The poker analogy has been over-used in the game of international politics. Stanley Kubrick insisted that the War Room table in Doctor Strangelove be covered with the green felt used in casinos: he wanted the actors to convey the sense that the fate of the world was nothing more than a game of cards. It seems that Tal Pinchevsky is tired of the connections drawn between poker and politics, and argues that chess should be the metaphor of choice. 

On the surface, the argument makes sense. As a leader with an array of pieces at your disposal, there are gambits you can play to control areas of the board, while sacrificing a bishop here so that you can take a queen there. You need to think 5 or 6 moves in advance to have any sort of success. The strategies at play on the 64 squares can easily be transferred to any sphere in life, whether its global diplomacy, business or sports.

Still, the chess analogy feels limiting. As the game progresses, the more likely a specific outcome arises. Each player starts with 16 pieces of varying strength, and through a process of attrition, reduces their ability their respond to moves. Fewer pieces = fewer moves. Obviously good players avoid the scorched earth scenario, but regardless, you move and you respond. End game quickly reveals itself.

Perhaps its my Asian heritage, but I think go works better. You start with a larger playing surface: a clean 19 x 19 grid. Players take turns placing their stones on the 361 intersections. There are a few simple rules, with the basic goal to establish greater territory. The complexity of each game unfolds with maddening precision – each move changes the terrain and increases the number of possible responses. Add the fact that a professional go game can span over several days, it is an excruciatingly difficult game to master.

I’d argue that go represents the game of life more than chess. We start with a clean slate, each action we take representing a stone on the board. The specific placement is based on the thousands of considerations that came before it, and the possible permutations that follow. Our focus may shift from hobby to education to work to leisure, but it’s the sum total of all our experiences that’s more important. Likewise, go players take an extremely long-term view – my play in this area of the board will be a determining factor in the final configuration.

Maybe I’m thinking too hard about the analogies that all manner of games bring to the table. Of course, this is the domain of game theorists, so there must be some credence to all of the thought that they’ve created.

At the end of the day though, isn’t the point of life to have a little bit of fun?

The 2 Indian men chattered nonstop next to me. As the wafts fragant basmati punctuated by aromatic bursts of garlic naan assaulted my nose, it was their baritone voices that left a deeper impression. You could tell they of an educated ilk – besides the various name dropping of the latest books they’d been reading, and their general disdain for morning television shows, they enunciated their words with almost military precision. It was like listening to captivating radio personalities dueling over the airwaves, jabbing, feinting, bobbing and weaving their words. The content was of no matter: arguing about Israel, the history of German beer, travel restrictions in today’s security conscious era. I was privy to a future that I wanted to find myself in 40 years time. Enjoying a good meal, yakking about anything and everything under the sun. Mental exercises with gastronomic delight.

And it’s not for lack of trying – unlike Spider Jerusalem conducting research through an information binge, my data stream is operating at 80% efficiency. There’s a jam somewhere and my organic transistors are giving off a foul stench as they sizzle with ferocity. There’s too much confusion, I can’t get no relief.

Overloaded, I’m parsing through possible explanations, and the only logical conclusion is that somehow I’ve crossed the streams of my Gen X and Gen Y personas. Technically I’m from the latter caste, but I think I sympathize on many levels with the former. Regardless, the Focus Alliance is clashing with the Multitask Horde and my poor brain is caught in the middle.

I know I already wrote about this earlier. Can’t help myself though; repetition just drives my point home.

Maybe this information dump of things I’ve been meaning to blog about will help the process. Call it my idea spring cleaning ritual (at the height of summer no less):

• The need for greater transparency in all systems
• Entrepreneurship: why it matters, and how to cultivate it
• A return to my realist manifesto
• The failure of the activism methodology
• Luck, chance and my existence
• Cheese

Time to take that left at Albuquerque…

Perhaps more important is the power that history has on our future, as commented by many erudite men and women. George Santayana: Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Karl Marx: History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce. Pearl S. Buck: One faces the future with one’s past. Maya Angelou: History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.

This essentially forms the basic thesis of Jacques Attali‘s A Brief History of the Future. By examining humanity’s march of progress from the ascent of homo sapiens sapiens to the development of civilization, capitalism and democracy, the French author tackles the 21st century. A modern day Nostrodamus, he bears witness to the fall of the American empire, and predicts three distinct waves of the future: Planetary Empire, Planetary War, Planetary Democracy. These terms should give you an idea of his argument.

Attali paints a dark picture as the path to global peace and harmony is fraught with danger: nation states become paranoid and protectionist. Pirates and corsairs lay siege and inflict terror. Our accepted and practiced models of business will disintegrate. Yet he is an optimist at heart, for as we transcend into transhumanism, society will be built on a foundation of altruism and a global economy flourishes on the good deeds of producers and consumers.

