Robert’s Big Questions Telepresence: Where Am I?

by Robert Bernstein

Our Humanist Society of Santa Barbara followed other organizations in moving to Zoom meetings during Covid. But we do now have occasional social gatherings. At one such gathering recently I talked to a member who said she “hates Zoom” and will only attend in-person events.

I realized that she did not understand the concept of “telepresence” and I want to share this with you.

As defined by Merriam-Webster: Telepresence is “technology that enables a person to perform actions in a distant or virtual location as if physically present in that location.”

Telepresence provides the sense that you are in another place, and this idea can lead to a rich array of meanings and experiences. In recent years, telepresence is used to describe an immersive experience of being mentally transported to a distant location through virtual reality technology.

My good friend and mentor Jack Loomis was a pioneer in Virtual Reality (VR) for the purpose of psychology research. He wrote an excellent short paper for the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Symposium on Virtual Reality in 1993. The title is revealing: “Understanding Synthetic Experience Must Begin with the Analysis of Ordinary Perceptual Experience.”

His point being that before we try to understand the mystery of telepresence, we first need to understand the usually ignored wonder of ordinary presence!

As I wrote in my “You Are Dreaming Now?” article a year ago:

A “naive realist” believes that when they look out at the world, they are seeing the actual world. But this makes no sense. Your experience of the world is filled with color, pains, and tingles. But those things don’t exist in the world.

In fact, we take in sensory information and create a synthetic representational world, which is the world we really experience. Meaning that our ordinary life is one continuous VR experience.

Imagine dragging a walking stick along the road. Do you just feel vibrations in your hand? No. You “feel” the surface of the road just as if you ran your hand over it.

The modern da Vinci surgical robot came from a merger of Computer Motion (here in Santa Barbara) and Intuitive Surgical. Originally funded in part by NASA, surgeons are able to achieve telepresence at a very fine scale, as if they are down inside the patient’s body. All achieved through a few small incisions. At Computer Motion, I was able to experience a demonstration as if I were a surgeon. And more recently I was a grateful patient!

At the other size scale, a crane operator can have the telepresence of gently moving a massive, delicate piece of machinery into position on a rooftop. She is not aware of the levers she is moving; only the telepresence of the scaled-up movements.

I am also a grateful Zoom user. Once we allow ourselves to experience the wonder of telepresence, we can feel that we are in a shared space with the other Zoom participants. The result is that meetings that used to be small and local are now larger and global. And use vastly fewer resources than physical global meetings.

Think about how it is talking on the telephone. Most people feel that they are talking directly to the other person, rather than being aware of the device mediating the conversation. You can break the telepresence feeling by holding the phone away from your ear. The other person becomes a squawking sound from a tiny speaker.

As children, my brother and I would watch TV together and be transported to other worlds. Our mother rarely watched TV. When she entered the room, the spell would be broken. But she has an uncanny ability to read with great focus. At its best, reading can give us a similar kind of telepresence.

Philosopher Daniel Dennett wrote the definitive piece “Where Am I” in which he imagines his brain has been removed from his body for a dangerous mission. His brain and body are linked via radio and are separated by hundreds of miles. He feels that he is where his body is, not where his brain is. He goes on to imagine having multiple brains and bodies and other variations. A must read!

Telepresence can be so powerful as to override presence. I am often disturbed by someone walking straight toward me, looking at me and speaking. But they are on the phone, not seeing me at all. Presence and telepresence are willful states of mind!

Of course, Regan reminded me that training herding dogs isn’t just about the fun. There is a lot of etiquette surrounding the herding dogs and their role on the ranch. For example, it is a serious faux pas to give commands to another shepherd’s dog. It is also important that training does not officially start until the dog is about two years old, when they are mature enough to handle the work. Naturally, learning to give commands is just as much work for the shepherd as it is for the dog. But if you think that learning herding dog commands is the only new language shepherds need in their arsenal, you would be mistaken.

In our conversation, Regan introduced me to a practice known as “low stress stockmanship.” This is an ideology that emphasizes harmony when working with livestock. One of the ways they do this at Shepherdess Land & Livestock is by communicating with the animals in a way that they will understand.

“In some practices they use electric rods or they’re yelling or hitting, but this really stresses the sheep out and scares them. Instead, we try to work with the animals in the most peaceful way possible. For example, if you want a sheep to go forward, you walk straight up to them and they’ll go forwards. It’s like learning to dance. And when we’re guiding them into the trailers instead of yelling, we make these little grunting noises instead. It’s our way of saying, ‘Move over there, please.’”

