Xerek Files: Entry Number Fifteen – [Mutant Cure]

With the existence of extraordinary traits and abilities, attitudes directed toward them are quite mixed.  While some see extraordinary traits and abilities as a good thing or as a positive force, there are others who see them in a negative light, resulting in them wanting to see them be eliminated or otherwise removed from the population.  With those who want to see the removal of extraordinary traits and abilities from the population, some take the extreme view of total extermination of these individuals while others are willing to take a more moderate view of the situation where they are willing to see these individuals continue to live as long as they are divorced from their extraordinary traits and abilities.  These latter individuals didn’t arise until relatively recently with the emergence of genetics and its understanding by the broader population.  On top of this, with the appearance of gene therapy, it helped these individuals come to the conclusion that extraordinary traits and abilities can be suppressed or otherwise eliminated from those who possess them.  As a result, it led some to believe that a cure can be created and developed in order to treat this “condition.”

Once the idea of a mutant cure was developed, it managed to propagate to those who are willing to listen and has even begun to become a fixture within mainstream society.  With the initial idea behind the “mutant cure,” if a person with extraordinary traits and abilities received this supposed cure, it would completely remove any trace of the trait or ability, much like antibiotics would against a bacterial infection.  But as time went by, some believe that for this “cure” to work, it needs to be a course of treatments performed over a period of time before the traits and abilities are completely removed.  Others believe that only a single treatment is necessary in order to treat the condition.  But regardless of what camp that a person subscribes to, proponents of this idea believe that extraordinary traits and abilities are connected, and thus stem from, a single gene.  Thus, the cure needs to target that particular gene in order to remove extraordinary traits and abilities from the population.

However, what these people fail to realize is that there is no single gene responsible for the formation of extraordinary traits and abilities.  Like most other traits and characteristics found in your average person, regardless of if these traits and characteristics are extraordinary or not, is that they are connected to a number of different genes, allowing them to manifest themselves.  And there is no cure for genetic conditions, only treatments.  So if this mutant cure actually existed, it would actually be more of gene suppression than that of an actual cure.

And with the removal of extraordinary traits and abilities, it extends beyond individuals who don’t possess extraordinary traits and abilities.  This idea has spread to those who actually possess extraordinary traits and abilities and wish to have them removed.  And the reasons behind holding this idea of “curing” extraordinary traits and abilities can vary wildly.  Some believe that extraordinary traits and abilities are a curse while others truly think that they are a disease.  Some want to be able to fit in with their peers while others just want them gone with no expressed or clearly thought out reasons or explanations.  These individuals just want the extraordinary traits and abilities gone.

And supporters of the mutant cure truly believe that extraordinary traits and abilities are a disease or other type of infection that needs to be treated in order for the individual to survive.  On top of this, there are those who view extraordinary traits and abilities as a pandemic, making them a public health crisis that needs to be treated immediately, not unlike the Spanish Flu in 1918 or the public’s perception surrounding the bubonic plague.  There are even some who view those with extraordinary traits and abilities as having something similar to that of HIV/AIDS; a despised minority that deserves to be infected.  But unlike those who are infected with HIV/AIDS who die because of the disease, these individuals believe that proactive steps need to be taken in order for the situation to be resolved.  That’s why they support the idea behind the mutant cure.  And through this cure, it can suppress or otherwise eliminate extraordinary traits and abilities, much like a viral or bacterial infection.

But even with the idea surrounding a mutant cure, there are anti-mutant individuals who see the only acceptable solution to the situation is the elimination of those who possess extraordinary traits and abilities.  This is because, even if these individuals are “cured” of their extraordinary traits and abilities, their “condition” can still be passed on to the next generation.  That’s why such individuals can’t get behind the idea of a “cure” and resort to violent ends to achieve their objective.  However, not every anti-mutant individual can support this idea of genocide for they have an aversion to the idea of killing those who possess extraordinary traits and abilities for some philosophical reason but still want to see extraordinary traits and abilities eliminated.  As a result, they see the mutant cure as an acceptable alternative to the situation.

However, despite all of their claims, the idea of a mutant cure and the reasoning behind it is an absurd one.  First, as stated earlier, there is no single gene that is responsible for the formation and expression of extraordinary traits and abilities.  There are multiple genes involved with their expression.  Second, the majority of known extraordinary traits and abilities are dependent upon already existing traits and characteristics that are found within humanity.  As a result, if one was going to affect an extraordinary trait or ability, they cannot help but affect the trait or characteristic which it is based upon.  One such example surrounds extraordinary sight.  If someone tries to remove that particular trait connected with extraordinary sight, they cannot help but affect the eye itself as well as affecting its continued function or development.

In addition to this, it’s hard to determine if someone actually possesses an extraordinary trait or ability.  Most of them are built upon already existing traits and characteristics found within humanity, making it difficult to create a clear demarcation line between an extraordinary trait or ability and a regular trait or ability.  The individual who possesses an extraordinary trait or ability can also be unaware of the fact that they possess an extraordinary trait or ability.  It can be seen as being similar in nature to synesthesia; the person who possesses the extraordinary trait or ability can perceive it as being perfectly natural and think that this is how everyone else perceives and experiences the world around them.

Though modern culture likes to exaggerate extraordinary traits and abilities, in reality, they fall far short of this expectation.  So there is the possibility that someone can possess an extraordinary trait or ability without even knowing it.  And besides, in regards to the whole idea of curing extraordinary traits and abilities, as stated before, it is an absurd concept because there is nothing to be cured.  This is because extraordinary traits and abilities are a fundamental characteristic of that particular person.  It can be seen as trying to cure someone of having blue eyes or dark skin.  It is a ridiculous idea and it is wrong to think otherwise.

 

Xerek Files: Entry Number Fourteen – [Gene Transfusion]

Science is a very important and powerful tool that humanity uses to help explain the physical, material world around them.  It allows for the deeper understanding of how the world works.  And it is a tool that is divided into many different components and parts.  One such component is with medicine.  With current advancements of medical science, it allows for the use of gene therapy to treat certain genetic diseases and disorders.  Essentially, what gene therapy does is to use DNA as a pharmaceutical agent to treat a particular disease or condition.

