Author: Jesse O'Leary

Aries looks around. Always impressed with the sized and feel of the Centre. Constantly full of gratitude for all that it offers.

Uta chirps up “This is an Access Centre.”

Aries is slightly confused with the obvious comment “ya I know, it’s the AC, I wasn’t born yesterday Oots.”

Uta continues “There are many types of Personal Transit Devices here, available for anyone at any time.”

“uh-huh…” Aries gets the feeling a new lesson is on it’s way.

“Some devices are new designs straight from manufacturing cities, such as the hover vehicles.”

“yep, those can be sure noisy”

“Others are older designs from a time not too long ago. A time when people were encumbered by their personal belongings.”

“I’m not sure what you mean by that… Encumbered by belongings. What are you talking about?” Aries says as he spots the collection of longboards and heads towards them.

“Well Aries, It was common practice in the monetary age for people to “own” things. But, to “own” something people had to dedicate a lot of their time doing things they usually didn’t enjoy.”

“Why would any body do something they didn’t enjoy?” Aries asks

“You don’t like taking the zip line, It makes you nervous. It makes your palms and feet clammy, elevates your blood pressure and other such things, but you take it almost everyday.”

“Good point…”

“so, Why do you?”

“Well, I think you know the answer to that, it’s the quickest way to get to Vertical Roots. The skytrain does not run past the tower we live in. It’s a matter of efficiency.”

“Well, people “worked” to “earn” money because at that time without money people couldn’t gain access to the things they needed to survive. Money was the most efficient way to manage and distribute resources for centuries.”

“I know that Uta, But I’ve never really understood how it all worked.” Aries stops in front of the large collection of longboards and looks to see if any of his favourite models are around. “It just seems like it would have been a really bizarre world. Like being stuck in a bad dream or something.”

“Why do you say that?” The Dragon asks.

“It would be so frustrating. Having all these really cool things around. Sitting right in front of your face, but not being able to access them. That is, unless you do something to earn money to then buy them. Then what? When your done with the item you have to lug it around everywhere? Pay to store it or try to sell it. However, When you sell the item you never get back the same amount of money that you spent on it. So, if you want to access something else you have to go back to work and earn more money. Sounds like a bad dream to me” Aries spots the board he’s going to take for the day and heads over to pick it up.

“The monetary system was not alway’s a limiting factor in human development. Throughout history scarcity was a very real thing and money was the most efficient tool to organize society. It was a necessary stage to advance humanity to the point where they could create abundance. The issue with money only became apparent during the late monetary age. This is when for the first time the technical advancements of humanity allowed us to create a world of abundance for all. The monetary system could not keep up or evolve. It quickly became obsolete and counter productive to humanities very survival on earth. Artificial scarcity and planned obsolescence soon ran rampant throughout the world. This was an attempt to make money appear useful and still be seen as necessary. In reality it had lost it’s usefulness. It became the driving force behind all the environmental devastation, all the human suffering, and all the ignorant and undesirable human behaviours. The people that had most the money and essentially owned the world obviously didn’t want to let go of the power that their money offered them. This is why the transition was so challenging. But, the patch work ideas that came into place near the end of the monetary age such as basic income, actually turned into transitional tools that created the space for the over hall of humanities social economic system”

Aries stood there frozen holding the Longboard in his hands, his mind racing, trying to keep up with what Uta was saying.

“For the transition to happen the wealthy had to let go of the power money had given them. Try and put your self in their shoes. If you were asked to give up the thing that gave you security and allowed you to access anything you desired, in return for something that made more sense for everyone. Would you be able to let go?”

Aries looks around at all the really amazing stuff in front of him, built by creative people like himself. He thinks how he can access material resources, the best tools, equipment and education so that he can effectively work on innovating and creating new things for the world. He thinks about his apartment and the skydiving simulator that he uses almost every morning. He thinks of all the good healthy food that is expertly prepared for him. He thinks of the Resource Based Economy and the SRP that essentially gives him access to everything the world has to offer. Education, housing, resources, transportation, entertainment and so on…

Aries has a hard time wrapping his head around it… Finally he responds with a high level of energy and a twinkle in his eye “You mean if I was asked to live off planet where they didn’t have all these things? Like on the moon base or mars or something? That would be an exciting adventure!”

The assistant didn’t expect such a response but is quick to reply “You’ve made my point Aries. Seems you can’t even comprehend what the world could look like if we used something other then a Resource Based Economy. It would have been even more difficult for the wealthy people living in the early 21st century to understand the benefits of restructuring the foundation of their economic system”

Aries thinks a moment longer, and then starts heading towards the exit. “Your right oots. I can’t imagine living in any other type of social construct that could be better then this. And, that being said I would rather not give up this amazing way of life for something I cannot understand or envision.”

