Calgary
You Don’t Realize This, But You Do Have Faith, Just Like The Rest of Us
The human Ego is a fascinating force for both good and evil. Ego can drive someone’s greed, or it can drive innovation. It can cause destruction, or protect against it. Your ego is like a firearm, it’s only dangerous if you use it with hostile intentions, against good people.
Out of control, our Ego will demand that we be “right”, and will savagely resist being proven wrong. A weak Ego will cause us to brag about our accomplishments, and be offended when our weaknesses are exposed. A weak Ego will feel pain when our friends improve their lives, or outshine us. Instead of cheering you on, people with a weak ego will diminish your accomplishments so as to preserve their own identity.
Ego is a force amplifier for ignorance. Ignorance is the rejection of information, without examination…which is sometimes exhibited as faith.
Our personal belief system is almost entirely faith based, though most would argue vehemently otherwise, as if they were defending their children from a vicious animal. Most people like to think that their beliefs and decisions are based on logic, science, and previous experience, though that is rarely true. The truth is, upon close examination, our decisions are made largely based on our trust, or faith in what we believe to be a credible source.
Sources of faith:
- Our own judgement
- Our perception of what constitutes Science
- People with what we perceive to be “credentials”
- Books
- Gut instinct (intuition)
- The intuition of others
- Others who inspire confidence
- Our perception of history
- Our perception of our own personal experiences
- Those in authority
- The “News” from sources we judge to be “credible”
Social media is chaulked full of statements of “fact”, which are exclaimed as the unblemished “truth”. Often the phrase “credible sources” is used as a baton to beat senseless, those who question the validity of the sources. How short our memory seems to be, when our “credible sources” get it dead wrong time and time again, yet we continue to give credence to their blathering.
My question I’m asking you to ponder is this: What do you REALLY know for certain? If you were to make a list, it may look something like this:
- The world is a rotating sphere, in orbit around the sun, and is the 3rd rock from the sun.
- I am a human being
- Science is reliable and trustworthy
- Most Medical Doctors have our best interests at heart
- Perpetual motion is impossible
- Free energy does not exist
- The Covid19 Virus is very dangerous, and I should be afraid for myself and others
- Gravity works
- Aliens are not real
Pick any of the above, or choose a “fact” of your own, and I will show you how you don’t actually “know”, but instead you are assuming the truth in your belief.
Lets try the first one, “The world is a rotating sphere, in orbit around the sun, and is the 3rd rock from the sun”. Is this a belief, or is it a fact? I personally believe it is true, and I can make a strong argument as to why I believe it is true, however I can not prove this to be true, and neither can you.
- I am not an astrophysicist
- I have never personally been to space
- I can not prove that pictures from space are real, and undoctored…because I did not take them myself.
- I can’t prove that I’m not experiencing a computer generated simulation, and that I myself am only a computer program.
Although I trust that the world is very likely a sphere, I can not prove it. Instead, I prefer to trust the accounts of Astronauts who have gazed from space in wonder at the glory of creation. They say that the planet is a sphere, and I choose to believe them. I choose to have faith in both their honesty, and the accuracy of their perceptions.
If your information is not first hand…then no matter what the topic, you are putting your faith in your sources. If you’re not the scientist who did the research, or performed the experiments, then you are simply reciting what you were told. You don’t know..you are acting out of faith. If you are listening to the scientist who didn’t do the research, or perform the experiments, then you are basing your opinions on the second hand information of someone who doesn’t actually know.
Soctrates was reported as saying, “The only true wisdom, is in knowing that you know nothing”.
Do I know for a fact that this quote is from Socrates? Nope. I don’t know for sure, but I agree with the sentiment all the same. I don’t speak ancient Greek, nor do I know of anyone who does. I have not verified the authenticity of the volume in which this quote was recorded, nor do I personally know anyone who has. I’m guessing. I’m placing my faith in the internet, but I do not know for sure.