With the existence of such a medical treatment as gene therapy, it has led some individuals to think that such a tool can be used to treat more than just disease.  With the existence of extraordinary traits and abilities, some have come to the conclusion, and hold on to the idea, that such traits and abilities can be implanted between individuals by using gene therapy.  And for those that are fascinated with extraordinary traits and abilities, and have a deep seeded desire to possess them, such an idea is very tantalizing.  Who hasn’t, at least one point in their lives, wished to have possessed a trait or characteristic that made them special, escape the monotony of their everyday lives, or have been able to do something in the height of an emotional experience?  And there are some individuals who desire to possess any kind of incarnation of an extraordinary trait or ability, even if what they receive is a weaker form of the original trait or ability or the extraordinary trait or ability is possessed for a short period of time.  With such a transference of extraordinary traits and abilities, it would constitute as wish fulfillment on the part of that particular individual.

Such a concept of gene transfusion between such individuals in such a manner would imply being able to fundamentally change a person’s genetic makeup.  Like Captain America after taking the super soldier serum, the recipient of such a treatment would no longer be the person that they were before the transfusion.  Who we are, initially, is laid out by the genes and genetic combinations that we receive from our parents.  But with the person who receives this gene transfusion, even if their essential personality remains the same accompanied by retaining the same perspective of the world and the same personal values and moral code, their fundamental nature will still be changed because their genetic code would no longer be what it was when they were conceived.  And if such a gene transfusion was able to be performed, a moral debate would arise because of it.

But despite this desire by some people to possess extraordinary traits and abilities, it is inevitably an implausible desire and concept that cannot be achieved.  The only known way to try and deliberately give another human being extraordinary traits and abilities through the use of science is through means of artificial insemination.  The only way to influence the course of genetics is to layout its course before hand before the genes become activated through embryonic development.  However, this is the only known way of approaching the subject at the time being because it is the only feasibly probable way of achieving it.  Any person who says otherwise is either a charlatan or performed the “experiment” on someone who already possessed extraordinary traits and abilities but didn’t know it.

But with future scientific developments, it can be hypothetically possible for such an idea of gene transfusion to occur, or at least be attempted through scientific trials.  But since clairvoyance doesn’t exist, and the fact that the future isn’t set, it can’t be said for certain one way or another on this matter.  The only thing that can be said for certain at the moment is that such a concept of gene transfusion or the transfer of extraordinary traits and abilities from one person to another is an impossibility.

 

Xerek Files: Entry Number Thirteen – [Eugenics]

Evolution is a powerful force of nature that is always marching forward.  And as a whole, it will favor traits and characteristics that are found in a particular population that will help aid that population to survive in a given geological location which the population finds itself.  Throughout the long and complicated history that is evolution, the component that is most likely to select either for or against these traits and characteristics is the apparent randomness of natural selection.  And for the vast majority of time that evolution has been active, it’s been left to its own devices.  But since humanity started engaging in activities such as agriculture, animal domestication and husbandry, hygiene, and in some cases, hunting, they have become a factor other than natural selection to influence and determine the course of evolution.  In regards to agriculture and animal domestication and husbandry, humanity is actively engaging in the process of natural selection by selecting for traits and characteristics that they deemed valuable, important, or desirable with a particular end or objective in mind.  And without constant human intervention, certain species would not be able to survive on their own, such as with corn and domesticated cattle.

With the publication of On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection accompanied by individuals that possess extraordinary traits and abilities immerging as their own distinct group in the past several decades, there have been those who have become interested in engaging in such activities as just described in the previous paragraph in regards to those who possess extraordinary traits and abilities.  And since it involves human subjects, such activity is known as eugenics.  Through the use of eugenics, such individuals wish to either propagate or otherwise enhance extraordinary traits and abilities that are currently found within the known population.  They also seek to possibly create more powerful individuals in the process who possess extraordinary traits and abilities that are stronger than those found in the previous generation.  There is also the possibility of some of them wishing to give future generations of mutants more extraordinary traits and abilities than is currently found in the population and what would typically be found if natural selection would be allowed to simply run its course.  To achieve this, these individuals would use both positive and negative eugenics in order to achieve their objectives.

This can be achieved through the encouragement of those who possess extraordinary traits and abilities that are deemed favorable or beneficial to procreate while discouraging those with extraordinary traits and abilities that are deemed unfavorable or detrimental from procreating.  But if those with extraordinary traits and abilities that are deemed unfavorable or detrimental can’t or won’t be persuaded from not procreating, then those with extraordinary traits and abilities that are deemed favorable or beneficial will be encouraged to produce more progeny than those with extraordinary traits and abilities that are deemed unfavorable or detrimental as a means of eventually breeding out the unfavorable or detrimental traits and abilities.  But this can only be done through the most idealistic conditions and won’t be likely to succeed.  This is due to individual freewill and individual resistance to being told who they should or shouldn’t sleep with.  As a result, proactive steps would need to be taken by these individuals to remove extraordinary traits and abilities that are deemed unfavorable or detrimental from the gene pool and encourage extraordinary traits and abilities that are deemed favorable or beneficial.

They can do this through both overt and covert means, though some serious ethical questions arise due to the tactics that they plan on using.  More likely than not, they will engage in covert means to help achieve their ends.  This can include manipulating or otherwise controlling the individuals involved that they deem to possess extraordinary traits and abilities that are favorable or beneficial.  Such actions can include encouraging a romantic relationship between two individuals through less than honest means.  In situations that allow for it, they’re even willing to attempt arranged or forced marriages to achieve their objectives.  And these are found on the more modest end of the spectrum.  Progressing along the spectrum, one can find examples of physical assault that can be employed.  This can include switching sperm samples of those who are seeking fertility treatment.  From there, they can engage in acts of rape.  With the removal of individuals with extraordinary traits and abilities that are deemed unfavorable or detrimental, they would be willing to chemically or physically castrate individuals if deemed appropriate.  Finally, they would consider engaging in acts of murder against such individuals.

