Our species has done well in comparison to itself, which is the meta perspective we're stuck with as human beings, and that has required VAST amounts of useful and working knowledge figured out by countless humans most of whom are unremembered. That working knowledge is necessary for the technology which moves our world and so much more that makes human life meaningful.
Not surprisingly many would like to add to that vast amount of working knowledge I'll call functional from here on out, as I like the word even though is longer, and plenty of people do. And scientists especially are tasked with pushing the foundations, reworking them if necessary, and expanding the predictive certainty that lets so many live comfortable lives, though admittedly too many others still do not.
Of course even more fun if you can push the limits of functional human knowledge, which means plenty of people think they can. And lots try, where the odds of doing so in some really big way especially for a single human being, are infinitesimal. The odds that some ideas running around in the head of one of the billions of humans currently on the planet are really going to change things for ALL those billions is not surprisingly, thankfully, really, REALLY tiny.
Doesn't keep people from trying though! And should not. Through millennia there have been the people who have done it. Some of them recognized and honored with great prestige.
People long gone who changed your life today with what they figured out.
But make no mistake, if you are some person who thinks you have figured out some knowledge that will be functional in a HUGE way for the human species you better be prepared for the burn I like to call it. Imagine your species sitting on you for awhile until they can figure out if this thing actually works or not, if they notice you that is. And they probably will not.
That can feel rather brutal as you face endless checks and sometimes harsh criticisms, or the bleakness of being simply ignored, which should test every aspect, push you against so many things you thought impossible, test your limits, and more than likely? You will probably fail.
And like countless others before you, your efforts may seem meaningless in the mix, as at the end of the day, either you couldn't get that knowledge through? Or it really wasn't as important as you thought it was. So it can seem like was a waste of people's time. But the effort can matter, if only in finding your limits.
But yeah there are plenty of ideas that will just not be worth others considering. That reality means it's not an easy path and shouldn't be.
Which can help protect our species from being pushed around by idea after idea like a leaf in a windstorm. And despite it, dangerous notions still plague humanity, so appreciate the intense tests which can feel like trials or be actual trials, if you dare. Cherish the intensity needed to pursue truth no matter what. Wish humanity were more efficient in figuring out who is right or not, but don't doubt the necessity. Routinely our species knocks off people with very valuable ideas! Dismisses people who were brilliant and right, who end up terribly wronged. But guess what? We know about them because we still have their ideas.
People come and go. Our species? Would be nice for humanity to stay awhile.
Shouldn't treat that too lightly though as is terribly sad and MUCH better when people get proper recognition for great ideas without going through a painful process or even just never having in their lifetime.
Proper recognition is not guaranteed though.
If you want to help your species on the large with world changing new ideas?
Then prepare yourself.
You will be tested. And you will probably, fail.
Cannot work any other way. And I love it that way. I find it comforting.
Know I've tried despite knowing all of the above. And yeah there will be people who DO try regardless. I do wonder at times to myself why.
I think is the quest to know. I like to tell myself that the pursuit of truth is the highest ideal. But how does anyone know?
James Harris
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