WE MADE IT….OR DID WE? APOCALYPTIC AND TRANSHUMANIST REFLECTIONS

On the Friday of the Mayan Apocalypse, Dec 21, 2012, I had a special Mayan Apocalypse members' vidchat here to usher in Doomsday. And as most of you know here, my "signature" during the past year on my News and Views from the Nefarium has been to make mention at the top of the show of the "year of the apocalypse."  There was, however, a bit of method in my madness, as I wanted to set up the conditions for why we seem so driven by apocalyptic thoughts in our modern culture, whether we're religious or not.

Well, again, some of us appear to be thinking off of the same page, because many of you sent me this little gem of an article:

The Great Filter theory suggests humans have already conquered the threat of extinction

The paradox here is simply enough to understand:

(1) The Drake Equation suggests that the number of stars and habitable and/or life producing planets in the galaxy is enormous, making the probability that there is intelligent life "out there" probable; yet

(2) The Fermi Paradox is that, if there is intelligent life, then surely some of it would have developed to a sufficient technological pitch that we would have either picked up some signals, or even had some other type of contact, by now, and yet, apparently, we haven't, which suggests:

(3) Other intelligent life forms may not have made it through the great filter.

The "Great Filter" theory in and of itself is fairly easy to understand:

"Many look upon the (Great Filter) as evidence that we'll destroy ourselves in the future. The basic idea is that every civilization destroys itself before developing space-faring technologies. Hence the empty cosmos. Given our own trajectory and the ominous presence of apocalyptic weapons, this scenario certainly seems plausible. We're not even close to going interstellar, yet we're certainly capable of self-annihilation.

But that doesn't mean this interpretation of the (Great Filter) is the correct one. Rather, it's quite possible that human civilization has already passed the Great Filter. Should this be the case, it would be exceptionally good news. Assuming there's no other filter awaiting us in the future, it means we might be the first and only intelligent civilization in the Milky Way." (Proper Nouns re-added because it's simply good diction...that'sanother article!)

The argument here is implicit though simple, we've had atomic bombs since 1945(or, if you've been following the Nazi story, perhaps since 1944), and hydrogen bombs since 1952, yet we've survived for decades, and hence, made it through one filter.  Of course, there's nothing to say we won't use all these weapons on each other at some later point.

But there is, I suggest, a flaw with the argument - or maybe several. There are some in the UFO community who would argue a strong case if not a completely convincing one, that someone is monitoring us and has been, "coincidentally" with the rise of the industrial age and more importantly, stepped up their activity during World War Two and has maintained it ever since, displaying an extraordinary sensitivity to mankind's possession of those very nuclear and thermonuclear weapons of the "first Great Filter."  To ignore the philosophical problems presented by the UFO in approaching speculations about the Great Filter Theory is, in my opinion, folly. Indeed, some ufologists would also argue that the phenomenon may be the next "Great Filter," and that the intentions of many UFO activities are at best unknown and at worst threatening, if not overtly hostile.

The other major problem here is the article takes no account (of course) with the possibility that there is evidence of past Great Filters in local celestial space, and evidence of a failure. This, of course, is my "Cosmic War" hypothesis, one that would seem to argue that the Great Filter occurs not when a civilization masters nuclear fission and fusion, and  thereby takes the first entry step into technologies of mass destruction (that's right folks, nuclear and thermonuclear weapons are, from the "mass destruction" weapons point of view,gateway or entry technologies). Rather, the "cosmic war" hypothesis seems to suggest that such filters arrive much later, with the acquisition of interplanetary capabilities and with the arrival of a civilization at the cusp of one of Kardashev's three classification types. A class one civilization's need for energy of a planetary scale, a class two of a stellar scale, and a class three of a galactic scale.

The "Farrell Corollary" is that such civilization types acquire the ability to engineer systems at each of those scales, and hence, the ability to weaponize systems at those scales. In short, a class One civilization type may have the ability to destroy whole planets with "a single shot." Nukes pale by comparison. And if one reads the record and believes, as I do, that there is sufficient evidence in local space to suggest the remains and artifacts of such a civilization, then it would appear that humanity - or whoever - did not make it through that first Class One Great Filter.

