And so we begin a new phase in the Commentaries of Ndbag. Heretofore we have seen him concentrate on the externalities that affect us all, from the laws of physics to the laws of friendship. With the introduction of the Comiccon to the narrative, we find ourselves examining the relationship between humans and the technology that they themselves create.
The first thing we notice about the spelling; Comiccon. This is by no means the only spelling allowed; it's been spelled as Comicon, Comic-con, Comic Con... even, on one occasion, as Ccccccccc, but there is some speculation that this may just have been the result of a stuck keyboard. In any case, the amorphous nature of the convention's name reflects our own view of technology. We decry the very term as harmful, yet neglect the fact that it encompasses everything from lighting a fire to sending a spacecraft to Pluto. We use the word 'chemical' as a pejorative, despite their ubiquity in every aspect of our quotidian lives.
Yet Ndbag is firm in his spelling; it's Comiccon. We should stand fast, and wholly embrace the search for knowledge, and look forward to the application of that knowledge. As an exhibitor, our boogeyman is telling us of his enthusiastic participation in the magnificent endeavour that is Science; that he, too, supports the collective quest to understand all. The quest to build on all scales, from the tiniest nanobot supporting our immune system to the mightiest robot squid capable of destroying Tokyo.
Ndbag is careful, though, to warn us against the spectre of individual hubris. The convention hall is vast, with many diverse attractions which appeal to every segment of society; from nerds who like comics to nerds who like video games. Yet those many, many attractions, though individually small, make up a huge convention, one in which no nerd is the master of every type. By the same token, the blossoming of science into so many fields has left no one capable of being an expert other than in a specialised field. However brilliant, each scientist and technologist relies on the work of countless thousands of their kind who have gone before. We are forcefully reminded of the words of Newton: "If I have seen further," quoth he, "it is only by standing on the shoulders of giants."
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