The ideas espoused within these pages aren’t necessarily new but this doesn’t make Attali’s argument any weaker. His outline of the challenges that we’ll face: economic crises, conflict zones, increasing surveillance may be frightening – we’re startlingly close them already. His broad, and albeit simple, strokes for world peace might turn off some readers, but at its core, A Brief History of the Future is a read that boldly stakes a position in uncharted territory.

As much as I enjoyed it, there is a passage that stood out for me. In his description of the wave of Planetary Democracy, he uses the term “collective intelligence.” As a phrase I carelessly throw about in my writing here, it was refreshing to see it clearly defined:

The collective intelligence is not the sum of the knowledge of its members, nor even the sum of their capacities to think: it is an intelligence peculiar to itself, which thinks differently from each member of the group. … All collective intelligence is the result of bridges, of links between individual intelligences, essential for creating the new. (p 272)

That to me is the most fascinating end-goal of our journey through time. Humanity’s greatest gift is the ability to create. When will our collective efforts bear fruit so that we can savour its flavours? When will we see a concerted effort to establish a commons, and a common goal to achieve? If Attali is correct and his particular vision will happen before the dawn of the next century, I shall count myself lucky to behold future’s light.

So is a nicely grilled steak. And an ice cold beer on a hot day. And the view when day breaks on some picturesque landscape, rays of sunlight peeking over mountaintops like curious toddlers, quickly flooding the valley with warmth and life. But I digress….

Like other media that rely on physical formats, there has been much ballyhoo about how comics will survive in the digital world. Is that the sinister visage of Herr InterTubez, cackling with unbridled joy at the inevitable death of my beloved artform? One particular response is this meditation on storytelling, which literally explodes off the page and explores the electronic medium. It entertains and challenges the mind simultaneously, like caviar for your mind.

Pushing boundaries don’t have to happen through the delivery mechanism. A primary vehicle that makes you stop with unexpected clarity is content. New and bold ideas are often explored through fiction, especially within works of the science fiction variety. One of my current online reads is Escape From Terra, a webcomic that looks at how society might evolve in the future. The current arc has introduced an intriguing character, who develops “disruptive technologies” for the common good. His latest invention are “plants that will yield meat genetically identical to cows, chickens, fish and everything else.”

Meat seeds.

Just imagine for one second if we had meat seeds today. This is different than growing meat from a petri dish – which somehow conjures up images of mad scientists, and makes people squeamish. Instead you can sprinkle these seeds on the ground, water and tend them, and soon you’ll be harvesting gourds full of chicken-y flavour. Where do I sign up?

The ills of the world are being solved in the fantastic realms of artists. When will everyone else catch up?

Doctor, doctor, I think I’m suffering from information overload – there’s too much data and not enough time to sort and analyze. The constant stream of status updates, tweets and ticker feeds are bombarding my senses.  It’s like I’m standing at the bottom of a waterfall with a paper cup, vainly trying to fill it up.

Reminds me of Blur’s Out of Time chorus:

And you’ve been so busy lately
That you haven’t found the time
To open up your mind
And watch the world spinning gently out of time

Worry not though, there’s a breath of fresh air out there, and it actually comes from my twitter feed. It’s the people I follow who tweet once in a while, once every 2 weeks at most. And it’s usually an update letting me know where they’re going to be, what they intend to do. No sharing of links, no snarky commentary, no self-advertisements.

More of that would be nice. So would shutting off my data stream tap. But I’m too addicted to the ebb and flow of information – I’m a proud card-carrying member of the 21st century hyper-reality meta-nation called the Internet.

Wired recently posted a neat illustration that divides one’s media intake by type and by time spent. While this methodology recalls the food pyramid we’re taught at a young age, it does beg the question: is this breakdown actually healthy? While we can debate about whether 3.5 hours of entertainment is optimal, I think we need to examine the types of media we consume. To use the food analogy, it’s not only the number of servings of each food group that matters, but also where you’re getting your vitamins, carbs and proteins.

Before knowing how much media to consume, we need to determine what makes a mind healthy. Being able to recall memorized facts doesn’t make you smarter; it’s the contextual application of that information that matters. Accepting everything as truth is also dangerous; an inquisitive mind knows no boundaries and is open to all possibilities. Regardless of the medium, all content is flavoured with bias, slant and spin. Waiter, waiter, what’s this opinion doing in my media soup?

I think that the various media consumption diets you can find online miss the point: it’s not where you get your media, it’s the content that counts. What’s the breakdown between news and opinion from left-wing or right-wing sources? Are you entertained by only Hollywood blockbusters, or do you also enjoy indies, documentaries, and foreign flicks? Are the books you hope read all on a single topic, or are there fiction of all genres, philosophical treatises and gripping biographies?

