During a recent interview with David Holz, the founder of Midjourney, my curiosity was piqued. Prior to his explanation, I had not made the connection between the company’s name and the familiar concept of the “Middle Way” from “Zhuang Zhou’s Dream of Butterflies.” It is natural for readers reading this post to perceive the waking state as reality and dreams during sleep as virtual. However, within the dream realm, everything feels remarkably real.
In “Zhuang Zhou’s Dream of a Butterfly,” the philosopher Zhuang Zi experienced a dream where he became a butterfly and temporarily forgot his human identity. Upon awakening, he questioned whether he had transformed into a butterfly in his dream or if the butterfly had transformed into Zhuang Zi. This inquiry marked the beginning of his philosophical exploration of the world. Reflecting on ancient wisdom while witnessing the rapid advancements of technology, one can’t help but feel the impending realization of many concepts from ancient texts, which is intriguing. As David Holz aptly stated, “We live on a journey, originating from a rich and beautiful past, with an extraordinary and unimaginable future ahead of us.” Perhaps, Earth itself has remained unchanged for hundreds of thousands of years, continuously undergoing transformation through various manifestations in an eternal cycle.
I would like to briefly talk about Zhuang Zi’s “Transformation” by the way. His concept of “Transformation” delves into the philosophical exploration of the interconnectedness and fluidity of existence. He posits that “化” (Transformation), occurs between various life forms, guided by the fundamental property of “气”(Qi), the smallest unit of matter.
Zhuang Zi identifies 3 types of transformation, “dream transformation, life changes, and death transformation.” Dreaming involves the creation of a virtual world within the dreamer’s mind, where anything can be transformed. Life changes encompass the changes that unfold throughout the life cycles of all living beings. Death transformation highlights the notion that life and death are also forms of transformation. According to Zhuang Zi, true changelessness lies at the heart of all perceived transformations. In light of this, the boundaries between reality and the virtual realm become blurred. So, can you tell what is reality and what is virtual?
“We live on a journey, originating from a rich and beautiful past, with an extraordinary and unimaginable future ahead of us.” [A Quick Thought Of] Welcome to my weekly quick post on strategic ideas. Thanks! #future #VR #Midjourney #Zhuangzi #Chineseclassicalliterature
