Encrypted paragraphs in this blog are now a thing

If you're going through my blog posts and happen to chance across a paragraph of what appears to be complete nonsensical gibberish, keep your cool. That was a paragraph encrypted with the Advanced Encryption Standard (or AES) with a secret key specific to that post.

In case you've come here directly from a post that has such an encrypted paragraph, then know that the only way you can view that content is by having the right key. Simply use an AES decrypter tool (if I haven't included one in the paragraph already), and then copy paste the text, input the key and run the tool. You may need to decode the text from base64 which I use in my encrypted paragraphs to prevent character encoding problems.
If you're looking for such a tool, you should know that there are several online websites for this. Just give Google a try sometimes, you lazy buffoon.
Keep in mind that if you don't have the right key (the secret bit of text used to encrypt the paragraph and will generate the right cleartext when used while decrypting), then there is little sense in trying this.
The key is specific to the post that contains the paragraph. This means that all paragraphs in one post can be decrypted using the same key, but if two paragraphs exist in different posts on this blog, they will require different keys for successful decryption.

This idea first hit me when a friend of mine did something similar in his own blog.
I realized that when I write posts that include my perspective in general, there's often something I need to include that's personal, offensive, immature or in any other way just unsuitable for my general audience to view.
This could include anything from a rant about how I secretly hate my girlfriend's sister, to a note that I want my future self to read.

So why don't you entirely just hide the paragraph instead, Arvind?
Because I want to let the readers know that whatever legible text they can read, isn't the entire story.
That there is more that needs to be said about what I've written, but at the same time isn't meant for everyone to see.
I want to let the readers know that however astronomical, they have the chance to use the right key and decrypt that paragraph so they can take a look.

Also, to keep things more organized, and for the sake of my own convenience, I've labelled every post that has an encrypted paragraph with the "hidden content" tag.

In fact, to get things rolling already, here's an encrypted paragraph where I write about how I feel about this approach to hide inappropriate content. Since this is a sample, the key to decrypt this is "ogodplswork". Do not expect me to give away the key for any future content that I really wish to hide.

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

Here's another encrypted paragraph. Keys are specific to the post they are in. So the same key should work here too. Try it.

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

What makes us different?

This post is part of the "First Few Old Blog Posts" archive.
You could expect a certain lack of coherency/maturity from these posts.

What are we? The most advanced species on earth? The product of billion years of evolution?

We were apes weren't we? That wasn't so long ago to be honest. We evolved fairly quickly compared to many other animals.
So , did God decide to suddenly lead us into the path of evolution that would make us the most advanced beings on earth?

No.

We evolved because we felt the need to.
With as much intellect as we had , we figured that in order to make our lives better , we must become more intelligent and more efficient. And thus we adapted , becoming who we are now. We are still evolving. We seek to be able to do more and to be capable of thinking more.

So that's settled. We are all humans. And if that made classification any simpler out of the 1.7 million discovered species on earth , we all are different. Yes , different. In every way that matters we are all humans. The way we think , behave is all common to our society but the answer to "how so" varies with every person.

I have often contemplated on this topic for hours and hours struggling to take in the complexity of the human mind and the way it functions with every different person. Predictably similar yet startlingly different. I know that a person who is watching TV is not going to turn back and look across the room unless it is of utmost importance. The same may not apply when you might be watching a movie on your computer because you can always pause it or play it back from the part where you got distracted from , but there's no watching it again on TV if you missed it.

We are all similar to the point that we all are humans. And different to the point that we all are different humans. There was a time before a couple of years back when I used to think that citizens of foreign countries probably think differently or have a completely different approach to situations. That was probably the most inaccurate assumption that I have made till date. When I conversed with a few American and African acquaintances of mine , I figured that we were so similar that even our major philosophies coincided. All of them went to school and learnt pretty much the same subjects and lived in quite the same way as we do. I guess I should credit that to universal concepts like money and power.

And yet our cultures and social behaviors are so different. That of course is due to the society that they were brought up in. But these days , due to this new social element in our life known as the internet , we are getting shaped by common factors as well. Putting aside cultural and social influences , I shall now lay down my final deductions on this matter.

Humans are unique. It's just how we're made. Every person born has a unique identity to themselves. Unique fingerprints , unique DNA. It's like you have a certified position on this planet where you have been already registered with a unique ID. Genetics and hereditary factors make sure that we are always unique. A combination of 2 unique ID's making another unique ID and this cycle continues. I remember spending a week by itself pondering about how unique we can get to be. A position in this planet that no one else can take. And well it isn't possible to cram a week worth of philosophy into this blog , so i'll just delve into the basics. The rest might be for some other day.

Alright , I began by formulating a simple experiment that I named the Parallel Thought Experiment. It isn't exactly simple to perform in real life so I asked a few high ranking doctor's (it's good to have friends who can contact you to the right people) about their conclusions on it. It basically involved taking 2 twins born at the exact same time to have no conscious memory of any past event and placed in two different but exactly identical rooms. (the point here is that they must have experienced the same things at the same time)
Now , will these two people think along the exact same lines? Will they both get up , and think "Where am I" at the "exact" same time? The doctor's were impressed. They told me that such experiments had already been conducted in many places but in all cases , the responses were never same. This seems to indicate that we are all different mentally. Even though we might be physically the same and have gone through the same influencing factors , out response will be as unique as the next person's. In short , parallel thinking is never practically possible. The question "why" has been of great controversy. And most people (including me in the past) have used this opportunity to fit in the concept of the "soul" and such.

Another concept that I had thought of a long time ago was this:
We all have our favorites don't we? Favorite color , favorite movie , favorite song etc
I found this intriguing as well that what I find pleasant , may be disturbing for the next person. For example: I like beats. I don't care how crappy the actually song as , as long as it has a good enough beat to go along with it , i'll swallow the whole song up. And it's actually so surprising that other people don't even care about it. I mean , when there's a catchy beat going on , others might say "Meh , change that song" , and all I can do is stare in awe. I mean , how on earth is it possible for someone to not be interested in something so awesome.
Now , the reason why I like good beats so much is because I'm tuned to it. I'm more comfortable to it and thus my ears are always on the lookout for it. It's how I grew up. Your tastes depend on how you build them. In the same way , I might not enjoy electronic so much , where as there might be a hell load of people who have claimed to not have heard music so fine as that. Again , this is how you hone your tastes. All our favorites are what we are tuned most to. We find it better than the others because that's what we have sharpened our tastes to.

But then again , a revelation struck me. Lets take our favorite colors - mine is blue. My brother's is orange. Different. Colors , one of the most basic factors of influence , happen to differ in taste as well. I asked myself "why". And at the end , I thought of something. What if we actually see different colors? I mean , what if what I see as blue is the same as what my brother sees when he looks at orange? He knows it by the name "orange" so that's what he calls it. But what if the colors we actually saw were different from what each other person sees as well? It would make perfect sense wouldn't it? What I see as blue , is everyone else's favorite color. Only , they know it in different names than mine. Now , take hearing as well. People may not share their favorite song with mine because maybe they don't hear it in the same way as I do. Relate this to everything else.

Finally , we can say that whether we like it or not , whether we'd choose to or not , we're different. Different in personality. And again , we are similar. Similar as a whole being.

In the end , it all depends on whether you're an optimist or a pessimist.

Quote:
‎"Order is your next Anarchy" ~ EnKrypt