We Love Each Other. Or We May Just Be Opposite Sides of The Same Bird

This is a deep one but it is probably the largest thought that has occurred in my tiny brain.

I'm a math and science nerd. I have a B.S. in Statistics and Mathematics with a minor in Biology from the University of South Alabama to prove it. I'm a nerd with credentials.

My bookshelf at home is littered with about 90% physics and other science books. It's more than a hobby for me. I am addicted.

Well my love for math and science goes back as far as I can remember and it is alive and well today.

I watched the reports of the Mars Curiosity's successful touchdown with excitement.

Well everytime I see science advancements in the news it puts my brain in motion. It makes me think about how that event affects others events and how those events are possible. I think about the materials used , etc and it eventually leads me back to some elemental question or truth about the universe. It leads me back to the "big questions". These questions like: What is the basic fabric of the universe?, or How did it begin?, or Can the Speed of Light be broken?,.....

Well one of these questions that has always been profound to me is the concept of forces. There are lots of forces in the universe. For the Mars Curiosity trip, scientists had to adjust for gravity and magnetism. This gets my wheels spinning. What is magnetism?

When I think about the Mars Curiosity being shot towards Mars I can't help but think of the billions upon billions of calculations that had to be made to determine its trajectory alone. Many millions of these calculations had to deal with gravitational and magnetic forces which would be interacting with the Mars Curiosity along its path.

The shear volume of calculations boggles my mind, but it is obvious that these calculations got done properly because .....it landed on its target.

This part of science and math is very very impressive but not profound. The volume of calculations and the fact that someone initially generated the equations used is phenomenal but the act of calculating it is what we'd call "plug and chug".

Where I've always been the most amazed has been one step deeper. What is magnetism? Not what are the effects? What is it?

We understand that magnetism occurs and over the almost 3000 years we've been actively observing it , geniuses have slowly but surely evolved our mathematical understanding of it to an incredible degree.

We have a grasp of the effects of magnetism to the point that we can shoot a tiny projectile 350 million miles and not only land on Mars but specifically land at the exact spot on Mars we want to. Obviously we can adjust for the affect of a myriad of variables to an impressive degree.

But that doesn't tell me exactly what is going on during the attraction and repulsion of objects during magnetism.

Well during the reading of one of those nerdy physics books on my bookshelf, I had an epiphany.

It was the single biggest thought I have ever formulated in my mind.

Let me pause here and say I by no means AT ALL think I am the first to conceptualize the concept I'm about to describe nor would it be impressive to any scientist. But the idea was completely foreign to me and the concept wasn't explained to me, my brain took the pieces it had and it formulated the concept.

For the first time I felt like a real scientist. I figured this out by myself. It felt good.

Now let's see if I can explain it.

Imagine a 3 dimensional object. For this example let's use an animal. Let's say a bird.

This is a cartoon bird and we will not be damaging it in any way.

Imagine that we split the bird directly between its eyes straight back all the way to its tail (like a sagittal section MRI). Let's look at one side

Ok. Because we are able to view the 2D slice of the bird from distance in a 3rd dimension of space we can see that it is obviously a slice of a 3D creature, namely the bird. We can also guess that the empty section in the middle is actually a tube (digestive tract) and therefore it connects the top part of the bird and the bottom (in the third dimension).

This is OUR perception of it. But imagine for the sake of this example you and I were scientists, living in 2D world. In the 2D world the upper part of the 3D bird is in no way connected to the bottom part. 

This means that as we observe these two parts, they would seem to be linked: when one section moved the other section moved although we never saw them touch, when one section got sick so did the other section although they never touched, and eventually when one section dies the other immediately dies although they are seperated by space. 

Of course we know (as 3D people looking in at the 2D slice of the bird) that the bird is a 3D object and it is 100% connected physically, which explains all the connectedness in the 2D world.

Once this concept sinks in it is a quick leap to thinking about our interactions in the 3D world and how some of the "strange forces" that act upon us, like gravity and magnetism, are actually a physical connection on a higher dimensional plane. 

I understand that conceptualizing physical space in any order beyond the 3 dimensions our brains interact in is not just difficult, it is pretty much impossible. We can't conceptualize the 4th, 5th, 6th, spatial dimension. Our brains don't work that way. 

