Category Archives: Media

The Kids Know – We Live in a Dystopia

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We live in a time of uncertainty, fear, and ignorance about the problems facing society, nations, and the planet. We live in a time of instantaneous communication, often leading to distrust, polarization, and superficiality. Science – and especially its derived technologies – has given us immense powers to cause physical and psychological change, destruction, chaos, and even self-annihilation.  Single individuals can now wield immense power, be it for terrorism, ideology, or personal gain.

We no longer have societally-sanctioned rites of passage for citizens, such as the Eleusinian rites practiced in ancient Greece. We constrain and often condemn most means of expanding consciousness and mental well being. We have decreased moral, ethical, and civics education in our public schools due to state legislatures and parents arguing that such education is not ‘appropriate’.

Youth are concerned with the societal and planetary problems and issues which their adult parents seem unable to address. Youth are concerned about the deteriorating state of the planet and of its societies – and very concerned for their own future.

Music, poetry, literature, and drama are effective means of expanding consciousness, presenting realities, and empowering empathy and creativity. Protest songs come immediately to mind. Novels have been especially effective: Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, Sinclair’s The Jungle, and Huxley’s not very well known Island.

We are attracted to novels, songs, and theatre addressing these challenges. Young adult novels and films dealing with dystopian as well as utopian systems are particularly popular today.

Media which deal with critical thinking, reality, cognitive liberty, creativity, and empathy are especially needed to help reorient our current states of distrust, fear, uncertainty, and ignorance. Specific examples include Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World (followed by his more Utopian Island), Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games, and many, many more – including attempts to treat impending dystopia:  State Change – A Chemical Fantasy ( www.statechange.us ) ‘uses’ biochemistry to ‘treat’ empathy deficit disorder (EDD) and ideology paralysis.

Talk with your kids. They read, they know, they fear.

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Andrade Keynote Address Press Release: IBE 2017 conference:

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Press Release  — for immediate release

Institute for Biological Engineering 2017 Annual Conference

Salt Palace and Downtown Marriott, Salt Lake City, Utah 

Mar. 30 – April 1, 2017

Biological Engineers Urged to confront Ignorance, BS, and Lies

Biological engineers are being urged to combat ignorance, BS, and outright lies at their annual meeting this week in Salt Lake City. The 17th annual conference is at the downtown Marriott Hotel and Salt Palace Convention Center Thursday through Saturday, April 1.

One of the keynote speakers is Joseph Andrade, a University of Utah Distinguished Professor of Engineering, and a 2012 candidate for Utah’s District 2 US Congress seat. He lost that election to Representative Chris Stewart.

Andrade, retired from biological engineering research and teaching, is now a novelist. He self-published and released State Change – a chemical and political fantasy last year, well before the 2016 elections.

“A group of aging activists selects well known political ideologues and subjects them to clandestine (and illegal) revelation engineering,” he explains, ‘including Utah’s Congressional delegation.” He smiles.

His keynote talk builds upon the novel and upon his earlier Congressional run – to empower biological engineers to get more involved in science education, in politics, and in running for public office. He suggests his colleagues use social media to confront ignorance, BS, and lies.

The talk is in Ballroom A, Salt Palace Convention Center, 11:15 am this Saturday, April 1. Here are the slides from the talk:

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Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan, Aug., 2016

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Reviewed by D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer

Midwest Book Review (Aug., 2016)

 

State Change – A Chemical Fantasy

Joe Andrade

Andrade Self-Publishing

978-1-4951-9851-9

Price: $0.00 (Free) – only available online. Bound book copies available from author, for free, to qualified reviewers and libraries.

Website: www.statechange.us

 

Novels typically do not contain manifestos – but State Change incorporates both. In a future world gone mad (a world akin to our own), the very boundaries of social and political process are tested as humanity’s trials and errors demand that traditional leadership be rebuilt and replaced.

 

But how do rulers and leaders evolve beyond preset assumptions which are contributing to the fall of mankind? Replacements take time and are likely to arrive contaminated by the same perceptions as their predecessors. There’s only one quick solution: change the mindsets of existing world leaders through chemistry. This approach is not only in the public interest. It’s in the interest of humanity’s survival.

 

This is the basic concept of this quasi-novel, in a nutshell. It’s time to sit back and enjoy the ride through the process (and ultimately, the call to action) that blends the forms of a novel and a social statement in State Change.

 

In the opening act, the state of the nation is deteriorating, the planet is falling apart, and change must happen if humanity is to survive. “The Challenge” opens with the narrator’s introduction to political interests and the basic foundations of the concept of “State Change”, which are built and explored throughout the events that transpire.

 

How can revolutions be engineered? How do belief systems evolve, and how do social and political circles support them? What are the failings of education and awareness when faced with entrenched dogma and blind ideologies?

 

Even though the word ‘fantasy’ is in this book’s subtitle, readers shouldn’t expect work of traditional fantasy or entertainment here. State Change is about how real change occurs at its most fundamental levels, the barriers to realization and effective evolution, and the efforts of individuals to transcend the juggernaut of political ineffectiveness. As such, it’s a serious work that blends ideology with a dose of fiction that revolves around Utah protagonists and their daring attempts to not just change, but transform the world into something better.