So here's something to ponder... if humanity now has technologies that can manipulate systems on a planetary scale, then we are approaching our first Great Filter... we're not through it yet...

See you on the flip side.

Joseph P. Farrell

Joseph P. Farrell has a doctorate in patristics from the University of Oxford, and pursues research in physics, alternative history and science, and "strange stuff". His book The Giza DeathStar, for which the Giza Community is named, was published in the spring of 2002, and was his first venture into "alternative history and science".

36 Comments

  1. Elm on January 4, 2013 at 8:16 pm

    I was actually praying FOR an “Apocalypse” Now!

    An apocalypse – translated literally from Greek apocálypsis, is a disclosure of knowledge, hidden from humanity in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception, i.e., a lifting of the veil or revelation – an uncovering – an en-lighten-ment or “unveiling.” The Illuminati & their Agents wage war against en-lighten-ment, which is likely why they have demonized and inverted the meaning of apocalypse, to be falsely perceived as a colossal disaster, & as
    a weapon of fear & insecurity which is the psychological engine of consent.

    An apocalypse in its first instance, is only a disaster to obfuscation, i.e., falsehood & deception. They even made a movie to induce and reinforce an aversion to the true concept. The 13th floor is a similar, in that it too is associated with a gematria of enlight-en-ment. And the drak side, there are those who advance darkness under a cloak or appearance of light. This is the Luciferic Principle – The art or craft of concealing darkness in light. By such means, a people can be seduced into the arms of their destroyers.

    To be “en-light-ened,” means to be filled with light, whereas to be “illuminated,” is to appear luminous but contain darkness. This is why Lucifer is known as the “fallen” angel, because he represents a consumate embodiment of the contradiction between substance & form.

    Ironically & paradoxically, therefore, the “anti-Christ” is that which seeks to prevent an “apocalypse” – a dawning of the messianic age wherein evil & falsehood are dispelled like a morning fog, & the world becomes filled with a knowledge of God & man’s true measure & self-awareness as an expression of the Divine Image or Frequency. So pray for an “apocalypse.”



    • Robert Barricklow on January 7, 2013 at 10:32 am

      The “en-light-ened” vs “illuminated”,
      pathologically raw to-the-bone.

      Loved it!



  2. Tim on January 2, 2013 at 11:50 pm

    Seems to me the Great Filter only applies when dealing with life forms at least as violent as ours. In that situation only does the prospect of self destruction apply.

    In addition, the development of high technology does not, in and of itself, imply weaponization. High Tech only leads to weoponization in the hands of violent, war like beings.

    Intelligent life elsewhere most likely arose from non-violent beings who created high tech and ventured forth into space to interact with other non-violent beings. To them, we are some bizarre anomaly.



    • amunaor on January 3, 2013 at 11:35 pm

      Amen!



    • amunaor on January 3, 2013 at 11:38 pm

      A bizarre anomaly that has more than likely been quarantined.



  3. Frankie Calcutta on January 2, 2013 at 9:29 pm

    Who says we need to develop technologies to travel into outer space? Look at the one very successful and prolific extraterrestrial right under our nose— the mushroom. A mushroom spore can travel through space and that is how they arrived on our planet or so the great human mushroom cults past and present have informed us. Why not merge human DNA with mushrooms and soon human spores can travel into outer space looking for new homes? Maybe mushrooms are the most spiritually advanced or Consciously aware of all biological entities? They are revered in many societies throughout history as teachers who, once imbibed, raise human consciousness. And no one can deny their karmic footprint is almost non-existent as mushrooms survive on decomposing plant matter for the most part. Is the end result of transhumanism this? Speeding up evolution? Human beings being transformed into mushrooms or something akin to it?

    I only just cracked the Transhumanism book so I don’t want to get ahead of myself but instead of being instantly horrified I found some of the possibilities intriguing. I imagine walking through a corn field and seeing smiling human faces growing on the stalks. Or how about sitting outside and relying on the Sun for your lunch as your body photosynthesizes the Sun’s energy. That works for me. I find cooking a real chore. Photosynthesis seems much quicker and healthier and certainly better for the planet.

