Article Category: General Ideas

Organic life is basically made of four elements: Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. 99% of organic molecules consist of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Carbon is unique as it binds easily with any of the above, with itself and, many others, such as sulphur, phosphorus, silicones and halogens. While most organic compounds contain carbon and hydrogen, some have sulphur, nitrogen, phosphorus and oxygen. But all living things contain carbon! Carbon is therefore classified as an organic element and molecules containing carbon are with some exception (e.g., salts) seen as organic molecules. They also contain hydrogen, but water itself, not containing a carbon element, is classified as inorganic. Despite water being essential to organic life, it does not get the badge of honour. Anyway! These basic elements form compounds, such as carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acid and lipids, which are found in all living organisms. They truly are the special ingredients, which produced the first “mother entity” of organic life. But how come that these elements assemble, how do they form the compounds?

Well, it is determined by the same processes as in the inanimate life and physics tells you.
To highlight the interlinkage of the principles involved, remember, energy in the state of potential is going nowhere. To induce movement there has to be an incentive and a directive as discussed before. The simplest directive is a gradient along which movement occurs. It is achieved by disparity, either down a hill, or between pools of varied loading, temperature, or two poles with opposite charges, etc. Movement occurs basically to equal out differences, meaning, it follows a given direction. Hence, when the BB burst into the scene, the paths and directives for all aspects of evolution came with it. Elemental forces, particular the electro-magnetic force and all the elementary particles, with their spin and charges, they are literally “life enforcers”, laying the foundation and locking in the blueprint like stencilling the concrete floor. Atoms, molecules, compounds assemble according to forces, in search to overcome disparity, equal out differences or just filling in to complete empty and open spaces, thus moving along charges according to affinity or disparity and tension between them. It ensures the plan is followed with little effort, rather like a routine, using physics and chemistry as the pathway, which is but flexible should it be required to adjust and modify and allow for new developments. What follows is a clear, well-trodden path consisting of repetitive elements that constantly secure the foundations. Thus, every cell has a gradient of some kind, be it chemical or electrical. Our heart would not beat without it and neither would any chemical reaction take place if it was not for that principle. It makes no difference if these reactions are of inorganic nature, or a biological function. The foundations are the same for both. It gets only more diverse and sophisticated as the life forms advance in complexity. But this is a specialised field of chemistry/biochemistry and of course physics, and though very interesting, it is impossible to address details here. The reader is advised to read specific literature about the processes elsewhere at his own leisure.
However, let us glimpse! After the BB, the cauldron of particles and forces is boiling. It is chaos at its best, but within the chaos patterns develop. Highly charged, smashing into and annihilating each other, particles are also fusing to the point of nucleation. Chaos is filled with opportunity and we find the various stages of atoms and molecules forming, which build denser collection here and there with some becoming hotspot nebulas from which stars and, galaxies are born. Billions of years after BB, our Earth appears out of the solar nebular by accretion, with a nucleus of iron, generating its own electro-magnetic field. Mind you, iron is also at the core of our life. As an element in our blood, it facilitates our oxygen consumption. Without iron, we would not breathe. Incidence? I think not! The iron core of Earth is essential to begin with since Earth’s magnetic field allows an atmosphere to form, without which organic life as we know it, would not exist. Therefore, iron is to us humans as elemental as it is to Earth as a planet.

Now, Earth originally a ball of gas and molten matter, spinning much faster around its axis than it does nowadays, had to slow down and cool down in order to create favourable environmental conditions for life to develop. In fact, it took a collision with a sister planet to put Earth on the path of its development. Albeit slow, with quite a few attempts to foster life, simple organisms were coming and going. Mind you, Earth was (and still is) in a phase transition. It means, the prevailing environment determines what chemical reactions can occur, which, down the track, allow suitable life forms to develop. Their life is sustained as long as the conditions are not altered dramatically.

By the way, chemical reactions are nothing but interactions between atoms, as to what effect and how varied, that is for Life itself to find out. Any interaction, please note, is a form of communication. You may call it the language of the inanimate, or for example, the language atoms speak. Charges and forces are words, the binding and bonding of elements are the sentences that link the words together, which conveys the information. It means, the actual reaction is also the transmission of the information and the resulting product is the answer on display, after the reactions took place. Basically, instructions are effectively delivered in wordless communication. J. Wheeler sure is right: These physical, chemical processes are information itself and the blueprint of Life. Cells too convey messages, by signalling the next-door cells. This principle is found in all the presentations of cell life. Just like the elementary particles and forces incorporate their instructions as they manifest, all follow the same rules, using the same pathway. As inanimate life does, so does organic life, and so do we. Our cells talk to each other, we need to talk to each other as all creatures do. The modus looks different, but the concept and the effect are the same. Waves are the messengers and the path, travelling over the distances, minute as from cell to cell, or as lengthy as between people.

Another important ingredient of organic life is water, though it does not have to be in the fluid phase to generate Life. In compounds, Hydrogen and Oxygen were always present, even in Earth’s early life. Most likely both were released by volcanic eruptions where clouds of steam, accompanying the sulphuric acid clouds and ashes, carried them after they were unlocked from magma and rocks that held them in as separate elements as Earth was cooling down. One can safely conclude that these two elements, H and O, finally got the chance to bond to our H2O due to volcanic activities. But present they were all along, even when our planet was still in its infancy. They are present everywhere else in the universe, hydrogen being in fact the most and oxygen the 3rd most common element.
Liquid water formed very early on Earth, though not necessarily always flowing in oceans and also being even vaporised by massive meteors still bombarding Earth at that time. Our planet also had very early an atmosphere, just not the one we have the pleasure to have now. It sure did not contain enough oxygen for life to prosper as we know it. But organic life was there too, with Earth only about 3,8 billion years old, like the methane producing microbes, which still can be found living on the ocean floor and volcanic grounds. Oxygen was not freely available then, only later, Earth being about 2,7billion years old. That’s when another micro-organism, the cyanobacterium, appeared and prospered in abundance. It supplied more O2 in its waste than was consumed by Earth’s environment, thus enriching the atmosphere with it.

Not only hydrogen, also ice is abundant, in our solar system and in space. You find it as close to the sun and as far away beyond in space, where it is present as interstellar ice, consisting of grains of ice that contain low boiling point chemical elements and compounds, like nitrogen, water, carbon dioxide, ammonia, hydrogen, methane and sulphur dioxide. These are part of our planet’s crust too. As ice grains they are also in our atmosphere and they are plentiful in molecular clouds where new stars are formed. Recently scientists found the precursors of amino acids and nucleotides there too, essential for organic compounds like proteins. Derived from the grain content by processes like hydrogenation, oxygenation and hydroxylation, it emphasises the point of how irrational it is to treat earth and universe as different things. But given the circumstances, Gaia is rather reasonable than a phantasy, wouldn’t you agree?
Now, ice as we know is the solid phase of water. When water cools down to 0 degree under normal atmospheric pressure, applicable to most of the water and ice forming processes on earth, the molecular arrangements of water changes during phase transition. Most of earth’s ice comes in hexagonal crystalline structure. If it contains impurities, it may be milky white, (snow). Ice is considered a mineral, a crystalline inorganic solid. Interestingly, if you prevent the molecules to arrange themselves into these highly ordered structures, water does not freeze but assumes the state of mesophase, regardless how low the temperature drops! The mesophase applies actually to all fluids, meaning crystals become liquid crystals, worth the mentioning due to the biological implications, which are only just now explored in depth and in context of three-dimensional organisation of living matter and its inner dynamic. (See research of structures and functions of fibrils in skins, muscle, lamellar bone, even DNA application; think fish scales and plywood too, just to give you an idea of the far-reaching implications.

The point to stress is that the phases are of utter importance, – for everything in the universe. And it is pure physics which builds and dictates development, step by step, not ever eradicating the bases it builds upon. Since also intelligence has to evolve, there is initially no capability to comprehend the processes involved. Only when intelligence itself expands far enough can the mind begin to unravel entanglements and hidden truths, to make them increasingly more transparent, so the mind can understand what is going on.

Earth formed a crust from the fluid lava as it was cooling down. Appropriate to phase transition it provided the reorganization of the elements, which were first mixed up in gas and then lava. Following the way of phase dynamics, solidification occurs by crystallisation, which provides the scaffolding and structuring within fluids (or solutions/precipitate). What was gas becomes fluid, becomes solid matter, appearing in form of crystals, rocks and then, earth, – literally building the ground for organic life to thrive on. Thermodynamic processes under earth’s electromagnetic field conditions, water and atmosphere contribute to the environment in which Life finds its expression in form of organic life, but the beginning of it is not much different to the nesting (or nucleation) in the boiling and cooling phases of plasma that lead to gases and the seeding of the molecular clouds.

Phase dynamics can be observed when water starts boiling, or cools down. Distinct surface patterns appear which then extend into a field of bubbles, or an ice field respectively, signifying the phase transitions. You literally observe the transformation of water, either as it starts to boil or builds up ice. From the surface pattern to distinct islets that spread out all over the surface, it is as easy as it is wonderful to watch, particularly in nature, when ponds and lakes freeze over in winter time. The same happens when lava cools down.

Any nucleating process occurs as a reaction between the (chemical) elements. There must also be a sufficient force to bring the particles/elements together (e.g. gravity, electric charges, energy of any kind), otherwise they would remain in ‘suspension’. When under the right conditions the particles, atoms, or molecules clump together, it marks the onset of nucleation, the “nesting”. Nucleation is thus the first step in every phase transition; indeed, it is the first step in the formation of structure and matter and, in fact, can be seen as an act of self-assembly, or self-organisation too. By definition, nucleation is simply the time that is necessary for an observer to wait before he actually can see the new phase or the new structure appearing.

It is also important to understand self-assembly or self-organisation, because all pre-existing components in a disordered system, be it the plasma soup after the BB or in the fluid solutions of our discussion here, all build organised structures, all adhere to patterns that are due to their own interaction amongst their own kind without any external direction and apart from the influence forced upon them by their environmental condition. (Not to be confused with the environmental conditions that fuel the process, influence and shape the outcome). If the components are molecules, the process is called molecular self-assembly.

The significance of that said is that it is the inherent property of energy, the potential energy that is contained in, as David Bohm sees it, implicate order, or, the quantum potential of the unbroken wholeness of the universe, or, if you like, the BB potential and, of matter, particle and all thereafter. For Sozieternas it is a concept of Life’s evolution. Self-assembly, self-organisation are steppingstones for energy to express itself, tangibly and visibly, you may call manifestation.
If nucleation happens in a static environment, the ordering will aim for an equilibrium. In a dynamic environment it follows the process of self-organisation. Simply said, everything ‘floating’ around in a disordered system seeks company, preferably their own or where it has affinity to, which, in fact, is reflected in social settings too, as “same of the same are good company”. Clumping together, or building social groups, everything, and everyone feels most comfortable amongst their own kind.