Humans like to be certain. Certain of their environment, level of safety, and of their personal identity. Often, we mistake people with higher education as being more certain, but unfortunately, having more information in your brain, doesn’t mean you have a higher understanding of that information. Nor does having information necessarily mean you have the ability to be totally objective. Objectivity is a skill which is accumulated only by those who have a high level of self awareness, and have the ability to accept new information instead of rejecting it without examination.
RE: Covid 19: We don’t know what is true, and what is not. All we can do is our best, but we must be cautious about the motives of our Government during this crisis. Now is not the time for blind faith in Government, it is the time for critical oversight. People with power tend to expand their power at every opportunity. Power is the greatest aphrodisiac known to humankind, and Government power has expanded around the Globe at an alarming pace. Is this all for our own good? I hope so. I also believe that now is the time for vigilance, and critical thinking. The cost of not thinking for ourselves, could be more than any of us are willing to pay.
Asking questions comes at a price. You will be socially shamed, accused of being a conspiracy theorist, and told to put on your tin-foil hat. Just know, the attacks are being generated by weak Egos, which NEED to be certain, and can not tolerate the uncertainty which results from asking questions. It’s not a personal attack on you, it’s a defense of their own fragile Ego…though it certainly feels personal.
It is curiosity, not certainty which is the sign of higher intelligence. The great part, is that you can CHOOSE to be curious, just as you can choose to pretend to be certain. Neither choices require either a high IQ, nor an advanced education.
Which do you choose?
For more stories, visit Todayville Calgary
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Alberta
Scotia Place – Calgary unveils design for new arena / events centre
News release from the City of Calgary
Scotia Place, Calgary’s new event centre, designed as a place for community where there is room for everyone
The City of Calgary and Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC) are excited to reveal the design for Calgary’s new event centre – formally named Scotia Place.
The design is influenced by the ancestral and historical land of Indigenous Peoples and the culturally significant site that embodies our shared purpose – to gather. It brings together Indigenous cultural perspectives with Calgary’s and the region’s natural beauty, reflecting the four elements of nature – fire, ice, land and air.
A striking feature of the building is the central structure with a textured flame motif that emulates a home fire, which is further amplified when it is lit at night. The home fire, a place of warmth and energy that brings people together to share stories of the past and create stories for the future, rises from the white, glacial-like forms that define the lower parts of the building.
“When you consider that Calgary is already the envy of other cities with a new world-class convention centre in the heart of the Culture + Entertainment District, the addition of Scotia Place is another signal to investors that our city understands how to build a future that leverages hospitality and hosting as its core strengths,” says Mayor Jyoti Gondek. “We are also acknowledging and honouring the foundational role that Indigenous communities have played for generations in making Calgary, and now Scotia Place, a space where we all belong.”
Scotia Place, which is scheduled to open in fall 2027, celebrates the area’s importance as a place for all and will be a landmark attraction in Calgary’s emerging Culture + Entertainment District. More than a building, however, the 10-acre city block is designed for community and connection and includes a community rink, outdoor and indoor plazas spaces, four restaurants, the Calgary Flames Team Store, and future development opportunity in the northeast corner. It will provide gathering places and amenities for the 8,000 people who will live in this new downtown neighbourhood.
“Calgary has a long history of hosting world-class events, drawing millions of visitors to the city each year, generating revenue for local businesses, and boosting the economy,” says Danielle Smith, Premier of the Province of Alberta. “With construction on the Calgary Rivers District and Event Centre now underway, Calgary is one step closer to a revitalized downtown that will bring new energy into the city, attract more exciting events, and create jobs to improve the quality of life for Calgarians.”
A development permit application for the facility was submitted on July 19, 2024. This was a significant milestone for the project team, consisting of CAA ICON, HOK-DIALOG, and CANA/Mortenson. People interested in following or commenting on the permit can find the application at Calgary.ca/dmap. The application is expected to be heard by the Calgary Planning Commission by end of 2024.