    I would also add that the great Rishis who bequeathed us the Vedas also steered clear of mushrooms. Maybe they didn’t want to eat an extraterrestrial or an entity more enlightened than themselves?

    On a side note, they also believed our Sun had a Dark Companion, a second Sun in our solar system, which obstructed energy from the galactic center cyclically from reaching the planets. This is the basis of the Yuga Cycle.

    There is a German born nanotechnologist named Boris Fritz who is an expert on the Yuga cycles as well as being a pioneer in 3-D rapid manufacturing here in the US. I believe some of his videos are on youtube. The Yuga Cycles and the Science of Time are as important in the understanding of human and Earth behavior as is Vedic astrology.



  4. Frankie Calcutta on January 2, 2013 at 8:44 pm

    I think you are forgetting that we are hurtling through space on a giant rock with the flimsiest of atmospheres keeping us alive. We got this very fickle big ball of fire that we are tethered to and this other ancient and decrepit big rock right next to us and dangerously close (if you want my opinion) and holding our water in place. Who knows when our mysterious Moon might get homesick and decide to leave? Facing that and all the other potentially erratic objects in space, I think biological entities blowing up their home or other planets is the least of the problems. In fact, that is far down the list. The reason why all creatures seek space travel is because once they build their first telescope and start exploring the space around them, they soon realize they are in a shit load of trouble and under a death sentence if they don’t figure out a way off their planet soon. “I wonder why that planet has that big gash in it? I wonder why that planet has no atmosphere? I wonder why that object is pocked with meteor craters?” etc. Let’s face it— a comet, a solar flare, or something is bound to end this joy ride we are having through the solar system right now and probably sooner rather than later.



    • Robert Barricklow on January 2, 2013 at 9:59 pm

      Loved It!
      How many cosmic bullets can intelligence dodge?
      But, with Russain rollete’s wheel being infinite, the odds are that quite a few will get through.
      Unless, of course, infinity is also an illusion.

      Or, is it an infinite number of Finite Universes?
      Or, is the “what” in constant flux; & the “why, a thousand variations?



  5. Antoine on January 2, 2013 at 4:17 pm

    So to keep up with all the high octane speculation here, I’ll put in my chips. I wager that we are monkeys and that our solar system is a cage. We are shielded from the visitors, until we can go say hi. Much like we hide when studying chimps in the jungle, they do the same. We are still wildlife.



    • jedi on January 2, 2013 at 7:09 pm

      and I have the proof that backs up what you’re saying



  6. marcos toledo on January 2, 2013 at 2:40 pm

    O my he is the same author of the Warp Drive story almost a month earlier.



  7. marcos toledo on January 2, 2013 at 2:18 pm

    Have you read the latest excuse for scewing our man space program radiation induce Alzheimer’s whilde reading that story on io9 I came across a earlier story I had read by Geroge Dvorsky dated November 26,2012 titled How NASA Might Build it’s Very First Warp Drive look it up makes interesting reading two weeks to Alpha Centurui wow.



  8. Robert Barricklow on January 2, 2013 at 2:11 pm

    More than likely, mankind will have to bridge the “dimensional” gap; like jumping-off the 2/dimensional Lewis Carroll page – into/thru: “Wonderland”.



    • paul de gagne on January 3, 2013 at 6:22 am

      Robert, I like your fantasy thinking. Here’s another ‘What If… .”

      What if the fluid that the humans were floating in in the movie – The Matrix was only a symbolic representation of all the CONFUSION and ABSURDITY of a dwindling Society being zapped by the Psychological Operations stemming from the Breakaway Civilization? ( as suggested in Farrell’s book?)

      I’m sorry to say I haven’t escaped from that tank but I still can have a little fun playing the Court Jester? Hey, the court jester had one tough job!!!! He had to make the King laugh when the king was depressed and also had to ‘deflate’ the king’s ambition (by mockery) which I would assume is very risky indeed.

      Now there was a real Psychotherapist if anyone asks me?

