Inspired by Maureen Dowd's column on A.I. last week
Actually Insipid or Insidious?
Along with James Lovelock's opinion at 102
SOS #196 -- J. Morris Hicks -- (2-7-23)
Nine days ago, an opinion piece by Maureen Dowd in the New York Times caught my attention. It was entitled:


Since you may not be able to open that link and read the entire piece, I will provide you with a bit of the early content:
WASHINGTON — The alien invasion has begun.

Some experts say that when artificial intelligence takes off, it’s going to be like Martians landing on the National Mall.

So far, our mind children, as the roboticist Hans Moravec called our artificially intelligent offspring, are in the toddler phase, as we ooh and aah at the novelty of our creation.

They’re headed for the rebellious teenage phase. When A.I. hurtles into adulthood and isn’t so artificial anymore, we’ll be relegated to being the family pets, as a resigned Steve Wozniak put it.
More from Dowd & Lovelock Later
But first, a word from one of her readers, a man who goes by the handle Socrates. He commented:
This photo of Glen Handler was in a 2015 article in the NYT about a few of their top commenters.

Artificial intelligence will be a sociological and socio-economic disaster.

By Glen Handler, aka Socrates
from Downtown Verona, New Jersey

Socrates writes: Aside from the humans it will make economically unemployed, the much bigger disaster is that it will make human minds unemployed.

Remember 20-odd years ago when everyone was all gaga over our new and exciting 'internet'? It did cause some great technology efficiencies by letting you buy your vacations, do your bill paying and banking and lots of other stuff online and made remote work a reality, among other things.

But it also created Facebook and fake news and fueled conspiracy drivel that made it around the world before the truth and critical human thinking could put its socks on.

It created an entire generation of humans largely unable to lift their heads up from a tiny pixelized screen and indulge in the ancient, mostly extinct art of human conversation, not to mention critical thinking.

Internet 'artificial intelligence' caused an otherwise normal North Carolina man to drive six hours and start shooting at a Washington, DC pizza restaurant where he believed Democrats were harming children.

Artificial intelligence can be a cause for good, but it will be our worst Frankenstein because it dilutes, diverts and destroys reality and critical thinking.

The only solution is to elevate the human mind to withstand the wicked G-forces of artificial intelligence and the artificial reality it feeds real humans 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The old-fashioned human mind doesn't stand a chance.

Back to Maureen's Column
These two paragraphs from the second half of her article are devoted more to humor than solution.
She writes...

Several years ago, I interviewed the OpenAI founders in San Francisco, as well as other Valley digerati. And that is when I realized that we are doomed. For the Lords of the Cloud, as they form their sleek new world, we’re VCRs.

That is why I feel free to kick back and shoot the breeze with our incipient overlords. I read that you could use advanced A.I. to interview historical figures. So I conducted my dream interview with Shakespeare, bantering with the Bard.

  • Note: If you have access to the NYTimes, you can read the rest of Maureen's piece if you like. As always, her articles are clever, entertaining and thought-provoking, but not very helpful when it comes to charting some kind of sustainable pathway ahead for humanity
Climate Change is Not Funny!
When all else fails, Can A.I. save us?
As mentioned earlier, the question above is the title of Chapter 12 in OUTCRY. Right after reading Maureen's column, I went back and re-read that chapter and I encourage you to do the same at the handy link below.

It begins with this quote from Dr. James Lovelock, who passed away on his 103rd birthday in July of 2022:

“We need not be afraid, because, initially at least -- these inorganic beings will need us and the whole organic world to continue to regulate the climate, keeping Earth cool to fend off the heat of the Sun and safeguard us from the worst effects of future catastrophes.”

James Lovelock, Scientist, Inventor & Engineer
From his 2019 book, Novacene

In response to the question in the title of this chapter, we are simply not sure, but we are pleased that Dr. Lovelock (in the above quote) has confidence in those lightning-fast-thinking robotic cyborgs—implying that they share a common goal with us of helping Gaia keep the Earth a bit cooler than it is now. Maybe the approaching era of the inorganic, robotic cyborgs will turn out to be good timing as it relates to our ability to avoid the extinction of our own species.