I find this very interesting: Math is the language or matrix from which the universe is understood. As we progress through time we keep getting a better grasp on this math and therefore a more accurate idea of what the universe is and how it works. And our most current theories of physics ALL insist that our universe is constructed of more than 3 spacial dimensions. All of them. M Theory, S Theory, etc may have differing opinions on number of dimensions but they ALL agree there are more than 3.

Because of this, visualizing the 2 dimensional slice of the bird really cleared up a ton of things for me.

Our scientists understand what happens when a huge magnet of size X is put a specific distance away from magnet of size Y. We can calculate the outcome very very accurately. But that doesn't tell us why two rocks are pulling toward each other.

The two dimensional slice of the bird also doesn't explain what is going on with the magnets, BUT it gives clues as to why we CAN'T understand the connection fully.

Just like when we were imagining being the 2D scientists, looking at the slice of the bird, all we see is strange motion and force at a distance. 

The scientist in me always wants to ask, "But Why?", "But Why?" so reaching a result that is a question mark would seem to be unsatisfying. But it isn't.

To me it is beautiful in this case. 

Since the dawn of time mankind has had various versions of the feeling "we are all the universe", "we are all one".

We have all had Deja Vu in some sense. We have all felt love.  We have all felt a connection to a place or person that seems oddly more than it should be. 

I'm not proclaiming that these feelings mean we physically have a connection with these people or places in the 6th spacial dimension.

But the fact that it is possible makes me smile.

The first civilizations of man understood that there is a connection between us that supercedes this physical 3 dimensions and now after 10,000 years of development our incredibly advanced science........well, it says the same thing.

In conclusion I will try to explain why this matters to me so much. Being a man of science, I
always wanna think everything is
understandable with enough
tinkering. The problem came in
when (much like everyone else)
l experienced things that don't
work as if it were made in a laboratory (like love).
To me, the revelation about the 2D view of the 3D bird and how it relates to magnetism (for example) let me know
that the "magical" things in life are
also (probably) understandable with
the right tinker toys (scientific instruments). However We will just never
have those tinker toys at our disposal.
That's powerful. That means life can
still have the magical moments. AND ....(here's the kicker)...it
can do so without limiting the power of science. That is Beautiful.

<meta name="title" content="We Love Each Other. Or We May Just Be Opposite Sides of The Same Bird" />

<meta name="description" content="A theorhetical philosophical explaination of love and magnetism" />

<meta name="keywords" content="love, magnetism, physics, dimensions, forces of nature, magnetic force explained, love explained" />

<meta name="author" content="Eric Erdman" />

<meta name="owner" content="Eric Erdman" />

<meta name="copyright" content="(c) 2012" />

Rage Against Being the Machine

"It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock n' roll"
    - AC/DC

"It's also a long way to the middle if you wanna rock n' roll"
   - Jeffery Clemens (Drummer for G Love & Special Sauce)



I am a musician. I was born and raised in Mobile, Alabama.

As a lot of you know, Mobile has long been a hot bed for musical talent. I have a theory as to why this is but it is only a theory. But since you are reading this I guess you wanna hear my thoughts on things so here they go:

We are in the deep deep south where forever society has been predominantly made up of hard working blue collar folk. This only plays into the equation because, the blue collar hardworking folk that work exceptionally hard party exceptionally hard as well. And where there is a party there needs to be music.

The want for music is so prevelant and powerful in the South that it is more of a need. This "need" paired with the geographic remoteness from major cities brings me to my next point. These hard working people wanna blow off steam by partying. This partying will virtually always be accompanied by some music. Problem is most all of the big touring acts (which play the most popular songs) are far away.

Let's say Artist X is the biggest hottest act in the country. Artist X is all over TV and Radio. Everyone hears Artist X's new song, "blah blah blah" wherever they go.

Well when the hard working folks finally get off of work after a week of back breaking labor they need a relief. They wanna go out, relax, spend some of (read: more than they should) the money they made while enjoying music. What music specifically do they wanna hear?  ......Well...."blah blah blah" of course. It's the hot new jam. One problem: Artist X isn't playing in town. Moreover, Artist X isn't playing in town this month. Actually Artist X isn't playing within 6 hours of here on his whole tour. So seeing Artist X isn't an option. Dang. Well these hard workers REALLY like "blah blah blah" (it's been drilled into their head from the radio at work all week). So what do they do?

Realizing that seeing Artist X isn't an option, they accept the next best thing: someone doing a good rendition of "blah blah blah".