      Nah, I’m not a trickster for I am just a clown without the big red nose, ha,ha!(the trouble is NOBODIES LAUGHING!)



      • paul de gagne on January 3, 2013 at 6:44 am

        Oh, one more thing about the above article.

        If I was a real cheapskate I would consider the above article like a condensed book ( cliff notes anybody?) and wouldn’t have to purchase any of Joe’s books! (who say’s I have too?)

        I know things when I see it and I have not been seeing it or should I say reading Saucers, Swastikas and Psychops between the lines is driving me to wonder what Joe really believes and that is a real mystery?

        I’ve learned from my all my reading experiences that that is an indication of REAL DEPTH! So I will rush to buy the future book — The Financial Vipers of Venice and I will quote the good doctor’s Title out of context and say, “SEE, They really are REPTILES, HA, HA!!!!!!”

        To be a little more serious I must say reading the Table of Contents of his Transhumanism book makes me very impatient waiting for that book to come in! I believe and that is just my own option that Joe is continuing in GOOD FORM? (I hope I don’t get let-down? And, what the heck, if I do it’s about time I contribute to Joe’s Cause something of substance for I believe he might need the extra five bucks to get a Hamburger with a dill pickle.(nah, I seen that in some movie where a fan and an author coming out of a restaurant who has bought one of the authors books. The friendly author said to the fan, “You just bought that hamburger we just ate, meaning that was the five dollar profit he made on the book.” —but the place looked like a boutique so now that probably costs 8 bucks along with a required tip!



      • Robert Barricklow on January 5, 2013 at 1:55 pm

        Paul,

        You should consider picking up a copy of The Thirteenth Night(Fools’ Guild Mysteries) by Alan Gordon. A great historical series based upon fact. It centers around the Fool’s Guild(jugglers, jesters and secret agents), starting in the first year of the 13th century. Much of the intrigue & action in this series, centers around the City of Venice. It’s principle character is a jester.



  9. bdw000 on January 2, 2013 at 12:33 pm

    Here is the final, and UNDENIABLE proof of intelligent life beyond Earth.

    The proof of intelligent life in the universe is that it is smart enough not to have anything to do with us.

    🙂



  10. terminally skeptical on January 2, 2013 at 11:33 am

    While we conjecture looking to the skies (head in the clouds) for the menace to appear the terrestrial trouble makers scurry round us:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aPPSeMyXlGw



    • terminally skeptical on January 2, 2013 at 1:36 pm

      Sorry one and all for that flagrant youtube link. Had I known it was going to be so visually confrontational I would have truncated the web address with directions. It was meant to be enjoyed sans picture in the quiet of your own bunker.



  11. kamutef on January 2, 2013 at 9:29 am

    The Farsight Institute has just published remote viewing conclusions for the seabed anomalies on Google Earth for the Atlantis and Antarctic area.
    In both cases the civilizations or portions of them were apparently destroyed by deep mining accidents, catastrophic explosions and drastic earth upheavals.
    I just wonder whether the unintended consequences of fracking might just prove to be an unforeseen and unexpected First Great Filter.



  12. LSM on January 2, 2013 at 9:26 am

    “we OBSERVE we live on a planet powered by one star”- other theories state that Saturn was once a second sun- don’t know if that’s true but if not why did George Lucas choose to show two rising suns in “Star Wars”?- just “artistic fantasy”?- maybe, maybe not-

    “Nuclear weapons go back to that incident over in Russia in 1907”- if I recall correctly (wasn’t it stated in “Babylon’s Banksters”?) the Tunguska mid-air explosion was most probably attrubuted to Tesla’s Wardenclyff (sp.?) experiments with scaler waves-

    which is why I still can’t fathom all of this “fear porn” about “nukes” threatening us! (sheesh!)-

    we have satellites out there that can read the numbers/letters on license plates (but still couldn’t find bin Laden), cat-scan the great pyramid to find the 4 corners are a ball and socket construction, satellite technology connected to transponders worn by individuals who go into the wilderness so if “lost” the satellite technology can locate their co-ordinates etc., and we’re still worried about ‘nuclear’ weapons?!-

    if nuclear weapons are ever used again it will be a psy-op to instill fear into people because the initial force is visible- scaler technology is not



    • LSM on January 2, 2013 at 9:34 am

      my commentyry was a response to Jedi’s commentary below- this website with it’s “reply” button not to mention “register to comment” function doesn’t always function- GDS has its quirks sometimes



    • Robert Barricklow on January 2, 2013 at 9:35 am

      Good points.
      Of course you know Osama Bin Dead-A-While
      died 12/2001, of kidney failure.



