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Collective intelligence Quote by Kenneth Calhoun

“Maybe that's where it started and they brought it back from the desert, some kind of contagious psychic wound, guilt based. Maybe it's the dark matter, invisibly making up most of the universe. Maybe it was methane thawing at the bottom of the sea, releasing some ancient spore from the melted…” quote by Kenneth Calhoun
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““Maybe that's where it started and they brought it back from the desert, some kind of contagious psychic wound, guilt based. Maybe it's the dark matter, invisibly making up most of the universe. Maybe it was methane thawing at the bottom of the sea, releasing some ancient spore from the melted icebergs. Maybe it was the hole in the ozone, the collapse of the upper atmosphere. Maybe it was the overload of information, the swarms of data generated by every human gesture. Maybe it was the networking craze, the resurrection of dead friendships and memories meant to be lost, now resurfacing like rusted shipwrecks to reclaim our attention and scramble our sense of time. Maybe it was the death of an artist at the hands of a zealot. Maybe it was the particles made to collide. Maybe the mapping of the genome. Maybe the clashing of gods, the tug-of-war over our souls, not one of them refusing to let go, instead opting to see us sliced in two by Soloman's sword. Maybe it was food becoming a prop for food. Maybe it was a distant comet dusting us with its tail of poisoned ice. Maybe it was someone uttering a combination of syllables that should never be uttered. Maybe it was the emergence of collective intelligence, the flattening of the world. Maybe the game we inhabit had a glitch. Maybe the angel's horn had finally been blown.””

Kenneth Calhoun

About This Quote

Source Essay: Unknown, attributed to Kenneth Calhoun

Various speculative causes for societal issues reflect uncertainty and the search for meaning.

In simple terms: Many theories explain modern problems.

Key Takeaway

Question assumptions critically.

Themes

uncertainty society technology environment culture

Mood

speculative inquisitive

Type

philosophical critical

When to use this quote

  • policy making
  • media consumption
  • scientific research

Key Concepts

philosophy media theory environmental studies

Questions to Reflect On

  • Which explanations seem most plausible?
  • How can we address root causes?
A Different Perspective

Speculation may distract from actionable solutions.

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