02.05-preparation
02.05-preparation
Spread 001 [p1–p2]
type: image_heavy | img coverage: L=15% R=45% heading: Leaving SCOTOMAVILLE
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The left page features a large, bold black title “prep•a•ra•tion” dominating the upper half, with smaller text blocks for the opening scene and “Welcome back to SCOTOMAVILLE” sections. At the bottom left is a close-up documentary photograph of dark mulch or soil scattered with small green sprouts, a single silver quarter coin, and a few dry brown leaves. The right page shows a large November calendar grid overlaid on a photograph of a two-lane highway with a silver Airstream trailer driving away from the viewer; translucent sticky notes (pink “Leave,” blue “Plw 27,” “5A,” and others) mark specific dates. A dark gray text box at the bottom right contains the caption “A JOURNEY OF BEING MADE READY.”
The ground-level photograph is straightforward documentary imagery that directly illustrates the left-page text’s “What do you see?” prompt, while the calendar-road composite functions as a metaphorical visual—planning dates superimposed on the literal journey. No people appear in either image. The overall spread uses real photographs from the trip combined with graphic typography and a single composed calendar element to reinforce the chapter’s preparation theme.
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Leaving SCOTOMAVILLE 214 prep•a•ra•tion BEING MATURED BY EVENTFUL CHALLENGES ”prepare” means to put in proper readiness beforehand and has a relationship to the word “parent”. 2.05 OPENING SCENE What do you see? Look hard. Let me zoom in a little. Look hard. What do you see? Look even harder. I don’t think this was here yesterday. Oh, the quarter, yeah, okay, that’s cool. No, this stuff - the green. Hmmm. Welcome back to SCOTOMAVILLE We will talk about preparation - getting ready before you have solid evidence. Think about that for a second. That green stuff? That green just showed up since the rain.
Again what do you see? Days and days of planning - preparing, hoping, and working hard. You see me packing despite an Airstream. You see RV parts that I ordered in advance of having the Airstream. You might have heard the phrase “fake it until you make it?” I’m not talking about faking it. I’m saying practice. Put in the effort. DEFINING PREP•A•RA•TION Preparation is the action of making ready or being made ready for use or consideration. For example, to work out the details of - in advance. It seems to me that I’ve been preparing for SCOTOMAVILLE for decades. I created ~60 videos before I coined it SCOTOMAVILLE. I’ve been practicing awareness and gaining understanding while writing some notes. I knew you needed evidence and examples to mimic. You’ve now seen me produce and syndicate the Third Edition with video and pa per. The work to record and distribute the evidence prepares me to speak as a sage. It’s Sage preparation.
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Leaving SCOTOMAVILLE 215 Preparation is the action or process of making ready or being made ready for use or consideration. To work out the details of - in advance.
EXAMPLE: I’ve finished 45 episodes and this Third Edition in preparation for your journey as a reader. I have been pre • pared. So will you. “ A JOURNEY OF BEING MADE READY: It seems there are invisible efforts aimed at delivering maximum opportunities for me to be matured. I could dismiss the challenges as simply too hard to scale - or I can share them for you to test and mimic.
Spread 002 [p3–p4]
type: image_heavy | img coverage: L=11% R=43% heading: MANAGE YOUR INPUT SOURCES:
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The two-page spread features a large, full-color photograph on the right page showing an older man with short gray hair leaning over a stainless steel kitchen sink, his face distorted and partially submerged in water as he grips the sink edges with both hands, eyes wide and mouth open, looking directly upward toward the camera. A bottle of liquid sits on the counter in the background.
On the bottom left, a smaller rectangular photo depicts a lush community garden with dense green foliage, tomato plants, and a white PVC pipe or sprinkler amid rocks and soil. Text elements are overlaid throughout, including the bold heading "MANAGE YOUR INPUT SOURCES:" at the top left, a gray box at bottom left reading "the active ingredient in Roundup: glyphosate," and multiple body-text columns discussing preparation, scotomas, and mindset.
The sink photograph feels metaphorical and somewhat ironic, visually echoing the chapter’s theme of managing harmful inputs (like glyphosate in food) through its extreme, distorted perspective that suggests immersion, confrontation, or "going down the drain." Page numbers 216 and 217 appear at the bottom, with a dark footer on the right reading "LEAVING SCOTOMAVILLE."