In nature, nucleation (self-assembly) means nanostructure (minute components) builds itself. In organic life, compounds grow and organise themselves by way of dimensional outreach and spatial arrangements. Environmental dynamics determine the formation the structures will have, how they function and what purpose they have or can be used for.

Nucleation may be a slow process, depending on the dynamics involved, and is usually not visible or observable, in contrast to phase transition and self-assembly. Water makes the phase process easy to grasp, since you can observe the ice patches and the spread to a seamless ice sheet. Steam, or Ice, the final outcome, is the definite thermodynamic phase. Impurities, interferences and disturbances in the system influence the rate of nucleation, the time a phase transition lasts and, what self-assembly, (or disintegration as in steam), will be like. But let us skip over these details as interesting as they may be.
The first appearance of nucleation occurs randomly in whatever medium or volume, and it fluctuates too. The islets that form are a primary process, but they may also serve secondary processes, some of which we humans can enjoy as pretty things, like gems and jewels. The interesting point is that nucleation has no steady rules, neither where it will occur nor when, nor that it will remain and not disintegrate again. In other words, it will only progress to the next step if the conditions acting upon allow it.
B

ohm’s “Potential Quantum Field” hypothesis talks about waves of inert energy appearing as random particles at interference junction points. If there is clustering, it may well be called nucleation at the most original level. The later crystallisation process from liquid to solid reflects the same, it just is easier to observe than quantum field fluctuations. It means, when we can see the product of a completed phase transition like we see the ice or the precious stone, we no longer struggle to accept the process and the product as real, though both are similar and in principle the same. We humans just need to see to believe.
Unobservable nucleation applies to the biological setting too, particularly concerning us when it comes to diseases like Alzheimer’s or cancer. Their plaques and metastasis we do not see in the initial stages where they ‘nucleate’, only later we do, when the illness shows the tell-tale cluster or metastatic spread.
Any phase or nucleation process needs energy, or a momentum to get the process rolling. It starts from a state of so-called meta-stability. The reader may delve into the laws of thermodynamics elsewhere, which can explain the above said, but let us just stick here to meta-stability and visualize it as a ball precariously sitting on a pointy top from where it is dislodged easily. It may be enough to pop down a stair or two, or, run down a hill, in any case, it would generate free energy in the process.

To recapitulate: Energy is the point to begin with as the pool of potential (A). In its quantum form, energy has no mass and moves as a wave. In its manifestation as a solid it is E=mc2, (B).  The journey from A to B starts with assembly by nucleation, when particles and elementary forces appear, which exist in wave/particle form and interference patterns. Physics is the scaffolding; the structure crude matter uses to organise itself. Eventually the assembly becomes visible as its complexity grows. All this is only made possible by energy’s duality as particle and wave form, and as source and fuel functioning. As the interaction between particles and forces matter grows, so do simple reactions, growing into ever more sophisticated functions –, hello (bio-) chemistry, hello organic life and all the rest that follows.

The core ingredients of Earth consist of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, silicon, sulphur and iron. These elements build up earth’s crust and are part of all “living” things by nature. By now, though present for a long time, just not as obvious, physics got a partner in chemistry. Both have and create their own set of rules as they move along their way. To speed up chemical reactions, nature uses compounds called catalysts. They are involved in all complex reactions. When it comes to organic life and organic functions, they are called enzymes. However! They are made of nothing else but simple elements, only later on do these facilitators become more elaborate compounds themselves. They essentially help the processes and they are never consumed by the process itself. That we can breathe, eat and burn food for our energy supply, our metabolism, indeed every cell activity, relies on catalyst/enzyme activity. It is mindboggling how simple everything starts and how elaborate it gets. On the subject of chemical processes, catalysts and the role of enzymes, please read the specific literature. It truly is fascinating but for this article we can only seek out stepping stones to shorten the otherwise convoluted path (from inorganic to organic life).

The Miller-Urey experiment 1952 highlights such a stepping stone. It must be mentioned here, since it was the first experiment to prove that organic compounds like amino acids, the building blocks of organic life forms, can be synthesized from inorganic compounds. In laboratory condition that replicated Earth’s at the time conducive to allow organic life development, simple gases were exposed to heat, cooling and, electrical discharges simultaneously, replicating nature with its lightening and radiation, and indeed organic compounds formed.

Organic compounds of course are only part of the story. The other is ‘free’ energy. One hypothesis on the origin of life therefore emphasises the “metabolism first” approach, where catalysts play the major role. Naturally, it has its merits since metabolism is the ‘fuel supply’ all system and organisms depend on.
The earliest evidence of life on earth goes back to 3,7 GY (Giga, or billion years). It may have been present earlier. Science recently discovered very ancient life forms still exist deep down in earth’s layers. Not relying on oxygen to sustain life they could have evolved way beyond the Eoarchean Era, or the Hadian to which the fossils in the geyserite, (opaline silica) of the Pilbara Craton in WA, (Australia), and fossilized microorganisms in hydrothermal-vent precipitates in Quebec rocks, (Canada), belong to. However! Life as we know it, may have appeared with the ocean formation, 3,8 billion years ago; but the jury is still out there, waiting for more evidence.

That life evolved on Earth is more than reasonable than not since all the ingredients were readily available. It was only a matter of the right conditions to kick start the process that prompted the ‘seeds’ into germination for organic life to emerge. The first important step, the essential key, is assembly. With the compounds that Earth had on offer, the building of macro molecules went ahead, from single molecules to polymers, the molecular units, were strung together repetitively into chains. As they grow linearly and move spatially, they not only develop different structures but also different shapes, functions and, abilities. Remember, it is like one step at the time to build a chain, using repeatedly same units, which can then morph dimensionally from chain into body.
Organic life is shaped by the specific chemistry of carbon and water. It builds up from basically 4 polymer compounds: Lipids (cell membranes), carbohydrates (sugars, cellulose), amino acids (proteins) and, nucleic acids (RNA, DNA).

The principle of linear development is easy to follow, going from particle (e.g., quark), to atom, molecule and, polymer, which, with the appearance of RNA, marks the starting point for organic life development. Our organic world is an RNA world! Others may have pre-existed, but disappeared when conditions changed. For easy understanding, consider our spine or backbone. Similar to a polymer, built of same sort segments one after the other, it resembles a chain. Or look at embryonic development, from fertilized ova to blastula to gastrula and its three germ layers from which the whole body derives. Everywhere you look there is repetition all over again and again, the materials used, and how it is used and linked together. It shows how life expands and develops, with a few ingredients and in repetitive pattern, but in numerous and astounding combinations. There is indeed nothing ever new under the sun though the outcome is mindboggling! The combinations, the fitting and joining and, how the elements and basic ingredients work together, all demonstrate the simplicity of the design and the basic rules. In a way one may consider it to be a fractal (see later on). To get lost in the multitude of shapes and forms of life unfolding is not surprising, because its variety is distractive. And it is still evolving, even as we speak.

Polymers do not only give rise to organic compounds. Small molecules (monomers) of any element can join up simply by covalent chemical bonds leading to products of unique physical forms, properties and qualities. Many of them are perfect for industrial use due to toughness, viscosity, elasticity and with products ranging from the fluid to the amorphous, the semicrystalline and crystalline, or any other form you can think of. And all is and has Life!
Several branches of science came to the same conclusion: Everything has the ability to self-organize, to carry out self-assembly, which essentially means, bringing structure to chaos.  In fact, the consensus is that chaos cannot support the visible world and certainly not organic life. Only by loss of entropy (chaos) can matter take shape. Structures are a state of order, like crystals, which have their atoms very neatly arranged. Self-assembly means just that, within chaos freely moving, disorganised elements tend to seek order, facilitated by forces and free available energies that prevail in high entropic phases, especially present at high temperatures. Cooling down changes the conditions allowing for other developments. It highlights the fact that while environmental conditions change, the principles of change do not, – they are the pervasive constant within the system.
John Conway, Stanislav Ulam, John Newman and, Hermann Haken, scientists, (including mathematicians), should be mentioned here since they contributed to the understanding of how self-organisation and, self-replication, the other essential criteria in the definition of organic life, can arise within and from “lifeless matter”.

John Conway, an English mathematician, developed a computer game called “Game of Life” (1970). With this game he proved that anything that can be computed algorithmically can also be computed within real life. Though a simulated “life game”, it is applicable to real life cells, showing exemplary the emergence of self-organisation. Complex patterns emerge from the implication of the game’s simple rules, thus serving as a didactic analogy, which conveys that, against counter-intuitive notion, complex design and organisation can spontaneously arise in the absence of a “designer”.

His work was based on Stanislav Ulam’s and John Von Newmann’s studies on the growth of crystals by liquid motion, which demonstrates how crystals form out of liquid, showing the “first system of cellular automata”. Von Newmann created a method to calculate liquid motion by using discrete units of liquid and studying the effects it had on units/cells and their neighbourhood and the vice versa effects, meaning, he studied the changes it brought upon the pre-existing unit/cell arrangements and how their behaviours impacted on each other. There are natural rules by which units/cells transmit any excitation to neighbouring units/cells. The closer they are packed together (tessellation) the easier it is to appreciate the transmission of excitement, ergo data, upon which patterns in nature occur and build upon. The simplest example to demonstrate excitement and transmission is to throw a pebble into a still pond and watch the ripples spreading. It is

extraordinarily well ordered and executed, but the beauty lies in the detail and in the complexity of the result that follow.
It also demonstrates that information is passed on without the need of a spoken word. Information, the prerequisite for any development, you can call it the interwoven, intrinsic, and, pervasive spirit of life, is encrypted energy, or the architecture of life. Not to be confused with God, it is not an entity, though even the Bible says: ‘In the Beginning there was the Word’. Note! Words are units (or symbols) of information. Nature has its own language, present from the beginning as information passed on by interaction (see above). For Sozieterna information is simply energy, vibrational energy, where the content is encrypted by the wave’s frequency. Language, music, bird song, useful, necessary, delightful, no matter what, it is based on vibrations we feel, on waves we receive and in a frequency pattern that our brain can decipher and utilize.

The work of Hermann Hake may be of particular interest for people who want to explore how self-organisation out of chaos occurs. His popular book “The Science of Structure: Synergetics” may serve that purpose. In short here, ‘Synergetics’ is an interdisciplinary science of which Hake is understood to be the founder of. It is concerned with the self-organisation of patterns and structures in an open system far from thermodynamic equilibrium and is based on the order-parameter concept that describes phase transitions in thermodynamics. Basically, self-organisation means reduction of degrees of freedom of a system in exchange of order, thus leading to pattern formation, structure and form. Self-organisation requires a macroscopic system, consisting of many nonlinearly interacting subsystems, depending on the external control parameters such as environment and energy fluxes. This applies to all the self-organisation of patterns in the many different systems in physics, chemistry and biology. Our visible world is full of beautiful patterns, in plants, animals, just anywhere you look, but they are just the other side of chaos, or the opposite extreme of one and the same collective.