 

State Change is no light production. It demands a higher level of thought, political and social interest from its readers, and not a little acceptance of some radical ideas about chemistry’s applications in the name of lasting solutions that belays the usual intention of a novel to entertain in some manner.

 

There’s a solid coverage of history along the way, analysis of political process, and the growing conviction of a myriad of characters who envision a new world evolving from the virtual end of civilization as we know it. As chapters rush through a mix of familiar-sounding modern dilemmas and futuristic concerns, they come steeped in much research and explanation and thus require slow reading and time for contemplation as they present a satisfying blend of complex activist and scientific concerns with characters concerned about changing the world in the best possible way.

 

There is no competitor to State Change. It stands in a class by itself (one perhaps occupied by Huxley, Vonnegut, and other authors of classics on social change) in presenting a different kind of futuristic possibility that rises from the ashes of the Koch Brothers and other political special interests familiar in today’s world.

 

Discriminating fiction readers with a penchant for more than entertainment will relish its approach, diversity, and complex observations on the processes and challenges of mental enhancement.

 

Author Fake Interview – Book Review

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Book Review Press Release (for immediate release)

State Change – A Chemical Fantasy

By Joe Andrade

491 pp. Andrade Self-Publishing

Free at www.statechange.us

An ‘interview’ with the author:

 

Academic Activist Advocates Illegal Politics

 

‘We cannot elect mental adolescents to public office,’ says Joe Andrade, author of a provocative new novel State Change – A Chemical Fantasy.

He corrects me: “It’s a semi-novel. Two thirds of it is fact.”

Andrade is a University of Utah retired engineering professor – now involved in local and national politics.

I ask – What do you mean by mental adolescents?

“I don’t want to disparage adolescents – they’re great, exciting kids. But they’re too young to be elected to political office.”

I’m confused: If they’re too young to run, how can they be elected?

Andrade looked annoyed. “They’re adults, so they ran, and we elected them. But they have the brain development of pre-adolescents. They need mental enhancement – treatment – to do their job.”

You mean education, I asked.

“That would help, but most never got a decent education. Most were brain-washed early by simple-minded, often highly religious, parents. So they became simple-minded adults – and we elected some of them, many of them, to high office.”

And, what is mental enhancement?

“Well, they won’t voluntarily submit to serious education – they can’t listen to anything except their own ideologies. They exist in echo chambers. So they have to be treated.”

I ask: And what is this ‘treatment’?

“You have to read the book,” Andrade said, smiling. “They need to have a revelation to break free of their ideological moorings – and begin to evolve to mental adulthood.”

Is that possible? Is it legitimate? I ask.

“It is possible – good chocolate helps. But it’s not ‘legitimate’. That’s why you titled this interview ‘… advocates illegal politics’.”

And who are these elected adults who are functioning as mental adolescents?

“There are hundreds, but we selected 29 special ones to treat – all politically powerful, mentally constrained adults. They are simplists.”

Wikipedia came to my rescue, saying simplism is the trait of oversimplifying things by ignoring complexity and complications. Didn’t Einstein say something about simplism?

“Einstein said ‘Science should be as simple as possible – but not simpler’ – but that applies to everything, not just to science.”

I was getting it. I asked: it’s looking at the world from the mental perspective of an eight year old, more or less?

“That’s it. It includes most of the Ayn Rand crowd, primitive Libertarians, Tea Party folks, and lots of Trump supporters.”

Can’t you be a bit more specific. Help me out!

“Only three women, evangelicals, are treated in State Change. We also treat 15 Congress members, several Supreme Court Justices – the ones that still live and work in the 19th century – a few Presidential Candidates, and some plutocrats – including the Brothers Koch.”

Do you treat Trump?

“He’s number 30 in the book, but we chose to not treat him.”

And why not?

“There’s nothing there to treat!” Andrade chuckled. “He’s so simple-minded we thought it would be a waste of effort – and our special chocolate.”

Chocolate?

“Just read the book.”

Who is ‘we’?

“It’s me and five close friends. We call ourselves the harmless team. We selected the 29 and treated them all earlier this year and in late 2015.”

You treated them all – with chocolate? I asked. He looked at me annoyingly, again.

“One of them is a phenomenal organic chemist. Just read the book. It’s free, on line, easy to read.”

Why is it free?

“Well, most of the 29 ideologues we treat would love to get back at me. If it’s free they can’t argue that I’m benefiting from exposing their mental incapacities.”

Interesting. Will you talk or argue with our readers? How can they contact you?

“By going to www.statechange.us . They can read the book there, download it, and see the Chosen 29 (and their Twitter addresses). They can also ask questions there as well.”

Is there a real book – I mean a printed version?

“I had a few copies printed – for reviewers and interviewers. You can have one, if you like.”

Is the book very long?

“No, but this interview is now too long. I’m 75 – and need a bathroom. Just read the book!”

And Mr. Andrade excused himself and left the room, looking for a bathroom.

I’m reading the book. It is interesting.

 

 

Salt Lake City

June 16, 2016

for immediate release

801-706-6747

andradejoey@gmail.com