Howard Bloom is a scientist who has worn many hats, including that of a music industry public relations executive which allowed him to work with many notables such as Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna, Run DMC in addition to being an author of several books. His most recent book is titled "Global Brain", which made him a great speaker for the Thrivals Festival.
He was interviewed by Lakshmi Singh at the IdeaFestival 2010 and when asked what exactly he is, he answered, "I am everything that I can possibly be." He spoke much about human versus bacteria behavior. He said that bacteria were the first life forms to evolve and none of them work alone. They live in colonies of up to 7 trillian, but that entire colony might fit on the palm of your hand. He goes on to say that bacteria go out exploring and looking for other things while sending information back to benefit the whole. He said if they encounter something toxic, they have an internal suicide mechanism that first packs up their genetic information and sends it back to the others to warn them.
According to Bloom, human cells also have a self destruction mechanism. If we continuously experience things of no value and lack human interaction, we begin to shut down, our brain cells die, and our immune system weakens. We have to plug in to other humans and seek our passions.
Bloom says that no one wanted any thing to do with him growing up, and that is why he is able to see things from a different perspective than most. At age 10, a book jumped out and grabbed Bloom. The book gave him the idea that the quest for science is worth his life and that he should look at things as if he had never seen them before. At age 13, he realize he was an athiest: "a voice somewhere told me to look for the gods inside."
Michael Jackson would look at things as if he'd never seen them before, and Bloom says that is the reason that Jackson was his favorite artist to work with and the closest thing to a Divinity walking the planet that he's ever met. Through his career in the music industry, Bloom found that he had a talent for finding the gods within the artists. He would only work with them if he could get a few days with them without any of their assistants, managers or handlers around. He could learn to "channel" them.
"When you feel the audience glued to you, and their faces are melting to you, you feel someone dancing you around like a marionette..."he says. "I can find the person within that is dancing you around."
Bloom made it clear that anyone and everyone is capable of genius. He encourages people to go forth and follow their own passions without limiting themselves. He also encourages Omnology.
"We are all children of the cosmos.We carry the whole history of the cosmos in our make up..our purpose is to continuously shape her...If you've got all these major interests, follow them all simultaneously. You will come back with a message and know who you are because you are still following your passions."