Self-assembly and self-organisation share their importance with the other important aspect of Life, that is self-replication. Von Neumann realized and proofed that a particular pattern of cells/units would make endless copies of its self within its own framework. The ‘cellular automata’ were demonstrated in the tessellation automata as simple units/cells packed together. They replicated as they formed the nests of crystals, emerging in the liquid he had set up to study. In fact, the cell/unit automata inspired him to seek a self-replicating machine (which was an ambition of many scientists’ throughout centuries). Convey clearly demonstrated via computer technology that the simplest cellular automation is indeed one dimensional, with 2 possible states per cell/unit, the adjoining neighbour cell/unit on each side. A set of rules applies in nature conditionally. Convey in his “Game of Life” put an algorithm in place, which governs and determines the patterns that will be created within the given confines. Von Newman demonstrated with his study that nature actually has been doing the same all along.

Von Neumann, though his ambition was to design a self-replicating machine that could in fact evolve by itself, did not pursue this idea after all. But his design became known as the “Universal Constructor”. Importantly, his assertion was, that open-ended evolution required inherited information to be copied and passed on to the offspring separately from the self-replicating machine, an insight that preceded the discovery of the DNA molecule by Watson and Crick, which functions literally and exactly the way Von Neumann postulated as the requirement for self-replicating machines.

Self-replicating machines however are no longer a drawing board item either. They are well on the way of taking over manufacturing, particularly in certain areas of modern life. They are already used in space exploration and exploitation, (e.g.: Mars exploration, or for mining asteroids). It is far cheaper to send such machines to moon or planets than whole machinery ready made on earth. Self-assembling robots on Mars certainly do a great job right now.
Returning to life and self-replication, branches of mathematics are of particular interest here. Chaos theory and, topology especially, provide insight into the intricacy of life’s unfolding. In the apparent randomness of chaotic complex systems there are these underlying patterns, such as constant feedback loops, repetitions, and self-similarity, meaning, parts of a figure are small replicas of the whole. Such figure is called self-similar. Any arbitrary parts containing an exact replica of the whole, are called fractals. Imagine them as shapes that appear the same at different levels, as is beautifully illustrated in ‘successive magnifications’. The blueprint of Life may well be seen as a fractal that is repeated over and over again, from the macroscopic to the microscopic, one expression that fits into every dimension as a replica of and in its every detail, hence macro cosmos is the micro cosmos, only the magnification is different. But remember, the fact that order arises from local interaction between parts of an initially disordered system is energy in action.

Despite talking about organic life, we have not left the realm of the inorganic by any means. Energy to matter, as miniscule as it may be, means organizing itself into structure and the emphasis lies on the phases, phase transitions and the forces acting upon and within it. Consolidation as it appears and is observed in the formation of crystals, is the underlying foundation for Earth’s geological development. As soon as we have structure and in particular a solid surface, the first step into solid biological life is made.

Still asking how organic life can arise from ordinary matter? Hopefully not, after all, it does not arise! Life is inherent in energy, which only transforms and changes in appearance. But due to the unfolding diversity it is easy to lose track and overlook the simple premises Life builds upon.
There are many theories around, how inorganic life facilitates conditions to bring about organic life. The iron, sulphur, pigment or “metabolism first” theories, just to name some, all have their merits, but I would like to look at the clay theory, solely for the reason that the Bible mentions clay as the substance of which the first human, Adam, was created from. And, because clay has shown to be a catalyst for the polymerization of RNA on which our organic life is based upon. This may be incidental or not. It sure is too interesting and too odd to gloss over, particularly since knowledge is not gained only through science as was already pointed out before.

Earth’s crust is made of 90% silicate. Montmorillonite (named after Montmorillon, in France), is a group of soft phyllosilicate that forms out of a water solution as microscopic crystals, which are loosely packed together so water can still act as an agent that makes the clay swell or shrink according to the water content. This is enormously useful for all kinds of applications, including industrial ones. All clays have such propensity, just not as sublime as Montmorillonite, (found in other countries too under different names). Its significance lies in the fact of being a formidable catalyst. The clay hypothesis postulates that complex organic molecules arose gradually on pre-existing non-organic replication surfaces of silicate crystals in solution. Studies confirmed clay’s role as a catalyst in the formation of RNA, by joining nucleotides together to longer chains, which in the study also displayed gene like behaviour. (Later dismissed as too unreliable (?)).
Catalysts are well and truly amazing. They speed up development, namely in chemistry and are present all the way, also in the primordial conditions of stellar nucleosynthesis. Therein, in the gaseous clouds, you find the origin of the molecular evolution, where chemistry is a ‘way of life’. Catalysts earn the title of initiator, influencer, and work horse and, most dedicated service provider all in one, if you consider what they do to keep everything going.
The hypothesis of the “Primordial Soup” as postulated by Oparin (Russian biochemist) and Haldane (British/Indian biologist) around 1927, gave rise to John Bernal’s work (1949, Irish scientist), which concludes that most molecules necessary for organic life could be synthesized from their inorganic precursors. He later coined the word “Biopoiesis” in 1967 in reference to the ‘origin of life’.

To simplify the complex work of these pioneering scientists may be best done by describing some of the distinct steps in the course of development, appropriately named the molecular evolution:

1) Elements within early Earth’s reducing atmosphere exposed to various forms of energy produced simple organic compounds.

2) These compounds may have concentrated in various locations, e.g.: shore lines, oceanic vents, hot pools etc.

3) Further transformation over time led to more complex biological polymers

4) In Bernal’s extended version, between step 2 and 3, the organic molecular evolution begins with the formation of simple structures and cell like shapes, behind which and within their boundaries, biological reactions continue to occur, but with the difference that they are now taking place in an enclosed space (vesicle, cell), and where the supply of energy is now secured by metabolism.

The way how (cell) membranes assemble offer a better understanding of the structural origin of cells, but how they become life cells the above explains that very well indeed. Prerequisite are of course the organic compounds as discussed before. We also know, the most basic is the carbon-hydrogen molecule (CH), which is a radical since the C has 3 open valences ready to pair with other atoms. It is found everywhere, including the interstellar medium, the space between galaxies, which consists of ionic, atomic and molecular gases as well as dust and cosmic rays. Any of these highly dynamic places, with magnetic fields and turbulent motions and, of particular importance ultraviolet electromagnetic radiation, are called hot spots of action, a name truly justified, since complex molecules form in such hot spots, meaning, that complex organic molecules already were present in the protoplanetary planes of our sun before Earth even existed. It should be highlighted since Earth formed by accretion, sweeping up what was available, all the diverse alchemy of life already brewed out and ready for use. However! Certain conditions favour certain developments, and pluralistic circumstances work synergistically together. While each and any development has significance in its own right, they all contribute to specific outcomes, which would otherwise never be achieved. But, single molecules do not stay single, they assemble. (It may be well be the case of Adam seeks Eve). The formation of compounds is inevitable and would certainly occur after Earth progressed as the planet and stabilised.

Polyatomic molecules are such inevitable items and with the C in it, they are biomolecules. Of specific interest are the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), also found everywhere in the visible universe, extra-terrestrial and terrestrial alike. In certain circumstances they are toxic to organism, but they are also easily modified by the way of chemical processes, turning them into something beneficial as far as building new compounds is concerned. By the way, what is called synthesizing in the inorganic world, is called metabolizing in the organic. Both do the same thing. That is, synthesizing means chemical reactions bring new atoms and new molecules into existence not existent before. Metabolizing means, existing matter encourages new organic connections, bringing about new organic life forms. Therein lies the chance of development, survival and prosperity, bringing ever more order into a lively chaos and ever more diversity into organic life forms.

The reader may have come across the expression ‘primary metabolites’, like amino acids, lactic acids, carbohydrates, lipids, just to name the most important. They are defined as components of the basic metabolic pathways and essential for organic life forms because these are molecules responsible for structure, maintenance and procreation. In fact, they are multi-taskers, as good in engineering and management as they are in handling and passing on information to ensure species evolution takes place. They have their “hands” in everything.

From the amino acids to proteins, needed for cytoskeleton formation; from fatty acids to glycerol phospholipids, which are the essential building material of cell membranes; the carbohydrates, essential for energy supply and, structural components; to finally the nucleic bases building nucleotides, essential for RNA and DNA, which store and transmit genetic information, – these primary metabolites give the green light for the diversity of organic life.  They not only create the bodies, they are the cornerstone of (cell) functioning, ranging from simple cell life to complex brain tasks, facilitating every necessary process, be it in the confinement of one cell or in the systems of multicellular organisms and enzymes are their best friends.

But ultimately, it all boils down to energy, being the fuel for every process and as the visible manifestation of all matter, expressing itself in every action and form of Life. Energy is the essence of Life, – energy is Life. In organisms it acts as a self-contained unit, while always being part of the overall Energy Life Cycle.
Now, every synthesis, every metabolic process is basically a chemical reaction in a dynamic environment. In highly chaotic (entropic) conditions the situation is particularly volatile. Initially this allows only subtle orderly processes to happen without immediate noticeable results. Atoms, molecules, cells only appear (see above), when a substantial part of the chaos has been ruled in. Cells offer just a small space within for operation, meaning, any action has to be particularly subtle, tuned down, if you like. In order to function, metabolism has to be truly a highly efficacious tool. Molecules, before catalysts, now enzymes, do indeed finely tuned work within the confined space of an organic entity, but some simple life forms do not even have yet the full set of functioning that enables them to live on their own, like viroids and viruses. Though they have their own metabolism, they need a host to propagate. Such simplistic entities demonstrate that they are just one of the possibilities of many that can arise out of those hot spot high energy cauldrons. It is a matter of time as to how successful a unit of primary metabolites is, and as to what extent it is able to establish itself as a distinct life form and survive.