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MANAGE YOUR INPUT SOURCES: You can change the stuff you stick in your mouth, and the ideas you keep in your mind, at any stage or place in life. That’s the marvel of a Personal Everest. the active ingredient in Roundup: glyphosate Do you know where preparation starts? Right here (in your head) with your thinking. It begins with commitment and hard work to find your scotomas - like with me being poisoned recently. (scene from v02.04) “I killed my gut with lectins from tomatoes and peppers...” Wrong - it was glyphosate poisoning. All summer, there’s been a community garden here. It wasn’t until I talked to Lorena, the owner, this morning that she said she was sick just a couple of weeks ago. I said, “that’s funny. I was sick too.” She said, “I ate some zucchini out of the garden.” I said, “I ate tomatoes out of the garden!” Someone had sprayed Roundup. AHA! - That’ll cause bleeding. Yeah, Scotoma! “Imbalances in gut bacteria can be fully explained by the known effects of glyphosate on gut bacteria.” National Center for Biotechnology Information U.S. National Library of Medicine ACT LIKE THE PERSON YOU WANT TO BECOME When you intend to design a life and not simply accept what you’ve been handed, and when you want to move toward that life, it’s necessary to act ‘as-if,’ Jack Canfield would say. Jack curated the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. He advised to work ‘as-if’ the life you want is already here. Imagine the life you want in the future - and become that person. Some examples: I make uncured apple smoked bacon bits. I don’t give up an opportunity to do the hard thing. Do you remember this little trick cutting off the end of the egg carton? Well, I do that even with a big refrigerator. Why? It’s my mindset of acting ‘as-if.’ Doing the hard thing can often mean making a decent meal even when you’ll eat it alone. Prepare your mind and habits no matter your situation or how modest your means are. Develop your habits in advance - that’s preparation. This way, you’ll be ready when your opportunity arrives. Preparation: “the action of making something ready for use or service, or of getting ready for some occasion, test, or duty.” Preparation often includes a bunch of failures. It means numerous times not knowing what you’re going to say until you say it. It means doing the work of figuring out the route, not always knowing where you’re going, but putting 216
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in the effort and dealing with noisy distractions and people in the scene. You’ve been watching me prepare. You can mimic me to find your scotomas. Take your Strengths Assessment. Find out how you offend people and what’s holding you back. Discover where your obstacles are in advance of arriving at your goal. You’ve watched me pivot. Do likewise. We’re going to demonstrate in the next few episodes some fascinating things. We’ve failed four prior times to acquire an Airstream, but we’re packing ‘as-if’ and starting a journey. “Don’t fake it till you make it. Develop your mindset ‘as-if’ you are living now the life you want in the future. You can immediately chose and manage new inputs.” leaving SCOTOMAVILLE 217
Spread 003 [p5–p6]
type: image_heavy | img coverage: L=20% R=57% heading: THIS OR SOMETHING BETTER
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The two-page spread features a large, full-bleed documentary photograph dominating the right side and lower half, showing a man and woman (Daniel and Angelina) seated with their backs to the camera on a grassy hillside above the Columbia River Gorge. The panoramic view captures golden-hour lighting over dry, rolling hills, a wide reflective river, sheer basalt cliffs, scattered trees with autumn foliage, and distant plateaus under a clear sky.
A dark gray caption box is overlaid at the bottom right of the photo, reading “HWY 30 ABOVE THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE” with text about their full-price land offer and the phrase “This or something better!”
The left page contains multiple text blocks with bold headings (“THIS OR SOMETHING BETTER,” “CURRENT TIMELINE,” “THREE YEARS EARLIER”), a top pull-quote in italics about imagining the future, and a smaller “MY LITTLE BOOKMOBILE” section with personal narrative.
The overall layout uses clean white space, horizontal rules, and page numbers (“218” and “219”) with “LEAVING SCOTOMAVILLE” footers. The photograph feels straightforwardly documentary rather than ironic or metaphorical, directly illustrating the land-preparation theme described in the surrounding text.
