The Introduction to the Weirdest Stream of Thoughts You've Ever Read

An Introduction to Nicole’s Weird Stream of Thoughts

I would like to make it clear from the get-go that I, in absolutely no way, am qualified to write a book about physics, philosophy; frankly, I don’t even think I’m qualified to write a blog period. I’m a 16-year-old girl, who ironically, is not academically talented in the slightest. I may not be qualified now, but call me back in 16 years and see if my list of qualifications has gotten longer. Hopefully, I’ve gotten off my couch and decided to contribute to society. Or at least gone for a jog. 

There’s a well-known cliche of a saying: Curiosity killed the cat. For some reason, people seem to subconsciously live by this quote. There's lacking interest in the unknown -- there’s a fear of what the unknown holds, what it means, or perhaps it's the fear of the work you’re required to do in order to solve the mysteries of the unknown. Physics, cosmology, philosophy --- they’re all equally complicated subjects. Most science, when you get down to the grit of it, is complicated. And the term complicated is the descriptor which holds subjects off the cliff of disinterest in the eyes of people. Even though physicists attempt to simplify the concepts they’re so well educated on, attempts tend to be futile -- because the term “complicated” is still attached to science as a subject. 

It’s not like the educational system does any better of a job. We’re supposed to be getting kids MORE interested in subjects, not lecturing them until they’re drooling on the wooden desks. Drool causes mold. Peaked interest does not.

I taught myself physics through Google after dropping the class. Not to shit on teachers, but sadly in high school, teachers don’t always teach you the material, rather they teach you how to get an A; and no, they are not synonymous. I found myself deeply hating a subject that I had loved for years. Now of course, not all teachers are dull. There was a teacher at my school, although recently retired, who was renowned by even the non-science lovers for allowing them to enjoy physics. And I won’t blame my shortcomings solely on teachers, when I myself did not put in a significant effort to get any sort of acceptable grade. But put aside my own experience for a second, because regardless of what I went through, I noticed a trend when it came to students and their physics class; they always fell asleep. They were always bored. 

If you talk to young children, they’ll eagerly ask you questions. They’ll make their own (illogical) theories, but at least they’re thinking. At least they’re curious. Younger children even express their curiosity through means beyond words, such as taking a handful of sand and shoving it down their throats. So,  where does this childlike fascination with the world go? What changes from childhood to slightly-sorta-adulthood? What is our limiting factor? 

Frankly, I cannot give a singular reason to the lack of curiosity among older kids. Maybe it’s the overcomplication of science as a subject. Or rather, the unknown is not as gravitating as it once was. Regardless, imagine this blog thing (or perhaps this is more definable as a general collection of my thoughts, as written in essay form) as a “Science to English” translator. Sometimes when we read a nonfiction book about science, we re-read every other sentence, with the same looming thought: what the hell did they just say? Or perhaps, is this even English? This is especially true for a lot of teenage science enthusiasts, who don’t have a PhD in a scientific field (or probably even an undergraduate’s degree). Hopefully, this blog-thing can take gibberish and explain it in a sort-of-understandable way -- one that is simultaneously educational but enjoyable. 

*Small warning, I do not make any promises. Some of this is definitely going to still sound like gibberish. 

An Introduction to Raina’s Weird Stream of Thoughts

To preface, I would like to acknowledge the bias my writing is riddled with. I am a human being with strong opinions, and weak credentials. Keep in mind you are simply reading my stream of consciousness, however grammatically incorrect and insignificant it may be. In my opinion though, which will never again be specified and should be assumed, all of this is mere opinion anyways. The three astounding P’s: Philosophy, Physics, and Psychology; are all theory. Scientific thinking and the craving for ‘proof’ are falsy satisfied by human explanation. However accurate the experimentation, astute the pondering,  reasonable the idea, none is universally true. Human perspective and our limitations as a physical being trap us within the idea of personal truth, unable to obtain the universal. 

Imagine the horizon as a boundary line. Everything you know, or more drastically human civilization knows, exists within the horizon. This is due to limitations resulting from our physical existence, mental capacity, and whatever else fuck all our ‘complex’ language is too simple to describe. We can’t see what’s beyond the horizon, it is out of our reach. We do not even know what it is we don’t know that lies beyond the horizon of our knowledge. Consequently, any brilliant discoveries humankind makes are merely descriptions of what we think the world is, not what it truly is. Or maybe not. I don’t know. No one does. No one can know. That's the problem. I found it necessary to mention how little we know as a civilization since our fear of the unknown bleeds into almost every topic to be discussed in this blog, leading to an abundance of willful ignorance, falsified ego, and the need for distraction.

The more corrupt among us use this curiosity of the unknown and craving for understanding -which were incapable of achieving- to steal the only thing of value. Time. As three dimensional creatures within the four dimensional fabric of space-time, we experience time only instantaneously. Time is not a straight arrow marching forward, we simply experience it that way. Our experience of time is fleeting, making it exceedingly valuable. Human constructs envelope all else we consider valuable. As an objective observer, money becomes paper, objects simply take up space, family ensures continuous production of the human race, and love is a chemical reaction. None of the above actually matter if they can not last in the long run. Which they don’t. Any and all pursuits of happiness are dependent on time. Time is the only thing that can be lost, or gained. Realizing this, commercialism, consumerism, conformity, and plenty of other human constructed institutions, have the sole purpose of wasting time. AH!

By now you're probably thinking, “This Anti-establishment radical teenager needs to simmer down. Stop spitting ‘we live in a society’ bullshit at me.” I would like to formally apologize for my lack of respect for what would be considered polite. I happen to be one hell of a anti-establishment radical who by standard definition, definitely needs to simmer down. I am also an absurdist, anarchist, and a jumble of other words made up to describe someone who disrupts the peace - or attempts to. Above all else I am a human, which I am slightly ashamed to admit and played no part in deciding. Please take every thought I usher with a heap of salt. For I am a mere mortal, who knows very little (if anything). Again, my sincerest apologies. 


*Please keep in mind that this blog is being written by two separate human beings, Nicole Ahad and Raina Hatcher -- both equally not qualified to be writing any of this. Regardless, some posts will be written by Raina, others will be written by Nicole. Collectively, it will be a mumbo-jumbo stream of our thoughts and ideas. Enjoy at your own risk.

Sincerely with Love and Rage,
The Physics Duo