Since energy is necessary even for the utmost miniscule organism to sustain life, methods of obtaining it have evolved too. A simple way of “catching food”, or fuel, is osmosis, which is in fact the principle of respiration mitochondria use, the cell organelles known to be the powerhouses of the cells. Mitochondria are present in almost all cells, generating most of the cell’s adenosine triphosphate (ATP) supply, the cell’s energy source. Indeed, these organelles are vital to organic life as we know it. However, the reader should not be fooled into believing that’s all mitochondria do. Anyway, their respiratory osmosis is in most part still highly regulated and far more sophisticated than other osmotic exchanges which range from the very simple to the elaborate. Just as a side note, what these organelles accomplish and how they do it, is truly amazing. Specific literature is therefore highly recommended to explore mitochondrial intricacies.
Energy harvesting is of utmost importance, a must for all evolving organisms. Osmosis is of course only one way to fulfil the order, (see further below). Generally, it is rather a matter of what is on offer, what can be utilized and what suits best. Some organisms ingest solid elements from the environment, some peruse the aerobic path, some capture light. Certain conditions determine the route of access, other conditions provide other options, but certain is that organisms adopt a pathway that suit best and will either adapt or vanish should change occur. One anaerobic process, called fermentation, would have been the most reasonable source for early organic life forms living in Earth’s oxygen free atmosphere. Indeed, organisms deep in earth still use it. Little is known about them and one can only guess as to why they exist where they are. It may be due to being the only place for them to survive after Earth’s atmosphere was oxygenated thanks to the cyanobacteria. Gobbling up the plentiful nitrogen while releasing oxygen, they fertilized the atmosphere with O2, thus changing the environmental conditions, which paved the way for new organisms to strive. While replacing the old ones, some may have been pushed into niches where they still linger on. However! Plants played a vital role too in shaping life on Earth. Using photosynthesis as their energy source, while excreting O2 as their waste, our life pretty much depends on them. The point is, Earth provides everything that organic life needs for its survival, one way or the other. It is a perfect recycling system and if maintained well, life on Earth could go on for a long time, albeit nothing can stay the same. Transformation is part of existence.

Since organic life is visible life, organisms are, figuratively speaking “parcels of energy” of variable shape, size, strength and, properties. It means, they occupy space and they have dimensions themselves. Though we already looked at them before in a different context, they require our full attention if we want to understand organic life. Basically, dimensions are “a condition of Life”, (in-) organic or not. Exploring the fundamental implications of dimensions allows us to follow Life’s trail and how organisms develop along the well-trodden path, which, in principle, we should already be familiar with. With dimensions in focus, we just look at it from a different angle.

In the first dimension single molecules simply add fellow molecules, thus building chains of molecules. But not always following a straight line, they may bend, go up and down, or hook up at one or the other point on themselves. By doing so, they build figures of the two-dimensional order, shapes if you like, meaning, they have outlines and content. But they build bodies that have volume, now belonging to the 3rd dimension, (length, width and height). With changes like these, everything else changes. Not only have their appearances changed, but qualities too, as well as their functions and capabilities, which impacts on further developments. One molecule has a different quality than a chain of molecules and shapes are different again in quality and behaviour, while bodies become sophisticated functional units, and complex entities. And one has to keep in mind, all move in space and time, regardless, (the 4th dimension). However! In space, actions occur simultaneously, and though each may have a time line and a time span, in space they are relative to each other, exerting influence on everything, regardless of shape and bodily form. Dimensions are boundless until, or unless, arbitrarily linked to or conditionally locked in by matter.

A big step forward with enormous impact on organic evolution comes with the spatial arrangements of molecules, where bodies form and functions multiply. Like molecules, shapes may clump together, or they may settle in various locations on structures built before. It means, 3 dimensional compounds gain on size and volume, and every arrangement has a unique appearance and allows for different functions with different impact on further developments. This is particularly true for proteins where there are compounds with the same number of the same molecules, but due to their different spatial arrangements the proteins are not the same, nor do they function the same way. Molecules in some proteins may even occupy locations as symmetric images, but they cannot be superimposed on each other, (like our hands). In physics we know that particles spin, but they spin clockwise or anticlockwise, and an electric field vector may be of left or right-handed orientation. In chemistry we have optical isomers, so we speak of left or right-handed molecules. This is called chirality, which has a vital role to play in all areas of Life. Living organisms use molecules of the same chirality with almost no exceptions, which is still puzzling scientists, because the why remains unexplained. Just to give the reader an idea: Amino acids are left-handed, while nucleotides and sugars are right-handed. But why? It sure has its roots in outer space physics, since in space amino acids and sugars show the same chirality and are the more prevalent than the counterparts. And remember, what happens in the macro-cosmos applies to the micro-cosmos as well. But the why still stands.

Naturally, the longer the chains of molecules, the bigger the shapes, the more locations are available to settle on and branch off from and, the more complex the compound will be. It means, as more functions develop, more duties need to be executed. We know, protein chains can be very long indeed, but in an organism, they have to fit into very small spaces too. So, the chains fold up into layers, closely packed together. Their integrity is maintained by special proteins that have control function, because all this looping, folding, inverting could spell disaster if it was not properly organised, protected and, defended, all for the sake to provide bigger surfaces in a confined space. Just think of our genetic material in cell nuclei, or, our small intestine. Long as it is, it fits into the small abdominal cavity; or the brain, with all the folds in the small bony skull! It is amazing, what can be achieved with 3 dimensional structures, consisting but of the same few particles, atoms and molecules. Nothing short of ingenious I would say. And we literally can see the blue print of Life itself right in front of our eyes without, sad to say, realizing it as such. There is no need for an idol to be worshipped, there is no entity separate from Life. It is energy, the force in action, which creates and keeps you alive and everything growing. However, as a topic of Theo-philosophical interest, it warrants a separate exploration and though it is part of the spiritual aspect of Life, it will not be extensively addressed in this article, since scientific evidence is still in its infancy to prove a point or claim certainty. Even in the field of cognition, despite recently new research interests, boosted by more sophisticated tools becoming available that allow to look into the workings of the brain and neurological systems, – the spiritual aspects remain out of reach as yet. Though ringing in a new era of discoveries, a deeper understanding of spiritual life needs more than a few new discoveries. It needs conceptual rethinking. Therefore, detailed or specific philosophical discussions will remain on their own platform until substantial headway in particle physics is made, which is no doubt the realm where the spiritual connections lie.
Having touched on the general principles of structural development, let us look at cell formation itself. Though cells are no prerequisite for protein activity, organisms are foremost celled organisms. Even viruses depend on a membrane enclosure but they are not classified as cellular, having only a protective sheet instead of a cell membrane. A boundary, separating external (inorganic) processes from internal (organic) processes, is not only necessary, it is imperative, since it separates the universal ‘entropic’ space matter from the structured solid matter, expressed at its climax as organic life forms. A cell is however still maintained as an open system, thermodynamically speaking, exchanging matter and energy through its borders with the surrounding external space. A simple unit, like a cell, can do that perfectly via the cell membrane. Cell development in detail is intricate, but let us look at the most obvious, the most likely and most simple scenario.

In recent years great attention has been given to organelles. They are membrane less bodies in the cell cytoplasm, similar to colloids in suspension. Organelles, (coined coacervates by Oparin), are distinct fluidic bodies in a fluid. They form in an aqueous phase of matter rich in macromolecules (such as polymers, proteins, nucleic acids) by liquid-liquid phase separation appearing as droplets (coacervate droplets), because their phase is denser compared to the fluid, they are in. They form spontaneously via molecular self-assembly, the non-covalent interaction of molecules, in contrast to the chemical valency system. These macromolecules cluster due to electrostatic, or hydrophobic forces, (just to name a couple). Though they have no membranes separating them from the surrounding fluid, they are distinct “compartments” within it. This allows the formation of ‘quite massive’ chemical and/or, organic structures, such as viroids, membranes, ribosomes, and the cell organelles we speak of.

Sidney W. Fox showed in his work that amino acids spontaneously form small chains (peptides), which in certain prebiotic conditions build long, often crosslinked thread like structures (polypeptide globules). He called them proteinoid microspheres and primitive cells (protocells). In his experiments he found phosphoric acid acted as a catalyst fostering the process of polymerisation, building the protein-like chains. He later found similar but naturally occurring proteinoids in the lava and cinder of Hawaiian volcanic vents. When an aqueous solution has a high concentration of proteinoids, microspheres form, because some of the amino acids incorporated in the chains are more lipophilic than others, so they clot together, resembling droplets distinct from the solution they are in, (like oil drops in water).

Fox’s work certainly supports Oparin’s hypothesis, who proposed that “simple building blocks” could locally increase in complexity and their self-assembly would lead to cell like structures. Organelles, also known as biomolecular condensates, can in fact change into more solid forms, particularly as they mature, fulfilling various and, more and more duties, (e.g., participating in gene expression and signal transduction, etc.). Since Oparin, many other scientists have shown and substantially contributed independently as to how from the “chemical soup”, rich in prebiotic material full of basic building blocks, organic life synthesizes to become more complex structures, like cells.

Organelles are likely stepping stones, but other simultaneously occurring developments would foster the specific evolution of organic life too. For instance, the presence of auto catalysts, which are substances that facilitate the production of themselves, the so called “molecular replicators”, found in biological macromolecules as well as in smaller organic molecules. And other systems of self-replication, as evident in micelles, or vesicles, suggest, there is no exclusivity.

According to the official definition of life, metabolism is a criterion for life. Therefore, the hypothesis that metabolism had to be established before any organic development could occur, is reasonable. Günter Waechterhaeuser, (German chemist), proposed that indeed metabolism preceded genetics since nothing eventuates without energy. The supply of energy has to be guaranteed, to allow creation, maintenance and survival of any life form. It is of such importance that the information is passed on in its entirety to the offspring. But! To qualify as an entity in its own right, another condition has to be fulfilled too, namely, the separation of an organic compound (or unit) from its surrounding, which, and only then, turns active biological macromolecules into a distinct life entity.
The principle of energy supply is systemised, which may be based on content concentration differences (osmosis), or on the electrochemical gradient system, driving particle exchange across concentrations pools, and/or, the electrostatic force, which moves cations and anions along its charge gradient between differing pool potentials, where anions can flow one way and cations the other. The unique underlying purpose of any gradient is to achieve balance, or homeostasis, or equilibrium. While gradients provide the path for Life to begin and ensure continuity of energy supply, the general goal always is to reach a steady state. The psychological and moral equivalent to that is peace and conscience; the spiritual equivalent is heaven, paradise, or Nirvana, or, as Sozieterna likes to look at it, the ultimate evolutionary climax of differentiation. Ask humans what they want to achieve most! It is love, peace and happiness, or, paradise, heaven of whatever kind. That is the ultimate goal, and no effort is too much to achieve it, the right or wrong way. Humans work for it and spend energy on it so they can finally rest, in peace. Get it?

However! Having the energy supply sorted, entity formation goes hand in hand with cell membrane development since it is not enough to have just compartments with vulnerable borders. Without “solid” walls complex life cannot succeed, at least not to the extent we have it. Obviously, the phospholipid membranes were the best and most successful solution in accomplishing the task. How many other attempts there were, even successful ones in accordance to the past environmental conditions on Earth, we will never know. After all, organisms cannot survive circumstantial changes, not of substantial and massive scale, or when it occurs too fast. Fossils, Earth’s biological history books do not, or cannot reveal all what is to know. But what has transpired by now regarding planetary evolution, Earth’s current diverse life forms will die off due to as in this case, the human species causing environmental changes that will render Earth incompatible with life, at least the way we know it. And, nobody will ever find out what happened, too rapid are the changes and too devastating are the consequences. New intelligent life may develop but by that time nothing will be left to study of what once was.