As stated earlier, all of this raises some serious ethical questions.  Do these individuals have the right to engage in such activities?  If individuals with extraordinary traits and abilities agree to a eugenics program, does it then become morally right?  What about freewill or self-determination?  What if the mutant community, or even humanity as a whole, was to benefit from such actions, would it then become justified?  What if it was a part of a clinical trial?  Or is the situation as a whole be morally and ethically wrong and thus, should be avoided and not to be trifled with?  Following in this same vein, what about those who don’t possess extraordinary traits and abilities that have traits or characteristics that can be seen as either beneficial or detrimental?  What then?  Would they be subject to the same standards and scrutiny as those with extraordinary traits and abilities?  And if such activities are performed on plants and what are seen as “lesser” animals for the betterment of humanity, could such activities translate over to members of the human species as well?  If it doesn’t, then should such activities that are performed on plants and other animals be stopped?  Or would such a topic constitute a separate ethical issue?  And how would civil liberties as a whole fit into the grand scheme of things?

But regardless of the reasons or motives, such individuals who support the idea of eugenics always manage to justify their position for whatever reason they deem as appropriate or acceptable.  It then becomes a question of how far these individuals are willing to go to achieve their goals or desired objectives.  And if such individuals do manage to go through with their plans, what would be the social and legal consequences of their actions?  But such a question can’t truly be answered until they attempt it.  This is the difference that exists between theory and practice.

 

Xerek Files: Entry Number Twelve – [Pseudo-science]

There is a lot of speculation surrounding those with extraordinary traits and abilities.  Some speculation is mystical while others are mythical.  Claims have been made that extraordinary traits and abilities are manifestations of some divine force while others think that they are otherworldly creatures.  Others think that they are monstrosities let loose upon the world.  But among this speculation, there are those who are trying to understand them from an empirical perspective, approaching the situation from a purely naturalistic standpoint.  However, there are those who try and merge the empirical position with that of mysticism and the supernatural.  They try and use scientifically sounding terminology to explain unrealistic or otherwise outrageous claims and positions.  They also start from the position of trying to fit the evidence to their particular hypothesis instead of fitting the hypothesis and conclusion to the evidence.  This is known as pseudo-science.

There are a number of different reasons why someone would fall into such a position, but it all comes out to the same in the end; they hold an unfalsifiable position that is lacking in verifiable evidence.  And the application of scientific terminology and ideas to those with extraordinary traits and abilities is a relatively new thing.  First, the scientific revolution had to occur, which began in the Sixteenth Century, followed by the concept of individuals with extraordinary traits and abilities existing as physical entities which began sometime in the Twentieth Century.  Once these two concepts formed, it didn’t take long for individuals to begin to intertwine the two.

Once this occurred, people who were interested in the idea ran with it.  As a result, self-proclaimed experts on the matter began to spring up accompanied by affiliations, groups, and organizations surrounding the matter.  With some of these organizations, they produce periodicals and host conferences pertaining to their particular position regarding those with extraordinary traits and abilities.  However, they tend to fail to bring new ideas or evidence to the table and fail to elevate the conversation beyond where it currently stands.  And most of these individuals don’t possess any kind of formal education on the matter that would act as a foundation for their “authority” and to help guide their conversations and positions.  Their education is mostly through them being self-taught without any form of guidance or tutelage by another who is better educated or more experienced then they are.

But what got them heading down this path in the first place is interest in the matter.  And there’s nothing wrong with that.  If someone is interested in a particular subject, then they should pursue it.  In regards to extraordinary traits and abilities, it’s not that hard to understand its appeal.  This is because people who possess features, traits, and characteristics that are not typically found in the average human being can naturally draw the interest of others.  And it’s not that hard to make outrageous claims regarding extraordinary traits and abilities for those who possess extraordinary traits and abilities can be seen as inherently outrageous and beyond the normal perception of what is seen as normal.

The only problem that the people who make these claims is how they go about pursuing their interest and how they present it.  Its fine to make a hypothesis regarding a particular subject, but the hypothesis should change according to the information and evidence gathered regarding the subject, not to be adhered to blindly and unquestioningly.  The matter regarding extraordinary traits and abilities is a complicated one and a subject that can still be seen as being in its infancy of study and research.  It’s just important that such study and research be done in the proper manner instead of through mysticism and wishful thinking.

 

Xerek Files: Entry Number Eleven – [Alienation]

We are social animals by our very nature and even the most reclusive among us desire some form of human contact now and again.  Even those who willfully separate themselves from the rest of society still have that fundamental desire for contact; a fact that is encoded into our very DNA.  We desire human contact, even if we are somewhat removed from the rest of the group.  Even when we find ourselves placed on the outskirts of any social group, we tend to find it better than being a social pariah, social outcast, or otherwise exiled from that group.  And when someone is deprived of essential human contact or is denied the ability to socialize with others, they will suffer the consequences of such isolation.  This can even be seen with babies who are deprived of contact while they grow up and develop.  As these babies grow up and develop in such a deprived environment, they don’t do so normally or healthily as compared to babies and other children who did have social contact as they grew up and developed.

Because of our essential social nature, it leads us to form groups, bands, tribes, and other such social groups that allow for the development of a common culture among people.  And it is from that groundwork that societies are allowed to form and develop; a collection of people who share common traits, ideas, and features that get passed down from one generation to another.  As a result, this allows for bonding practices too easily form and develop.  And with these bonding practices, they tend to occur with those who tend to share traits, ideas, and features that are more closely related or otherwise similar to their own.  This can be as simple and immediately obvious as skin color.  Anything that allows for the easy formation of community, people have a tendency to gravitate towards that feature.  But when dealing with those who are somehow different then ourselves, regardless of what it is, we tend to segregate and isolate them from the rest of the group or community.  If someone doesn’t belong to the community in which we belong, according to the standards that we have established, either collectively or individually, then we will shun that individual or individuals and will persecute, harass, or otherwise attack them if they try to incorporate themselves into our community or try to use or inhabit the same territory or space as we do.