Wrapping up his point the teaching assistant adds “That is surely how the majority of people felt during the final years of the monetary age. Most people knew something needed to change if humanity was going to survive, but very few people could wrap their heads around the bigger picture. A fundamental change was needed to the very foundation of their civilization. Most defended the ideas of the monetary economic system as the only thing that could work. They believed that without money there would be no economy and that trade, human progression and incentive would grind to a halt. Essentially they believed the world would stop spinning.”

“That seems a little dramatic and short sighted I’d say.”

“But it’s true. People would say “Money makes the world go round”. They would say it to shut down the people challenging their understanding of global economics and perhaps personal power.”

“It’s a silly saying I’ll give you that, but I’m sure no one took is so seriously.”

And, with those last words Aries pushes off. Heading down one of the trails towards Commercial and Broadway. During the intelligent redesign of the city some key infrastructure was left intact and maintained over the years. The sky-train network was one thing that survived from the old city that was once known as Vancouver.

Aries grabs a harness and clips in, then walks over to a deck that extends out past the edge of the roof. He looks down. Over a hundred and fifty meters to the ground. A wave of discomfort washes over him causing his feet and palms to sweat.

Damn crazy people, he thinks to himself. Who was in charge of the transportation design of this city? They obviously were adrenaline junkies… He tries to focus his attention on the landing strip at the end of the zip line. It’s out of sight, but he knows exactly where he’ll touch down. He’s taken this Zip-line hundreds of times and every time arrives safely in the Access Centre. He takes a deep breath.

“Ok,” he says out loud and pushes off before his mind can collect any more irrational fear.

Wind rushes past as he speeds over Oldvan. A city redesigned years ago to accommodate a world of thrill seekers. It’s early and not many people are out yet, but Aries notices a small group. Perhaps a young family or some friends climbing up one of the neighboring skyscrapers. Even this early in the morning it’s common to see people using the climbing gear attached to some the tallest structures in the city.

Seeing this inspires Aries to think of all the people that spend their whole lives traveling the world and experiencing its thrills. People from all around the planet come to experience what Oldvan has to offer. There are rock climbing walls up skyscrapers. Some are even connected with transparent bridges and have bungee jumping platforms on them.

Oldvan is also one of the most popular museum cities. Even though there is only a small fraction of the original city left to explore, through the help of virtual reality people can experience a time lapse of Oldvan throughout its development. It starts from a time before colonization, when the whole area was old growth forest and brings people through the major congestions that came around the early 21st century… Through the simulator, people can even experience what it felt like to be stuck in traffic. Aries remembers the day he tried it out…

-An experience any sane person would only do once-

was the statement he left in his review.

The simulation even covers the transition that came during the end of them monetary age in great detail. It allows people to see the deconstruction of the greater Vancouver area as it’s older and hazardous buildings were mined for their resources. During this time a large majority of the paved roads and overpasses were torn up and used in new construction methods. The simulation shares exactly how everything was done and it was done in a very thought out and efficient manner.

Aries speeds over and under a network of zip lines and above the countless kilometers of trails converted from the roads and highways. The old city is crisscrossed with Zip-lines. Towers act as part of the transportation system usually having 3 to 5 directions to head via Zip-Line. Some people use them for quick and efficient transportation, others for fun and excitement. Using zip-lines save the city from having to create excess power for transpiration as zip-lines only need gravity to function. The city is loaded with thrills, events, and trails. Life blossoms everywhere. On the roofs, green vegetation grows vibrantly. Mostly food plants and others that are useful in some way.

Aries snaps out of his deep thought when he spots a small school of kids on a large garden roof. One starts to wave at Aries as he races by, the others soon join in. Aries gives them a little nod, salute and then assumes a heroic flying pose. He knows them. They’re a group of young kids that are very interested in growing food. They are being taught the old ways of growing food in soil. The group is led by a couple passionate elders that once helped Aries to understand the amazing function of seeds and the interconnectedness that humanity shares with the natural environment. They have come by Vertical Roots a couple times and Aries had the opportunity to show them around.

Vertical roots is just one of a number of vertical farm installations in the city. Together they grow and produce a large portion of the food required to feed the cities population of around 3 million. The rest of the food is grown with the help of countless smaller operations and the large outdoor farming operations in the valley.

Oldvan like most other cities creates the majority of its power locally. Solar panels line skyscrapers and being a coastal city Oldvan implements the use of tidal forces to meet a large portion of its energy needs. Altho Oldvan offers a lot of interesting activities and attracts millions of travelers it does fall short on manufacturing and educational opportunities. Oldvan is a city built to thrill and excite people more than anything else. That’s its focus and that’s what it does best. But, Aries is a creative type and he finds himself wondering why he has spent so much time here.