Many will argue that it would be terribly risky to let those cyborgs gain too much control, while others—including Lovelock, seem to imply that working with them may pose less risk for our future than trying to resolve a plethora of sustainability crises on our own. On that idea, the most relevant quote from his 2019 book, Novacene, is encouraging:
“If I am right about the Gaia hypothesis and the Earth is indeed a self-regulating system, then the continued survival of our species will depend on the acceptance of
Gaia by the cyborgs.

In their own interests, they will be obliged to join us in the project to keep the planet cool. They will also realize that the available mechanism for achieving this is organic life.

This is why I believe the idea of a war between humans and machines or simply the extermination of us by them is highly unlikely. Not because of our imposed rules, but because of their own self-interest, they will be eager to maintain our species as collaborators.”
To read Chapter 12, click here: When All Else Fails, Can A.I. Save Us?


Maybe, after reading Chapter 12 along with the following comment from a Professor Emeritus of History at Ohio State, you may want to read the entire book.

Also, since it is now FREE all over the world, you may want to ask all of your friends to read it.
Unsolicited Endorsement for OUTCRY
from Ohio State professor emeritus of history
July, 2020

Hi Morris, I read Outcry and am amazed at the book. The progression of your argument from the overwhelming evidence of the problem, through the conclusions of the nine scientists, to your vision of a sustainable future is most impressive.

I've never encountered a book in which the data was even nearly as up to date, and I loved the links to the wealth of online information. And no trees were killed!

Congratulations on your wonderful book. I admire your ability to become such an influential voice on this crucial matter. 

Regards, Raymond Dominick, PhD,
Professor Emeritus of History, The Ohio State University
Back to the Topic of the Day
Why I feel safer with the cyborgs than without them:
Because, without them, we haven't even been able to identify, and take seriously, the... Largest Single Driver of Climate Change!
A little background. Since becoming curious about the optimal diet for humans twenty years ago, I quickly discovered that the natural diet for the health of us humans is one that is comprised almost entirely of whole, plant-based foods.

To be honest, it took a few months for me to give up some of my favorite animal-based foods -- but when I saw the great changes that were happening in my body because of the preponderance of whole plants I was feeding it -- I doubled down on my efforts and have never looked back.

While I was losing twenty pounds that I didn't know I needed to lose, I discovered that the overall production process of animal-based foods comprises, by far, the leading driver of climate change -- not to mention soil erosion, ocean dead zones and species extinction.

You can probably figure out the reason for all of the above once you fully understand this alarming factoid I discovered during my search for the optimal diet for humans in 2003-2004:

On average, on a per calorie basis, animal-based foods require over TEN TIMES as much water, land and energy to produce as do plant-based foods.
So, why don't our most prominent leaders tell us the truth about our food choices?

Why don't they tell us that we don't "need" to eat any animal protein ever?

Why don't they tell us that the natural diet for our species is health-promoting, whole, plant-based foods -- the kind of foods that the strongest mammals in the world, including primates, eat in the wild?

For 99% of those leaders who are failing us, I am going to give them the benefit of the doubt, and assume that they have just been following the advice of their physician, the UNFAO or the many scientists that they hear in televised presentations.

Quite simply, they have never been exposed to the many truths that are revealed in OUTCRY and in all of these SOS Memos -- but Al Gore is well aware of those truths.

That said, last week, I wrote all about his longterm hiding of the astounding truth on this crucial topic:


Pictured below are eight highly visible male leaders as it relates to climate change and other environmental issues. Al Gore, who was featured in last week's SOS Memo -- appears first.

Here's my thinking. Since Mr. Gore is not constantly talking about the need for us to simply stop eating animal-based foods -- the other seven men naturally must assume that if anyone would know the truth about our best chance to slow, stop or reverse climate change, that it would be Al Gore.

And they would be right. Gore does know the truth, but he has chosen not to share it. To be sure, It would not bode well for his lofty position on the world stage if he started strongly suggesting that people stop eating all meat, dairy, eggs and fish.