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THIS OR SOMETHING BETTER We’re talking about preparation - about creating the life you want in advance of the evidence. You won’t see the spectacular view from the summit until you break out of the clouds on the way up. This is the land we’ve offered to buy for full-price. It’s a national historic/scenic area in the Columbia River Gorge. I’m pretty familiar with hard work, commitment, and disappointment. Three years ago, we made an offer on a piece of land. I worked hard at clearing the land to do the topography. THREE YEARS EARLIER “The driveway’s going here off of the main road from either direction. It will curve through here and around the corner. Today, I plot this slope, so I’ve got an x, y, and z. I can then lay up the architecture to take it to the planning department to be sure they will allow us to build what we want before we buy the land.” CURRENT TIMELINE As of the Third Edition we have not realized a piece of land. It seems we have much to learn, and someone bigger to become. I’m being assessed by Ai, and realizing profound insights. I’m pleased with the progress. I’d like you to understand a defining experience that set a foundation for my beliefs, decisions, and efforts. Here’s a true story from my youth. “We imagine the future and work to make it so. Angelina has learned to say: “this or something better!” leaving SCOTOMAVILLE 218
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MY LITTLE BOOKMOBILE I grew up about five miles east of Placerville, a small town in the Sierra Nevada foothills in California. Both of my parents worked. I took care of my stepbrother and stepsister most of the time - like all summer when I wasn’t in school. I loved to learn, but I didn’t have transportation. Fortunately, we had a bookmobile - a bus converted to carry books rather than students. So I fostered my education all summer by devouring everything on the bookshelves.
The bookmobile would come to my driveway with various topics like science, history, and biographies. Across the county, different bookmobiles brought little selections from the same library stacks. The other kids’ worldview would become slightly different than mine because the books I checked out for the week were not available to them. I was addicted to science but occasionally read history or biographies - mostly about scientists. HWY 30 ABOVE THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE: Angelina and I made a full price offer on this land. We believed it was our future home and resting place, and a location of understanding and healing for our guests. This or something better! leaving SCOTOMAVILLE 219
Spread 004 [p7–p8]
type: image_heavy | img coverage: L=44% R=43% heading: So I would ask that driver,
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The left page of the spread shows a close-up of two hands holding a transparent spiral-bound overlay or page above a real library interior filled with wooden bookshelves, scattered volumes, and a partial view of a bookmobile cart. Superimposed on the overlay is a glowing, illustrated 3D library scene with warm lighting, books on shelves, a small figure on a ladder, and a floating geometric network of connected spheres and lines. Below the image, the page reproduces the book text about the bookmobile driver and Danny Dunn series, ending with the large centered pull-quote: “~96% of available information is excluded from data centers in order to keep their lights on.”
The right page repeats the identical hand-and-overlay motif, but this time the background is a vast, dimly lit data center with rows of blue-illuminated server racks. The same transparent library illustration and geometric network float above the server farm, creating a direct visual juxtaposition. Additional text blocks on the right discuss “ONUS PROBANDI,” algorithmic filtering, Google’s data centers, and “Training an Opponent on our Weaknesses,” with the overlay serving as the central visual element linking both pages.
The dominant visual device is the repeated transparent overlay, which functions as a metaphorical window or filter, contrasting curated physical information access (library/bookmobile) with modern algorithmic infrastructure (data center). The network of spheres and lines within the overlay adds a diagrammatic layer suggesting interconnected data or scotoma. The overall effect is ironic and conceptual rather than literal, using the same “book” image to bridge the chapter’s theme of hidden information exclusion.
