Innovation&Nature:TheYin&YangBalance

By:CharlesRohde

Abstract:
Throughoutthisstoryittalksabouthowthemaincharacter,acyborg
looksinmemoriesthatwasinstalledintoitshardware,seeingthebeautyofEarthinan
abstractway.Eventuallyfindingaplantthatisontopofatowergivinghimhopethatthe
planetcanberepaired.Thispieceaimstomakethereadermoreawareofmankinds
cravingtoinnovateandhelpthereaderrealizetherecanbeabalancebetween
innovationandnature.

Icanheararesonatingbeepingechoingthroughoutmyheadasifitwere
ricochetingaroundinsidemymetallicbrainlikeabullet,gettinglouderandlouder.It
takesmeaminutetorealizewherethestrangesoundwascomingfrom.Itisthebeeps
ofthearcwarningusthatitisabouttimetoprepareadescenttowardsEarth.Finallythe
timehascometodiscernwhatremainsonthesurfaceofEarthafter986yearsofhiding
inthemanmadesanctuary.Theenergyontheshipisdifferentfromdayspast.Youcan
getwindofalltheanimalsontheArkharmonizingatuneofexcitementandanticipation.

EventhoughtheyareonlyclonesoftheanimalsthatusedtothriveonEarth,theystill
getasensethattheirisabigchangecoming.
Thecautionlightsinthehallwaysstarttoflashonandofflikemultipleshortburst
lightningstrikes.There'sasenseofpanicandexcitementbetweenallthecyborgsas
wescurrylikeelectronsinanatomtosecuretheplantsandanimalsthatareonthe
ship.Themovementsofallthecyborgsishardtofollowwiththehumaneyeas
everyonepropelsaroundtheshiplikeworkbeesinabeehive.Ittakesonlyamomentto
finallygeteverythingready,itonlyseemedlikeasecondinspacetogettheship
perfectlysafe,itwasnosweattomakeasignificantchange.Onceallthecyborgsgot
intotheirblack,elasticsafetyharnessesallthenoiseyoucouldhearisalowrumbling
throughoutthehallsoftheship.Asiftheshipitselfbecameagiantfreefallingbear
roaringinspace.AstheshipfellIcouldfeelsomethingmanifestinginmystomach,I
couldnttellwhatitwas,itwaslikesomeonewentintoitandstartedtyingbillionsoflittle
knotswiththepurposeofintertwiningwithallthewiringinmystomach,itisthatpit
feelingyougetinsidebeforegettingintoyourfirstrollercoasterride,excepttwenty
timesworse.IsthisanxietythatIamfeeling?AsIlookaroundatmyfellowcyborgsthey
haveanexpressionofcalmandreadiness.Theirfacescoldandsternwithonegoalin
mind,tosurvivethelanding.
AswegothroughEarth'smagneticfieldtheshipstartstorattleandshake
vigorously.AllIcandotothinkstraightistoclosemyeyesandinvisiontheshiplanding
gracefullyontothegroundwithapuffofdustanddebrisflyingupintotheair.Only
secondsafterIclosemyeyesIrealiseeverythingispitchblack.Usuallybriefimagesof
Earthinitsglorydaysstartpassingthroughmyheadlikeafilmrealthistimethereis
nothingbutaneerieneverendingvastspaceofdarknessinmyhead.AllofasuddenI
feelaquickjoltforwardandthesoundofmyleatherharnessscreeching,eventually
rippingfromtheweightofmybodyandtheforceoftheimpacttheshipabsorbed.A
momentpassesandallIcanhearisthefootstepsoftheothercyborgsbrisklywalking
pastmeandthefaintsoundoftheship'smassivedoorsslowlyopening.Wehavefinally
landed.
***
Agreatamountoftimepassesbeforemysystemrebootedgivingmefull
functionalityofmylimbsagain.AsIopenmyeyeseverythingisablurr.Theother
cyborgsmustofalreadylefttoscouttheareabecausethecockpitwewereinduringthe
descentisnowempty.MysyntheticmusclesacheasIslowlypushmyselftostandup.
Everyjointinmybodyfeelsasthoughtheywereallsimultaneouslyhitbyahammer
multipletimes.LookingaroundInoticethebulky,steeldoorswideopenontheother
sideoftheroomlightandwindpouringintothecorridor.AsIsteadilystartwalking
towardsthedoorsIcanthelpbutstartgettingexcitedaboutfinallybeingabletosee
whatEarthlookslikefromthegroundinsteadofconstantlylookingatitfromupinthe

