My interests are as varied as my personality. It seems that one day I am deeply into the Internet and the technology that drives it, and poof, the next day I am deeply into the geopolitical issues that manifests itself in our daily lives. Cross border politics and cultural events between the United States and México have intrigued me since the first day I had to produce a piece of paper which somehow, abstractly allowed me to cross an imaginary line on a map. The concept that a piece of paper could somehow make me welcome in one country and persona nongrata in another made me realize that there will always be some type of inequality in the world. From my earliest recollections, that piece of paper, my passport, was constantly in my consciousness. This “booklet” affected what I did, where I went and where I could not go to just because some bureaucrat saw an “x” where a checkmark should be.
An abstract line on a piece of paper somehow determines the language we speak, our ability to interact with others and our personal economic situations. A line we cannot see but a line that nonetheless causes people to perish while others fight for the right to move the line, and most importantly, a line that ultimately determines who we are in the eyes of the rest.
However, lurking deep within my soul is my first love, man’s first contact with extraterrestrial beings. The vastness of the Universe and the greatness of our God, however we may call him, makes it impossible for us to be the only beings capable of creating and expressing ourselves. I understand the complexity of another civilization being able to reach us, much less communicate with us, but I hope to live long enough to at least know that another civilization is out there. This experience will change our humanity significantly, as its implications across the spectrum of humanity will touch all aspects of our lives, from religion to even the way we think about the politics of immigration. Technology, religion, our cultural identity and even our economic models will forever be changed by a simple event, the proof that we are not alone.
Until that day, my mind will continue to be preoccupied by making a living in the technology sector and experiencing the realities of a bi-cultural life in a foreign land. Having grown up in México, the United States and experiencing life everywhere in between it excites me to see the beginning of the erosion of the distinct geographical lines of separation and the merging of the human race into one shared cultural experience. Cultural diversity, in my opinion, is the nexus of our individuality but it should never be the excuse for disparaging another being because they happen to see life through a different set of experiences. Likewise, cultural assimilation should not be viewed with fear, but rather with the excitement of human evolution. Culture evolves and history has shown us that the evolution of culture is the assimilation of diverse ideas into one. Spoken English from the Middle Ages is vastly different from today, yet the language has strengthened through maturity.
Although the road is bumpy and expected to get worse before it becomes better, I truly believe that we are on the vanguard of a shared human identity with each of us retaining parts of our culture that makes us unique but ultimately calling ourselves ‘human” instead of using the identity of our flag to distinguish each of us from each other. I know this may sound idealistic or utopian to some, an unreachable goal to many, but in my mind unreachable goals are what makes us human. In the late 80’s the idea that computers would give us the information we crave just by using a web browser was fantastic and unbelievable to many but today the works of the great masters, the intellectuals of the world and even the musings of single individuals have revolutionized not only our lives but how today’s adolescents view the world.
If technological evolution can have such a profound affect on our lives in such a short period, then why can’t the human capacity to grow intellectually not have the ability to change the way we view our distinctness and evolve it into a shared identity? Cultural assimilation should not be feared rather it should be embraced.
My primary interest and the one I make a living from is the Internet. We are lucky to be living during humanity’s latest renaissance, an age where information flows worldwide in all directions. The Internet has transformed and continues to transform how we interact with each other. It has brought down borders and blurred the geographic lines separating us from each other. The Internet has transformed and continues to transform how we interact with each other and how we do business. The underlining technology and business models that the Internet has created and continues to create has the potential to dynamically change many aspects of our lives. There are no experts on the Internet; rather we are all pioneers in a new human adventure!
Technology is changing the face of humanity as you read this. My son, Landon, is a prime example of this new dynamic that I call the “digital generation”. We have been processing information in our minds in an analog fashion from the beginning of mankind. Landon’s generation is now beginning to process information digitally in their minds. Where we would pickup a piece of paper or a dictionary, the digital generation would logon and type or search online. The thought that information exists on paper is alien to today’s child.
From technology to immigration to space travel my interests weave my everyday life. The capriciousness of politicians on all sides of the border never ceases to amaze me and continues to astound me for the idiocy that drives political wills on all sides of every border. That is why you will find a link to my personal blog where I write about political issues. From local to international politics, politicians always seem to make me angry. Simple solutions turn complicated when politicians get a hold of it, and of course, when their true colors are shown by the monies that they manipulate for their own selfish use. Politics is about money, plain and simple.
However, life is not complete without delving into religion and the “what ifs” of our futures. One can argue about religion to no end and no one will ever agree on the truth. Nevertheless, in my mind we have to accept a basic tenet of our existence – we did not evolve from nothing. Therefore, there must be someone or something greater than the sum of our existence. Whatever that may be or however one refers to Him – the fact remains that someone or something gave us the light that bestows upon us our ability to create, destroy and to dream. To me that is God. To you He may go by another name but nonetheless we should all respect Him for without Him we are nothing.
When I doubt His existence, all I have to do is ask myself who created that? Nature and natural selection invariably fails to be the answer when it comes to the intelligence of humanity and our ability to make music, create art or invent the technology that drives our existence day in day out. Some will argue that we have not reached the capacity to comprehend our surroundings sufficiently enough to explain our existence but that in itself makes me proclaim that our search for these answers reinforces my belief in God. Of course, this belief does not make me blind to the disastrous effects organized religion has imposed upon our history. Just as humanity has the ability to create beautiful things, it likewise has the ability to bastardize the pureness of God.
By now you are probably wondering what this website is about. I really do not have a clear answer to that question; rather I want to share my thoughts with others. I have learned much of what I think I know from talking to others and reading books, articles and other materials anywhere I can find them. Before the Internet, you would find me in a library or a bookstore. I used to travel to other cities just to spend time in the great libraries of the world. I still frequent bookstores, as my extensive private library would attest to, but the Internet has opened a world of intellectual stimulation I had never experienced before. Before, books stimulated me but I only learned what the well healed, those with the economic capacity to print material, wanted me to learn. However, the Internet has brought the printing press to the rest of us and allowed me to read and challenge ideas and concepts from all walks of life. I may not agree with all that is written but I learn from it nonetheless. That is my hope – that my writings stimulate some curiosity you may have. I do not expect you to agree with me, rather I hope to challenge you to force me to explain myself or correct me where I am wrong. However, to be intellectually honest with myself I have to be stubborn in my beliefs and only grudgingly change them, as the facts are laid bare before me. I am stubborn but I am willing to learn.
VENI VIDI VICI!
Due to popular demand I am now making some of my digital art available at the Border Bandit Studio. Check it out!
To contact me, please use the following contact form. I can also be reached via Google Voice at +1 724 426 4867.