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So I would ask that driver, “do you have any more of the Danny Dunn series - the science books for young boys?” He would say, “no, I have brought you all of them.” I must have made a face he read as: “that’s not true.” In the back of each book, I found that there were additional books in the series than those in my bookmobile. One week he said, “how about if I try to find you some you haven’t read for next week.” I learned that the selection of books I read was based on the driver asking a librarian to compare what I had already read with what was in the stacks. My feedback made an impression, and the driver convinced the librarian to dig deeper for me. Score. Fast forward to today - the bookmobile is now your mobile device. You have Internet access, and you don’t rely on a librarian’s choices for your education and the development of critical thinking skills. “~96% of available information is excluded from data centers in order to keep their lights on.” Aha, here’s a scotoma Today, algorithms are tuned for attention and profits (bread and circuses). Unfortunately, extractive technologies have produced a dramatic social engineering issue. The machine learning recommenders and social media streams narrow our world view to keep their lights on. leaving SCOTOMAVILLE 220
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ONUS PROBANDI Here’s the evidence of my point. Most people mistake Google and YouTube as a replacement for the public library system. Nearly all searching is done via Google’s nine data centers across North America. The Google data centers are full, and they only have room to index four percent (only 4%) of what’s on the Internet. That means 96% of the information is not in a data center or your search results. Consequently, most results are filtered to profit tech companies rather than your worldview. I suggest looking at big tech as information baristas. When you browse or ‘search,’ you get to choose from their pre selected menu. You don’t get to choose from what’s NOT on their menu. Your choices are narrowed by values they determine, not the ones you want to discover or reinforce. Today algorithms do the work of a librarian. The scotoma is that we don’t get an accurate view of the world. Instead, we see what multiple machine learning algorithms - little black boxes - offer FROM the predigested 4%. As a result, our worldview will seem to be a personalized recommendation - aiming to be auto-magical. It will ac count for our history of clicks, our geo-location, our attention span, AND profits. The results test our critical thinking and leverage our mental vulnerability to recommendations and advertisements. Training an Opponent on our Weaknesses Google and social media platforms are not public utilities. They must profit from what is on their servers. We can no longer ask for the bookmobile driver’s favor. They are giving us a narrower worldview than we deserve. We choose from their menu thinking we are playing with all the pieces on the board. Scotoma. Take note of this on your search results or the ‘real estate’ of the YouTube recommended videos. They make money when you are on their platform, so the more you click, the more focused and sticky their recommendations.
Today extractive technology is doing social engineering.
Spread 005 [p9–p10]
type: image_heavy | img coverage: L=39% R=13% heading: PRECISE BUT NOT ACCURATE
Visual description
The right page is dominated by a large screenshot of a web search interface showing the query “data centers” with a dropdown of autocomplete suggestions (including “data centers explained” and “data centers around the world”), overlaid with red circles and a red arrow pointing to the “Report search predictions” link. Below this is a grid of Scotomaville YouTube video thumbnails, one of which is labeled “PREPARATION 02.05” and appears within the visible row. A small circular portrait of Daniel (an older man) sits beside the ChatGPT logo and a side-by-side comparison of “Search Engines vs. ChatGPT.” The left page is primarily text, featuring a large pull-quote at the top (“You chose from THEIR menu...”) and blocks of body text under the headings “PRECISE BUT NOT ACCURATE” and “Bias Narrows our Worldview.” The annotated search screenshot functions as an ironic demonstration of the chapter’s theme, visually enacting the very predictive, popularity-driven results the text critiques.
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PRECISE BUT NOT ACCURATE Another way to consider this topic is that big tech companies are not in the business of delivering ACCURATE guidance. Instead, they profit by capturing your attention. When you do your preparation, be aware that bias dictates search results. Digital recommenders want you to stick with them as they build search results based on popularity. The results are PRECISE, but not ACCURATE due to the limitation of 4%. They cannot reflect the whole story, so you end up in a walled garden where you believe your point of view is correct. We become polarized without a triangulation of opinions or facts representing the whole picture. That’s what we have going on in our country today (bread and circuses).
Bias Narrows our Worldview Be aware that your browser and recommenders are not serving up everything. They have nearly an infinite supply, but still have limited storage, just like a bookmobile. “You chose from THEIR menu - not from a triangulation of ingredients you need to consider” Leaving SCOTOMAVILLE 222
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“the real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands, but in seeing with new eyes.” PLAY THE LONG GAME Preparation is part of the long game. It’s a long game because you have to figure out your scotomas to make progress. By documenting and re-exploring your backstory, you’ll be preparing your mind and your behaviors, so you can respond rather than react. As a result, you’ll become more resilient and nimble, and adaptable with the very things you couldn’t imagine are going to delay your progress. Remember: “the obstacle is the way.” Learn to pivot your thinking, improve your questions, and gain insights so you can get out of SCOTOMAVILLE. I have explained to my readers how search engines use algorithms to match their indexed content to our keyword search strings. Please describe how ChatGPT is different, especially in the way we interact by prompting you, and how we must improve our critical thinking skills in order to ask powerful questions that result in insightful answers. Certainly, Daniel. Your inquiry leads us into the domain of artificial intelligence, technology, and critical thinking. Here, I’ll provide a detailed comparison between search engines and ChatGPT like myself and delve into the implications for improving critical thinking skills. Search Engines vs. ChatGPT
- Functionality:
Search Engines: Search engines rely on algorithms to scan indexed content, such as web pages, to find matches with keywords or phrases that users input. They return a list sorted by relevance, to the content that best matches the query. ChatGPT: ChatGPT, on the other hand, is a machine learning model trained on vast amounts of text data. It generates text-based responses to user prompts, aiming for coherent, contextually relevant answers.