heavens.GettingtothedoorstooklongerthanIthoughtitwouldbutonceIdidIwas
greetedattheentrancebyanintense,warmhugfromthesun.Myeyesinstantlygetting
blindedbythebrightfloatingobjectinthesky.Itdoesnttakelongformyeyestoadjust
tomysurroundings.ThoughoncemyeyeswereadjustedIbecameinstantly
disappointedtowhatIsaw.Thearkhadlandedinthemiddleofwhatlookslikeadesert,
hot,anddrywithhundredsofruinsofgiantskyscrapersandbuildingsthatlookedas
thoughtheywerehalfeatenbygiants.
***
Itistheyear3075inagray,dull,metallicballthesizeofthemoon,knownas
Noah'sArk.TheArkhasbeenhometotwohundredcyborgs,allmanufacturedby
humanhandsbeforetheendoftheirkindoccurredin2089duetothedepletionofall
theirresources.Weweresentouttospaceonthearctocareforallthewildlifethatwas
putonitbyhumansinalastditchefforttosavewhatwasleftoftheworldoftheir
origin.Aworldthatwasfulloflifeandterrainthathadgreenopenfieldsthatranacross
mostofthebarrenground.Allowingbeastsofalltypesopenfreerangetoroamandbe
unburdenedbyworries,allowingthemtobefreelikealeafinthewind.Aworldthathad
naturalfreeflowing,uncloudedwatersystemsthatwouldfindtheirwaytoaboutevery
placeimaginable,givingeachplacevitalityandmeaning.Icanfindbitsandpiecesof
whatEarthlookedlikerummagingthroughthememoriesthatthehumansinstalledinto
ourhardware.ItusedtocontainsomuchlifebutnowlookslikethesurfaceofMars,
driedupanddesolatewithnoevidencethatlifecouldofpossiblyeverlivedonit.
***
Thememoriesinmyhardwareisacollageofeverythingthehumanswitnessed
andexperienced.Igetlostinthememoriesofwhenhumanswouldteareachother
down,climbingoveroneanothertoreachtheirultimategoalofpowerandprofit.They
weresostuckinthemomentandtheexcitementofinnovationthattheycoveredtheir
planetwithbillionsofmetallicgreenarmsthatwouldpushandpullontheEarth'scrust,
bringingwithitblackliquidremainsofprehistoricanimalsthatwereusedinalmost
everydayobjects.Theyevenhadthetenacitytoerecthundredsofcolossal,gray,bleak
wallsthatwouldcontroltheirnaturallyfreeflowingwatersystems,convertingwaterinto
electricityfortheirbenefit.Bendingandtwistingnaturetocomplimenttheirneeds.All
thewhileforgettingtheirsupplywasnotendlessSuckingthelifeoutoftheirplanetlike
vampiresthirstyfortheirplanetsquenchinglifeblood.Howignorantthoseorganic
beingswere!Theyweresobusyupgradingthesystemtheycreatedtheydidnttakethe
timetotakeinthecoolbreezethatoceanswouldbringwiththem,eachsurgeofwind
wakingyouuptowhatwasaroundyou,theydidntseehowthetreeswerefuelingour
bodylikegasfueledtheircars.Theydidnttakethetimetoenjoymeadowsandthe
variouscolorsofflowersthatwouldbeinitsmidst,givingyoumultiplearomasthat

sharpenedthemindintoasharpedgedsword.Theydidntseethechangeinseasons,
howeachonebroughtdifferentcolorsandwonderswiththem.
Oh!howIwishIwastheretowitnessthebreathtakingtransformations.Alasthe
humansonlygaveusmemoriesandimagesofthebeatifulanomalies.Summerbrought
daysofheatandcoolrefreshinggustsofair.Itwasthetimetocreateeverlasting
memorieswithfriendsandfamilies,whetheritwassittingaroundacracklingcampfire
roastingamarshmallowtothatperfectgoldenbrown.Orlayingonasoftblanketinthe
middleofabreathtakingmeadowlookingupatpuffywhitecloudsfloatingintheoceanic
bluesky,theirshapeandimageconstantlychangingbasedonapersons
perspective.Thedayswerelongbutsweetfilledwithkidsplayingonsoftwarmbeaches,
runningafterandawayfromtheseawaterthatwoulddashontotheshoreandslither
backagainintotheoceanasifitwasneverthereleavingbehinditnothingbut
seaweed,seashells,andashadowofwhereitoncewas.Summerevencamewithits
ownmusicalbum,therewasnoneedtobejackedintotechnologywhenyouhadbirds
singingyouacalmingmelodyeverydayalwayssomehowgettingstuckinyourhead.
Thefallwasequallywondrous,withleavesofdifferentshadesoforangefloating
andflutteringontothegroundfromancienttreeswhohavewitnessedagreatamount
ofmiseryandjoywithinmultiplelifetimes.Fallwasaspecialtimewheresomeliving
organismssloweddowntoprepareforthewinternightstocomeandotherssimply
fallingintoadeepslumber.
Winterwastheexactoppositeofsummer,withdaysfilledwithbrisk,coolair
nippingatyournoseandskin.Itwasaperiodwherepartsoftheworldwouldget
coveredinacrystalline,powderywhiteblanket.EventhoughTheintricateanddelicate
glasslikedesignofeachflakewascoldassteelitstillfoundawaytowarmpeople's
hearts.Wheneachflakeworkedasateamtheywereabletopersuadepeopletogo
outsideandbreathinthefreshairwhetheritwasbecauseyouwereoutsnowboarding,
buildingasnowman,orevenshovelingsnow.It'sdifficulttocomprehendthatallthat
beautyisnownonexistent.Withthedrowsythawingofwintercameatimeof
reawakeningandbirthoflifeonEarth.
Springwasaspectacletobehold.Thetreesandplantswouldburstintovarious
lusciouscolors,poppingoutofslumberlikefireworksonthefourthofJuly.Thearomaof
rosesandotherdelicateflowersdriftingintheairwouldinvigorateanypersonssenses,
givingyouanaturalhigh.Itwasduringthistimewhereyouwouldnotice,ifyouwere
luckyenough,thegiftofnewlife.Thetimewheremothernaturewouldgiveherbest
effortstofixallthedamagesthatwerecausedtoherinthepast.Seasonswerediverse
ineverywaythoughtpossible.
***
Theplanetnowseemstobeinaconstantfrenziedstate.AsIslowlytreadalong
onwhatonceseemedtobeamainhighwaygoingintoacityIoccasionallyfind