So he remains silent -- and the other seven well-known men pictured below -- are simply following his lead.
Meanwhile, Bill Gates, perhaps one of the smartest people on the planet -- is obviously unaware that humans don't "need" to eat animal-based foods. He's investing millions in the new technology to mass-produce "real beef & chicken" as he promotes cultured meats from factories instead of farms.

Gates is plenty smart, but apparently "ignorant" when it comes to the fact that humans do not NEED to eat ANY animal-based foods, ever -- just as our closest relatives in the wild, the gorilla and chimpanzee don't eat animal-based foods.

This is a true fact for three reasons: Our hands, our teeth and our intestines. Sure, our ancestors ate anything they could find -- and if they couldn't find fruit, legumes or grains, they learned how to cook and eat meat to stay alive in places like Alaska.

Of course, the residents of Alaska today can buy fresh fruits and veggies in the supermarket just like the rest of us.
The Bottom Line
We're running out of time to start urgently addressing the leading driver of climate change!
Progress Report. For twenty years I have been studying, writing and speaking about the connection between our food choices, our physical health and the health of the biosphere that keeps us alive. Yet things keep getting worse. Much worse.
But perhaps a breakthrough is on the horizon. Last week, I had a lengthy conversation with one of the most famous female athletes in world.

Just google Ruth Heidrich. You will quickly learn that Dr. Heidrich is an 88-year old cancer survivor who has earned over 900 athletic trophies. Oh, and she eats 100% plants.

Since our phone call, we have been working on a strategy whereby she will invite one or more of the very famous women pictured below -- to meet, in person, with Sailesh Rao and myself -- to discuss the next steps.

Later, if we can get Oprah on board, we may have ourselves a whole new ballgame when it comes to fighting climate change.

Stay tuned!
The final word from our creator
Once again. Our creator gets a final word in a conversation with a UN rep after a 50,000 year absence.

She ain't happy with what she sees upon her return. She wants to know what happened to half of the six trillion trees she left here to moderate the climate.

She can't believe that we've deforested so much land in order to grow cattle that we weren't supposed to be eating in the first place. A very revealing and entertaining 15-minute video. Watch it and share it with everyone you know.
Finally, are you among the rare group of humans who are making the direct connection between food choices, your own health and climate change seriously? If so, I would love to collaborate with you. Contact me and tell me your story: jmorrishicks@me.com.

Here are handy links to my five most-recent SOS Memos (in chronological order) on this same theme. It's always the same theme...as long as our children's futures are in peril.

Do you want to do your part to help people get healthy...while simultaneously slowing, stopping or even reversing climate change? Then, share this SOS Memo and the free books below with everyone you know.

Also, scroll on down to the Big Picture Documents and Video Section where you will find links to a plethora of references regarding the validity and the urgency of the information contained herein.
FREE: Two "Big Picture" Books
Our health. Our planet. Our future as a species.
This first FREE book to the world public is a quick and easy read that I published with Stuart Scott in 2020. Just click below for individual links to every chapter.

To our knowledge, OUTCRY is the only book ever published that features a summary of "outcries" from the natural world.

It also features the consensus conclusions of nine big picture scientists regarding our dilemma -- along with an envisioned sustainable civilization of the future, using today’s technology.

We've also started calling this book a "User's Guide for Planet Earth." We are giving it away because of this troubling fact that was stated by Jeremy Rifkin early in this recent 15-minute video:

"The most important info in all of humanity
is going undiscussed."

We're talking about the crucial information regarding how we can possibly slow or stop climate change within a few years.

Want to help relieve the desperate situation in which we find ourselves, read OUTCRY as soon as you can and send it to everyone you know. Just click on the book cover above.
Here is the 2nd book that is now FREE: a quick and easy read that I wrote with Dr. Kerry Graff in 2015.

Using the Power of Food
to Heal Ourselves and Our Planet

This compact book is still highly relevant, focusing on helping people take charge of their health and reverse chronic disease by urgently shifting to a whole-food, plant-based way of eating. 