Anyway, returning to the proteinoids, the development of protobionts, or protocells, are a logical evolutionary step. They were the most likely first to emerge, the base model, so to speak. With metabolism and replication in place, the formation of an independent autocatalytic (sub-) system is rather a given than an accident. The Hungarian theoretical biologist Tibor Ganti named these protocells chemotons and proposes them to be our ‘Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA)’. The general biological/philosophical conclusion is that any such system may be regarded as alive and an evolutionary unit, which can be subjected to natural selection. Indeed! Earth has born us, raised us and gives us everything to thrive.

Now, since cells have membranes let us look at them a bit closer. They derived most likely from amphiphilic macromolecules (phospholipids). Like lipids, when in an aqueous solution, their nature allows them to form vesicles, multi- and uni-lamellar liposomes and, finally, the all-important bilayer membranes, which become the cell walls. The cell membrane is the only cellular structure found in all cells of all celled organisms. These membranes have a dual function, as barrier between two “worlds” and as facilitator of content exchange between the inside and outside environment. Amphilic molecules can fulfil both roles and are the best fabric for the purpose. Being bi-layered they can operate with water and lipid elements. The internal space provides a safe environment, suitable for secure functioning and propagation to nurture life, including new life. A cell is like a woman’s womb. This analogy may help to understand what protocells meant for the development of organic life forms. Life, of course, existed already, but in the confinement of a cell it is fostered, prompting cells to specialize.
It is out of scope for this article to delve into the specifics of biochemical and geo-biological conditions in detail, but there should be no doubt that Earth itself provided the perfect ingredients to give organic life on this planet the chance of differentiation in all its glory. While some scientists favour the hydrothermal deep ocean vents as the origin of organic life, others propagate hot spring sweet water pools in a volcanic crust landscape setting.  Deep sea alkaline vents are a source rich in minerals. They also provide an electrochemical gradient, which ensures the emerging inorganic compartments have an energy source that endows mineral cells with catalytic properties. Inorganic compartments are precursors of cells facilitating membrane development. Very simple cell walls are found in the free-living prokaryotes, the micro-organisms (bacteria and archaea), which live in such vents.

Special recognition must be given to the archaea since they have more in common with eukaryotes (to which we belong) than with bacteria, sharing similar genes and metabolic pathways with us, in particular for enzymes in gene transcription and translation. They are the most abundant of all microbiota, being a major part of Earth’s life and even in our human microbiome of the gut. They became first known as extremophiles but they are found everywhere. In fact, they are thought to be the oldest “living thing” as far as organic life goes. They also do not seem to be particularly pathogenic either, in whatever form they come. In fact, they are rather beneficial symbionts. Some insects would not exist without them and neither would we, since the mitochondria (our cell batteries) most likely descended from an archaeon interned by a host to the benefit of each other in the quest for survival. Archaea are of course also found in hot spring pools which backs the view of life’s origin being thought to have evolved in sweet water rather than the salty sea.

Inland pools of condensed and cooled geothermal vapours point at the chemistry of modern cells since they have a cytoplasm rich in potassium, zinc, manganese and, phosphate ions, which are plentiful in these pools, but less widespread in marine environments. Spewed up from earth’s inner mantle, collectively increasing in bubbling pools of water while cooling down to a more favourable temperature, there is a hatchery available in nooks and crannies and holes and cavities of earth’s crust. There, inorganic minerals can and are catalysed, organic molecules can assemble and are synthesized and, microspheres can form since the ingredients are plentiful and conditions speed up the process. It is like the stage of a concert hall where a symphonic orchestra plays and is building up to the crescendo. We know, (see above), Montmorillonite clay can help create RNA, encourages lipids to form membranes, turning fatty acids into micelles and vesicles etc., because the clay is a chemical catalyst.

The complexities of these processes are as fascinating as the best thriller and it is truly recommended to delve into the available literature, which cannot be done here. This article intends to clarify the principles of Life, provide a basic overview that encompasses the 3 distinct categories of Life. The specific focus on the origin of organic life is not because it is more interesting than the other 2, far from it, it is for the purpose to examine the publicly upheld definition of Life and the still unsettled question of the origin of Life on Earth. By summarising the known and the most likely facts of our organic evolution, it hopefully helps to update the definition of Life to the standard as Life deserves it.

Inorganic life cannot really captivate our phantasy as good as organic life does, simply because we perceive Life with our senses. Only through them do we grasp its bewildering magnitude. Though to be fair, we stare at moon and stars in wonder, but not many find it tempting to explore matter itself. With our mind we try to understand, but that is limited by our evolutionary confines, meaning, our minds always lag behind, simply due to the fact that knowledge (recognition) and insight (integration of knowledge) are not the same. Of course, the arrival of cell life was a significant milestone in the evolutionary process. It gives matter, us, the opportunity to ask the big questions of Life. But sadly, inorganic life, not considered to be Life at all, falls back into the shadows, where it worked unperturbed and shrouded in secret until science began to shine the light on it. Moon, stars and sun have lit up the days and nights, showing us that inorganic life was never hiding, we just did not know what to make of it and, in our ignorance, we still struggle to comprehend that evolution grows not just linearly, like a chain of events, but dimensionally too and just like organic life, it branches off from the main trunk, into other realms.

With the cell the path of evolution of organic life is set and its unfolding diversity is mapped out in the ‘Tree of Life’ concept. It will not be further pursued here since the history of organic life is not the topic. Inorganic life of course does not lose any of its importance either, nor can it ever be obsolete. Generally, categorizing serves a purpose that we can use and enjoy, but unification is the goal, bringing back the harmony all humans seek. The true scientist may have an advantage, for he grasps the magic of Life in a broader sense, but it is not a given, too many of them and most of us get lost in details. (See part 3)

We have 1.8 Billion or, more precise 7,777,005,224 people living on this planet (Easter 2020).

China has 1,438,110,025   India 1,377,020,772   Europe 747,510,500   USA 330,577,796   Japan 126,560,327   Italy 60,360,000   Spain 46,750,000   France 65,273,511   Germany 83,725,486   UK 67,886,011   Sweden 10,099,265                                                     Austria 9,006,398 and Australia 25,499,884 –

These are just samples picked for relevance to the topic and out of personal interest in some of them. Being sick of hearing about this deadly corona virus apparently “decimating” the world’s population, it warrants scrutiny on the information available and, to put the data into perspective, including infection and death rates and, compare (the above and other) countries. It also warrants considerations in context of possible causes and reasons for the differences and examination of speculations associated with the pandemic in broader terms. So here it goes:

At the start of Easter we had apparently worldwide 1,703,018 infections and 102,843 deaths! Considering the population of our world (and the countries as above), this death rate is not even worth the mention particularly not since millions die of hunger, diseases and war every day. A disease with deathrates in the above numbers does not make my head spin in fear and neither should yours. Of course, these rate figures change daily and vary from country to country, regardless if they are now in a state of lockdown or not.

China had 3,339 deaths so far of 81,953 infected. In the USA 503,177 infected and 18,761 deaths. Germany had 122,171 infected and 2,736 deaths. Japan dealt with 6,005 infections and 99 deaths. Austria had 13,667 cases and 315 dead and in Australia there were 6,292 recorded infections and 56 deaths.
Now in all these countries quarantine was ordered at variable times and more or less vigorously. China acted quickly, the USA less so, in Japan we had the first refusal of letting the virus into the country by not allowing cruise ships to dock, (which was very wise indeed) and though they have declared a state of emergency now, work continues, meaning, there is no overall lockdown as in most western countries except, Sweden, which still has none.

The reported figures of infection and death rates all over the world, do in fact not reflect how many infections actually are present, because most countries have not even tested their population, either because they have not the means to do it or do not consider it necessary, which in itself should raise everyone’s suspicions about how serious the danger to people’s lives is, particularly, when countries have the financial ability to do it. But instead of testing, various governments opted for putting some of their people under some form of quarantine, closing businesses and ordering social distancing, restrict travelling within the country apart from closing borders and, a form of “house arrest” for all to prevent any kind of social gatherings. But not testing for a disease caused by an unknown virus, bug or toxin is negligence first and for all as there could be a real deadly consequence. It is questionable in the case, when drastic attempts are made to prevent the spread which are solely based on indiscriminate assumptions, not facts. How can assumptions and, plainly suspicions justify the lockdown of a whole country? Neither does it prevent an unknown virus from spreading, but causes significant damage to the society at large, socially and economically, instead. And as it has shown very quickly with COV19, people carry the virus without symptoms, infecting the unsuspecting others unbeknown. If there was a real dangerous virus on the loose, this would be a disaster, (see Ebola outbreak in Africa not long ago). But here we have a loony attempt to prevent this virus from spreading by testing only people who already have the full blown disease, meaning the infectious stage is most likely over when they are tested. This is not a preventative measure! Any government claiming it was safeguarding its population and prevent them from harm with such poor strategies is pretentious, not caring. A “deadly” virus would warrant a far more serious and very different management indeed, (like China did immediately at time of outbreak).
Besides, any information passed on to the public about what is known of the virus so far has emotional overtones and is anxiety and panic provoking. It neither is complete by any means. The media feeds the public what is allowed to be fed and, being up for sensational reporting there is no restraint on a frenzy of reporting the worst of the worst. It looks to serve a purpose that is an intent to gloss over facts favouring biased information, suiting the government officials and its advisers and stir up public emotions. With all the keen scientists in a race to earn their glory it is hard to believe that there is no more to be said to this hype of a “deadly virus” on the loose. With such distortion, no report given to the public is truly trustworthy, which is confirmed when you scrutinize the messages and actions. Indeed, actions always speak louder than words and discrepancies are found all over the place. To start with,- there was no alarm raised by the authorities even long after it was known that the virus affected particular groups of people. Hardly a measure was put in place to protect them from exposure, and I don’t mean to put them in quarantine. The ones who care for them ought to be screened so they do not pass on a virus deadly to them! But no, the whole population is told to stay at home for no other reason than to “flatten the curve” (of infection). The rationale being that then nobody gets infected or becomes a carrier, or already a carrier without symptoms, the virus could not be passed on unnoticed. What a joke! And! Since many health care systems cannot properly cope with an increased number of patients due to poor resourcing, the statement that younger people would be treated rather than the old because their lives being more valuable is age discrimination, which is upheld by both, medicos and government, even under normal conditions. It sure is no sign of a caring government, which it claims to be und is so keenly purporting. And the media is full of praises for Scott, the Moron, who has no clue what is what, except he is a pushy sales man with an outstanding tenaciousness, which he puts to good use in covering up the holes of his and the government’s incompetent wheeling and dealing.