remnantsofwhatthepastinhabitantsleftbehind.Itseemsasthoughwehavelanded
ontoaworldruledbygiantpilesofrubbleandsand.Thebeautythatwasonceonthe
planetiscompletelyobliterated.Greenforestsarereplacedwithhundredsofgraytree
stumps.Insteadofgrassyopenfieldsthereisnothingmorethanbarrengroundthat
lookslikethesurfaceofdriedupskin.
There'snowaconstantsandstormInsteadofthebeautythateachseasonwould
bringwiththem.Eventhecharmthatcitiesbroughtwhentheywerecreatedisgone,
replacedbythousands,uponthousandsofhollowtoweringshellsthatcastagloomy
shadowovereverythingunderneathit.Imsurethisisnotthevisionthehumanshadfor
theirplanetbutthenaquestioncontinuouslyrepeatsitselfinmyheadlikeabroken
recordplayer,whydidthisoccur?
Iamprettydeepintothecitynow,asIlookbacktowardswheretheshiplanded,
itsstaggeringhowfarawayitis.Ihavecomeupononeoutofmanytoweringbuildings.
AsIlookuptowardstheskytogainabetterideaofhowtallthebuildingactuallyisI
realisethatitisoneofthetallestbuildingsIhaveseenyetandthinktomyself,Icould
getabettervantagepointandawarenessofmysurroundingsifIgoupthistower.
LookingaheadIcanseedoublesideddoorsleadingintothegianttower.
Insidethereisamustyaromafloatingintheairandasetofstairsthatspiralup
tothetopofthetower.AllyoucanhearisthelonelyechoingofmyfootstepsasIstart
walkingupthestonesteps.Imsurprisedhowstructurallysoundeachstepis.AsIgetto
thetopofthestairsIcomeuponarustic,metallicdoor.There'saloudcreakingasI
pushthedooropen.
Thesceneoutsideontopofthetowermakesmespeechless.AsIpeeroutinto
thedistanceIcanseenothingbutrowsuponrowsofmetallicgreenarmsthatusedto
suckEarth'snectaroutofitscore.Thisisthereasonforallthedesolationthatisnow
present.Humansweresoinvolvedwithkeepingthepowersourcethatwascheapand
affordabletheydidntrealisehowbigtheimpacttrulywasuntilitwastoolatetochange.
Ifonlytheiractionswerebasedonnotonlyhowmuchprofittheycouldgainfromtheir
inventionsbutalsothewellbeingoftheplanettheythrivedon,maybeallthis
destructionwouldn'tofhappenedandtheirfuturegenerationscouldhavewitnessedall
thewondersEarthhadtooffer.
Thesunisstartingtosetnow,IonlyhavealittlebitoftimeleftuntilIhaveto
communicatetomyfellowcyborgsareportoftheconditionofthisbarrenplanet.Asit
standsnowIamstartingtothinkthisplanetisbeyondrepairwemighthavetogoback
ontotheArkanduptospacetofindamorehabitableplanetforthesakeofallthe
animalsthatwehaveonourship.
AsIturnmygazedowntowardsmypalewhite,carbonfiber,touchscreen
forearmtocalluptheothercyborgsIwitnesssomethingoddaboutwhat'sinthe
foreground.Icatchaglimpseofahueofgreen.ItsatthismomentthatIrealizewhat

I'mstandingon.I'mstandinguponanicegrassyfieldwithmultiplecolorsofflowers
poppedoutfromitssurface,slowlycrawlingdownthetower.Igetawarmfuzzyfeeling
asIpickupayellowdaisythathasfullygrownfromthefield.AsIstareatit,thedesign
makesmespeechlessasitresemblesthatofastar.Asthesundiesthereisaburstof
colorsreleasedintothesky,transformingthecoloroftheskyfromvarioushuesofblue,
toorange,toblack.Itsromantictoseethesundieinordertoallowthewhite,radiant
moontolive.Ifbeautylikethiscanrecoverfromthisdestructionmaybethere'sa
chancethatwemanmadeinnovationscanactuallyhelprepairtheplanet,timeto
contactmyfellowcyborgstotellthemwhatIhavediscovered.