Article #4 - What is Zak Today?

A path to a future free from war and hate

By Zachary A. Kosma

Are you afraid of the number four? If you said yes, then I am happy to diagnose you with tetraphobia, though a clinical diagnosis would require further evaluation than a simple question. This numerical harbinger of death is revered in many cultures, despite such there is not proof that this is anything more than superstition.

In writing my fourth article, I realize an opportunity for transformation. I have written about the shift from oil to new technology, the power of younger generations, and how we can powerfully envision a future using the cosmos as a mirror. However, when considering the scale of cosmic challenges, we often are left with a sense of dread that leaves us fearing our smallness and?mortal vulnerability.

Instead of being afraid of death and superstitious of its reflections, we can embrace a sense of Sa?sāra. Death, ultimately, is a transformation.

Consider the mathematical definition of transformation:

a process by which one figure, expression, or function is converted into another that is equivalent in some important respect but is differently expressed or represented.

In death, we only observe the birth of something new. Energy is never lost, it just changes. The law of conservation states that (physical) energy can neither be created nor destroyed - only converted from one form of energy to another.

Such is my commitment to you, my dear reader. Even as I age, I will hold steadfast. How about every year I write such an article on death and rebirth reaffirming the position of my publication, Zak Today?

Let’s begin today. Previously, Zak Today was a pipe dream. An idea that I could share my vision of the future via text with strangers. The idea that minds can change and that the pursuit of knowledge ushers one towards your personalized enlightenment.

With my writing, my goal is to not suade, convince, or manipulate you. Rather, my goal is to share my experiences and knowledge with the hope that you find them moving.

In simpler words, I hope to transform you with my writing. Not towards my agenda or towards where I would like to see you grow. I hold no power over your direction, your personalized enlightenment, or ultimate destiny. That’s all you, boo.

There is a certain power gained in sharing ideas. I truly believe that some ideas are better than others and I’d like to show you that over time and many articles to come. If my writing comes to positively impact not one, but at least two, leaders, then I have succeeded in my mission.?

Please comment if that’s you so I can keep tally.

So, what transformation in leadership would I like to be the cause of over this next year?

I want to see more discourse. More hot takes and less hate. Leaders earnestly and rawly sharing their ideas. In times where technology threatens human ingenuity (however valid said threat) the value of sharing real and well-thought out ideas is high. It is vitally important that leaders around the world engage in public forums, especially around subjects like politics and social issues.

Yet, I am no politician. I am not a well-established leader with decades of experience, and I certainly do not consider myself to be in a position as these people I am targeting.

So, why do I think I can transform leaders?

I have seen the future. Not literally (insert winky face emoji), but in my mind’s eye. I have stood still in time and witnessed its motion. This foresight has equipped me with a mindset unlike any other human on Earth, except for maybe Marc Andreessen.

The future is coming, and you can’t stop it. However, we can all do our part to transform it to foster a better home for everybody. I am doing my part by painting the future on the walls and spreading the message that the paper belt is in sore need of combustion.

I’d like to pose my ideas for a better future. I see no better medium than pure text. When text is so artfully composed, we call it poetry. I believe that if I can write an epic poem about the evolution of mankind that such art would move mountains.

The change I am looking to bring about is cultural, human, technologically driven, and fundamentally humanist. There is great potential waiting for us.

Yet, we are blocked by things like war, greed, waste, and other evils. In the United States, one of the most pressing issues is the silent recession we are experiencing.

I think XR can save the United States. The value of enhanced connectivity, experiential learning, and perception-enhancement stretches far beyond the value of having a computer in your pocket. The United States is best positioned to rally in this industry. Reinventing the smartphone will be the economic boon that pulls us out of recession.

Practical examples, case studies, interviews, and more are all to come. All of my abstractions are strategic and purposeful. I have a long story to tell about XR and its role in shaping our world. It will take many articles.

Yet, this is not my only vision from the future. There is far more at stake than the United State’s relevance in world wide economics and the fight against inflation.

In times of peace, it is best to prepare for war. Yet, war is not inevitable, preparing for war will deter it. This is the true lesson. Humans are too competitive to not consider war, so the leaders that hope to keep the peace must compete in all sorts of races.

There is a vision I will share of how we as leaders can aid in navigating humanity away from total and open warfare. But, such is beyond the scope of Article #4.

For now, I’d like to shout from the rooftops that a smarter, faster, and more intuitive world awaits us. We stand in the crossroads of innovation. It is up to us to decide to walk down the right or left, towards hate or love.

You get to choose.

Welcome to the dialogue. Welcome to the future. Welcome to Zak Today, where every exploration is a step towards a future crafted by our collective imagination and will.

I invite you to echo this message with your own vision of the future.

The views expressed in this post are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Atlas School. For official updates and announcements, please visit https://www.atlasschool.com/