The Prodigal Sons

My greatest fear is one of my old inventions turning into a mischievous wayward child.  If the devout Mormon Philo Farnsworth knew that the television he invented would be used for adult entertainment, he would likely try to disown it.  Unfortunately, great modern inventions sneak out of their cozy bedrooms and paint the town red: Facebook has its share of cyberbullies and adulterers, e-mails are being seized by governments with questionable intentions, and Twitter feeds are used to organize violent flash mobs.  If I was an inventor whose product was used for evil, I’d feel a great responsibility to minimize its negative effects but feel completely powerless to do so.  The best I can do is to keep the fatted calf waiting at home while I await the prodigal son’s return.

Not a True Sport?

Some would say that professional Starcraft is not a true sport because it involves sitting in front of a computer (sometimes in front of thousands of screaming Koreans).  However, other than the obvious physical benefits of traditional sports, not much of a difference exists between cyber-sports and traditional sports.  Both have professional teams, intense competition, bitter rivalries, outrageous scandals, crazed fans, and demanding training routines.  At the end of the day, the dedication, training, and mental toughness that it takes to be a world champion in Starcraft is almost no different than what it takes to win a Super Bowl ring.  Anyone that considers cyber-sports to be inherently inferior to normal sports misunderstands what it means to be a “sport.”