Never in the history of literature has any short
story entered the world with such fanfare, mystery and expectation. For a few
moments thousands of eyes from all around the globe will be engaged for a brief
minute or two making, at the very least, literary history. For days, months and
years thereafter, thousands of minds are destined to confront the enigma of “Infinity Express Flight 2100: Entropy
Fueled”. For as John Milton so profoundly stated in Paradise Lost – “the mind is its own place, and in itself can
make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven”
Are you ready to board this Starship? Are you sure?
Are you ready to board this Starship? Are you sure?
IN-FLIGHT VIDEO
Infinity Express Flight 2100: Entropy Fueled
– A silly little story …
Boarding passes were presented by the 10,000 or so passengers who
happily jumped onto Starship Earth, some 250,000 years ago. For Infinity
Express Airlines, Flight 2100, was then finally boarded; destined to take its
passengers to the last shores of Eternity. Engines were fueled by cosmic fuel -
entropy; the flight crew was a top class professional team, captained by
Economics, while Theology, Politics and Science rounded out the rest of the key
cabin crew members.
After take-off, the passengers’ only concerns were survival,
procreation and creating the distractions needed to keep their brains’ -
primary organ - neurological mass and energy mix, actively producing a range of
various cognitions. Through their cognitions they could also create many
stories that would allow them to organize and entertain themselves over an
expected long voyage. So they did all these things. It was a circular process,
like everything else around them.
All the essential necessities were provided in the cargo store
for this journey, along with enough entropy supply for the Starship’s engines,
as well as, the daily use of passengers for their survival needs and
distractions purposes. This cargo store was certified and approved prior to
departure, and then managed, in flight, by the crew.
About fifty-nine “cosmic minutes” after takeoff, the Scientist
was becoming concerned, that the now over seven billion travelers, had been
consuming too much, from both the necessities cargo store and entropy fuel
tanks. It was a grand party, as evidenced by the thick cabin smoke and clutter.
But this ever-growing passenger population created after take-off was testing
the logical stress limits of the ship and voyage. Particular attention was
given to the half-full entropy fuel tanks.
“No worries” said both the Politicians and
Theologians “The Captain says there is more than enough for another
250,000 years given past usage experience, more than enough to refuel at the
next rest-stop along the way. “ With these assurances the
passengers relaxed and continued with their affairs for a moment, not even
realizing that they were still going around-in-circles. Moreover, the Scientist
for some strange reason was quickly re-assigned to coach, with the other passengers.
Back in the cockpit cabin, its atmosphere was now engulfed by
the team’s fear, high-tensions, blinking-lights and stuttering confusion. The
abstract Positive-Sum Infinite (PSI) gauges for GDP, Wealth, and Growth were
all stabilized and normal, but the concrete Negative-Sum Finite (NSF) gauges
for Climate, Resources, Water and Biosphere had just jumped sharply into
J-curve configurations. The Politician, and now acting flight engineer,
immediately pulled-out and started reading the” Infinity Express - Emergency and Flight Disaster Protocols Manual.
“Quickly, what are we supposed to do?” asked the sweat-drenched
Captain.
“Captain,” replied the Politician, “it says we are now Linear Curve Code
Red Nth”
“Then, what does it say next. Tell me! Quickly! Please?”cried a
clearly terrified Captain.
“Strange Captain? All it says is that, the greatest shortcoming of the human
race is our inability to understand the exponential function. Dr Albert A
Bartlett. That’s it?”
“Holy jumping Star bucks guys – the fuel tank just dropped to
empty. Get into batten-down mode; we gotta to tell the passengers,” bellowed the
now highly-strung Captain at the top of his lungs.
Suddenly, back in coach, in just a few brief moments the
Captain’s voice broke the newly found Starship’s passengers’ cabin short-lived
calm. “Attention all
passengers, please push back your trays; buckle your seat belts as our
indicators are telling us that we are about to enter an unexpected area of
accelerated exponential turbulence” the Captain deeply lamented in an
official resonant tone.
Then just as suddenly, sparse moments after the sturdy voice
left their ears - the engines went quiet. Then a brief ghostly hiss, followed
by Dead Silence…
Hardly moments later, within the carnage of terrifying wreckage,
a few survivors clung to their last gasps of time. A young little girl softly
and quietly turns to her father’s darkened somber face. With all her remaining
strength she blurts, “Why? Why Daddy? Why?
A single lonely teardrop etches on his face, then falls into the
soulless murmur of waves flowing into an existential universe. Looking for the
welcoming hand of eternity’s shores? Or humanity’s last thought?
There were no hands, no shores and no thoughts in the remnants
and carnage of unanswered why’s. Only whys. And then, another cosmic
minute lapsed, bearing the soft humming sounds of another passing
Starship...
...Infinity Express, Flight CM2E - heading rapidly towards…
“the mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven”
In His Words...
Special thanks to those
who contributed alphabetically to the crafting of this parody; Paul Chefurka, Chris Clugston, Fred Magyar,
Terry McNeil, Frosty Wooldridge, and Dr. Peter G Kinesa. And a very special
acknowledgment and thanks to the late Dr. Albert A
Bartlett, whose famous quote is cited above regarding humanity’s (particularly
mainstream economics) inability to understand and
apply the exponential function.- a conceptual failing
which will ultimately have such profound effects on its condition,
sustainability and longevity. In the end, it should prove to be one of its greatest
failings of understanding and intellectual honesty.
