Free speech means only thing: free speech!

There are nutcases everywhere.  Even at academic conferences.

The other day I was checking out the exhibitor booths.  And I was shocked to find a booth with a banner that read "Scientists and Environmentalists for Population Stabilization."  With a whole bunch of information brochures and documents.  Of course, I didn't want to grab any of the papers.  But, I scanned a few without touching them.  It felt creepy like hell.  It caught me off-guard; I just didn't expect such a nutcase to have a booth at the academic conference.

Naturally, I was tempted to click a couple of photos.  But then as a brown-skinned person with an accent, I chose to avoid that action.  I didn't want to confront the maniac working that booth, when one of the papers there made it clear that immigration to the US is a problem!  I stood there for a couple of minutes.  Two people stopped to chat with the maniac.  And then one other person went into the booth.  Guess what?  All were white men.

Later, as I always do, I checked my Twitter feed, and wanted to find out what people were commenting about the conference.  (Hashtag #AAG2015.)  One of the tweets was this:

Woah. RT @Sarah_SK: Eugenics at the AAG is a reminder that we're not all critical geographers. #AAG2015 pic.twitter.com/TPTo9bQmEt
— Hannah Jones (@uncomfy) April 24, 2015

More than anything else, I now had the photo that I wanted to take but did not.

source

If it were a tad clearer then you would be able to read what was in that paper on the top-right.  So, let me tell you what it was: a boastful statement that they were banned at two meetings of the AAAS, which is the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

When I was there at the booth, I thought it was interesting that the AAAS had kicked them out but the AAG had not.  Which is what I made sure to note in my reply tweet:

Yes, that was too damn creepy to see that booth At the same time, kudos to the AAG for not censoring them @uncomfy @Sarah_SK #AAG2015
— sriram khe (@congoboy) April 24, 2015

I am feeling mighty good about my professional association for granting the space to this nutcase organization, even when a much larger--and more influential--scientific community had apparently banned them.  It is easy to ban such nutcases.  But, it is way more awesome to permit them to make fools of themselves.

Free speech means making room for nutcases too.  I love free speech, even if the speech from nutcases makes me want to puke!

The traveling man observes ... that he is no Jetson

Every once in a while the in-flight magazines have really interesting essays that make me wonder why the author published the piece there.  In this funny and sarcastic essay, the author complains about the modern gadgetry that make hotels more inconvenient for us, ahem, older folks; he writes:

Across the world, hotels are becoming digitized and automated. Soon, our concierge will be an app, our chambermaid a robot and our sightseeing guide an Oculus Rift.

I agree with the author about "the eradication of human contact" at hotels anymore.

Thankfully, it was not a driver-less vehicle that dropped me off at the hotel, although, I am afraid, that day is just around the corner.

I walked up to check in.  There were more than a dozen flashing electronic screens instead of people.  Yep, those screens were for checking in.  First it was at the airports, and now at hotels too!

I followed the instructions and swiped the credit card.  It didn't work; of course!

Which is when I noticed an employee staffing the check-in counter--but that seemed like it was for customers with privileges.  I walked up there anyway.  He processed my check in.  I now had a room key, er, card.

I was reminded of that in-flight magazine essay:

When I mentioned these intrusions to a friend who works in hospitality, she was not remotely surprised. Apparently, sending electronic missives is only one way hotels are trying to connect with millennials who never look up from their communication devices. This year, she assured me, will mark the beginning of the end of the room key—and possibly the reception area—as guests check in and unlock their doors by waving their smartphones about.

Yes, millennials and others who don't bother to look away from their devices.  Even when crossing the street at busy intersections in a big city.

Earlier today, I was in an elevator going down.  It was one woman and me. A floor down, another woman hopped on.  And a third at yet another stop.  "Looks like I am the odd man out here" I remarked.  I had to--I am human.

"You are not odd" replied one as she looked up from her device.

"I mean literally" I said.  I figured that she doesn't have a sense of humor or small-talk, or both.

"Plus, all we three women are staring at our smartphones" laughed another.  Interestingly, she was the youngest of the three.

We develop technologies so that we can avoid human interactions as much as possible?  Is that what "progress" has come to mean?  If this is the future we are headed towards, where we do everything possible to eradicate human contact, then I surely do not want to be a part of it.

Yes, this hermit is not into socializing.  But, I have a deep and ongoing relationship with humanity, with an existential struggle of trying to understand what it means to be human.  All these technological razzle-dazzle is not helping me figure my own raison d'etre.

Ah look at all the lovely people ...

I wondered who my seatmates would be for the long flight.   The older I get, the lower the tolerance anymore.  Being a hermit in an ashram is not helping!

Two young people.  Perhaps in their mid-twenties.  Good looking.  I hit the jackpot!

The guy looked like he was an Indian-American.  Very fashionable at that--a jacket worn over a white shirt with the top two buttons not clasped.  A hip stubbly beard.  My people are eye candy, dammit! ;)

A few minutes into the flight, we exchanged the customary introductions.  I made sure I stayed prim and proper--I didn't want him to think I was getting into small-talk because of the Indian connection; after all, he doesn't know how much I love small talk.

The fashionable young man decided to explore the Indian roots.  "Are you originally from Gujarat?"

There's always a first for everything, I suppose.

"Nope.  I grew up in the southern part.  My parents live in Madras ... Chennai."

"Interesting.  Because you have such a facial resemblance to Modi."

I laughed.  "Every time I go to India, people tell me that.  I think they are insulting me because I don't like Modi's policies."

Small talk requires lobbing the ball back.  "What's your interest in Gujarat?"

"My parents are from there.  I am an American, they immigrated here.  I still have grandparents in Gujarat and I visit there once in a while."

He now tossed back the ball.  "Do you live in California?"

"I used to.  Now, Oregon is home."

"All my life has been in Chicago" he said.  "If you spend that kind of time in the place, then you develop the attributes of the place."

I smiled.  "In that case, I guess I should represent the stereotypical Oregon attribute of mellow and friendly."

He vigorously nodded a yes.  This fellow had quite some pep in him.  I wish all young folks were as energetic as he was, and so much at ease with himself.

"Mellow. Friendly. Progressive. ... All the way to Seattle."

We left it at that.  Small talk ended.  I dozed. Ate. Read. Dozed.

The plane started descending.

"Tell your people you met Modi" I joked to the young man by way of wrapping up our interactions.

"Maybe I should have taken a photo with you" he quipped.

I looked out.  Not a mountain in sight.  Not even a small little hillock.  Not Oregon, indeed.

I hoped I would run into some mellow, friendly, and progressive people before I returned to my ashram.