But if we are, for some reason, forced to accept these individuals or have to otherwise coexist with them within a larger social or communal construct, then we prefer if they existed away from the main, central crowd, preferably at the edges of our specific social group.  This can be seen where certain individuals tend to be marginalized by the rest of the social group for some specific or arbitrary reason.  And when these marginalized individuals share, or otherwise have, some form of common thread that connects them with other marginalized individuals, they will tend to gravitate towards each other and form their own groups within the larger social construct that they find themselves in.  And since they are persecuted or otherwise separated from the rest of the group for essentially the same reasons, this allows them to share the same burden, lightening that burden from being experienced by any single individual.  As a result, this can act as a means of social bonding between these individuals.  It’s easier to suffer with others than it is to suffer alone.  An example of this can be seen with sports teams.  If you’re miserable with others, then still rooting for the same sports club isn’t that bad.  An example of this can be seen in baseball regarding the Chicago Cubs and basketball regarding the Los Angeles Clippers.

With this social ostracism, it can be seen regarding those with extraordinary traits and abilities.  Because they possess traits and abilities not typically found in the average human being, or possess traits and abilities that are considered above and beyond that of the average human being, it can cause jealousy, resentment, anger, or hatred to occur within the average human being.  This can be due to a myriad of different reasons, depending upon the person in question.  But regardless of the cause, those with extraordinary traits and abilities become targets of aggression and hostility by others simply because they possess extraordinary traits and abilities.  As a result, those with extraordinary traits and abilities become socially ostracized and social pariahs simply because of what they have and who they are.  This can take the form of simply being socially isolated from others to open acts of violence which vary wildly from what can be considered “harmless” pranks to full out violence that leaves someone seriously or critically injured and possibly dead.

And the very nature of the extraordinary trait or ability that the individual possesses can also play a factor in the severity of the injuries they can receive at the hands of others.  However, some people are actually able to hide the fact that they possess extraordinary traits and abilities.  It’s even possible that they don’t know it themselves for they can possess what can be considered a “mild” form of the trait or ability.  It’s also possible that what they possess can fall within a standard deviation or two from the rest of the community.  But this idea of someone possessing a “mild” form of an extraordinary trait or ability is an absurd one.  This is because these extraordinary traits and abilities tend to fall upon a spectrum with only the most extreme examples of the specific trait or ability being the most obvious ones to detect.  So, when an individual possesses a particular trait or ability, it can take one of many forms.  It’s not an either/or situation.  With the very nature of extraordinary traits and abilities, there is, and can be, no way of definitely saying what constitutes an extraordinary trait or ability and what doesn’t.  As a result, there are those who can possess extraordinary traits and abilities and not stand out because of it.  And because of this, they don’t become harassed, bullied, or otherwise attacked because of it.

However, there are those who can’t be considered so lucky as to be able to hide their extraordinary trait or ability for they are incapable of hiding such a fact.  This is due primarily to blatantly obvious factors that make the individual easy to indentify as possessing extraordinary traits and abilities.  This typically consists of some visual queue that indicates to others that they are different from everyone else.  Typically, there is some visual sign that other people can see almost immediately and can’t be easily hidden by the individual.  As a result, the individual that possesses the extraordinary trait or ability will typically become the victim of harassment and abuse.  However, there are situations where, due to some extraordinary circumstances, the individual who was once able to hide the fact that he or she possesses an extraordinary trait or ability can no longer hide that fact.  In such a situation, they no longer have the luxury of secrecy and will become the target of harassment and abuse.

As a result of this fact, that they are somehow different then everyone else, it causes them to become alienated from the rest of the group.  Sometimes, this alienation isn’t actively performed against that particular individual.  The individual in question could find themselves in the situation where he or she is able to hide the fact that they possess an extraordinary trait or ability, but yet still experience the same sense of alienation.  This could be due to the fact that they witness such harassment or abuse directed against others who are known to possess extraordinary traits and abilities, causing them to identify with the persecuted individual.  So, even though they are not directly persecuted or harassed for being what they are, these individuals still experience some sense of alienation.  And it is because of the abuse and harassment that they experience, accompanied by this social alienation that is forced upon them, that causes some individuals with extraordinary traits and abilities to become hostile towards those who lack such traits and abilities.  This can be done by a lone individual or by a group of them working together toward a common goal or objective.  And through this hostility by those with extraordinary traits and abilities, it can cause some of those who don’t to attack those individuals that do, causing a vicious cycle to form.

All of this because some individuals are harassed, attacked, and alienated simply because they are different.  This illustrates another facet of human nature, something known as tribalism.  Tribalism is quite simple; if someone doesn’t belong to my particular group or tribe, then they should be treated as the enemy and thus, eliminated.  And it is through this sense of tribalism that causes a lot of conflict to occur between different groups of people all around the world, something that is unlikely to change any time soon.  Only time will tell if such attitudes and behaviors will change regarding the treatment of others, or if the very essence of human nature will go about unchanged, allowing such behavior to continue and to go about unchecked.

 

Xerek Files: Entry Number Ten – [Origin Myths: Aliens]

Regarding the interest, and occasional infatuation, seen in certain groups of people regarding the alien visitation of Earth, it can be roughly traced back to the 1960’s or so.  This can be due, in part, to the gradual shifting of attitudes within Western society during this period away from traditional forms of religion to other more contemporary means of explaining what we are observing and experiencing around us, not only in regards to the world, but with the universe as a whole.  This can be due, in part, to the fact that we are relying more and more upon scientific information and research to explain what we see and experience around us instead of the traditional stories found in religion.  And with the rising belief in UFO’s and extraterrestrials, it plays right into this changing mindset.  With the exploration of space, started during the Cold War as seen with the launch of Sputnik 1 and the Apollo Program, people became interested in space and its exploration.  And from this interest, people began to think “What if life existed beyond the confines of our planet and was able to visit our lonely corner of the universe?”