As any good business man knows, where there is demand someone will provide the supply.

Somewhere back in the long forgotten past musicians began mimicking popular artists. Somewhere (also back in antiquity) one of these musicians realized they could make a killing in the South if they catered to the blue collar folks I have mentioned by mimicking popular artists (i.e. Artist X).

As a matter of fact these musicians realized they would be even more successful if instead of just mimicking Artist X, they also mimicked Artist Y (who had a reggae hit last year) or Artist Z (who is an classic country artist). As the amount of musicians who were financially better off grew so did the competition. The more versatile the musician, the more sought after he would be. ( "All you hard workers come down to "the Dixie Dive" this Saturday and blow off some steam while listening to the amazing Bill playing all your favorite songs by Artist X, Artist Y, ...." I imagine their advertisements to be).

Fast forward a few generations and you can see a deeply rooted , thriving music scene of cover musicians across the South. I see nothing dishonorable about playing other people's songs. I've done it for years, and many of my all time favorite musicians have made a career out of doing it. But it should be noted that for obvious reasons if all musicians play cover music, music will die.

This is a good spot to note that the southern bar/venue owners who are in the business of entertaining the blue collar workers, are very shrewd. They understand fully (at least the successful ones) that they aren't in the business of selling music. They may very well love music but they know it isn't the commodity they are selling. They are selling a good time (most of the time beer and a good time) to those overworked blue collar folks. I'll try to explain why this distinction is important.

In a thriving original music scene (as is seen in bigger cities) music is the actual commodity being sold. The venues in such places would not only hope but expect the musicians they hire to give a unique and individualized original performance so that the music loving customers would be entertained and be willing to return in the future to buy tickets again. These shows are expected to move the audience by giving them 1-2 hours of original music that connects with them.

But in southern venues the owners aren't trying to sell tickets to musical events, they are selling beer (and the party that goes along with it). In this scenario it only makes sense these venue owners need to extend the length of the party in order to maximize profits. Due to this the venue owners are able to offer musicians more money to play longer.

The entire set up I just described evolves over many decades to result in a region filled with extremely versatile musicians who are incredibly competent at their respective instruments. (the physical act of performing makes these musicians better. Even if they are playing "Brown Eyed Girl" and "Wagon Wheel" all night, they are becoming better players and performers through the act of playing and performing).

The sad news for a vast majority of these musicians is even though this "baptism of fire" has honed them into world class performers and highly skilled musicians, they can't get a break. The reason for this is most of the industry is far away (which is why Artist X never toured here in the first place). So these intensely skilled and talented people just kind of rot on the vine. They wow the workers after their daily grind, they collect their pay, and they go home and get ready to repeat it all again tomorrow.

Some of these musicians are also epically great songwriters (I won't list them here for If I just listed the great songwriters I'm friends with I'd run out of room). A lot of these songs will never reach further than the 20-30 people at the corner bar.

It is sad to watch. The same machine that is creating generation after generation of superb talent is the same machine the stiffles their ability to succeed.



THE POINT:



Last night I had a release party in celebration of my first solo CD, "My Brother's Keepers".
It was a special moment for me. I saw one of my biggest dreams realized. It was a day I will never forget for as long as I live. I felt so much love and support it was overwhelming.

But last night was more special than even that. Last night was so much bigger than me. Of course I felt very honored to be supported by the community so fully. But there was something so much bigger than that occurring.

Mobile, Alabama. A city at the heart of the deep south. A city that could be considered the epicenter of the machine I spoke of above.

Mobile went against everything it was EXPECTED to do. Mobile went against everything it has learned and grown to call the norm. Mobile went against what it probably thought it was "SUPPOSED" to do.

Mobile supported me 100%.

And although I did try to publicize it as much as I could (Facebook, the Newspaper, Studio10, 92ZEW), my publicity wasn't what made it a success. The people rallied. The people rallied strong.

And I'm sure to some it was just a good party at the Blue Gill. But to me it meant something.

The people of Mobile stood together and said "We will support our local talent". Obviously I am very proud that it was me they were supporting. But I sincerely would feel equally proud if the same response was given to any of my colleagues (and there's bunches of em).

Yesterday made me proud as an artist. But I think more so it made me proud as a Mobilian.

Yesterday Mobile did something special and against convention.

I think yesterday gave hope to a lot of local talent.

For that you should be proud of yourself, Mobile.