#05 DFQ

Douglas Adams, creator of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy:

Imagine a puddle waking up one morning and thinking, “This is an interesting world I find myself in–an interesting hole I find myself in–fits me rather neatly, doesn’t it? In fact, it fits me staggeringly well, must have been made to have me in it!” This is such a powerful idea that as the sun rises in the sky and the air heats up and as, gradually, the puddle gets smaller and smaller, it’s still frantically hanging on to the notion that everything’s going alright, because this world was meant to have him in it, was built to have him in it; so the moment he disappears catches him rather by surprise. I think this may be something we need to be on the watch out for.

Join the mooc and do your Daily Feedback Question (DFQ #05):

What do you think we need to be on the watch out for?

1,549 thoughts on “#05 DFQ

  1. We need to improve constantly, not just when problems arise. It is ok to solve a problem and find an effective solution, but still we need to find and generate several alternatives. That is one of the reasons, I am excited about cvstobvs

  2. we need to be on the watchout for the inherent nature of existence as we view it , we know too little as members of this existence and our understanding is quite primitive still . we as living creatures have to speed up the process of learning by recruiting the best of our minds available and rise above petty selfish motives to speed up the learning process of our species as s whole .

  3. Signs – little changes in the laws that have enormous ramifications little changes in health that require early attention
    little changes in attitudes towards others that can lead to racism or sexism
    A the little in seemingly innocuous changes that change our lives forever . Scottish motto BE MINDFULL

  4. I think it teaches one not to build any empire arround any comfort zone wether aquired ( inherited or given), achieved, man-made or natural. However delibrate attempt to know and ‘positively‘ respond to such so as not to be swellowed up by nature out of relevance nor live.
    In conclusion an attitude of ‘ever learning and implementing‘ can not be over emphasize.

  5. I might imagine in a self-centered way that the world is adapted to take care of me and that it might be called to task for not fitting me particularly well on a particular day when there has been a change in a parameter effecting comfort: temperature, humidity, daylight hours, ultraviolet exposure, ecological environment, when instead, I will get along further by becoming aware of the change, imagining a variety of ways that I can adjust my life style to cushion the discomfort of the change.

  6. We need to be on the watch for machines that are (or seem to be ) increasingly intelligent and (apparently) interactive .
    I have been surprised and amazed at the self-serve machines at our supermarket .
    Positionally sensitised to weight and some specific movements , and keyed to accept fully bar coded information about individual products , as you wave them past unseen sensors ……these machines are “aware” if you do not follow a set procedure of specific moves , and a voice (human) tells you so.
    The last thing I expected was that the machine would speak to me , and re-instruct me about correct moves ….so that weight and price details of products for purchase could be recorded accurately , shown sequentially, and finally added up in preparation for my immediate payment by EFT-Pos or credit card.
    But it did ….and immediately I was fascinated by whatever “intelligence” or “smartness” it had …..my attention was immediately engaged.
    The electric bike I ride has a “smart” controller ….a mini computer which is sensitised to understand when a person is pedalling the bike , and “ready” to issue power on demand from a battery …to assist speed and progress for the rider.
    My fridge always rings an alarm beep signal when the door is left open , and temperature conditions inside the fridge compartment begin to change ……
    Computers are now smaller, and even more multi functional than ever before , with greater levels of adaptability and connectedness to phone, and camera signal networks ….and other mainstream larger computers .
    Being on the watch for these things will not warn anyone about them …it will simply alert people to the fact that they are already present amongst us , and are already active .
    It is likely that our personal sense of security in the privacy of our workplaces and homes is already being undermined , and we may find out “too late” that we are indeed being watched
    and audio-recorded …….
    Somebody once said ……The price of a nation’s safety is eternal vigilance ……..We need to be on the watch, to ensure our future safety .
    Such extreme and rapid changes in artificial intelligence combined with computers ,cameras and miniaturisation are already afoot ……it may prove to be vital.

  7. We need to watch for the change. To many of us go on with our lives/work and don’t notices that there are environmental
    changes happening every day every min every seconds.

  8. Change. Change in the environment. Sometimes we can be so self-absorbed that I lose touch of the things going on around us. So we need to be aware of it and make adjustments and adapt it. Also, we need to seize the moment and take advantage of every possible opportunities in our life before it passes.

  9. I will watch out for being trapped in my own thoughts and experience. Being connected to the ever changing world and experiences of others open our horizons and challenge our current set of beliefs.

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