Feb 18, 06

Darwinism

In my limited understanding, as a result of the plentiful supply of high-quality protein, the bears on Kodiak have evolved into a slightly different sub-species. If one believes in Darwinism, it would be expected that an isolated island would foster life that is unique from anywhere else.

This raises a huge question in my mind: what about the people? I'm not necessarily talking about the protein (though I wouldn't rule that out), I'm thinking of the larger view of isolationism (Alaska Air effectively ensures that absolute isolationism isn't enforced, but the idea is the same).

There is a term called population speciation, which essentially means that populations evolve, individuals don't. The offspring of any organism differ little from the parents. The accumulation of differences spread across the entire population causes evolution. In other words, animals are representative of their species at any given time. Difference occurs gradually, not within a static population.

So, what does that mean in Kodiak? My observation is that there seems to be a common thread throughout the population: the people in Kodiak are very fundamentally members of the human species. A species that evolved from a tribal culture that worked together to procure food, shelter, warmth and companionship.

In comparison with individuals I have known in the San Francisco Bay area, this is an amazing anomoly. Prior to coming to Kodiak, I've been acquainted with individuals of a species whose priorities have been mostly focused on out-doing their neighbors with flashy, shiny things rather than cooperating with them or communicating with them. Any thoughts of the basic needs of human interaction and companionship are completely absent.

The paradox is that this points to some entirely new anti-Darwinian theory! The larger population in the lower 48 has evolved into something different, while the people of Kodiak have remained fundamentally human.

I'm not an anthropologist, but I do know something about psychology. We tend to behave as the majority of others around us are behaving. The unspoken human contract dictates that this is how we get along in society.

I strongly feel that Kodiak is at a crossroads. How we act as individuals will have a great deal of influence over what we are to become. As someone who has seen another less compassionate and caring side of human existence up close, I sincerely hope that we can collectively remain true to our human roots here in Kodiak.

Feb 08, 06

News

I used to start every day with coffee and news. I hungrily devoured every terrible, appalling, unjust word of the bylines that chronicled the declining sanity of the world at large, all the while shaking my head in despair at the state of humanity and our shared fate. I hated the politicians, the policies, the scandals, the lies, the destruction of the ozone layer, the disappearing fossil fuels and man's general inhumanity towards man and other creatures on the planet. I hated it, but I couldn't stop myself from filling my brain with the news, because I thought outrage was a requirement for being alive in the 21st Century. After my morning caffeine and crisis cocktail, I headed out into the world, already in a bad mood.

Things are a bit different in Kodiak. Coffee is still a major contributor to my continued existence. But I have completely eliminated news from my life. No longer do I pay attention as GW slashes healthcare for senior citizens and fights for the destruction of wildlife habitat to line the pockets of his bloated cronies. I don't dwell on the fact that innocent people are still dying in a "war" that never should have been started in the first place. I'm not laying awake at night because I'm more afraid of the people I pay taxes to than the "terrorists".

It's not that I don't care deeply about these things. Nothing could be farther from the truth. But I've realized the futility of beating myself up daily over things that I can't change. Instead, I now have the energy and the wisdom to concentrate on those things that I can affect: like the people around me. Smiling and being friendly has an amazing power in the world. Listening to someone, being nice and caring about another life can change the world. I'm convinced that these acts are more infectious than the flu.

The magnitude of this power is less evident in the city. In a small community, it's impossible to ignore. I strongly urge you to turn off the television, put down the newspaper and get out into the world with a new attitude. Smell a tree, pet a dog and then smile at the person you pass on the street. Not only will you personally experience the immediate benefits of a more meaningful life, sooner or later, the kindness will resonate to the rest of the country, and the nightmare in Washington will quietly fade away.

Feb 02, 06

Work

One of the interesting things that I’ve noticed about Kodiak is the nature of work on the island.  Most of the people I have met are very busy and very involved in their work.  From commercial fishermen who are out on the boat for days on end, to some of the faculty members at Kodiak College who regularly work 60 – 70 hours a week – because they want to.  The people here are serious about their work.  Many people I’ve met work several jobs, and others get up at 4AM to start their jobs.

There is something extremely satisfying on a fundamental level about reaping the rewards of your honest effort and balancing the work with social activities, recreation and fun.  People who are engaged are more intelligent, interesting and trustworthy because they understand that we as humans must have a purpose for what we do.

The virtue in working is not the money that we make or the things that money allows us to buy, but the valid consecration of an agreement to honor a commitment to something completely outside ourselves and our desire for immediate gratification.

I came to Kodiak from a place where the nature of work is quite different.  In the Silicon Valley, the prevalent philosophy is to work around the clock to hit the big payoff from stock options, sacrificing the now for a nebulous future life of leisure in which work will be absent.  The Silicon Valley work ethic also incorporates the notion that your opponent's loss is your gain. 

The antithesis to dog-eat-dog is balancing life and work to afford a greater appreciation for the now, and interacting with others as if we are all working towards the same goal.  In other words, living in the present, for the present.