As you have (hopefully) deciphered by now, I’m of the belief that it’s better for your media diet to be filled with variety. A quick look at my library, iPod, feedreader and delicious account and you could say that mine is eclectic. I would get bored getting fed the same information, day in and day out.

Take a look at your media diet, and if you find things are stale, try something new. A little bit of experimentation will make a world of difference.

But beyond the release of endorphins (which apparently is disputed), I think that there is something deeper at work when I’m in the middle of yet another set of crunches or push-ups. Repeated exercises seem to have a focusing effect on my mind – there’s clarity of thought as I realize my objectives. The more I whip my body into shape, the more I notice how very little disturbs me. Nothing seems to be of great urgency or worry, the only thought in my head is of Now.

In my hyperreality where I’m constantly plugged in, multitasking and on the go, Muay Thai has become my refuge. It’s a place of sanctuary, where I focus body, mind and soul. Much like meditation, these sessions have the added benefit of opening my consciousness. All of sudden I’m aware of the limitless potential that resides in me.

Hindus and Buddhists might call this opening your third eye, a crucial step on the path to enlightenment. While I’m admittedly not actively searching for nirvana, my dedication to a healthier lifestyle has engaged some higher consciousness. Whether physiological or psychological, I feel I’m a little bit closer to spiritual peace.

Isn’t that what we all want? A little bit of peace and harmony?

When encountering martial arts, most people think of karate or taekwondo, where boys and girls proudly sport their white gis and colourful belts. Or they’ll remember their favourite Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan or Jet Li movie (Chuck Norris and Jean Claude Van Damme will also suffice).What they might not realize though is that martial arts are an excellent way to get into great shape and ultimately live a better life.

That was the main reason why over the last year and a half I’ve been training in Muay Thai, a combative martial art known as “The Art of Eight Limbs.” Also called Thai Kickboxing, Muay Thai practitioners use their hands, elbows, shins and knees as their weapons. If you saw the movie Ong Bak, you have a good idea of how devastating Muay Thai can be!

I train at Old School Muay Thai and we recently moved to a new location near Richmond and Duncan. While some of us want to try out our skills in the ring, the fitness benefits of Muay Thai are undeniable. Here’s a sample workout that I recently did:

• 30 minute run, about 5 km

• 10 minutes of skipping rope, with 15-second intervals of speed rope every 45 to 90 seconds

• 5 minute stretch, from head to toes

• 45 minutes of plyometric and calisthenic exercises, including:

  • 80 pushups

  • 120 situps/crunches/ab workouts

  • 80 squats and lunges

  • jumping jacks, knee tucks, bunny hops, burpees etc.

• 10 minutes of shadow boxing

• 40 minutes of hitting pads, bags, sparring and other technique exercises

Using a quick online calculator, that workout apparently puts me at a total of about 1500 calories burned… and I try to train at least 3-4 times a week. It’s pretty common knowledge that dedication to any fitness regiment will garner results in time, but I was still pretty amazed to see my belly shrink, extra fat disappear, increased endurance and better muscle definition. I know I’ve got a ways to go before eliminating the beer belly I so diligently worked on during my college years, but I’m confident that Muay Thai will help me do it.

Our gym is great for all skill levels, and particularly for beginners. There are a number of senior students (myself included!) who will help tune your technique and provide motivation during the grueling exercises. We have an all beginners class on Tuesday evenings, while Mondays and Wednesdays are mixed classes. Check out the website for the full schedule.

One final word: don’t be intimidated! The first time I tried out Muay Thai, my entire body was sore for a couple days, but I knew I needed more. I get an adrenaline rush every class, and there’s something very satisfying about hitting a punching bag… especially after a long and stressful day in the office!

Listening to the hockey game on the radio, I’m completely absorbed in a surreal experiment that engages my imagination. Names and described action fill my imaginary rink as the team wins and loses. It’s not quite synaesthesia, but the sounds create a different reality that exists outside of television.

But live, now there’s the rub. The adrenaline takes you higher when the roar of the crowd shakes your very core. The amplifiers thunderous, the mosh pit energetic, the light show fantastic, the body electric. The ringing in your ears echo the experience, keep you coasting just a little bit longer.

Or perhaps you prefer your excitement in a more subdued doses, like an IV drip that sustains a romanticized vision of the perfect relationship, the perfect job, the perfect world. Layer upon layer, we follow the yellow brick road to our deepest desire, constructing the rationale that lets you sleep better at night. This is living, you mutter to yourself.

Live for those moments where you revel in joy. Moments where you’re left awestruck by fantasy, where you can genuinely smile, for the company of good friends. And live for those moments, where like Icarus, you come crashing down. Cause it’ll make the trip back to the top, that much more satisfying.