Over the noon hour today, I was celebrating the break in the deep cold snap by walking along the neighborhood streets behind my clinic. As I walked down a hill into the next neighborhood, I passed the local Salvation Army headquarters. Whipping in the breeze was an American flag and immediately beneath it was a flag with various colors and shapes embellishing the words "BLOOD and FIRE". Intrigued, I explored the building's face further to find a crest with the same words on it. I know very little about the Salvation Army other then the red kettles, bell-rings and the charitable Christmas appeals. I had no background knowledge on the significance of these words to this religion. My first thought was that I should ask my wife's aunt, a woman I don't know very well and don't live near but also the only member of the Salvation Army that I know on a personal level. It would be very easy to call her and ask. Almost as quickly as this thought of calling my wife's aunt came to me, it was extinguished by an almost instinctual urge not to reach out but rather just look up the information on my phone. My personal technology and my ability to access facts instantaneously quelled my desire to reach out to and learn from another human being.
There are many defenders on both sides of the Star Wars versus Star Trek debate. I typically appreciate both but remain on the sidelines of any arguments about preference or supremacy. Technology is treated very differently between these two franchises. In Star Trek, superhuman androids and tricorders are constant resources of limitless, effortless information. In Star Wars, a neurotic android is a constant nuisance and unifying thread of the whole saga. In Star Trek, each new series was anchored by a shiny, technological marvel chock full of amazing new technologies. In Star Wars, the only consistent vessel, the Millennium Falcon, is two-faced as a noble freighter and a hunk of junk. While Star Trek characters are rich and vibrant, they are tied to their environment and technology. Star Wars characters would be as believable on a pirate ship as a space ship -- they are timeless and independent of technology.
Precept 8: The practical Jedi uses technology to augment one's ability to help others yet is never seduced by technology's false promise of diminutive learning. The practical Jedi sees human beings and human experience as the greatest teachers. The practical Jedi walks when others ride. The practical Jedi talks when others type. The practical Jedi do not reject technology but the practical Jedi also does not use it as a crutch.
There are many defenders on both sides of the Star Wars versus Star Trek debate. I typically appreciate both but remain on the sidelines of any arguments about preference or supremacy. Technology is treated very differently between these two franchises. In Star Trek, superhuman androids and tricorders are constant resources of limitless, effortless information. In Star Wars, a neurotic android is a constant nuisance and unifying thread of the whole saga. In Star Trek, each new series was anchored by a shiny, technological marvel chock full of amazing new technologies. In Star Wars, the only consistent vessel, the Millennium Falcon, is two-faced as a noble freighter and a hunk of junk. While Star Trek characters are rich and vibrant, they are tied to their environment and technology. Star Wars characters would be as believable on a pirate ship as a space ship -- they are timeless and independent of technology.
Precept 8: The practical Jedi uses technology to augment one's ability to help others yet is never seduced by technology's false promise of diminutive learning. The practical Jedi sees human beings and human experience as the greatest teachers. The practical Jedi walks when others ride. The practical Jedi talks when others type. The practical Jedi do not reject technology but the practical Jedi also does not use it as a crutch.