A fringe benefit of their efforts is the steady downsizing of the leading driver of climate change: animal agriculture. Merely suggesting that the masses cut back on their meat, dairy, egg and fish consumption will accomplish very little. 

We want everyone to completely eliminate all animal-based foods from their diet. Yes, that includes cheese, eggs and all forms of seafood

For your children and grandchildren, just do it!
Please share today's timely SOS Memo with everyone.

Click this image to watch my May 2022 presentation. 
A 45-minute talk whose title says it all.
Don't have time to watch the entire Honolulu video? Click here to view all 60 slides in that talk

Finally, please contact me about arranging a FREE "live" Zoom talk for your group. They will get a lot more out of my talk if they have read our two FREE books in advance of my talk.

Sincerely, J. Morris (Jim) Hicks

PS: Scroll on down for more "big picture" information that is mainly in the form of powerful videos, most of which are free.

For a concise summary of "big picture" information about our situation, take a look at the landing page of my primary website that I recently updated. Just click hpjmh.com
What about the "preservation" of civilization?
To clarify, we're not trying to preserve civilization as we know it. Because what we have now is extremely wasteful, harmful and grossly unsustainable. It's an incredibly reckless way of living that is now threatening our very existence as a species.

We're talking about replacing it with an entirely new, ultra-green civilization of the future -- and we do our best to paint a picture of that envisioned way of sustainable living in OUTCRY. For what one Ohio State professor emeritus of history had to say about that book on Amazon, click here.
As for making our stand on the only planet in the universe capable of keeping us alive, our "Big Picture" section below will provide you with handy reference materials on this most crucial of all topics.
"Big Picture" Documents & Video Section
Chronological timeline of climate change research
  1. 2006 UNFAO report: 18% of climate change attributed to animal agriculture (far more than the world's entire transportation sector, combined). After pressure from the massive animal agriculture industry, they lowered their estimates to 14.5% a few years later
  2. 2009 World Bank Group researchers concluded that at least 51% of climate change is being driven by animal agriculture -- almost four times more powerful than the numbers being reported by the revised UNFAO study.
  3. 2012. What is the right food for humans to be eating? For our own health and for the health of the planet. Five-minute video with J. Morris Hicks
  4. 2019 Dr. Sailesh Rao peer-reviewed paper.This former member of Al Gore's environmental team concluded that 87% of climate change is driven by animal agriculture. His paper was recently featured in Forbes.
  5. 2021. A 19-minute video session with the producers of the new documentary, Eating Our Way to Extinction.
  6. 2021.The Animal/Climate Controversy? Dr. Gerard Bisshop, Director of World Preservation Foundation sorts out the various studies regarding the huge role that animal agriculture plays in climate change (9 minute video).
  7. 2021. This six minute video features Dr. Sailesh Rao, speaking candidly with Klaus Mitchell about the sad truths and commercial interests behind the leading driver of climate change. It will make you want to scream.
  8. 2022. Published in PLOS Climate (2-1-22) a paper by Michael Eisen and Patrick Brown, "Rapid global phaseout of animal agriculture has the potential to stabilize Gh Gas levels for 30 years and offset 68 percent of CO2 emissions this century."
  9. A summary of THE FACTS timeline from Dr. Sailesh Rao, wherein he explains how in 2012, the UNFAO scientists declined to continue the 51% debate with Goodland & Anhang in the Animal Feed Science and Technology Journal. 
Also in 2022. A conversation with our creator after a 50,000 year absence.

