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There is a difference between make-belief and facts and it's up to you, dear readers, to decide in which world you intend to live

Comfi Chariots


Dr. Klaus L.E. Kaiser image

By —— Bio and Archives May 24, 2016

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Ben Hur "a la moderne." That's what the new technology of "autonomous cars" is promising. How long until "Hollywood" is providing an updated version of the epic movie? Movie star Charles Heston (RIP) would probably have to take "driving lessons" on autonomous chariots for that too; the unplanned non-autonomous kind of chariot experience was scary enough, see picture nearby. Screenshot of the chariot race in the 1959 movie Ben Hur--actor Charles Heston (or stunt double ?) barely managed to hang on (it wasn't planned to be that way).
The modern chariots come with additional benefits like "back-seat comfort" while you text your significant other and so forth. But that's nothing in the grand scheme of modern civilisation, where your every step is recorded for eternity by cameras at every intersection, drones in the sky to scrutinize your every move, recording and analysis of your email and phone conversation, internet searches, etc. Of course, it's all solely for your comfort, convenience and--most importantly -- safety.

Safety of Chariots

As you can see, chariots typically came with two wheels and four horse power (HP) "engines" -- miniscule in comparison to modern cars with 100-300 HP internal combustion engines under the hood. The days of biblical chariot races are gone but mankind still likes chariots, especially the modern four-wheel variety with much more HP; I think you know what I mean, cars of various kinds. Safety is an important consideration for their manufacturers and buyers alike. Of course, governments are very keen at looking into any accident that might have involved a malfunction of the smallest part. Courts too are quick to put any blame on the design, material, quality, installation or other variable of any vehicle manufacturer's product--even when the vehicle was used in an irresponsible manner.

Chariot Comfort

Just like beauty is said to be in the eye of the beholder, comfort is defined more by personal desires and feelings. Some drivers prefer hard suspensions where you can feel every undulation in the road (like in the screenshot above), while others prefer soft rides that make you feel like gliding through the clouds. This comfort extends not just to the suspension system but also to other functions that used to be all controlled and activated by the driver. From automatic high and low beam head lights switching to seat and backrest adjustments in every possible direction just by using "your" car key rather than that of your significant other, to lumbar curvature settings, automatic windshield wipers, automatic road levelling and numerous other gadgets, devices and auto-adjustments, comfort is important. Of course, being "connected" is another one of the modern comforts and a conveniences as well. For example, you could be cruising along and hear a synthetic voice telling you how much your latest subscription charge for all that "free" stuff you recently signed up for actually does cost you. Who really needs to know such trivia? Isn't money free (some banks are already PAYING YOU for the privilege of lending you other people's savings)--so why would you even want to know the cost of anything? What's the worry?


Worries?--Not me!

I think I'm getting off the (chariot) track a bit; so, back to the convenience thing. It's bigger than sliced bread, just see Boris Schlossberg's article "The Mall Rat is Dead." Unless you intend to make a living as a stunt wo/man rather than sitting on a comfi couch while watching the latest Hollywood drama, no need to worry. After all, the zillions of elected politicians and their unelected bureaucrats in the world are all working hard to keep you safe and happy--scary Hollywood movies or not.

Scary is fine--as long as it is not inconvenient

Convenience is what's it's all about these days. Need a gadget to change the light bulb--no problem. Just order it online and have it delivered within hours to your (drone-compatible) front door. Currently, that delivery system has still an aura of the "old wild west" but the governments are working hard to come up with appropriate standards. To be honest, I find that the border between realizable futuristic developments and total nonsense is becoming more diffuse than ever. The latest hi-tech battle cry of "virtual reality" (VR) only adds to the confusion. Is VR something like "Beam me Up!" which supposedly moved your physical being from one place to another, or is it just another figment of Hollywood's wild imaginations? The future is in robotics, where small and large "critters" will do all the work--so I'm told. What could be the problem with that?

Sobering Thoughts

Some sobering thoughts may be in order though. Hollywood movie makers and governments may not like to hear them: There is a difference between make-belief and facts and it's up to you, dear readers, to decide in which world you intend to live:
The (comfi) make-belief or the real world variety?
Actually, you can enjoy both -- as long as you differentiate between reality and fiction.

Dr. Klaus L.E. Kaiser -- Bio and Archives | Comments

Dr. Klaus L.E. Kaiser is author of CONVENIENT MYTHS, the green revolution – perceptions, politics, and facts Convenient Myths


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