While so much of a shepherd’s responsibilities are focused on nurturing growth in the environment around them, they also have an essential duty to themselves. A new shepherdess must dedicate a lot of time to personal growth in order to do the job.

Robert Bernstein holds degrees from Physics departments of MIT and UCSB. Passion to understand the Big Questions of life, the universe and to be a good citizen of the planet. Visit facebook.com/

“When you’re out on the ranch, there’s always a lot on the line. The people who do this are incredibly competent and very smart. People aren’t aware of just how technical the work is. I’m learning how to hitch a trailer, how to haul water, how to build an electric fence. And at the same time, I’m learning how to hold my body when I’m doing it, so I don’t hurt myself. I’m learning how to take care of myself so I can come back again and do it the next day.”

But as Regan said, growth isn’t just about learning but also about getting the chance to reflect, seeing and appreciating the big picture.

“I have never felt more fulfilled. I knew that, even when I was having a really hard day, the impact I was having was good. What I had done would benefit something bigger than me.” cried the whole time. It was such a full circle moment for this little kid from my background to make it into that room, playing that music with John Williams looking right at me. It was like I was honoring her legacy. And I have played every single score on that same intermediate instrument that she bought me because it really carried me through my darkest times. I still get choked up every time I think about it.”

Parnther’s unusual background story, astounding work ethic, and emotional transparency will likely uniquely inspire the instrumental fellow in the Academy Festival Orchestra to new depths this week. It’s hard to imagine that the audience at Saturday’s concert won’t be mightily moved, too.

Upcoming @ MA

Thursday, July 6: Punsters might want to dub tonight’s X2 Series concert as mostly Mozart but life’s a Beach, or that’s the way the Cooke-y Crumb-les. But this Apprentice-meets-Legend faculty-fellow mashup is serious stuff, as the advanced but still schooling young musicians are teamed with well-traveled teaching artists in genre-busting chamber music pieces. Tonight has bassoonist Dennis Michel joining four wind fellows for Amy Beach’s “Pastorale for

Woodwind Quintet, Op. 151”; pianist Martin Katz performing with soprano fellow Alissa Claire Goretsky and horn fellow Drew Morgan on Arnold Cooke’s “Nocturnes”; and percussion faculty Michael Werner playing vibraphone alongside fellows Margaret Tigue (soprano) and Zachary Marzulli (double bass). Then, Richie Hawley anchors a fellow string quartet for Mozart’s marvelously tuneful “Clarinet Quintet in A Major, K. 581.” (7:30 pm; Hahn Hall; $55)

Friday, July 7

The Lehrer Vocal Institute Studio Artists are a new addition to the vocal program that adds eight singers and a vocal pianist for a three-week residency as part of the summer festival. The studio artists receive lessons, coaching, and augment the chorus of the big opera production while serving as the star’s understudies, and being highlighted in a showcase series performance of their own. This afternoon, the singers and pianist Parker Konkle perform arias and art songs for an audience much like their full-time fellow peers, with the program TBA (1:30 pm; Lehmann Hall; $40)... The summer’s second Picnic Concert, where the fellows in self-created ensembles play works of their own choosing, offers a particu - larly wide-ranging palette including Leroy Anderson’s “Bugler’s Holiday” featuring the four trumpet fellows; two movements of Rachmaninoff’s “Sonata for Cello and Piano in G minor, Op. 19,” with cellist Patrick Baek and pianist Forrest Howell ; Paul Dukas’ “Villanelle” for horn and piano, starring Blake Moreland and Shao-Chu Pan ; Amy Beach’s “Romance for Violin and Piano, Op. 23,” with Sarah Beth Overcash and Jarod Yap ; and SaintSaëns’ “Sonata No. 1 for Violin and Piano in D minor, Op. 75,” featuring John Fawcett and Benjamin Pawlak . (7:30 pm; Hahn Hall; $40)

Saturday, July 8

Hollywood film and TV score superstar Anthony Parnther makes his Academy debut conducting the Academy Festival Orchestra, pared down to accommodate the ongoing Opera orchestra, in a concert at Hahn Hall featuring Shostakovich’s Ninth Symphony, the string suite from the Psycho soundtrack, plus von Weber’s Overture from Euryanthe and Carlos Simon’s “An Elegy: A Cry from the Grave.” See above ( page 5 ) for an interview with Parnther. (7:30 pm; Hahn Hall; $55)

