The T.E. Lawrence Quote

12/18/06

I have not read much of Lawrence, but after seeing that quote, I certainly will try to. As I observe others, and contemplate my own progression, I have begun to realize that there are a few general categorizations that everyone falls under. There are those who dream by night, those who dream by day, and I would argue that there are also those who do not dream.

I can relate personally to the night dreamers. I have found myself reflecting on the world and other such topics. I would tell myself, "There is injustice in the world that needs to be fixed. I will fix it." Disregarding relative justice, that is quite a high ambition. I imagine that ambitions coupled with disattachment (or falling asleep shortly after that thought) contributed to my lack of action. The day would continue, and I would remember back to that fleeting thought of grandeur, "finding that it was vanity".

Then there are those day dreamers. I can only partly relate to these. "...dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes, to make it possible." I believe Lawrence was saying there are visionaries who constantly see the need for change in the world, instead of only during a state of disillusion. These men/women have the capacity to affect politics, change people, and shift timelines. Martin Luther King was one such visionary. So was Adolf Hitler.

Finally there are those who do not dream. Lawrence did not mention these people, but I see them daily. I can't decide if they, or the night dreamers are the worst. Essentially, this group is apathetic in certain areas that both dreamers would find disgusting. I know a few people like this. It is disheartening to see fortunate friends, who have so much potential to impact the unfortunate, waste away in front of a television, gaming console, or similar. A quote from a signature I read somewhere comes to mind: "Maybe someday the couch potatos of the world will all get medals for tirelessly persisting in mediocrity even in the face of world-shattering tragedy..."

Sometimes it's hard to convince myself that I am going into the right field. I want to make video games. I can't help but think, "I'm going to be contributing to a key component that allows this nation to stay fat, lazy, and ignorant to the world around them." Through the wonder that is the internet, I can see the suffering in distant countries due to our consumerism. I buy these shoes in exchange for 30 years off the life of a young child in Africa. Wouldn't that be enough to convince me to drop my schooling and worthless ambitions, and help those needy people?

I am a combination of those dreamers/non-dreamers mentioned above. I dream in the night about things that matter, dream in the day about the trivial, and cease to dream during periods of contentment. T.E. Lawrence reminds me every day of those who leave their mark on this world. I wish to transcend this mediocrity we Westerners are so famous for. Unfortunately, as I gaze out my window, I only see the moon.
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Drunk Gun for Tribes 2 Operational!

12/12/06

In experimenting with the shaky cam for disc explosions in Tribes 2, I have created a gun that 'gets people drunk'. When a person is hit by the explosion of the disc launcher, their screen wobbles and twists to simulate drunken swaying. You can check out a video of this thing in action with the link below. This is the first edition to the soon-to-be mass hit "BugsPray's Tribes 2 Mod of Fantastic Adventure". Stay tuned for more fantastic additions!

See Video
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