The Simple World: Recent Episodes
Daniel Ostermayer
With those final words, Walter let Richard sleep and walked out of the the ICU. He had such a hard time holding back his tears that he had to spend an extra moment in the hallway before rejoining his family in the hospital cafeteria. The children were already causing chaos and Chloe was pleased to see Walter return. As she saw the graveness of the situation in Walter’s eyes, she fumbled for a pack of tissues in her purse.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
A few weeks later, Walter awoke to ambulance lights on the street. Richard, drenched in sweat, was sitting upright in a stretcher clutching his chest while the paramedics wheeled him down the sidewalk. They were frantically strapping an oxygen mask to his face, while reading the flashing indicators on their monitor. Walter was just able to run outside and ask about the hospital destination before the paramedic team left. Tempted to follow the ambulance, Walter, instead made sure Richard’s house was locked up and then unsuccessfully tried to sleep. The next morning, the Carlisles visited Richard at the Scripps ICU.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
Walter’s position at Orion cast him into the spotlight when a major power outage in southern California left entire cities in the dark. All internet and cellular communication was also down. The National Guard set up emergency supply stations as people panicked. Until power was restored no cellular towers worked. Internet communications were down from Los Angeles to San Diego. Orion distributed small solar-powered mesh repeaters to the community, allowing users with their app to talk over the distributed internet relay. The peer to peer network spanned all the way north to the Santa Ynez Valley where electricity was still stable. Users in San Diego could send text messages nationwide and have them transmitted via the last hop in Santa Barbara, where the mesh connected to an active internet connection.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
In the early 2000s a site with anonymous owners appeared online. ScienceOpen.org offered a peer reviewed alternative to traditional platforms. Unlike other open platforms ScienceOpen published on all topics and encouraged studies with negative as well as positive findings. They charged no reprint fee, had no paywall, and no open access charges. The site asked for a recurring yearly donation of a dollar and encouraged preprint distribution of prior publications. Publishers attempted to shut the site down and created lawsuits claiming unauthorized redistribution of prior published works. The site through a series or proxies became impossible to stop. Ten years later after most publishers were economically bankrupt, the three founders revealed themselves during a small asset sale.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
In the early ’90s Richard starred in a TV show teaching science to kids. All of his colleagues joked that he was the new Mr. Rogers. For three years he was a household name and every kid requested his science kits for Christmas. Last year, Richard went back in the studio to help remaster and add new episodes to the historic program which was released online. The new version of the show starred a greying Richard interacting with the younger scientist version of himself.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
Richard’s educational shows and books on computer science and physics made him a popular contact in many science fiction circles. A few writers leaned on him as a resource to improve their writings, since he distilled complex topics into fun analogies. At the same time Richard found that reading fiction, especially stories with a strong basis in scientific fact, helped him imagine the future and develop new ideas. Usually once a year he would spend some time with an author and help review the science in their book for accuracy.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
After Walter quit his job, he had a month off before starting at telecommunication startup Orion. What he thought would be guaranteed relaxation, quickly became more work at home. He thought he could sit around and do whatever he wanted while unemployed but Chloe had different expectations. She wanted an uptick in domestic help since he had more time to assist. Cooking, cleaning, and childcare became his main jobs. After a few weeks of constant bickering, Chloe insisted Walter take a two day meditation retreat to clear his head and return ready to help with two kids. Begrudgingly he agreed.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
Richard’s speech was well received. It was as if everyone realized they were in the matrix and their minds were not wholly their own. As he mingled with the museum directors, Richard asked who had requested his presence, but they seemed to know no more than he did. The anonymous donor remained a mystery. The kids didn’t care about any of the philosophy of mind talk or the big donations, they just wanted to play. Cody and Mia had so much fun in the dinosaur-themed play area that everyone ended up having a late bedtime. Early morning surfing became late morning surfing.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
The city of San Diego, still in deep financial trouble, was about to cancel the building of a new natural history museum. An anonymous donation from an offshore corporation suddenly appeared at the front desk of the temporarily closed museum. The only stipulation attached to the check was that Richard Feinburg speak at the opening. Before cashing the check, the museum governing organization reached out to Richard. At first he declined to speak but after thinking about the situation more, he agreed to talk on a topic of his choosing. Thrilled, the museum agreed and construction was finished, allowing opening day to correspond with the first day of summer.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
For the first time in 5 years since Richard moved in, he wasn’t on the front porch as Walter passed by on his way to work. He thought he recalled Richard mentioning an upcoming trip, but he had been too busy to remember to ask where or when. Slightly worried, he peeked through the windows in front and back just to make sure nothing inside looked amiss. There was no sign of him and his hatchback wasn’t in the driveway so he must have traveled somewhere. Then after three weeks, Richard was back.
