{"product_id":"beyond-awakening-book-one-by-roger-locke","title":"Beyond Awakening (Book One) by Roger Locke","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eThe world teetered on the precipice of its future.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCollapsing systems of the past were binding with the technology of the future even as civilization roiled from decay and vicious competition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eA visionary sacrificed his trillions to make the Colony Project a reality.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003e“Hope,” he said, “lies beyond.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eA brilliant young Intelligence Architect was now the key to humanity’s success, and he knew something was terribly wrong. His own mind was splintering even as he molded another’s.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJoin Ren on his discovery of truth in this tale of decay, disaster, and transformation spanning light‑years and lifetimes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr\"\u003eAbout the author\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"AuthorBio__author-bio__author-biography__WeqwH\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShelby is my hometown. It was not because I was born here or because I have family here. When my wife and I moved to town we knew \u003ci\u003eno one.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn 2018, we were living temporarily in Charlotte after moving there from San Diego, California. I was working remotely as a software developer for \u003ci\u003eTurning Point,\u003c\/i\u003e Dr. David Jeremiah’s ministry, while my wife, Sandra, worked for the U.S. Immigration Court.   We had spent years searching for a true small-town community, and we found it in Shelby. When a friend in Charlotte asked, “What’s in \u003ci\u003eShelby?”\u003c\/i\u003e we proudly answered, “Shelby!”\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWe bought one of those “good bones\/old house” homes and made it ours. Lord willing, we won’t have to move again until they carry us out feet first. We sank roots here deep and fast and consider our neighbors and our church (Hope Community) \u003ci\u003efamily\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMy software career spanned the formative decades of modern computing. In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s desktop computers were new and rare but then exploded overnight.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI received my degree in Computer Science from San Diego State University and had the privilege of having fine professors including the late \u003ci\u003eDr. Vernor Vinge\u003c\/i\u003e. He is credited with popularizing a concept known as the \u003ci\u003eSingularity\u003c\/i\u003e, the point at which artificial intelligence surpasses humanity in its ability to create. Obviously, the concept has frightening implications, but as we race ahead in AI computing technology, it seems that day may not be as far off as some hoped.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOf course, AI is just \u003ci\u003esoftware\u003c\/i\u003e—code that processes data, evaluates it, finds patterns, makes inferences—predictions.  It then produces output in some form: more data.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAI is just one more of humanity’s amazing tools. It doesn’t \u003ci\u003ecare\u003c\/i\u003e about what it does any more than a hammer cares about hitting a nail.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003eIt is up to \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eus\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e to give data \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003emeaning\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBut imagine if it \u003ci\u003ecould\u003c\/i\u003e understand the meaning. Imagine if it \u003ci\u003ecould\u003c\/i\u003e find purpose. How could that happen? Why would that happen? What are the implications if that occurred?\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhat would happen if one of our tools \u003ci\u003esurpassed us\u003c\/i\u003e and learned to \u003ci\u003elove\u003c\/i\u003e us?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOur lives are a search for purpose and meaning—some people find it. Some struggle.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMy writing is fictional, but themes of humanity: purpose, meaning, love, loss, sacrifice, memory; these are not. They span genres of fiction, poetry, history, philosophy, religion. For me, fiction is fun—it’s entertainment.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut the \u003ci\u003ebest\u003c\/i\u003e kind of fiction makes you \u003ci\u003ethink\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThat is my kind of fiction.  It’s what I read and what I write.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI have spent a lifetime immersed in technology and software, a lifetime where I was privileged to work with some of the most brilliant people on the planet\u003ci\u003e.\u003c\/i\u003e My thread has crossed with fascinating and foundational people in technology and even science fiction.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIf you pause to think about it, your thread has likely done the same.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI hope you enjoy my stories.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Roger Locke","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46617183420605,"sku":"LOCKE-01","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0734\/7355\/6669\/files\/RogerLocke.jpg?v=1775757441","url":"https:\/\/ccartscouncil.org\/products\/beyond-awakening-book-one-by-roger-locke","provider":"Cleveland County Arts Council","version":"1.0","type":"link"}