Since enough time has elapsed to gain knowledge and insights of the virus, the public still receives plenty of sensational updates but factually piecemeal news and, testing still has not encapsulated the majority of people, so we will never know how many people actually became infected in the first instance. Therefore, the available data should not be taken as the mantra of useful results because it rests on too many uncertainties and variables. No data can reflect the true value correctly when essential data has not even been included in the investigations. This is like saying, all people are red. To assume that no other coloured people are around, is not science but an assumption. Other coloured people were just not seen when or where they looked. Selling assumptions as the truth is not only misleading, it is a sign of a corrupt mind too. Such “science” is misused science and whoever propagates it is indeed dangerous to any society, democratic or not.

Europe had some sad infection- and death rates and so has the USA. It certainly raises the questions what the reasons for such different and sure upsetting figures are, particularly since some areas, even within a country were specifically affected and death rates far higher than in other places. This of course skews the average estimation of how deadly this virus is. It still does not serve as evidence for it overall. What is does mean however is, that the virus is dangerous for some people under certain circumstances. Sorry folks, I am looking at data and not at the emotional cost that every death carries for the ones left to grieve. And though the incoming incident rates change rapidly, the trend remains pretty much the same. You do the math and screen the data and you will come up with far less risk to lives overall than what the various governments want you to believe.

Of course, health systems can be overwhelmed by increased demands, but what is their baseline functioning? Italy for once has been known to have not only an old age population but was on a limp with its medical care capacity for years, about which staff, nurses as good as doctors have been complaining and, demanding it to be fixed to no avail. Interestingly, and may I say so typically Italian, the supplies rolled in as the emergency became horribly apparent. The same applies to health care systems in other countries and everyone knows the problems the USA has. Nobody wants to admit, (particularly not in Europe), that their country is not up to the best level of health care and that they struggle with every heavy flu season too.

But there are sure more factors contributing to clusters of infection and death than just poor resourcing. Let’s make it very clear, not everybody stays home when they feel sick. Some people may not even be able to afford not to work, Japan being a good example, but their infection rate and death toll seems to be very low considering the massive workforce, more like an ant hive than ghost city, if you get the drift. (They may however not be reporting either). Other societies are particularly community and family orientated and live in each other’s pocket, so to speak and, poor folks will always live in far more crowded and unhealthy conditions than the affluent side of a country’s society. Sharing and caring may not always be a good thing either, at least not when you have a contagious disease going full throttle without anyone knowing until it becomes obvious; never mind, this is true for seasonal colds and influenza just as well. Any new influenza virus can strike as badly despite vaccination, which protects you only good enough for the known strands not a new mutation, which then has a detrimental effect and people do die in the thousands. Just look at the figures from a bad flu season. So, if you consider poor health care funding, the social nature of Italians, the elderly more likely to live in the country, the unknown effects of an unknown virus, you have all the more reason to conclude, the devastating numbers of deaths amongst (e.g. Italy) an older population particularly at risk, are rather logical than a sign that the new virus alone is to blame for the hair raising outcome.

 

And then we have Sweden. Sweden faces the pressure from countries in lockdown, where scaremongers and overzealous politicians are now flexing their muscles in an unprecedented show of state control and disregard for civil rights, under the excuse to want to save lives. Sure there are also the governments who genuinely believe they do the right thing, or they are just angst ridden for being seen as “uncaring”, or they need to conform because they have not enough stamina to go their own way and not buy into the hype as  created elsewhere by who knows who. However, it is sure not acceptable to point the finger at a country which does act according to their own advisers, who by all means cannot be classed as incompetent. Now, Sweden has 9,685 infections recorded and 870 deaths (at the time of writing the article) and no lockdown, instead, providing sensible directives for the public and, a sensible population does what should be done in any case of a contagious illness going around. Belgium and Netherland have higher infections and death rates than Sweden, the rate being in the high 20 000 for both and deaths at 3,015 and 2,511 respectively, despite lockdown. But whose infection and death rate gets reported in the media? That of Norway and Denmark, because they got less infections and of course far less deaths, though they still rise under their lockdown. Now does that speak for fair reporting or the success of having a lockdown? However, in the political climate sweeping through Europe like the virus itself, one can only admire the Swedes for their stand against the pressure that the outside world puts on them. Not to cave in and not to do the same as everybody else shows courage. Their experts provide advice too for their government with no less scientific clout than the rest of Europe. The question here is however, how can they remain so calm under the turmoil created around them? My personal answer is, because they are an advanced democratic and socially conscientious society, which has a sound trust in their capabilities and therefore can trust their government elected by them. One reflects the nature of the other and it is to their benefit all the way, even in the face of losing lives, which sadly is not preventable when a new virus plays the field and no defence is activated as yet. But Sweden’s death rate gets demonised. That kind of biased media sails in the high winds of state sanctioned propaganda. And the reasons are obvious. Sweden is a sore thumb in the madness that has taken over most western countries. It ridicules them and their kind of experts. It could even mean political backlash if it turned out the Swedes were doing it right and, the duped populations realize the plunder. Because what happens in these lockdown countries is the demolition of values that has kept western democracies afloat and their critical intelligence alive. These minds but are crucial as they emphasise and press for the change necessary to set up the future course of civilisation, should there be a chance for all to survive in the face of global destruction and the present climate change reality.
The hype around this new corona virus is unprecedented, particularly as SARS in 2003 had overall a higher deathrate than the current version of it. People survived worse than these epidemics and do so every time when a new type of flu causes havoc with deathrates high too. Will now be lockdowns ordered every time this is occurring? Is it that what is meant by saying society will never be the same after this pandemic has run its course? Unlikely, but if so, it would be no good prospect, I would say.
But who really wants you to believe the propaganda that this virus is so deadly and that state orders are justified in the interest of all people, even at the cost of societal functioning, livelihoods and mental wellbeing? Well, it is like in a violent domestic situation, when victims are constantly bullied so they finally believe they have no abilities, no means, and no way to escape the inevitable and thus endure what should not happen in the first place. Control can bend everyone’s mind into believing whatever the controller wants the victim to believe. Isolating the victim from family, friends and community is part of it and every controller’s tool to assert complete compliance to his rules und his control. In a relationship we know the perpetrator. When it comes to government and population the perpetrator is far more disguised. Who supported Hitler in his endeavours? The behind the scene lobbies, – without them Hitler would not have soared to the heights he did. He had an army of experts driving the propaganda which he by himself could not have generated. He sure became the evil man, while the ones behind him, as evil, mind you, never were openly shamed. It leaves you with a lot of speculations, particularly as at the moment the view to the behind scene remains obscured, veiling the driving power steering the course.

There have been conspiracy theories popping up all over the place and though Societerna does not support any, nor believe them to be true it cannot deny, anything is possible. Besides, there are enough reasons why these ideas are feasible. For one, it would be naïve not to take the cunning human nature into account, their greed and hunger for power. Humans brought this planet and its life to the point of destruction and it looks like the exploitation will go on. The global economy is controlled by a few stakeholders and it will be them to determine who or what is deemed to be of value to keep and who or what is dispensable. There are also the governments who indeed strive for world domination and none of them can entice Sozieterna to trust their word.

Throughout history were battles for just that, domination. China certainly is in the process of actually achieving it. Now! That is not desirable for many reasons but who says China is responsible for the pandemic? Though it broke out in China and their appetite for anything alive to eat or use is no secret, but does it mean, China was indeed responsible? Did this new type of corona virus really evolve there to suddenly find the human host better for its survival than whatever animal it is supposed to come from? It may just be very convenient to have such species jumping virus in China because their wildlife markets are a shocking breeding ground for any disease, but China has also become a political nightmare, attempting and actually succeeding to become the dominant political power of this world. Or was it an unfortunate accident that let the virus escape from a lab in China researching biological processes and/or warfare? Or, did it come from any such labs in the world and was planted in China? Believe it or not, secret labs exist and the ends justify the means, isn’t it?

China’s policies are something one may not like about China, but who helped China to gain such political and economic power? Yes, right! It was the West, driven by globalisation efforts of its economy and the greed of the western markets for quick profits regardless what that meant for their own societies and China’s disregard of human rights. The West gave China the opportunities to grow, instead of keeping these opportunities at home and now, the West has become dependent on China more than is good or desirable. So why not cutting down the tall poppy? Isn’t it better than let it spread? Who cares about lives when other important goals are at stake? And lives are lost in any conflict. Did that ever prevent wars? That’s what secret services are good for and meant to do, intervene, find the enemies weakness, and stir up the hot spots without leaving a trail and either prevent full on war or at least prepare for it, should it become necessary. All in a day’s work for your country so it is said! Alas, secret services do not just spy on other countries, they are active agents, on a mission to carry out any orders; they are not called secret service for nothing, just remember that. And of course any rich and powerful country has labs for research on the little critters for the better or worse and some just happen to be kept in secret facilities to investigate biological warfare. But this kind of work bears an inherent danger for staff and the unaware people at large. They must be tightly guarded for security reasons at the best of time, secret facilities or not. And let’s face it, biological weapons are an excellent way to win a war. No need for the arsenal of common weapons, just release a virus. It is obviously very successful in the inanimate realm, infecting computers/systems, even John D. at home knows the damage such viruses cause. In fact the most elegant, most effective and most heinous way of warfare is contamination with viruses of both kind. The only problem in biological settings is that viruses, once released, do not discriminate and come back home to haunt you, causing death here and there as good. You believe nobody of sound mind would do such thing with the inherent risks as pointed out? Well, better think again. Consider regimes desperately clinging to power, countries at war, a terrorist group wanting to make a statement or, a psychopath on the loose and yes, it is a despicable act, condemned by everyone, but it does not mean, it won’t be done. A virus is far less likely to be traced back to the source of origin. The dirty deeds can be done and no one can prove anything. Besides, viruses can escape tightly controlled environments, accidentally and unintendedly, and only one person may be to blame. Or you believe you can control a virus, because you know its make-up and thus know how to contain it. Sadly, that of course can be a miscalculation but, – who would actually want to take the risk of damaging their very own country? Ah, it is just a risk ratio calculation to ascertain the odds. Once again, everything is possible in a world ruled by the most deadly species of all, us.

Who does not know by now, war is no longer fought with fist and sword? Old fashioned weaponry though still playing some role, because what do you do with all the weapons in store, they are really just a good show off in parades to impress the nimble minded, but that is nowadays window dressing rather than of importance, because you only need a virus to make the world stand still. The preferred virus at this point in time is for sure the cyber space invader, easier to control and to safeguard yourself from damage, which is as yet not quite as easy with the real thing. And isn’t it funny that we are told and believe we are at war against a virus? A (one sided) war we don’t win of course, because the virus will hang around no matter what you do. The best then to do is to build up and stimulate the immunsystem. The quicker that happens the better you fare and, develop at the same time protection via vaccines, which is not necessarily an all-time solution, as we know from the flu virus already. Cutting the losses down is of course helpful, though losses you will have this or the other way. But to actually think you help the situation by protracting the course with general isolation measures and lockdowns, you are not thinking straight nor logical. In fact, it is the more counterproductive strategy on every level that should be considered, from personal losses to societal and the economical. Yes, with a new virus you have to immediately quarantine until you know what you are dealing with, but a generalised lockdown later on, with a death rate hardly reaching the 2% overall, these strategies are window dressing at best. And do not bother to show me statistics that prove otherwise, because I am aware what statistics are, what they mean and how to use them. They are a tool, not the truth.