As a result, it has led some to claim that UFO’s have been visiting our planet for millennia, influencing our history and social development.  This has even manifested itself as the visiting alien creatures taking on the forms described in the world’s holy books and writings, merging traditional religion with a new approach and perspective on it.  On the other hand, some believe that visitors from other star systems have only started visiting Earth after the detonation of the nuclear warhead Trinity, taking an entirely modern approach to the situation.  These are only two of the possible approaches used to explain the situation that we see within this community.

But regardless of the history that is believed to exist surrounding UFO’s, some UFO proponents believe that it is because of extraterrestrial visitation that allowed, or otherwise caused, extraordinary traits and abilities to form and develop in the first place.  These proponents don’t believe, or otherwise accept, the idea that extraordinary traits and abilities formed naturally within humanity.  Instead, according to them, the only possible explanation for extraordinary traits and abilities has to be of extraterrestrial origin.  And it is through this alien contact that caused extraordinary traits and abilities to form and develop.  Otherwise, according to these believers, they wouldn’t have formed because extraordinary traits and abilities are inherently unnatural or are otherwise not of this world.

Exactly how this occurs isn’t clearly explained, and what information that is provided can vary depending upon the story being told.  Some think that when contact was made, some kind of food stuffs was provided by the visiting aliens, and when these food stuffs were consumed by the human recipients, if affected those who ate it, granting them extraordinary traits and abilities.  Others claim that through all of the scientific testing conducted by the visiting aliens, such as anal probes and surgical implants, is what allows for these traits and abilities to form and develop.  According to this claim, because the cause of extraordinary traits and abilities has been artificially implanted into the individual, it explains why some of the traits and abilities are seen as unstable.  But not every position regarding the alien origin of extraordinary traits and abilities has such a claim attached to it.  These individuals believe that simply coming into contact with an alien life form altered the essential nature of humanity, causing it to develop extraordinary traits and abilities.

But regardless of the exact details that caused the formation and development of extraordinary traits and abilities within humanity in the first place, for this group of people, they all come back to the same idea that they are of extraterrestrial origin.  However, there isn’t any verifiable evidence available that supports the idea that extraterrestrials, UFO’s, or aliens of any kind have visited Earth, let along granted humanity extraordinary traits and abilities.  In addition to this, there is the genetic evidence that one has to deal with.  All the evidence that has been gathered so far points to the fact that extraordinary traits and abilities have a long history connected with humanity and are supported by the genetic makeup of the individual who possesses them.  So if extraterrestrials are somehow responsible for the development of extraordinary traits and abilities, they had to get involved pretty early in Homo sapiens development and evolution in order to account for the evidence that has been gathered on the matter.

The best explanation that can be provided to rationalize this position is control.  Believing that other beings are somehow responsible for the creation of extraordinary traits and abilities gives the believer some semblance of control over the situation because it allows them to be able to take some form of action to deal with it.  In addition to this, it also absolves them of any fault on the matter if they possess any extraordinary traits and abilities or is the parent of someone who does.  If it’s not the actual genes that the person possesses that are responsible for the traits or abilities, then they aren’t expected to take any form of personal responsibility for them.  But this sense of control is just an illusion.  The entire situation is inherently chaotic and disorganized.  The fact of the matter is that there is no control, especially when it comes to one’s genetic makeup or the genetic makeup of one’s offspring.  So the whole idea behind control in situations like this simply gives the believer some form of comfort in an otherwise discomforting situation.

Finally, the belief in extraordinary traits and abilities being caused by extraterrestrials, as well as belief in UFO’s as a whole, can be seen as the individual’s loss of faith in traditional or otherwise socially acceptable forms of religion.  So, to compensate for this, they adopt a different set of beliefs that they perceive as being relevant to their lives in modern times and something that they can understand instead of the belief system that they grew up with.  Another possibility is that they are simply replacing an older belief system with a newer one.  But like before, they are trying to explain a natural, real world phenomenon with a supernatural answer that they find psychologically satisfying.

Obtaining some form of spiritual guidance or greater meaning for one’s life through the use of supernatural answers is one thing, but trying to explain the natural world through supernatural means and trying to fit the natural world within a supernatural framework will not work.  This is due to the fact that, no matter how much one tries to do so, the natural world will eventually fail to fit into one’s perception of how it is supposed to work.  Reality, nature, and the underlying principles that constitute the universe are elements that will not be pigeonholed into any one position by what we thing they should be.  They are things much larger then we realize.  They can also be quite simple things to grasp and understand that don’t require an over complicated or convoluted explanation.  That is why believing that extraordinary traits and abilities are caused by extraterrestrial means is an inherently flawed concept.  To paraphrase Occam’s razor, with all else being equal, the simplest answer is most likely the right one.  As a result, this eliminates the need for UFO’s and extraterrestrials to explain the origins of extraordinary traits and abilities.

 

Xerek Files: Entry Number Nine – [Origin Myth: Nuclear Age]

With the detonation of the first nuclear bomb at the Jornada del Muerto desert in New Mexico by the United States Army, codenamed “Trinity,” it was a watershed moment in human history for it initiated the Nuclear Age.  And with the use of “Little Boy” and “Fat Man,” the only warheads to ever be used in anger and with devastating effects, the world became forever changed.  From here, according to some claims, it also had a direct and immediate effect upon the essential makeup of humanity.

Proponents of this claim hold to the idea that, with the beginning of the Nuclear Age, it brought about the creation and proliferation of individuals with extraordinary traits and abilities.  This idea came out of the misunderstanding by the general public at the time surrounding the nature of the newly introduced field of nuclear physics accompanied by their misunderstanding of genetics.  This came at the time when those with extraordinary traits and abilities began to gain prominence within the public eye as being their own distinct group within humanity instead of just being characters from myths, legends, and fairytales.  As a result, it led some to apply cum hoc ergo propter hoc to the situation.  Essentially, they believed that, with the creation and detonation of nuclear bombs, it led to the creation of those with extraordinary traits and abilities.