- Interaction:
Search Engines: Users interact with search engines by entering keywords, often having to refine or expand their search to find relevant information. Leaving SCOTOMAVILLE 223
Spread 006 [p11–p12]
type: text_only | img coverage: L=14% R=1% heading: j6ry_gUYhl8 urls: https://youtu.be/
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YOURT https://youtu.be/j6ry_gUYhl8 In short, being prepared means losing naivete and building a mature worldview. That journey demands the discovery of blind spots. List some steps you can make to pivot. WATCH ChatGPT: Interaction with ChatGPT is conversational, akin to dialogue with a human. Users can ask specific questions, follow-ups, or request clarifications, and the model can respond accordingly.
- Critical Thinking:
Search Engines: Users may need to sift through several links and synthesize infor mation from different sources, necessitating analytical and critical thinking. ChatGPT: Engaging with ChatGPT requires careful formulation of questions and a dis cerning approach to evaluating the answers. The model can provide insights, analogies, and complex reasoning, but the quality of the response often depends on the precision of the question. Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills for Insightful Questions and Answers Formulating Clear Questions: In the words of philosopher Socrates, asking well-defined questions can be essential to understanding. By being precise and specific in your questions, you set the stage for more insightful answers. Evaluating Information: As emphasized by critical thinking experts like Carl Rogers, the ability to assess and analyze information critically is key. ChatGPT’s responses should be verified with empirical evidence as necessary. Reflecting and Refining: Albert Einstein’s words on the iterative nature of understanding resonate here. By reflecting on responses and asking follow-up questions, you engage in a process of exploration and discovery. Empathy and Perspective: Understanding different viewpoints, as Zig Ziglar often em phasized in his motivational speeches, helps in formulating questions that tap into broader human experiences. This enhances the depth of the interaction. In summary, while search engines match content through algorithms, ChatGPT interacts through conversation, generating responses based on context and input. Improving criti cal thinking skills to ask insightful questions involves clarity, evaluation, reflection, and empathy. By understanding the nuances and applying these principles, one can transform the interaction with AI into a powerful tool for
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RTURN Discuss your bookmobile, extractive technologies, and social engineering with readers and the author. DISCUSS exploration and learning, a journey akin to the Greatest Expedition to self-understanding you so passionately speak of. Got it. Thanks for refining my thinking. A nuance I neglected is ‘compared with typical search’ how will ChatGTP prompting lead me to ask a better questions? Give an example by writing a question that encapsulates the entirety of this session - one I might have asked for better results for both you and I. You’re welcome, Daniel! I appreciate your continued exploration and the desire to encapsulate our entire session into one well-crafted question. By doing so, you demonstrate the profound potential for questioning to guide thought and discovery. A question that encapsulates the entirety of this session, including the comparison with typical search, could be: “How does the conversational interaction with AI models like ChatGPT differ from traditional keyword search in search engines, and what are the practical methods and benefits for individuals, especially those with limited time, to enhance their questioning skills for more insightful and efficient communication?” This question efficiently brings together the key elements: • The comparison between ChatGPT and search engines. • The inquiry into practical methods to improve questioning. • The consideration of benefits, particularly for those juggling busy lives. It’s an excellent example of how a well-structured question can lead to a richer conversa tion, providing insights and practical guidance. This mirrors the principles you espouse in your work, aligning with the idea of the Greatest Expedition, where the true voyage of discovery lies in seeking understanding and seeing with new eyes. It’s an encapsulation of the transformative power of literacy and self-mastery that you strive to instill in others. Your journey, as chronicled in “Scotomaville,” resonates with this continuous pursuit of understanding and growth, not just in grand expedition but in daily practice. By asking the right questions, even within the mundane, we turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, echoing your aspiration to transform lives and perspectives.