The Garden of Eden

[Gamerprinter]

Pardon the slightly political nature of this post, though it's not what you might think.

Three days ago on Linkedin (professionals social media networking site), I approved a friend request. On the home page I started seeing 8 posts a day from this new friend that was highly politically motivated. I sent her a PM, stating I regret having to do so, but since I've seen very little political posts on Linkedin, I didn't want to be inundated with more politics, and I was severing our friend connection. This very progressive woman decided to publish my PM publicly stating my decision to cut our link was due to political motivations. Then she began, vitriolic, liberal rantings of racism, hate, Hitler, etc. I calmly responded that as a Japanese American, with a multi-cultural family, both gay and Muslim friends - I'm not your typical conservative (I'm actually more Centrist, and not even conservative, though I lean right, though definitely not a liberal progressive). She later admitted she was responding with liberal rudeness.

I mentioned that I was a cartographer for the game industry, and then she stated that if I were to create a map of the Garden of Eden... she went on a rant about misogyny in the event of the expulsion of Adam and Even from Eden. I said, if I created a map of the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve, wouldn't be in the map, I only create illustrations of land, nature and structures. Its up to the user to populate it and use it to tell their story.

I asked if we could put our political views aside, and I offered to create a map of the Garden of Eden, so she could use it for her current rant as a project we can do together. Just because we don't agree political doesn't mean we have to hate each other in our disagreement. Let's collaborate, as a bridge between our conflicting views, no need for vitriol, let's do something positive together instead. She agreed.

Here's a product from my imagination, of what the Garden of Eden might appear to me. I didn't refer to any Biblical scholarship on what Eden is really supposed to appear. I created a garden like, semi-tropical area of natural beauty between two rivers just above where they merge together. On the bank at the river joining, I placed the Tree of Knowledge. My part in the collaboration is done - here it is.

GP

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