From their perspective, the detonation of “Trinity” on July 16, 1945, and every nuclear detonation ever since, caused irreversible radiological effects upon the human genome that led to the creation of extraordinary traits and abilities.  Accompanying this claim is that this radiological effect affected every single living human being around the world simultaneously, fundamentally changing their DNA forever.  There is another claim, which is very closely related to this one, which states that the radiological effects took time for it to propagate around the world and to fully effect humanities DNA sequence.  These proponents also claim that the use of nuclear power plants of any kind continues this fundamental change.  How the human genome became fundamentally altered or how it managed to propagate so quickly hasn’t been fully explained or otherwise flushed out when proponents are questioned about it.  And how nuclear power plants affect the human genome also isn’t explained or properly addressed.

But regardless of this fact, this misunderstanding led to the widespread fear of such individuals by the general public at the time, because for them, the unconscious fear of the Nuclear Age and a possible nuclear war with an ideological enemy coincided with the appearance of individuals with extraordinary traits and abilities.  As a result, it caused them to perceive those with extraordinary traits and abilities as threats to the safety and security of society, and thus, to their own safety and security, either directly or indirectly.  So, for these individuals, those with extraordinary traits and abilities must be stopped.  This sense of fear occurred during the time of the Cold War, where fears as a whole were being ratcheted up across not only the United States but the world as a whole.  Such ratcheting up of fears can be seen with such situations as the launching of Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957 and the Cuban missile crisis which occurred during October of 1962.

But what proponents of this position fail to realize is that the origin of those with extraordinary traits and abilities and the beginning of the Nuclear Age are two distinct and separate events.  The origins of extraordinary traits and abilities rest in the genes of these individuals, something that took time to develop.  This process took hundreds of thousands, possibly millions, of years to develop into what it is today.  The beginning of the Nuclear Age on the other hand, is a recent event that began within a single human lifetime.  And in regards to nuclear physics, it has essentially existed since the beginning of the universe and will last for its lifetime in whatever form it takes.

Nuclear physics may act as the foundation for the complexity that is life, but it doesn’t concern itself with the details of this continued operation.  Its fundamental concern is essentially independent from the creation and continued existence of life.  Given the fact that it actually produced life is just a lucky coincidence from our perspective and we, as living entities, are glad that life was created at all.  But from the universes perspective, it couldn’t care less and would have happily continued on its course if life never formed in the first place.  So on the grander scheme of things, nuclear physics doesn’t care one way or another in regards to the existence of extraordinary traits and abilities.  It’s like water flowing down a hillside; it doesn’t concern itself with how the hill was created in the first place, it just cares about reaching the lowest possible point.

In the end, the perception that extraordinary traits and abilities formed during the Nuclear Age is nothing more than a coincidental event.  The appearance and development of one doesn’t mean it led to the appearance and development of the other.  Independent events have the capability of occurring at roughly the same time.  But since humanity is, by nature, a pattern seeking creature, we have the tendency to see correlations and connections where none exist in the first place.  And if an individual does manage to make such a connection, they will find a way to justify their connection, even if it flies in the face of any type of logic system available.  As a result, they will have to develop their own logic system in order to justify their initial connection.

So in the end, the emergence of individuals with extraordinary traits and abilities on the world stage during the beginning of the Nuclear Age lends itself to the perception that they are somehow connected.  But if one looks at the evidence for these two factors, or simply applies pure logic to the situation, one would see that these two events are in no way related to each other.  They are just two events that just so happen to overlap with each other.  And since the initial seed for this perception formed within living memory, it’s not that hard to understand how it still persists in the modern era.

 

Xerek Files: Entry Number Eight – [Psionic Scholars]

With the existence of people with extraordinary traits and abilities, there are those who become fascinated with such individuals.  As a result, they begin to study and follow them.  However, most of these people tend to see individuals with extraordinary traits and abilities more as curiosities than anything else, and when these individuals conduct their research, it tends to lack any formal structure to it.  They tend to just read up on them from any source they come across without engaging in any type of critical thinking or scrutiny.  If they come across something that they find interesting, these individuals will tend to accept it without question and to further build upon it, causing them to stray even further from the original source material.  And the more fantastical the ability appears, the more interest it tends to draw.  And if they come across something that is counter to or discredits their position and claims, it will either get discarded or forgotten.

One such group of individuals is known as Psionic Scholars and they focus their time and energy upon individuals with psionic abilities.  For these individuals, psionics possess a level of mysticism that isn’t present in other individuals with extraordinary traits and abilities.  This is due in part to the fact that the human brain isn’t fully understood by science and is even less understood by people who aren’t neurologists, neuroscientists, or have otherwise spent time understanding the brain or how it works, like psychiatrists or psychologists.  For the Psionic Scholar, psionic abilities come from deep within each individual that possesses it and is powered from some force that is beyond each individual psionic.  They claim that their abilities have to be powered by some outside or otherworldly source.

For the Psionic Scholar, the true source that empowers psionics is the fundamental power that exists and comes from another realm; a realm that is of pure thought.  And it is some form of connection with this other realm, that they consider another plane, as the means of empowerment for the psionic.  Some psionics even believe this to be true.  This is due to the fact that they find the arguments of Psionic Scholars to be persuasive, don’t fully understand their ability, or think that it can be the only explanation available to describe how their abilities work.

According to Psionic Scholars, this realm of pure thought comes out of, and is somewhat dependent upon, the mind of every single sentient being from across the universe.  This ranges from far-flung species from other galaxies to species found on Earth, including chimps and dolphins.  Claims have even been made that ant colonies and bee hives are also a part of this larger picture as well.  Some even claim that this sentience existed with the creation of the universe and intelligent, sentient creatures, like human beings, came forth from this.  But regardless of the situation, proponents believe that it is from this realm which psionics draw from in order to power their abilities.  As a result, psionics possess a greater level of sentience then other human beings.  And because of this greater sentience, according to the Psionic Scholars, is why psionics are more prone to having more vivid dreams.  It is from this position that the realm of pure thought is also known as the Plane of Dreams.  But according to proper research, the possible reason why psionics have more vivid dreams than the average person is due to how their brains are wired and not because of some supernatural realm or force.

