Planet earth has become a place dominated by a species hell-bent on destruction...humans. For many life is intolerable, for others the joie de vive is a quest for power and mastery. Atomic bombs, improved weapons, computerized music, overeating, drinking, gambling, and latency run amok. Kurt Vonnegut addresses both the horrors and pleasures that human beings are confronted with on a day to day basis in his sardonic and witty "Timequake" by transporting everyone back 10 years. Having to relive all of our mistakes, successes, accidents, pleasures, mundane work, and being unable to stop ourselves or change course, means a harsh wake-up call once life drops us out of auto-pilot.
The slide-show I have created has many images, both disturbing and wonderful that are meant to illustrate the importance of exiting auto-pilot. Human beings as a species must wake up and realize the reality of our situation. We are equipped with wonderful imaginations, which have too often been used to move us closer to extinction. Life can be hard to endure, but rather than accelerating toward doom, why not stop take a look around at what is great about life. Vonnegut's last novel shows us that even through horrific acts of violence and depravity, humans must laugh and work to make things better. Kilgore Trout (Vonnegut's science fiction writing alter-ego) would have us be more like the good sisters of the planet Booboo and use our empathy and imagination to create rather than destroy. Yes Yes!!!