Coming close to the end of the line Aries can see the Access Centre now. It’s a marvels structure constructed with new methods. Perched on a hill with multiple zip lines coming into and around it. Trails leaving in all directions from it.

Aries glides into a large opening and is gently slowed by the automatic system. Once stopped the automation plucks him off the cable and places him standing on the floor. It then unclips him from the harness and takes it away for others to use when needed.

To be Continued

“People are born to play and create, no matter how far we progress these activities will follow us into the stars and beyond” -Holy Olee-

Aries heads over to the food dispensers underneath the sunshade to have some breakfast. There is a lot to choose from. Aries orders a blueberry muffin, a peach, and some yogurt. The food dispenser begins to prepare the food. It ejects muffin mix into a cup and starts to quick bake it right in front of Aries’ eyes. While the muffin bakes the automated machine fills a bowl of yogurt and then slices a peach placing it in a circular arrangement neatly on top. The muffin finishes moments later. The dispenser then places everything on a tray and hands it over.

The dispensers robotic voice pipes up as Aries reaches for the tray. “Please be aware, that muffin is hot. I am not to be held responsible”

Aries holds in front of him a steaming hot muffin right out of the oven and a bowl of mouthwatering peachy yogurt prepared in mere moments, but something is missing.

“O and a chai latte please” Aries adds

The dispenser quickly whips one up as Aries stands by weighting. With a similar robotic warning, the food system hands the drink over. “This drink is hot, be aware”

“Thanks, Dips!” Aries says with a hint of irritation. He knows the dispenser is just automated to interact with people in the way it does so that they are aware and don’t burn themselves. But, he’s been hearing the same warnings day after day for a couple years now.

He sits down at a table and notices the two boys playing a float game in the skydiving simulator. The particle directing device has spawned some sparks, and the boys are trying to dodge them. It’s a pretty fun game and can get challenging on the higher levels. Stars is new to this so Leif started the game at level one. 3 watermelon size Sparks moving in a predictable pattern. Childs play for anyone that knows how to maneuver themselves in the air.

Leif try’s to show Stars how to move up and down, tilt left and right, back and forth all well dodging the sparks. A Good teacher and a good student. Stars picks it up quick. Before long they reach level two and then level three. Leif and Stars are now bouncing off the walls. Jumping, Flipping, Spinning with sparks orbiting around faster and faster following their predictable patterns.

Aries finishes his breakfast, but can’t take his eyes off the two. Now at Level four, there is 9 watermelon sized sparks and two larger sparks spiralling up and down the centre of the skydiving simulator, creating what looks similar to a DNA strand.

The speed and growing numbers of sparks finally catch up with stars lack of experience. As he tries to avoid a spark he drops right onto another. The sparks impact looks painful as it explodes in a bright light sending him spinning with kinetic energy. Just as he regains his composure on the wall a second watermelon sized spark connects with his shoulder and again he is sent flying out of control. This time bouncing off the wall before flattening him out, which then causes him to rise in elevation.

Leif sees his cousin floating out of control heading straight for one of the larger orbs in the centre of the simulator. He reacts quickly. Adjusting his pitch, diving in altitude, surpassing the central orb that is on a collations course with stars. Leif makes contact with stars and pushes him out of the way, but as he does the central orb comes down on him. KaBoom!!! It sends Leif flipping head over heels and releases three smaller sparks.

Aries’ eyes are open wide as he watches one of the smaller sparks makes contact with stars for the third time. Three hits and your out. Aries has played the game many times and is rather good at it but he doesn’t spend much time watching others play. It’s quite spectacular. The fans slow and the boys touch down.

“That was Awesome!” Stars yells with excitement. “Let’s go again!”.

Leif response to his cousin, but Aries cannot hear him.

The fans start up and the two boys begin another round.

Aries could watch these guys a bit longer but more interesting things are seeking his attention. Aries belongs to the creator class of humans. These classifications are self-given and flexible.  At anytime people can change their classification. This allows people to evolve and grow freely with their developing interests.

As a creator Aries has more responsibilities than a lot of people. But, these responsibilities come with perks such as having access to resources that others do not and he’s able to acquire new technology before it is mass produced.

Thoughts are interrupted by Uta’s voice.

“Sorry to interrupt Aries, but it seems you are needed at Vertical Roots.”

“Alright, I’ll leave right away.”

Aries stands up, stretches his back, takes one more look at the boys flying around above the green city and heads to the zip line that is running towards the personal transit access center.

Continue…

or Check out this video on indoor skydiving by the Wall Street Journal.

New Discoveries are made daily. All pointless, unless something is done with the knowledge.

Aries flips and bounces off the glass walls in the simulator getting himself to a high spot where the sun shines through the helmet’s visor. The suit he wears stops any uncomfortably cold wind but lets in the warmth of the sun.