According to believers, since this realm consists of pure thought, it is a realm where pure reason is able to reside, allowing for intellect and logic to manifest itself utterly unmanned by emotion.  It is from this absence of emotion, accompanied by the fact that this plane is formed from pure reason, is where Psionic Scholars claim that psionic abilities come from and that it is from this realm that the underlying force and principle for psionic powers reside.  And within this realm, creatures reside and can have a direct effect upon the universe.  It is through these beings that allow the force to be channeled and allow a connection to actually be formed.  Some people even claim that they are able to directly communicate with these creatures from the realm of pure reason.  But because they are of pure reason and thought, ordinary people are unable to communicate or otherwise connect with these beings.  Only those who possess psionic abilities can do so.  And according to these claims, the word psionic is used very loosely and encompasses individuals who actually possess psionic abilities, psionics, and those who just think that they do, psychics.  And according to claims, since these beings consist of pure thought, they cannot be perceived in their true form.  This is because individuals from our plane can’t comprehend such beings when we “visit” their realm.  According to claims, when we perceive these beings, they appear as forms of perfect geometric shapes.

On the other hand, other Psionic Scholars counter that instead of pure thought, this is a realm of utter madness.  For these individuals, they call this plane of existence the Far Realm and psionics are the denizens of this plane.  They believe that psionics are aberrant creatures consisting of nightmares that have been given physical form upon visiting the mortal realm.  As a result of this claim, psionics are an active threat to other creatures and possibly to existence itself.  If you believe that nightmares have been given form, wouldn’t you perceive them as a threat as well?  It is from this perception that leads people to hold hostilities toward individuals with psionic abilities.

Most of these claims regarding individuals with psionic abilities hold to the traditional idea that their power comes from another plane of existence that is outside of our universe.  But there are those who break from this tradition and say that this plane doesn’t exist outside of the cosmos but actually exists within it.  According to this claim, this plane of existence is twisted and deformed.  This is because it has to fit within the universe itself and is also a byproduct of simply coming into existence.  And since it exists within our universe, it resembles the universe that we perceive around us in a lot of similar ways.  Because of this, they call it the Echo Plane.  This position has caused a lot of controversy within the Psionic Scholar community because it is perceived as breaking from what they think of as the norm.

But irrelevant of this fact, each side of this debate is wrong.  As stated earlier, these “scholars” don’t perform any kind of rigorous or controlled study.  Their research consists of nothing more than confirmation bias on their part.  They start off with the conclusion and work their way backwards from there instead of the other way around.  As a result, they manufacture and manipulate the evidence as they see fit in order to reach the conclusion that they want to reach.  This is due in part to the fact that they believe that their position is the only right one and and anything to the contrary is nothing more than a conspiracy and their detractors are just trying to bring them down.  And the truth of the matter is simple; despite their claims and assertions, their research isn’t systematic and their methodology is flawed.  And no matter how much they want it to be true or how badly they want to be correct, A + B doesn’t equal Z.  If they truly want to be taken seriously, then they need to approach and conduct their research properly.  And if they truly are correct, then they should be able to play by the rules of evidence based science and still be correct.  Until they do, their claims are nothing more than pseudoscience and not to be considered accurate.

 

Bibliography

Schwalb, Robert J.  Psionic Power: A 4^th Edition D&D Supplement.  Wizards of the Coast, Renton, WA, August 17, 2010

 

 

Xerek Files: Entry Number Seven – [The Hidden Mind]

As far as we know, Homo sapiens are the only species to exist that has the capability of deep thought and being able to seek a deeper meaning to the world in which we find ourselves.  We suspect that other species are capable of engaging in similar activities as well, but we can’t be entirely sure on this matter and it currently resides in the realm of speculation.  Because of our capability of deep thought and our ability to seek a deeper meaning to our existence, it leads us to believe that life and existence has a deeper meaning to it than it actually possesses as well as possessing an interconnectedness that doesn’t strictly exist.  We also assign value to things where such value isn’t necessarily warranted.  This is because we are a pattern seeking species and we would like our lives to have more meaning then they actually possess.  It is from here that the idea of the Hidden Mind comes from.

The Hidden Mind is what the proponents of this idea see as the interconnectedness of existence.  They see it as the reality that exists just behind the world that we perceive on a regular basis and that all conscious minds are able to tap into given the opportunity.  For the average human being, they can only tap into this hidden realm of existence when they go into sleep.  This realm of existence expands and contracts in accordance with people who enter and exit a state of sleep.  Even when people take naps, according to the proponents, they have an effect upon this hidden realm.  Only when people enter into REM sleep, however, can people actually tap into the Hidden Mind.  It is through this medium, when an individual actually dreams, that allows people to experience the memories and experiences of other people; past, present, and future.  It is through this interconnected dream state that led people to also call the Hidden Mind the Sleeper Mind, the Sleeping Mind, or simply Sleeper.  On occasion, it’s simply known as the Other.  For proponents of this idea, the interconnectedness of the Hidden Mind is what allows people to remember past events which they had no connection to or to experience the memories of historical individuals.

But since the average human being can only enter and exit the Hidden Mind through sleep, they can only have fleeting moments with it.  However, according to the proponents, since those with extraordinary traits and abilities are fundamentally different than the average human being, they are able to actively tap into the Hidden Mind on a conscious or semiconscious level.  But regardless of the exact details, believers claim that only those with extraordinary traits and abilities can tap into the Hidden Mind while in a conscious or otherwise non-sleeping state.  For the proponents of the Hidden Mind, people with extraordinary traits and abilities blur the line between the realms and to actually connect the two.  Because of the connection that is created by these individuals, the “energy” that flows between the realms, either from the Hidden Mind into our realm or vice versa, it has a direct, measurable effect upon the individual in question.  This measurable effect manifests itself in the form of extraordinary traits and abilities.  And depending upon the individual in question, the extraordinary trait or ability that manifests will be dependent upon the individual, causing the extraordinary trait or ability to manifest in its own unique way.  This is why we are able to see such a variety of different extraordinary traits and abilities and in a variety of different combinations.