      • Elm on January 2, 2013 at 7:08 pm

        Yes indeed, Obama merely killed the myth of Obama to claim “dragon slayer” status, whereas Bush simply exploited the myth of Obama, as a useful pretext (patsy) to enable the so-called war on terrorism & the US Corporate Security State. In either case, they each had a vested interest to obfuscate the truth. Neither faction exposed the perfidy of the other.



        • Robert Barricklow on January 2, 2013 at 7:54 pm

          Birds of a feather,
          circling the American carcass
          together.



    • jedi on January 2, 2013 at 10:05 am

      LSM Have a look at eyewitness testimony…..they saw a blimp, zig zagging away from the village, and then the explosion, the blast area has a butterfly effect pattern consistent with a atmospheric nuclear explosion around ground zero. …and then of course the reported injuries, consistent with a A.N.E….some research into the properties of elctro magnetism might also be helpful.

      draw your own conclusions….also if you have researched the electric universe, asteroid impacts and the improbability of there occurrence..the official theory by the known liars…the Tesla theory was a “limited hangout”.

      That was a demonstration by the “????” for his minions, JP Morgan and humanities other traitors….right after that was the collapse of 07 orchestrated by…JP Moron.



    • jedi on January 2, 2013 at 12:30 pm

      Thanks Larry for the 4 corner stones….much appreciated.

      someting new every day as they say,



      • LSM on January 2, 2013 at 2:47 pm

        4 corner stones?- from ME?- which corners and which stones?- you’ve left me in the dust, jedi-

        “someting new every day as they say”- exactly- I’m still scratching my head about whichever/whatever 4 corner stones I somehow orthographically provided to contribute to a new day-

        or am I too “stoopid” to understand life and this website?



        • jedi on January 2, 2013 at 3:37 pm

          The 4 building blocks that were rejected and silenced the lambs Clarice….err Larry.

          Thanks again…



          • jedi on January 3, 2013 at 1:37 pm

            Larry go have a look at globeki tepe, there is an engraving of two vultures over a pyramid with a chimp walking up, sitting in a bowl, and then a man standing at the bottom of it.

            note the 4 lines the square the 2 lines the square and the glyph.
            the other is obfusicated but i am sure where the 2 is replaced by a 3
            also the 2 vultures are between a dj pillar

            farmers vs hunter gatherers….complete with a guy in a v neck, and some interesting writings….12000 years ago.



  13. jedi on January 2, 2013 at 8:36 am

    The Jedi whirlpool equation, we OBSERVE we live on a planet powered by one star. ….thus all stars support planetary life….until PROVEN otherwise.

    Nuclear weapons go back to that incident over in Russia in 1907, it has all the signatures of a atmospheric nuclear explosion, and zero evidence of a meteor strike.

    Welcome to the age of Aquarius….



    • Robert Barricklow on January 2, 2013 at 9:28 am

      Tesla experiment.



      • jedi on January 2, 2013 at 11:01 am

        Marco…polo, code word for GIs on D Day, aka operation Neptune….June 6th for anyone into numbers.

        These days I am researching the algorithmic patterns of washing machines for signs of life.



        • Robert Barricklow on January 2, 2013 at 12:43 pm

          Someone has to do the nuts & bolts clean-up work.



          • jedi on January 2, 2013 at 1:48 pm

            so far, the results are like Prime time television, lots of life division, no intelligence.



  14. terminally skeptical on January 2, 2013 at 6:26 am

    Hand me my tweed jacket Jeeves, the one with the elbow patches. And fill my pipe too while your at it. I’m expecting Bertrand Russell and Joseph Farrell over for brandy.



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