“This is an important day for Calgary,” says Councillor Sonya Sharp, Event Centre Committee Chair. “Today is about so much more than the designs of a building. Today is the unveiling of a place where Calgarians and visitors from around the world will make memories at concerts, and sport and community events. I hope that everyone is as excited as we are, knowing that Scotia Place will become the complete experience in our new Culture & Entertainment District.”
“At CSEC, a key component of our mission is to be the heartbeat of our community, create connections and bring people together,” said Robert Hayes, CSEC President and CEO. “Scotia Place will become the perfect home to achieve and share this mission with all Calgarians. Seeing the design brings the vision of so many contributors to life. We are especially thankful to the City of Calgary and the Province of Alberta for their leadership and support to help bring us to this point. In stride with our partner Scotiabank, we are very proud to play our role in presenting Scotia Place as the culmination of diligence and passion, that is now visual in this breathtakingly beautiful and meaningful facility.”
“For years we have seen firsthand the value these partnerships bring to the communities in which we operate and for our clients,” said Aris Bogdaneris, Group Head, Canadian Banking of Scotiabank. “Scotia Place introduces a bold new vision for what will be Alberta’s premier sports and entertainment venue. For nearly 20 years, Scotiabank has been a proud partner of Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation and together, we are committed to bring fans and our clients an unforgettable experience when they walk through the doors of Scotia Place.”
“We are excited to start the construction of the critical infrastructure needed to build thousands of new homes and to make the Calgary’s new Culture + Entertainment district a reality,” says Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors. “Albertans expect basic infrastructure to be maintained and improved and this commitment from the province goes a long way in helping Calgary build these projects.”
Acknowledging the significance of the building’s location at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers on the ancestral land of the Treaty 7 Peoples and the Metis Nation, The City, CSEC, HOK-DIALOG and CAA ICON worked with an Indigenous Advisory Group that included representatives from the Treaty 7 Nations, the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3, and the Urban Indigenous community throughout the design process.
“It was great to be part of a truly representative voice that included all indigenous peoples of southern Alberta regarding the design of this center acknowledging the historic significance of the land it sits on to the Metis people,” said Carmen Lasante Captain of the Calgary Elbow Metis District. “Inclusivity is a core part of who the Metis are. The City has worked hard to include many diverse histories together in creating this space.”
“Engaging in the right way is fundamental to the success of relationship development with the Indigenous communities, as we have played a critical role in the identity of the land now known as the city of Calgary as the Indigenous nations are inextricable linked to the landscape and environment,” says Ira Provost, Piikani Nation Consultation
A key theme heard often during the Indigenous engagement sessions was “Come in, there is room”, making it clear that Scotia Place needs to be a place that is designed for all.
The public plazas are designed to honour the deep-rooted connection that Indigenous Peoples have with the land, incorporating representations of the tipi, Métis Trapper’s Tent, and elements of Alberta’s world-renown natural landscape.
An important design decision was to lower the event and ice surface so that the primary concourse will be at street-level. Calgarians and visitors will be able to move seamlessly between the curb, the primary concourse and the outdoor public plazas.
“We at DIALOG are thrilled to join forces with HOK and combine our unique expertise to transform Calgary’s Event Centre into the catalyst for a dynamic new urban community,” says Doug Cinnamon, Partner Architect at DIALOG.
“Other design principles including public realm activation, the integration of indigenous influences, public art & storytelling, sustainability, and a balance between past, present, and future is central to our vision. The ultimate goal is to ensure seamless accessibility, promote mixed uses, and create vibrant public areas for everyone to enjoy. This joint redesign represents an opportunity to spur investment into the area and enhance its cultural vitality, anchoring Calgary’s position as a thriving, bustling community hub.”
Scotia Place is a generational investment in Calgary’s emerging vibrant Culture + Entertainment District. A modern event centre with universal accessible design throughout and with energy and water conservation built in to maximize efficiencies and the ability to be net-zero by 2050, Scotia place is designed to serve Calgary’s growing community for decades to come.
Construction begins this week. Additional information about Scotia Place including design renderings, a video, and frequently asked questions is available on Calgary.ca/ScotiaPlace.
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