Furthermore, the questions around this COV19 are many and remain unanswered. Its origin is unconfirmed and its specific novel actions are interesting but add to the mystery. No hard evidence exists to prove it was indeed jumping species. Scientist feverishly searching for answers hypothesize while still scratching their heads, because in fact, COV19 is not really a new kind of virus, SARS is after all its family. It belongs to it no doubt, but it has some modified features which are not truly that new either, because respiratory symptoms marked SARS too. The differences are not that substantial as far as can be concluded from the information given to the public, because it spreads as vigorous as any other virus when there is no immunresponse in place and, it starts with flu like symptoms as well. It has all the viral trademark of common cold and influenza action, meaning the modifications are very specific and in standing of novel virus efficacy rather than novel symptoms, caused by a not so new virus after all. It’s preference for weak immune system hosts is no surprise either. Every bug has the best survival chance if immune system response is low or has not even been established to fight it off. Therefore the damage caused during that first infection wave is the most grave. But where did it come from? Are bats or any other so called co-hosts really providing the environment for such subtle and very specific modifications? It is well known that viruses, bacteria, in fact any organic life form adapts to their changing environment. All living things modify and alter their genetic make-up all the time, including us. It is a necessity of survival. In this case it may be a real blessing for the pangolins (and bats) if they are the source, because the resulting pandemic might safe them from extinction, though it is far from guarantied, with humans around as ignorant and ferocious as our species.

But let us look first for whom the virus is most damaging. Though spreading rapidly it affects most people mildly, meaning the majority of a population is not at risk of dying from it. It targets the respiratory system yes, but 70 to 80% have light to moderate symptoms,  severely affected are the old and feeble, people with a weakened immune system and pre-existing conditions that cannot deal with added stress and, it seems to particularly like the male gender, which is indeed very novel and discriminative. Which population fits that picture and what does it cost the health care systems to look after them, even before they get sick with COV19?

As the virus sweeps through the aged like wildfire, remember, they are outnumbering the young in many western countries and are not necessarily seen as an asset, rather as a burden. The question governments raise all the time is how to provide for an aging population when hardly enough young people are around to supply the necessary income for the pensions. It has already caused headaches for government fiscal planners, who seem to believe the pension system is unsustainable as it is. Then there are the essentially poor, the welfare dependant, the homeless, the fugitives and minorities nobody wants, cramped and crowded in substandard housing or camps nobody cares to see and for whom there is neither affordable welfare nor work, and though many would like to work, work has gone to China, or elsewhere where labour is cheap. No joke! The newly implemented restrictions cause economic pain for many people but, the weakest always suffer first. The costs due to the economic downturn are inevitable and the long term consequences are shocking, but the prospects are far more bearable if you get rid of the expenses an unwanted burden brings. This way you can ease the future pain and even turn initial losses into longer term gain. Naturally and for good reasons, this is a cynical take on the compassionate governments that try to “safe lives”.

Indeed, little consideration is given to these vulnerable groups and how they fare through the crisis created by governments. It is worsened by law enforcement as these people cannot effectively follow “social distancing” directives and orders. It is also unlikely they ever get tested for the virus, whether when sick and sure not when they have died. The difference of health between the well-off and the underprivileged is substantial and we all know, accessing health care is far more easy for the affluent than the poor and disabled. Lowered immunresponse? You guessed it to whom it applies! However, stress is a problem even amongst the wealthy. To put an example out for discussion: Boris Johnson and Prince Charles. Both got infected. But who do you think is more likely to be stressed? Well, the obvious one needed intensive care. Lucky for him to get into ICU, though who knows, if he would have recovered anyway, as so many others have to without privileged treatment, or died, because a younger one needed his bed.

Anyway! The official handling of this pandemic offers more than enough points and discrepancies to ponder about, since social distancing and lockdown cannot really be equally enforced on all citizens and, slack testing for such “deadly” virus is of no more interest other than for statistics and investigations as needed for research. This should at least raise some concern and criticism on governmental attitude and actions. So far, I only hear appraisal for Scott, the Moron and his cronies, with very few exceptions. Thus, my cynical views are foremost a reflection on governments and politicians but not only and, far more frightening, their societies too. Though no government I know of has claimed it could prevent the virus from spreading, the goal is to “flatten the curve”. But why then insisting on having a deadly virus at hand? The management of a really deadly virus would be very different and would mean an enormous task to do, not something as flimsy as the current efforts. (Once again, Ebola!) So what is the real agenda here? Kudos have to be given to the Chinese (and Korea), having had to deal with the unknown virus first up. Their lockdown was justified and as successful as can be. Their reporting of course may not be forthcoming, actually never is, but their management of a possibly deadly disease in the making was impeccable. It leaves Scott, the Moron way behind, not surprisingly either.

Another interesting point to scrutinize is the species jumping of viruses generally, examining it from another perspective altogether. Environmental changes humans have caused with their activities are most likely a contributing factor to having more disease outbreaks overall. Humans may not grasp the long term risks to their health living in polluted air, consume food from exploited soils and catch fish and animals living in and from toxic waters. Bugs, algae, viruses evolve in conditions that are for humans intolerable at best of times. The jumping of them from one species to another is not as clearly understood nor without doubt by any means. It is not even the most likely. Simple life forms live in the most hostile conditions and as the changes in climate and in the environment occur they thrive, giving them more than enough opportunity to do well and multiply with and without us. After all they are the real survivors, ancient creatures, our ancestors if you like, or at least relatives. They do not need the same pristine conditions as the highly specialised creatures like us. Air pollution, toxic soil and water is a problem for us, not them and though we have the capacity to adapt and change too, they can do it far quicker and far more effective than organisms burdened by multiple cells and of sophisticated and complicated functioning. However, humans of deprived health are a feast for little creatures, any critter, big and small. But why species jumping viruses would only in recent years become frequent leaves more than a question mark. Viruses, we know, need a host to multiply. A defenceless host is a perfect host, but there is still no logic to why they would jump species. Even a modified flu virus sticks to their original host and multiplies there with new vigour. No need to search for new hosts. If it did so, these events would have occurred throughout time, not just only in rather recent years. It may however offer an explanation for things quite mysterious, or, in fact, offering an easy way out of a conundrum of not knowing how a new disease came about. And though the urge to investigate is present, the resources for doing so are not, because finding the causes is not really the priority or of particular public interest. Money flows into finding a cure, a vaccine or treatments to control the illness and though the laudable scientific communities might be interested in the cause of virus’ origin, they concentrate their efforts to where it is most useful and where money can be made and laurels can be earned. After all, the pursuit of finding a cure and eliminate a threat to human life brings glory and the money invested will bring at least dividends. Doubts about the HIV virus, jumping from monkey to human, are in fact longstanding and were raised, even substantiated by facts and, quite convincingly that this virus was man made. HIV was indeed the first reported case of such species jump. The odd thing is that this particular virus has ceased its jumping since. It has established transmission from human to human without any logical explanation why suddenly no monkey transmits the disease to humans anymore, doing it just once. Nobody is interested to ask this question for it is overshadowed by the consequences of what that virus does to humans and how to get rid of it. One could easily argue that monkey still infects human, just not as big in scale as human transmission goes. Well, not good enough prove of anything jumping, I say. The same actually is true for SARS and MERS, swine flu, camel flu whatever. You would have to eliminate all these animals to prevent the viruses jumping not just once but to prevent them from continuing to jump, which in fact, none of them seem to do. Animals have to live with a bad reputation which they may not even deserve. Poor bats, they carry the most blame. Of course, animals cause illnesses in humans, but not the way as it seems to be fashionable since HIV. And, of course, nobody would consider anyone capable of doing such a crime, to release a lab made virus for targeting people one wants to get rid of. Or was it just a co-incidence with the gay movement starting to cause red neck society great concern and then voila, there was suddenly a bug who targeted the gay men, in the Caribbean, not in Africa where the first gay was supposed to have got it from the monkey and who then travelled to the mecca of gays’ holiday hot spots, from where it was brought to first of all ports, New York. Naturally, the raised issue of a man-made virus was as quickly passed over as the blink of an eye, because experts, of course, where telling the public over and over again that it only was the monkey and never ever a human being who infected the unfortunate gay.

Whatever the reader may prefer to believe, enough doubt should remain on what experts tell you is the truth. It should make you at least cautious of who is telling whom what. Sadly, trust is a luxury and humans do the most horrific things. Who indeed can and wants to trust a government that is hungry for power and in pursuit of money and votes, with scandals popping up like popcorn and foul empty excuses for it, if any at all? Power is something you as the normal citizen cannot even fathom and what it can do to you as you climb the ladder into the high realm and, how ruthless people are on the level you have no access to. On such high platforms of power it is no problem to use people, experts, politicians and scientists, you name it, nor, to give controversial interests a legitimate spin. This is in fact what power is all about, using anyone and anything for what you want, which you on the ground level of hierarchy cannot even comprehend because you never tasted power like this and you never will in your lifetime.

Ever wondered about statistics and how confusing they are for simple John D? Statistics are a useful tool, not just for the purpose of research but for the purpose of bending the truth too. You can claim the opposite of what one says and prove it with statistics claiming to have the evidence of being right. Statistics confuse the uneducated by means of numbers and incomprehensible jargon. They do in fact bog down real and undisputable facts by drowning them in misleading statistical figures derived from premises differing from the one in discussion, therefore producing a different result. Then of course the figures presented are right as claimed by the opposing parties, but that they are beside the point, who but the statistically educated understands that? And who will win the discussion, which you will never want to listen to, because they are mind numbing and boring with numbers been thrown around like corn for the chucks and in semantics for the initiated only? Of course the ones who serve the more powerful lobby win most discussions due to plentiful funding for research that suits their interests and the clever and plentiful statistics to make their point. May be after years of ‘fighting’ for the true facts, these become apparent for all to see, but valuable time has been lost and damage was done.

