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OMAC 8: identity and atoms

In a fitting climax to this superb series, Kirby deals with identity.

The idea of shared identity (we are nothing without others) and changing identify are throughout. But here we have a favourite Kirby observation: the person who changes and has no memory of his previous form. (See: the Hulk) Because our thoughts depend on our form. An ant does not think like a tiger, how could he?

Kirby also presents us with the question, who is the real Buddy Blank (such a perfect name!) And it is a trick question: because life is change.

No change, no life.

But this blog isn't about philosophy, let's talk atoms. How does Skuba "thin out" atoms to pass through others (itself a metaphor for identity)? Superficially we might think of vibration or quantum tunnelling or Moses Chan and his supersolids. But none of that stuff works when you look closer, not in any physics we are likely to see. However, Kirby already gave us the answer: think of identity. What is it? How can Brother Eye transform the form of OMAC through empty space? The answer: information. As long as you can transfer the information needed, reconstructing the physical form is just a matter of putting one atom on top of another.

Everything is information. Understanding is all that matters. Hence, what did Brother Eye do at the moment of greatest crisis? Did he melt the outer layer of the rock and tunnel down that way? He had the energy to do so. No, he shut his Great eye and focused all his energy on thinking through the problem.

This represents what is happening now.

We are gradually becoming cyber beings: beings of abstract thought. Our online life is becoming more of our life. We are replacing our memories and other mental functions, as I discussed before. We are starting to understand (or rather, remember, as our ancestors knew this) that our real existence is whatever we can pass on. Nothing else matters. The more we change like this, the easier it will become to phase through matter.


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