After spending close to two months in the hospital and another month at a rehab facility, Faraz was ready to return home. He made an incredible recovery with almost all function restored to his legs after many surgeries. Richard and Walter were almost finished with the portable wheelchair ramp they built to fit over the stairs at the Shahs’ house when they got word that he was being released and would be home the next day. After Walter returned from work, they both hurried over to the Shahs’ for final installation.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
On Halloween, Faraz, who lived at the end of the street, was walking with his children on their way home after trick-or-treating when a drunk driver struck him. He shattered the windshield and was thrown into a wall. His children, luckily, were unharmed. The accident left him unresponsive and more than a week passed before he began showing any signs of a positive recovery. The whole neighborhood helped his wife Dahlia with food delivery and errands. They all started a fundraiser to cover Faraz’s medical expenses, and Richard helped watch the kids while Dahlia spent most nights at the hospital.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
After eight months of frozen city spending, a state bailout package paired with clever accounting allowed for a resumption of all public services. Bad scheduling, however, left Chloe working parent teacher conferences at the same time Walter had to stay late at work. Coupled with a last minute cancelation from their babysitter, the Carlisles had to ask Richard if he could watch the kids. When the kids heard that Richard was coming over, they were thrilled. They loved him. His spontaneous deliveries of ice-cream and cookies to the Carlisle’s house had made him quiet popular among the kids, not to mention the frequent porch breakfasts and sand toys he brought down for beach picnics.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
The future is just a series of possibilities not yet actualized. And those possibilities are dependent on what I do now. If I do something dumb like yell and scream, then I increase the chances that future events will be more stressful. If I respond calmly I might bring a calm future into existence.
Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
Heeding Richard’s advice, Walter took a trip to Dallas, first by himself to see the new startup and then with the family to explore the city. Nothing felt right about the job or the location. Still feeling the need to make a change, he responded to a local recruiter’s posting for a new cloud computing job at Tenex, and was offered a position. The new position, although exciting, paid substantially less but offered additional compensation through stock options. The financial tightening coupled with two young children caused significant home stress.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
It was late when Walter returned from his two day conference San Francisco. As he walked from the corner where the driver dropped him off, he stopped at Richard’s gate. The faint sound of heavy metal guitar came from Richard’s open front window as Walter decided to bring the package left on the sidewalk up to the porch. He needed an excuse to ask Richard’s opinion of a new brain-computer interface startup that offered him a job. Through the screen door, he saw Richard sitting on the floor staring at a projection that filled his entire kitchen wall. As Walter knocked, Richard waved him in without turning away from his work.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
One morning after ignoring the weather advisories and feeling eager to surf a massive swell, Richard returned from the beach with a torn wetsuit and broken board. Leaving the board on the front lawn in pieces, he showered and scrubbed his bloodied knee. After reemerging with a fresh set of shorts he sat on his front step and bandaged his cuts and scrapes. Looking up at the stormy sky, he was thankful he hadn’t died in the incredibly violent ocean. He had been careless and overconfident and the forces of nature humbled him.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
Constantly evaluate your life. Sometimes the correct option is to quit, other times keep going. When your actions show that your goals have changed, don’t naively stick with old goals that no longer fit with your life’s needs. There is no shame in quitting and there is no failure in changing your mind. Goals are not forever and goals should never feel binding.
Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
In the evening, with the children in bed, Walter would occasionally lay out in the front yard on the hammock strung between two palms. On a clear starlight evening, he’d drink a local beer and look up at the sky wondering if some of the extra bright dots were satellites. Many times he’d catch Richard outside as well, reclining in an Adirondack chair, face illuminated by the screen of his e-reader.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
When faced with a challenge while working, you’ll be tempted to busy yourself with something easy. When writing, you won’t know what to say or how to rephrase a sentence and you’ll open a new web-browser tab or check your phone.
Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
Richard and Chloe had their daughter Mia just as their son Cody turned 3. Fortunately, the Carlisles finished their small home office addition just in time. Next door, Richard also finally furnished his house, giving it a spartan beach bum vibe. He even extended his front porch so he could cook outside on a gas range. Now, in addition to drinking coffee outside every morning, he also cooked breakfast. As he grew more comfortable on his little plot of land, he immersed himself in gardening with the creation of a fully automated sprinkler system using local weather forecasts and environmental sensors. His front lawn quickly became a lush tropical oasis.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
It’s a silly proposition to give away your time for dollar bills that can be created by the federal reserve with a few key strokes. That’s why everyone accumulates wealth in real-estate and holds stocks and bonds in their retirement accounts.
Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
Every morning at sunrise, Richard would wake and walk outside with a fresh cup of coffee and inhale the ocean breeze. Then, depending on how his creaky joints felt, he would either put on a wetsuit and walk down to the beach, or sit at a small table, open his laptop and begin writing. Since moving back to the west coast, the salty beach air had invigorated his motivation to write. Over the last few years he had spent most of his educational efforts on podcasting and online videos. Although this translated to the greatest increase in popularity, it often lacked the depth he enjoyed when writing a book or long-form essay.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
How much effort is too much. Is all the effort worth it?
Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
As Richard became more and more accustomed to life in San Diego, he grew intrigued with local politics. Small scale protests were occurring more frequently. A recent tax hike put increased strain on property owners and businesses. City officials claimed a need to increase taxes to service the large debt incurred during the last financial crisis. In protest, businesses randomly closed for 2-3 days a week to send a message that without them, the city would have nothing. Property taxes were at an all time high delinquency rate. People were angry and locals began to resent the rich moving to the city and building mansions. Almost nightly, there were small-scale protests downtown.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
The next morning, Richard returned a marked up version of the children’s book to the Carlisles’ mailbox. He felt a little uneasy about his edits because of all the red marker that bloodied the pages. At the same time, he and Walter were becoming good friends and he wanted the couple’s book to be a success.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
While on paternity leave, Walter finished writing a book that introduced computer science principles to young children. Chloe helped illustrate during Cody’s nap times and after many revisions, the book was finally ready for self publishing. To get as much feedback as possible, they sent copies to interested friends and family. Walter’s work colleagues reviewed all the logic diagrams for clarity. Richard, almost two months late, was the last response the couple needed.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
The following evening as Richard headed inside after spending a few hours stargazing, he noticed the Carlisles’ garage door still open with a light on. Wondering if they had forgotten to close it, he walked over to check. Instead, he saw a frustrated Richard, surrounded by tools and cardboard boxes, struggling to build an unnecessarily complex dresser and crib. Clearly he needed help deciphering the convoluted instructions.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
The following evening as Richard headed inside after spending a few hours stargazing, he noticed the Carlisles’ garage door still open with a light on. Wondering if they had forgotten to close it, he walked over to check. Instead, he saw a frustrated Richard, surrounded by tools and cardboard boxes, struggling to build an unnecessarily complex dresser and crib. Clearly he needed help deciphering the convoluted instructions.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
While walking home from the beach after a late morning surf session by himself, Richard noticed the struggles of a postal worker attempting to move a box that looked the size of a dresser. He always had empathy for those working such thankless jobs delivering the mail, so he helped him bring the box onto Walter’s porch. Since everyone was at work, he left a note saying he’d be back at night to help bring the box inside. When he returned, three more massive boxes were blocking the Carlisles’ front steps.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
After a few days of pestering, Richard finally convinced Walter to come surfing on a clear Saturday morning. He loaned Walter a board and wetsuit and they met on the sidewalk at 6am for a walk down to the beach. The morning breeze carried a cool mist that disappeared as they arrived at the shore. For the first hour Richard gave a few pointers and then they just paddled around missing most waves until finally catching one and riding it all the way to shore. With big smiles on their faces, they paddled back out and then coasted back to shore with the rising tide.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
Live for yourself, not for others
Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
A week after Richard moved in, a little shipping container was dropped off outside of his house. It overhung the driveway a small amount so anyone walking past on the sidewalk needed to go into the street to get past. Slowly he unpacked it. On a few occasions, Walter offered to help, but Richard always declined. He seemed content to slowly bring a box or two out per day. Curiously, there were never movers to help with furniture and the pod was far to small for a house full of things.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm
Richard Feinburg, a mathematician and computer scientist famous for his educational videos and public musings on civilization, has retired to a small San Diego beach community. A month earlier, Walter Carlisle and his wife Chloe had moved to the neighborhood as they prepared to start a family. Leaving for work, Walter noticed Richard unpacking a few boxes on the porch of the bungalow next door. Starstruck, he worked up the courage to introduce himself.Book: The Simple World https://amzn.to/3I1xxDm