Uta projects himself into the cylinder through the main controls particle director system. The little dragon catches the wind and whips past Aries, he then maneuvers himself directly above, Which causes him to drop onto Aries back. Aries can feel UTA’s little paws touch down thanks to the physically interactive nature of this particular particle projecting system. Soon Uta finds a comfortable spot perched on Aries upper back.

“Can you play me an audio bite now?” Aries asks as they float together looking out over the city.

“Yes, of course, What would you like to hear?”

“Something from Holy Olee” Aries blurts out

“Actually, Aries if you don’t mind I would like to share something new with you” Uta speaks in a slightly excited tone. “Something that I imagine will interest you.”

“O Ya? Something new eh? Ok buds. I trust ya”

A moment later a video appears on the heads up display of the visor. An animation accompanied by the voice of an old man. Aries is intrigued he listens to every word of the short animated video but is visually distracted. After all, he is flying over the beautiful forest city of Oldvan in the mids of sunrise…

The video ends and Aries is interested just as Uta predicted he would be.

“This old guy… who was he?” Aries asks. Then flips into a ball and drops in altitude before opening his body to lay on his back and look up at the morning sky.

Uta had pushed off giving Ares space for his maneuver. He then floats himself into a position above the boy and lands sitting on his belly. “His name was Jacque Fresco, a major world changer. His life’s work gave human civilization the chance it needed to pull itself out of the monetary age. He was an inspiration for millions” Uta responds.

“To be honest I’m not entirely clear why you shared this with me. What’s it’s relevance?” Aries looks at the dragon perched on his chest.

“The relevance is in life’s purpose. I observe that you are not completely satisfied with the situation you find yourself in. I know that you seek more meaning from life. Understanding the past and the important figures that dedicated their lives to creating a better world will help you relate and discover a greater meaning and direction for your own.”

With some enthusiasm, Aries responds “So your actually going to show me how crazy the world used to be? With no filters!”

“In time you’ll come to understand many things” Uta pauses for a second. “Things that most people today are not interested in. Dangerous information for the wrong minds to grasp, But information that I’ve concluded will help you make a positive change in your life.”

Aries roles onto his belly sending Uta free floating. The sun now shining over Oldvan. Gently warming the tops of buildings and feeding the trees and other greens perched on them. Aries looks out over the city and is curious to learn more about the monetary age and how it came to end.

Aries has never known money as an obstacle. He, like everyone else, has access to everything they need. Appropriate housing, healthy food, clothing, tech, toys, tools, games, education, everything. This was made possible through a new social economic system based on access as opposed to the monetary method of ownership. This new type of economy allowed for a very high standard of living for every human on earth while simultaneously creating a civilization of sustainability and respect for the natural world.

Aries notices a few more kids are now on the roof. It must be close to 6:30 he thinks. Uta pipes up “While Aries, seems some others are interested in taking over for a bit. It’s best you get some food and start your day,”

Uta’s projection vanishes and the fan speed slows. Aries lands smoothly and exits the simulator.

He takes the helmet off ‘Good morning for a jump!” he says to greet the others.

“Sure is” the taller teenager response.

“you’re up early” a new face adds in.

Aries slips out of the suit as the taller teenager speaks again. “That’s why we call him early Aries,” he says with a big smile on his face and a hand on Aries’ shoulder helping him balance.

“haha, whatever Leif, you just made that up. But, ya It’s the sunrise. I like to catch it. Here this will fit ya” Aries says as he hands over the suit to the new kid. “My dragon knows how best to get me moving in the morning.” Aries swipes Uta out of the control center and holds him up to be inspected.

The new kid checks Uta’s chip out for a second before starting to get the suit on.“Where did you come from?” Aries asks

“Spacity…” The newbie responds as he slips the jumpsuit over his smart clothes.

“This is Stars. He’s my cousin” Leif says. Then he whispers loud into Aries’ ear. “My uncle and aunt are spacers”

Stars adds in “Yep, they’re on the moon bases for a long-term research project, Kinda why I left Spacity. Nothing was keeping me there anymore. Time to explore the world and have some fun! There’s no skydiving machines in Spacity. The city is completely dedicated to space exploration and is full of innovators pushing the horizons of humanity, Not much fun stuff happening there. All creator type, not many players”

When stars said this Aries felt something inside himself call out… He responds “Certainly do! But, here in Oldvan, it’s the opposite. Full of players and very little creators.”

“Well nice meeting you Aries, See you around I’m sure” Stars then plugs his personal AI into the simulators control system and heads into the wind.

Leif is suited up“Catch ya later Early Aries,” he says with a grin and a wink. He then follows his cousin into the massive cylinder before Aries can say anything in response.

Continue…