Ritual takes all shapes and forms.

Watch Rafael Nadal when he serves.

Grace at dinne.

Father carving the Thanksgiving turkey.

Regular sex with the same person.

Japanese workers singing the company song at the start of the work day.

Animal mating rituals.

Bargaining for a rug in the Middle East.

Tea ritual.

Perhaps the world needs a populist book that explores these, and suggests that a better world has them, to some degree.

The post The Underlying Power of Ritual appeared first on Rob Skelton.

There is a mutation in the gene that drives desire, that gives people more of that desire.

For most, they descend into a pit of drunk, alcohol, power or sex. Few of the most survive. Few of the survivors will turn the corner.

One did, the original. He/she/they ate a mushroom in a frenzy of desire and their mutation flipped a switch – they desired for others instead of themselves.

They had the desire and the extraordinary capacity to achieve their goals. A super-hero.

After decades/centuries of being heroic they realised that their power might be repeatable in others (maybe one day they desire to turn everyone into them, hubris!).

They find the worst of (living) addicts and secretly do a blood test (like needle spiking, but reverse), to find anyone with the same mutation. When they do, they are inducted, X-Men style. And offered the enhancement that will turn their self-desire to desire for the greater good.

The internal logic of this is excellent, and the redemption is awesome.

I feel like their superpowers are aligned to getting the job done. Nothing super-super, but more than normal. Heightened influencing of others. Extra speed and strength. Greater critical thinking. More focus…

Simply, more, effort.

The post Desire – A Superhero Mythology appeared first on Rob Skelton.

American Teen “Parents Are Away” Party

But, done Irreversible style – every story backward.

Every hookup, unrequited love, suicidal moment, passing out drunk and beautiful bonding.

Every teen party scene, but raw and backward.

The post Movie Idea: I Thought You Went Home appeared first on Rob Skelton.

Simulations (like what we could be living in) cannot be scripted, otherwise what is the point – you could just make a movie.

Yet guidance is likely there. You need to seed a simulation with something different to the last one, or it will play out precisely the same. You can seed it differently, or add randomness (even the weather would do), or you can orchestrate things for a few characters and watch the flow on effect. Like perhaps Jesus walking on water.

[OMG, what if weather, or even just clouds, is a purposeful randomising factor, the thing we find hard to perfectly predict, in our simulation?]

So, the movie. Two, three or probably four people are in different parts of the continent (or world) , and all have a bizarre series of events that send them towards the same place, somewhere they are inexplicitly drawn to.

When they get there, and get a glimpse of what is going on, and what they need to do (something in the realm of a boss battle), the movie ends, a set up for part 2 called Hung or Quartered.

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In this modern era we can identify with whatever we want, and see if society lets us. Or society laughs.

A trickster is a great choice. It is the type that would have messed around with gender roles, and simply make people question and think.

Tricksters are chameleons and of course Boy George took androgyny to great heights.

Tricksters exist to play tricks on people to make them see things better.

Guided realisations.

It could be a game… when you are it, you have 19 days to achieve mischievousness and then on the precise 19th day of being it, you can choose someone new, just by thinking of them. If you weren’t mischievousness enough after 19 days, you die, and the nearest person to you inherits it. How much is enough?

When you are it, a tablet appears. It says:

THIS IS REAL
FOOL SOMEONE
FOR GOOD
OR DIE

)Obviously a movie premise(

The post I Identify As a Trickster appeared first on Rob Skelton.

You need 25 people to all join. Then, once in every 5 days, the app will inform someone that it is their turn. The time will be random but outside of midnight and 6am.

They have to hug someone, and selfie it to the group, within 25 minutes. It can’t be someone they are acquainted with, and currently nearby. So you can catch up with a friend who you weren’t hanging out with at that moment. Or a stranger nearby. Or be very efficient at setting up a GoFundMe…

Why it works:

• Exclusive (share the results to the world)
• Shows you know 25 people
• Promotes random / beautiful interactions
• Random

The post The 25 Minute Hug appeared first on Rob Skelton.

Each person brings 5 books and make them available for someone to borrow.

Each person can borrow one book. They return it the following month. If nobody else claims it, and if the lender doesn’t withdraw it, they can re-borrow it.

If you can’t make it, you can return the book earlier in person, or ask another neighbour to take it back for you. Either are positives.

A good way to spark conversation and friendship, with little/no downsides.

The post Neighbour Books appeared first on Rob Skelton.

Robots highlight capitalism’s lack of soul.

They will take jobs and destroy lives, with the sole upsides being richer rich people and cheaper products for a society struggling to find new things to spend money on.

But seriously, my floor needs sweeping.

Robot vacuum cleaner: no need to have a connection with your immediate environment, or the organic matter you shed/drop/let in.

Sweeping: is so Zen. You can see every little bit that you sweep up. Parts of your world. That thing you dropped, hair, crumbs. Real.

And pride of place. Don’t discount the power of that.

The post Kill Robots appeared first on Rob Skelton.

Integrity is a cornerstone of society:

• Politicians who are not hypocrites
• Politicians who do not use their office for personal gain
• CEOs who don’t pay themselves crazily well while the workers are desperately poor
• Businesses who do not rip off customers
• News services that adhere to reporting truth

Few people would disagree with the above, and also the idea that vey rich people shouldn’t beg for money.

Plenty of very rich people have used their money to run for the position of President in the US. All failed. Then along comes Trump – a self-proclaimed billionaire (zero evidence presented…) – who as someone at the theoretical end of his life, invests zero into his own campaign. And wins.

Yet this billionaire, who won’t invest in himself, begs his followers for money every day. Many times every day. He offers bogus things like 10X impact (meaningless), he suggests that he reads the names of every contributor, he offers personally signed posters that he didn’t actually sign. Cheats and lies to get money he doesn’t need.

Meanwhile Alex Jones, who is almost a cartoon version of Trump:

“As much begging as I do, we can barely pay the bills,” Jones told a caller on Thursday during a segment on his radio show promoting the Infowars store. “I’m not going to stop growth and let them push us backwards. I need your help, Frank. I need your help!”

And yet his store had a revenue of $165 million in the last 3 years.

Some people have no shame, so it makes you wonder which people like people with no shame.

The post Trump & Alex Jones: Rich People Who Beg appeared first on Rob Skelton.

A better name is needed.

Maybe just Experience

Examples:

• Ten Pin Bowling
• Skiing
• KFC Go Buckets
• Bungee Jumping
• Ice Cream
• Watching Netflix (or anything else you can watch)
• Watching your child take their first step
• Dancing
• Karaoke
• Taking Ecstasy
• Pottery Making
• Gardening
• Horse Riding
• Video Games
• Cooking an omelette
• Slip ‘n’ Slide

Imagine seeing a billionaire and a hobo sharing those experiences.

I’ll phone Oprah when I sober up

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