our way of living rudimentary.

John Stuart Mill said that every good end that improves the lives of humans comes from altering the course of nature, not following it.

Spanish philosopher Fernando Savater also adds, “we could often mention that something ‘artificial’ (human made) is better than something ‘natural’ (absent from human touch) and that its functionality exists precisely to protect us from ‘nature’ itself.”

Diseases like cancer are “natural” while medical solutions for it, like chemotherapy, are “artificial.” Extreme cold weathers are “natural,” but living in a house with a heating system to protect us from the cold is “artificial.”

Pet lovers should also know that their cute puppy Fido is not “natural” at all, but an “artificial” human invention because dogs, which evolved from a shared common ancestor with wolves, are the result of thousands of years of selective breeding.

Along the same line, modern fruits and vegetables have been genetically modified (and improved) through many years of artificial selection. If you were to see their “natural” appearance, you wouldn’t want to eat the ancestors of today’s produce like bananas, sweet corn, watermelon, carrots, and peaches, just to name a few.

“Nature” refers to things as they are, but not as they should be. Furthermore, “nature” explains the elements of a natural world as it exists without human beings or civilization. In other words, anything absent from human touch.

Nevertheless, it’s important to note that “artificial” human-made creations like spaceships, clothing, computers, prescription glasses, and even agricultural fields, are all built from elements found in nature.

As our specie evolved through the years, it became “natural” to create human-made “artificial” concepts like laws to protect us and establish order, language to communicate, and society to live in cooperation.

When it comes to our “human nature,” culture plays an important role in influencing the way we think, feel, and act.

Among other historical periods, the Age of Enlightenment saw philosophers debating “human nature” from a moral standpoint. For Jean-Jacques Rousseau, men are good by nature, but corrupted by society. His contemporary Immanuel Kant, in contrast, argued that humans need principles guided by society in order to do good. Without them, men can be wild and do things that contravene society.

Following the aforesaid counterpoint, a philosophical observation by Savater indicates that human influence is not only reflected in the creation of something, but also in its decision to not influence something.

For example, are the breathtaking landscapes of Yosemite National Park “natural” because they have remained untouched for thousands of years, or are they “artificial” because men have deliberately decided not to develop the area?

If the “artificial” process of reforestation is to rebuild natural habitats and to restock forests in needed regions, will the outcome of a new “natural” green environment be an “artificial” triumph?

While it is true that artificial systems have allowed humanity to live better, it has also brought significant dangers that are undermining the future of humankind.

Weapons of destruction used in wars, plastic & electronic waste polluting our oceans, uncontrolled industries contaminating our air, and financial institutions driving people into poverty, are all human-made calamities.

We need to understand this: nature has no obligations towards the human race. It will continue to act and respond accordingly to how it is treated. And because nature is indifferent to humans, we need to learn from it, from its natural laws, from its behaviors and disasters to better understand how we act upon it.

Through thousands of years we have altered nature for our own benefit, and these actions (good and bad) are now irreversible.

We don’t have the time to let nature recover on its own. What we have now going forward is the obligation to save nature and the permanence of humanity with responsible human-made ideas and solutions.

If we destroy today what we need tomorrow, that will be our end. A self-inflicted defeat.