Tuesday, July 11

This afternoon brings the La bohème covers concert. Unlike in rock ‘n’ roll, it’s not a tribute band doing their best to recreate the original, but rather the chance for the understudies of the main characters to unleash their own performance of Puccini for the public. It’s not just for our enjoyment, though. Ever since the flu sickened several of the stars going way back to when the opera was still produced at the opera, they’ve added this event to ensure that the vocalists are well versed in singing their parts in real time on stage with non-peer people paying attention. But we still get to experience Puccini’s most famous opera in concert in the acoustic gem of Hahn Hall. (2 pm; Hahn Hall; $10)... All hail Hadelich ! The stillyoung violin superstar is a Grammy winner who is consistently cited worldwide for his phenomenal technique, soulful approach, and insightful interpretations that range from Bach and Brahms to Bartók and beyond. We’ve seen him a-plenty in town, including at this very venue for CAMA just last April, and going back to his first appearance as soloist with the Santa Barbara Symphony back in 2008. But a recital as a Mosher Guest Artist, this one with Chairman of Juilliard’s collaborative piano department Jonathan Feldman and featuring works by Schubert, Ravel, Prokofiev, ColeridgeTaylor Perkinson, and Eugène Ysaÿe? Yes, please. (7:30; Lobero; $55).... Hankering for more Hadelich? He’ll also be heading up the violin master class on Wednesday, infusing the younger musicians with some hints of his heaven-sent talent. (3:30 pm; Hahn Hall; $10)

Wednesday, July 12

Tonight’s Chamber Nights series of salon-style concerts features 13 fellows performing post-reception in the intimate Weinmann Hall, which seems like a lot before we recall that last week had 28. But it’s a lucky 13, as the program boasts Valerie Coleman ’s 2015 wind quintet “Red Clay and Mississippi Delta”; Prokofiev’s “Quintet in G minor, Op. 39,” that blends flute and oboe with a string trio; and Mendelssohn’s “Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49.” The sounds should be even more full bodied than the wine. (7:30 pm; Lehmann Hall; $45) collection begun by Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913) is housed at the 1906 McKim building. It is a National and NYC Landmark made public in 1924 by Morgan Jr.

Art collections are rotated in the galleries. The east wing is a three-story library of rare books with concealed staircases behind them. The ceiling is painted with the signs of the zodiac related to Morgan’s life events along with portraits of Socrates and Michelangelo. The book and manuscript collection includes letters by George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, along with journals of Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. There is a book vault, garden, and bookstore. The tours and events for the summer are selling out now.

Celebrating its 96th birthday is the world renown Strand Bookstore. The main location at Broadway and 12th Street has 18 miles of books on three floors and reopened its Rare Book Room – indeed! Founded in 1927 on Fourth Avenue’s “book row” it was started as a used bookstore by Ben Bass. The store is still in the family with 3rd generation owner Nancy Bass Wyden. The oldest and most expensive book in stock, valued at $45,000, is the 1935 edition of Ulysses by James Joyce and illustrated by Henri Matisse, one of 250 signed by both [Limited Editions Club New York]. Matisse said he never read the book but rendered drawings based on Homer’s Odyssey causing Joyce to refuse to sign the books initially. From rare to new to used, it is the place for your literature fix!

A Literal Feast

The best NYC burger is the Burger Spot, in a hidden location literally behind red velvet curtains in the posh lobby of the 5-star Thompson Central Park Hotel at 119 West 56th Street. Enter the graffiti-walled ‘70s joint with the menus on cardboard signs and eat well. The burgers are USDA certified angus beef cut fresh and hand pressed. Add a real milk-milkshake or IPA beer, spicy slaw, and fries, or vegetarian option, and you are set. The place is tiny and busy with its eclectic crowd; pay cash, grab a booth, and feel free to write your name on the wall!

The famous dive bar, Rudy’s Bar & Grill on 9th Avenue, is an ode to NYC history and noted in Steely Dan’s 1977 song, “Black Cow.” Walking in, you’re greeted by its mascot Baron – a six-foot wood carved pig. Still serving premium beers starting at $3 with free hot dogs, sit at the mahogany bar on the left or one of a few booths on the right. Here the myths are true. Patrons include union workers, sports teams, and politicians mixed with Paul McCartney, Slash, and Jimmy Fallon. The bartender may be tiny, but she is tough enough to bounce anyone out. Cash only, open ‘til 4 am.

In homage to the 25th anniversary of Sex and the City, stop by 64-66 Perry Street brownstones and remember to avoid the neighbors. The SJP Collection flagship store – Sarah Jessica Parker’s shoe store – is around the corner on Bleecker Street.

Other goodies are organic teas at Cha Cha Matcha café; the view of NYC from the Edge at Hudson Yards; the reopened Tavern on the Green; and wine-down in the Village at the Hudson Clearwater Restaurant’s romantic hidden patio.

Joanne A Calitri is a professional international photographer and journalist. Contact her at: artraks@ yahoo.com