According to proponents of this claim, those who have the greatest ability to tap into the Hidden Mind are psionics.  This is because, according to the claim, the Hidden Mind is created by the collective consciousness of every person alive and by all of those who came before.  Proponents of the claim state that, when a person dies, a part of that person’s consciousness remains within the realm of the Hidden Mind and has left their unique mark upon it.  They also claim that the Hidden Mind was first created with the birth of consciousness itself.  And since consciousness resides in and comes forth from the brain, and psionic abilities are essentially the powers of the brain, the Hidden Mind has the greatest influence upon psionics.  In addition to this, they have the greatest influence upon the Hidden Mind and are seen as the earthly representation of humanities underlying connectedness and the collective consciousness that exists within us all.  Proponents’ of this claim also state that since the Hidden Mind is essentially the manifestation of humanities consciousness, psionics possess a greater sense of consciousness then that of the average human being.

Because of all the claims that proponents attribute to the Hidden Mind, they also believe that psionics also possess a greater range of abilities then they can actually possess.  Examples of this are with precognition and being able to channel the dead.  However, these claims, as well as all other claims associated with the Hidden Mind, are without fact and can be best described as nothing more than superstition and belong in the realm of legend, folklore, and being the product of an overactive imagination.  This is because if the Hidden Mind actually existed, it would be able to be measured by science through the scientific method.  If something has a direct effect upon the world around us, then it should be able to be directly measured with these measurements being able to be replicated quite readily.  However, the Hidden Mind isn’t able to be reliably measured with any kind of consistency.  And science has reached the point where if the Hidden Mind does actually exist, it would have been detected and known, as well as how such a thing would operate.  But since it hasn’t been verified by the rigors of modern, evidence-based science, it can safely be concluded that the Hidden Mind doesn’t actually exist.  It was something that was created by the mind of pre-scientific people to help explain the world around them as well as the events that they experienced.  It was also used to create a sense of community between members of a particular group and to bring them closer together.  But since a better explanation has been developed to explain the situation which the Hidden Mind was meant to describe, it’s time that the idea of the Hidden Mind be retired for explaining reality and left in the realm of lore and folktales where it rightfully belongs.

 

Bibliography

Schwalb, Robert J.  Psionic Power: A 4^th Edition D&D Supplement.  Wizards of the Coast, Renton, WA, August 17, 2010

 

Xerek Files: Entry Number Six – [Genetics]

In the scientific field of biology, one of its important components is that of genetics.  What genetics deals with is that of genes, heredity, and variations within living organisms.  In addition to a key component of biology, it’s also a major field of study.  It’s even a corner stone of evolution, which is defined as the change of allele frequencies within a population over time.  They are nothing more than the building blocks of life, allowing an organism to be constructed and to develop.  With alleles, they are essentially the component parts of genes that combine and recombine to create a new genetic sequence as well as to allow for the creation of proteins.  And with these genetic sequences, they are the controlling agents of any biological organism for they determine which traits and characteristics manifest themselves within an organism, how they do so, and in what manner.  From there, natural selection determines which genes get passed down to the next generation while eliminating the harmful and useless ones.  And despite what people have claimed about genes, they have nothing to do with the origins of life.  All that genes concern themselves with is how life changes overtime after it was initially created.

As with all other organisms, those with extraordinary traits and abilities are also subject to evolution.  In fact, those with extraordinary traits and abilities wouldn’t exist in the first place without the guiding force of genetics.  Without it, they would be just ordinary individuals going about their daily lives.  And for individuals to possess extraordinary traits and abilities, several steps need to be taken on the genetic level for the extraordinary traits and abilities to be allowed to manifest themselves.  This has to do with the inherent complexity of the genetic code.  Enough genes within an individual’s genetic code have to lineup just right for the desired sequence to be formed.  From there, the extraordinary traits and abilities will be able to manifest themselves.

This is due in part to the fact that there is no single “mutant” gene that allows for the manifestation of extraordinary traits and abilities.  There are a number of different genes that are required for extraordinary traits and abilities to manifest.  In addition to this, the genes responsible are recessive, requiring that both parents pass on the necessary genes to their child for the extraordinary traits and abilities to form.  This is why parents who don’t possess any extraordinary traits and abilities can have children that do, even if their family lines has never had individuals with extraordinary traits and abilities before now.  And it can also explain why those with extraordinary traits and abilities can have siblings that don’t.

And if you trace the genetic lines back far enough, even just within that of Homo sapiens, you would see that all of the available genes within the human genetic library come from a relatively small group of individuals; at least on the grander scale of things.  That is what eventually allows for recessive genes and traits to manifest.  Even within the current human population, there are groups that share a closer common ancestor then with humanity as a whole.  That is what allows for ethnic groups to occur in the first place as seen with Africans, Asians, Europeans, Native Americans, and Hispanics, just to name a few.

With genetics, it can be found in the most simplest of organisms, such as amebas and algae, to very complex organisms, such as whales, cephalopods, and primates.  The more complex an organism becomes, the more complex that their genetic codes need to be in order to satisfy the needed requirements for that organism to function properly.  This is also true with those with extraordinary traits and abilities.  Comparing them with individuals that don’t possess extraordinary traits and abilities, individuals with extraordinary traits and abilities tend to possess more genetic material.  This is due to the fact that, as a whole, they’re more complex organisms then the average human being.  It is from this advanced genetic material that allows for their extraordinary traits and abilities to manifest.  And it is possible, from this increased level of genetic diversity, that allows for the wide range of extraordinary traits and abilities to manifest.  But further research needs to be done before this can be determined with certainty.

But in the end, regardless of the precise and exact details, extraordinary traits and abilities wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for genetics and their influence upon living organisms.  Without it, even life would collapse and cease to exist.  Life hinges on the existence of genes and has invested everything into it, and it has paid off tremendously, resulting in the great proliferation of life seen on Earth.  And without mutations to the genetic code that occur over time, those with extraordinary traits and abilities wouldn’t have developed in the first place, let alone the complexity that is found throughout the planet.  And that’s all that genes ever are; the driving force behind biology that determines everything that is, has been, and that will ever be alive in the universe.