Papers by Thomas Schoenberger
Music, the most ancient form of communication, existed before language. The sound impulses and pa... more Music, the most ancient form of communication, existed before language. The sound impulses and patterns of music, time-varying in a fractal manner on a series of concurrent, increasingly short time-scales, defy mathematical or structural analysis. Music forms an empathetic channel connecting a performer’s nervous system to a listener’s, thereby eliciting the listener’s autonomic emotional response. All attempts to cage (to structurally analyze or artificially emulate) music fail because they cannot reproduce this most fundamental aspect.
A statistically significant rise in narcissism promoted by insidious forces behind social media, ... more A statistically significant rise in narcissism promoted by insidious forces behind social media, advertising, big government and pop culture portends a bleak future for humanity. Social media enables data-mining which panders to, and further exacerbates, narcissistic behaviors. Yet a 75-year Harvard longitudinal study found that neither money or fame produce happiness. Rather, happiness arises from good relationships. Narcissism alienates others, driving the satisfaction of our basic human need for connection further away. It also makes people more vulnerable to manipulation. The authors propose a solution founded on precepts of compassion, empathy and love for others as taught by the great religions: a renaissance of the mind in which we deploy our free will to turn away from coercive exterior forces, and embrace a more fulfilling path that leads to satisfaction and happiness.
Did Leonardo da Vinci teach esoteric wisdom — “how to see” — to some of his students? We find evi... more Did Leonardo da Vinci teach esoteric wisdom — “how to see” — to some of his students? We find evidence of this concealed in art of one of his top pupils, Giovanni Boltraffio. In contrast to the overt subject of the painting, Narcissus—blinded by self-absorption and emotionally immature—the hidden message points to unity with universe, mirrored with perfect clarity by still water, in a parable of enlightenment.
As 2023 dawns, we face a dystopian vision of a society utterly controlled by Big Brother — with c... more As 2023 dawns, we face a dystopian vision of a society utterly controlled by Big Brother — with compliance enforced to the point of death. Autonomous vehicles have become monitoring devices, surveilling our habits, moods, conversations, location, etc. They will be utilized to psychologically control us… the exact opposite of what the car was supposed to represent… freedom… At stake is our cognitive integrity, by its very nature imperative to the survival of the human species. We examine some disturbing trends, discuss the technology ingredients comprising them, and conclude by describing scenarios where these ingredients, used in combination, enable unprecedented surveillance, intrusion on privacy, and ultimately total control of populations.
Did Leonardo da Vinci teach esoteric wisdom — “how to see” — to some of his students? We find evi... more Did Leonardo da Vinci teach esoteric wisdom — “how to see” — to some of his students? We find evidence of this concealed in art of one of his top pupils, Giovanni Boltraffio. In contrast to the overt subject of the painting, Narcissus—blinded by self-absorption and emotionally immature—the hidden message points to unity with universe, mirrored with perfect clarity by still water, in a parable of enlightenment.
As 2023 dawns, we face a dystopian vision of a society utterly controlled by Big Brotherwith comp... more As 2023 dawns, we face a dystopian vision of a society utterly controlled by Big Brotherwith compliance enforced to the point of death. Autonomous vehicles have become monitoring devices, surveilling our habits, moods, conversations, location, etc. They will be utilized to psychologically control us… the exact opposite of what the car was supposed to represent… freedom… At stake is our cognitive integrity, by its very nature imperative to the survival of the human species.
Information theory combined with game theory, over a substrate of ubiquitous digital communicatio... more Information theory combined with game theory, over a substrate of ubiquitous digital communication, has created a formidable weapon able to rapidly subjugate entire populations through psychological operations. The most draconian system of social control in history, due to mass media communications that exploit principles of psychology to compel desired behaviors, now threatens to deprive humanity of free will. Chaos, defined as an event so sudden that its pattern cannot be discerned, can be an effective antidote to this. We explore how chaos dissolves patterning by causing a momentary shift in mental focus. Chaos can stimulate accelerated learning. Creativity is the power to transmute chaos into development and ultimately, a source of paradigm shift that can benefit society far beyond the scope of the creative individual.
Drafts by Thomas Schoenberger
3301, 2022
As 2023 dawns, we face a dystopian vision of a society utterly controlled by Big Brotherwith comp... more As 2023 dawns, we face a dystopian vision of a society utterly controlled by Big Brotherwith compliance enforced to the point of death. Autonomous vehicles have become monitoring devices, surveilling our habits, moods, conversations, location, etc. They will be utilized to psychologically control us… the exact opposite of what the car was supposed to represent… freedom… At stake is our cognitive integrity, by its very nature imperative to the survival of the human species.
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Papers by Thomas Schoenberger
Drafts by Thomas Schoenberger