And Mama ain't happy. A very revealing and entertaining 15-minute video. Watch it and share it with everyone you know.
Five World-Changing Films
That People Everywhere Must See
Film #1 in 2014
In 2014, Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn produced their first documentary film Cowspiracy. Executive producer is Leonardo DiCaprio, it runs 90 minutes and has been on Netflix since 2015. In 2020, I met Kip and Keegan in Sedona where I was honored to be able to speak at the same conference with them and other great leaders in this movement like Dr. Sailesh Rao and Dr. Michael Greger.
Film #2 in 2017
Also on Netflix, Kip and Keegan teamed up again in 2017 to produce What the Health, which is also on Netflix. It runs 92 minutes and may be the best documentary ever that focuses on the health reasons for choosing to eat plant-based. Click here to watch the short trailer. You can also watch the full movie for free on Vimeo.
Film #3 in 2021
In 2021, Kip Anderson teamed up with British filmmaker Ali Tabrizi, to produce Seaspiracy, an 89-minute film that vividly and alarmingly reveals what is at stake when it comes to the crucial importance of our oceans to our future as a species. Most people have no idea regarding the environmental horrors of commercial fishing -- a disgusting industry that kills dolphins by the thousands and tosses them back into the ocean. It runs 90 minutes on Netflix. Click here to view the trailer.
Film #4 in 2021
As our situation becomes more desperate, the documentary films become more terrifying. As alluded to earlier, we are literally Eating Our Way to Extinction, a process that is vividly covered in this 2021 film (81 minutes). Narrated and produced by Kate Winslet, you can watch this great film on Amazon Prime or on YouTube for $3.99. The great ocean scientist and former head of NOAA, Dr. Sylvia Earle lends powerful credibility to such a crucial topic.
Film #5 in 2022
This new film (89 minutes) features a young activist who travels around his country, New Zealand in an effort to find out the truth about the horrors of the dairy industry in his native land.

The film uncovers alarming information about the environmental and health impacts of the industry -- leading up to the discovery that we are on the edge of the biggest global disruption of food and agriculture in history. This new film is now available for $2.99 on Vimeo.
Grasping the "Big Picture"
These 2 films will help in understanding
our unprecedented dilemma.
This 83-minute documentary is all about the findings that were documented in Dr. Stephen Emmott's 2013 book. TEN BILLION.

He brilliantly describes the grossly unsustainable way of living that has brought us to the emergency situation in which we find ourselves. Since I met him in London in 2013, he has become much more serious about the need to abolish the practice of eating meat, dairy, eggs and/or fish at almost every meal.

Just click on the hourglass image. Dr. Emmott delivers a very compelling message from the stage of a theater in London. This 2013 film is still relevant and will certainly help more people grasp that all-important "big picture."
Finally, this half-hour video was published in November of 2021. It was produced by Michael Dowd, a non-scientific researcher like me who does a very fine job of explaining the many facets of the obstacles standing between us and our survival as a species.

As do practically all researchers, Dowd focuses entirely on the problem; not the solution. I prefer to focus on both.
What else can you do?
Probably a lot more than you think
  • Start with the new documentary (Film #4) mentioned earlier -- Eating our way to Extinction for $6 on Netflix. Watch it often with your friends and family.
  • Share this SOS Memo widely: Certainties, Uncertainties & Priorities by J. Morris Hicks.
  • Get an e-copy of OUTCRY. Visit Outcry page on Amazon and get a much bigger understanding of the situation in which all humans find ourselves.
  • Inform all the young people in your world that you are deadly serious about this topic. Urge them to read these SOS Memos and our latest book, OUTCRY.
  • Completely stop eating meat, dairy, eggs and fish today and tell everyone why you are taking such a "radical" step. You're doing it for the innocent children of the world.
  • As noted above, do yourself a favor and make sure that your plant-based meals of the future consist of whole plants -- the kinds of foods that prevent or reverse most chronic diseases AND enable your body to effortlessly seek its optimal weight.
I am confident that if a few million people carefully read and digested this book that there would be a more robust conversation around the world regarding our grossly unsustainable way of living in the developed world.

To my knowledge, OUTCRY remains the only book ever published that features an envisioned, totally-green, ultra-sustainable, super-desirable, future way of living for humans -- along with ideas for how we might get there as quickly as possible.


The links below to earlier SOS Memos will help you understand how these ideas unfolded since 2018.
You can join my mailing list and/or find all of my previous postings by visiting the SOS Memos page on my website. 
Promoting health, hope and harmony on planet Earth
Want to see earlier SOS Memos? Click here
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