Days of future past

There is a concept in science called entropy. The word is related to the Greek word for transformation. It suggests that energy becomes less ordered over time and transformed into a more disordered state with each use. This concept can be extended to social phenomena. Another concept that is referred to as protoscientific is called alchemy. The word is related to the Arabic word for transformation. It suggests that matter can be transformed from a lower (less ordered) state to a higher (more ordered) state like lead to gold. This concept too can be extended to social phenomena.

Both ideas are connected to a nonlinear view of the world. They also reflect the ebb and flow of existence where we as physical beings are testaments to both entropy and alchemy. In terms of entropy we move from sperm and egg to zygote to fetus to human and back again in the conception, birth, life, death cycle. In terms of alchemy, similarly we move from the disorganized elements of food that is consumed by our parents and made into the constituents that form the sperm and egg that ultimately is ordered into a human being. This awareness is part of traditional wisdom and is dawning on  contemporary european/western epistemology through quantum physics. We are both particle and wave at the same time.

In terms of social relationships, we find a similar occurrence where we as adults (ordered) give birth to children (disordered) and care for children in their youth and in return after the children mature as adults (ordered) they care for us in our old age (disordered).  Also we see the transition that the great philosophizer Franz Fanon talked about when he said "Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfill it, or betray it." Adults create a world out of their experience and understanding and attempt to maintain it during their life and hope to sustain it even after they die. So this reflects both alchemy and entropy. The alchemy part is where we create sense of the relatively senseless elements that constitute the world. The entropy is the response of our children who find the world of our creation has limited usefulness for them based on their experience.

We are in a constant state of ordering, falling into disorder and reordering. The past is never past. It is the building blocks of the present and the basis of our future. We reflect this in the admonition to our children of "show me your friends, I will show you your future." Making away out of no way is another instance of the entropy/alchemy axis. Moving from one state to the next is a constant. Our ability to move with it is the X factor.