Now let us look at why normal folks are so easily lead on. The majority of people actually believe in honesty and the good of human kind. It may not be any more to the same extent as it used to be, but human nature is tuned into the simple rules of existence and societal obligations. Humans are social creatures, even herd bound. Herd animals don’t usually act against the other within its herd, but they are not necessarily of the peacefully gracing type. Humans seek protection within their group, large or small, but if they can they like to take advantage of each other as they go about their lives. Their social communal life has to be regulated to keep the individuals in line which is best done by a hierarchical order and laws. The ones at the top get of course the better deal but they also make sure that the ones down in line have enough life essentials to keep the herd together and functioning. Societies have natural taboos and one of them is not to jeopardise the community they live in. They believe in authority as the well-meaning body looking after the less capable members. Though there may be the thugs on occasion, generally, authority and people work together to keep the herd safe and sound and punish the rogue characters. Of course, overcrowding is an issue and watering down the basic morale is a sign of decay. Long term, no community can tolerate it, if it wants to stay together and thrive. Crowds can easily turn into a mob pushing the top level to strengthen their power, which may not be necessarily for the good of the community and, the loss of morale leads to increased antisocial behaviour, which usually comes from the top where the power lies and infiltrates the ranks, destabilising the herd from within. We sure have the overcrowding on the world stage and definitely a moral decay and soon we will have to fight more than ever for resources, so humans stand at a crossroad and need to decide which way they want to go. Having always cherished herd living, instinctively we believe that we all really only want to do the right thing for family, community, the country, as we are accepting our vulnerability. The weaker we feel the more we need the herd. Therefore we crave rules from the top and follow rules as it safeguards communal leaving. It is really unthinkable that one of our own herd could actually inflict harm on the herd. It is treason, it is taboo. This kind of “bad” people are thought of being the exception, at least that is what we are told and do believe. But are they that rare? And what is “bad”?

Are the agents of a secret service with a licence to kill bad people, even if the target may well lie within the herd? Or are these only spy stories? Serving us normal citizens as entertainment it does not even enter our minds that secret services operate in the real world and their business is kept secret for good reasons. It is the state of knowing but not knowing that we indulge in, watching James Bond and the rest, doing business outside and for the herd. While the gritty truth escapes us, in fact, we do not really want to know that exactly these services may also take care of business within the herd. Governments make decisions behind closed doors and there are archives of files stamped secret, not to be released to the public for a certain time, if not for good. Why? Because they are deemed too sensitive for the public to know! But why? This should always be a concern, because what is not in the interest of the public? What safe guards are in place to ensure that the public is not duped? And who says governments never make decisions that could harm the public, certain people or minorities, or people who try to expose foul deeds? You would have to be definitely naïve if you thought a government would not harm you ever. To be fair, we need to look at us citizens too. That’s in fact where it really gets frightening.

Would you do something that is against your community, or the government, or against the law ? Never, you say, not you, others do. Therefore, you have nothing to hide and no objection to be scrutinized and watched. If it was for the good of the community it is justified and punishment serves the peace and as a deterrent too. You would never resist police to enter your home for the purpose to prove you are a law abiding citizen, are insightful to your government’s purposeful control and surveillance as it seems to be necessary to safeguard you and your loved ones from harm, including subversive elements in the community that could be dangerous to you and all. You would not protest against any of governmental decisions nor that of their institutions, nor oppose any policies deemed to be in your and the public’s interest. You are no whistle-blower because you truly and with all your heart you can generally trust your government doing the right thing and because you live in a democracy, where governments get elected by people like you. You need, you want, you should be protected from harm, criminals, fanatics, enemies of the state and, subversive elements who ruin the overall peace! Hallelujah! You live in heaven, not on earth, where governments do subdue folks for political reasons, where people lose their reputation, their livelihood and get killed over cover-ups be it for mismanagement and corruption, political agendas or criticism, or just plain suppression against powerful interests.

Don’t ever doubt and never forget, obedience and compliance does not save you from being exploited, nor from being sacrificed. The opposite is true, because with such attitude you no longer live in a so called free world. You are a servant to a regime, like it or not. You have lost your freedom, your intellectual liberties, your creative boldness, in fact, you are no longer the individual but the conformist who is better suited to wear grey uniforms than colourful cloth. Of course, regimes offer opportunities too and they foster their prodigies. Your skills may be utilized, if not exploited and it is always in the interest of the state, who will never let you forget it. Conforming to the machinery of power you as an individual no longer exist. So, folks, if you care about freedom, better keep an open mind instead of trusting in the good will of even elected democratic governments and their institutions, particularly when they favour secrecy over transparency in governmental business.

Does that have anything to do with the corona pandemic? By all means and far more significant than you think. How the outbreak is managed and impacts on our lives, how the public is informed and motivated to deal with it and how the aftermath will be, it warrants your participation to make it beneficial for you. With obedience you will have to put up with whatever the top decides and it may not be good for you.

It is also interesting that we are meant to fight war against an enemy who has no intention to fight us, just use us, but the propaganda of going to war keeps us marching and we do so to the tunes, slogans and jingles, as soldiers do in real war. It is extraordinary indeed how catch phrases of advertisement are turned into catch cries of war. It puts your emotions on high heat and hones in to your herd mentality. But a virus is a natural living organism. It has no intent to harm you as a person. Viruses are just more successful than any human beings as far as survival goes, having found a way to survive despite having no means to do so on their own. They utilize what or who is the most suitable for their propagation. They are part of life and part of nature just as you and me. Instead of going to war to suppress such formidable creature it would be far more effective to keep cool and look how to prevent our surmise by becoming a more unpalatable host. Yes it means, washing hands, sneezing into a handkerchief or even a sleeve if nothing else is at hand and, it means that you stay away from crowds and abstain from close physical interaction, particularly when you got some sign of illness regardless of what ailment it might be, because you don’t want to give it to your lover, your kids or anyone else as it could be a nasty present indeed. But all this precautions should be a natural attitude of yours at any time, corona or not. It should definitely not need governmental order and policing. Mind you, if a virus is indeed so deadly to warrant quarantine on a big scale the government has an obligation to step up and assist the public, but to call it going to a war, is not helpful as it blurs the focus of attention and distracts from what the goals are. The focus should be on proper protection, separating meticulously the hot spots from the rest of the public and tracking anyone who may have moved on and could spread the illness unknowingly. Testing and quarantine are part of proper management but not indiscriminate and to the detriment of a whole country and its people who are stopped from going about their business on grounds of suspicion alone. There is no need to organize the public for war, for it is a health issue. No need for such propaganda to fight an enemy whom you cannot defeat, since the creature is far more intelligent in its survival strategies than the humans who are going to war against it. By the way, not all scientists agree, viruses are actually a living organism. What does that say about the experts, battling and bickering over opinions and definitions? (More about life and viruses in another article).

So! Do humans ever learn? They have gone to war with nature all the time. Despite the fact that they never have nor ever will win, they keep on trying. Of course, nature is not fighting a war against humans either, it just is adjusting to and correcting the damage humans have inflicted on it. So please forget this stupid war cry of “being in it together” to fight and endure and win a war. It is already clear that the virus is here to stay, meaning it is way off from getting defeated.

And last but not least, the reporting of infection and death rates as adjusted daily are anything but reliable. Some countries will be honest in their assessment and passing on their figures but others will not and many more have not even the means to actually ascertain any reliable data. Meanwhile, as the overzealous governments realize they have to get out of this mess they created sooner than later, one can already watch the attempts they make to “ease” the way back to normal. Stalling serves them, because no government can afford to admit that not the virus but their caring is devastating and that they should be ashamed of themselves for being the ignorant they are. The “flattening of the curve” comes naturally, that is when the host bodies organise a solid immune response and the virus cannot invade unchecked. And note, it is not achieved by government rules. The politicians count on a vaccine being developed which is frantically searched for but is unlikely to beat the human immune system which also works frantically, just with less ado. However, while you helped the government to survive the embarrassment of a poor coping health care system, your suffering will not end with the pandemic having run its course.

But as the critical voices amongst folks get louder and the governments can see that these lockdowns cannot go on for much longer, the claims that the infection curve is flattening because the lockdowns were successful is beyond relevance, but it looks wonderful in the colours on the graphs. It has little to do but of having the virus under control as it may return lively when the restrictions are lifted. What is counted upon though is, that the population has meanwhile gained some resistance, after all the spread of the virus was never halted. And the public gets praised for it’s so wonderful cooperation preventing a disaster, which turns out was little more than an ankle bite of a barking little dog in defence of its territory. However, the governments need to safe face and the tactics they use are as dubious as their crisis management. It should not be too hard though for the public was so easily manipulated in the first instance and bears their losses without complaint.

But finally, who is going to pay the bill for this “war” on this oh so deadly virus. As usual, the foot soldier and the commoner. They die first on the field and always foot the bill. The rich usually don’t even pay as much taxes as the normal employee, who has little chance to avoid fiscal demands. So if the virus has not yet got you, your future well-being is far from guaranteed.

One needs to ask, if you are at war, who is your enemy? The virus is not your enemy, it is a health issue, as we should by now understand. In fact, the agenda of this “war” is a global game of repositioning power. The politicians, the shining knights in armour united for a mission, they believe in, which is but of political nature not that of health. Being in position of power gives them the opportunity to determine the course their countries should take in the world’s future as they find it should be, or as they want it to have. They do not realize your pain nor do they care because, how could they all be wrong when experts tell them what to do and fellow politicians of the world share the vision! After all, isn’t it for the good of their country? Sorry, it isn’t. It only serves the power corrupted egos, the maniacs of self-indulgence. Besides, high numbers of supportive friends do not make something right or prove something to be true. It just means they believe in the same thing, true or not.

So, since we have a war of a very different kind of what we actually believe it to be, we sure have losers and winners, short and long term ones. Short term the industry of old is likely to come out of it well, already in waiting for more digging and toiling with increased fervour to make up for the losses they had, while venturing into the new fields where money can be made and, without the pesky climate change protesters, because the soldiers are back from war, glad to find work so they can feed their family; it will be as always, money makes money. The ones sent into battle are shaken and wounded but also subdued. The state power has been established; the right to protest no longer exists. All is well controlled and order reinstalled.

China sure will be on the winning side too, despite public sentiment and governments’ rhetoric. Even if the West should be able to get some of their manufacturing industries back on home soil, China will not be brought to its knees which may well have been the intention, listening to various political arguments. China has all it needs on technology, intelligence and resilience. Countries do rely big on them for big trading, not just a few factories here and there. The world already needs China more than China needs the world. It also does everything to win more countries over, looking successful, efficient, and capable of dealing with a crisis and hard times. It even gives a helping hand even now where needed. Though of course, this hand is an iron fist, but that seems for many rather admirable as it feeds into the herd mentality that believes a strong ruler guarantees the herd’s well-being.

The march to world dominance may have stalled a bit for all who are engaging in this game, not substantially though. This is the war that COV19 is used for. Sorry soldier, you are no more than the fly dangling in the spider’s web. So who are the losers? Well, do I really have to answer that question? I think not.
Life will never be the same as it was before the Corona Pandemic. The scars of what just happened are far too significant. Hopefully there is a change and hopefully, it will go the right direction, against all odds. But as far as the signs go, it leaves little room for optimism. “Sieg heil” the masses were shouting. It worked for a while but then there was no victory and certainly no salvation.