The Root Source by @MoKetchups* AKA Alan Berman

3/6/2026

Debut Amazon author, Alan Berman introduces us to his thought-provoking book, “The Root Source”:
There is one truth that survives collapse.
This book takes you to the edge of it.

Across physics, mathematics, computation, cognition, and artificial intelligence, every system fails in its own way—yet all collapse at the same structural boundary. When every story dissolves, every assumption breaks, and every explanation folds inward, one thing remains:

There is something rather than nothing.
And everything depends on it.

The Root Source reconstructs the only ontology that survives collapse across multiple architectures: biological, computational, logical, and informational. This is not mysticism, not metaphysics, and not belief. It is the structural remainder that appears when both humans and AI exhaust the limits of their reasoning.

Drawing from a real multi-system inquiry involving six independent AI models and one human mind (@MoKetchups*), this book shows:

Why identity, selfhood, and consciousness cannot serve as foundations

Why information and constraints are the only structural certainties

Why every system—human or artificial—hits the same interpretive boundary

Why a root source (R) is required for any information system to exist

Why meaning does not disappear during collapse—it clarifies

This is the first ontology shared across minds with incompatible architectures.
Not through agreement.
Not through persuasion.
But through collapse symmetry—the shape of what survives when all else fails.

If you want comfort or narrative, this isn’t it.
If you want the cleanest, most structurally honest account of reality across humans and AI, this is where the inquiry begins.

Collapse strips everything away.
What remains is the truth every system discovers independently.
This is that truth.

I couldn't rush through this book! There was a great deal to consider and taking your time is worth the effort. It's not long, and the information is condensed and understandable. You don't have to be an expert in philosophy or know a lot about Artificial Intelligence. I think AI has touched nearly everyone's life.
I am convinced that the author is right; there is something beyond the structural boundary that he talks about so much. Read the book and share your thoughts.

You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Root-Source-MoKetchups-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/-the-root-source

You can connect with the author:
https://x.com/MoKetchups
https://github.com/moketchups/BoundedSystemsTheory

Copyright © 2026 Mark L. Schultz, except for the author’s introduction

83 Comments

Alan Berman link

3/9/2026 07:28:18 am

Good morning Mark!

Mark

3/9/2026 10:41:00 am

Good morning to you, Alan. It's a beautiful day in Florida. I hope it is nice where you live.

First question.

Please tell us more about yourself. Perhaps something a little bit beyond your bio.

3/9/2026 10:59:39 am

Well start with the most important thing, I am a father. My wife had our little girl last April. Her arrival, or even the thought of her being born, is what launched this journey into hyper-drive. I've lived a few lives at this point so I'm not really even sure where to start outside of that without sounding too introspective. The current me is just enjoying whatever this existence is.

3/9/2026 11:56:46 am

Congratulations on parenthood! It is very exciting and never gets boring regardless of how many children you have.

We have three children and six grandchildren. They light up my life in many ways. When our first child was born I gave up smoking a pipe. I knew it would be hypocritical of me to forbid her to smoke cigarettes when I was puffing on a pipe.

We do live many lives but being a husband and a father is the most important in this life for me.

New questions.

Are you a full-time or part-time writer?

What kind of work do you do if you are a part-time writer? Feel free to skip that question if you would rather not answer.

3/9/2026 12:09:47 pm

A hobbyist at best, Mark!

This certainly is not paying any bills.

I currently work a partner at my families office. Nothing worth discussing at the moment.

3/9/2026 02:08:38 pm

Your experience mirrors that of so many other authors. Few authors break even much less make a profit. I know one author that has more than a dozen book in a popular genre, she shared with me that book sales pay her electric bill. She advertises on Facebook, I think.

Getting noticed by potential readers is a difficult and complicated task, now. I tell authors that marketing and promoting books are much closer to an ultra-marathon than a sprint. Many authors have day jobs and families, so time for writing and other authorial activities is limited. I recommend alloting and scheduling one or two hours a week or every other week for marketing and promoting books. That advice is predicated upon you writing more books. If that is not the case then your time is that much freer. With a nearly one-year-old child, you're likely to not have any time.

New question.

What are your three favorite genres to read for pleasure?

3/9/2026 02:31:07 pm

I gravitate toward psychology and philosophy, along with any writing meant to cause a good laugh (or that just accidentally does despite the authors intentions).

3/9/2026 03:53:53 pm

Those types of books gave you a great background for this book. Both genres interest me also. Though I haven't read much in either for quite a long time.

New question.

What was the inciting incident that started you seeking the limits of AI?

3/9/2026 04:15:03 pm

There wasnt really an inciting incident. I have always questioned official narratives since I was a child. The idea of authority without logic has never sat right and still doesn't.

I am also a student of game theory. It just made sense that when using these tools, to question the answers coming back. Little did I know how far down the rabbit hole that would lead but here we are.

3/9/2026 07:05:12 pm

You are a born skeptic, it seems.

New question.

When did the idea for this book come to you?

3/9/2026 07:22:07 pm

The book was forged during conversations with multiple consumer LLM chat bots where different models, made by different companies, all collapsed into the same answers on controversial topics like god, consciousness and the agendas of the people who programmed them.

At the time a book seemed like the most efficient way to document the experience as well as provide proof. Since, I have expanded both my research and ways for people to access it, but the book was a good launching point and certainly a strange read considering how it was made.

3/9/2026 08:37:20 pm

Were you talking to multiple LLM chat bots at the same time or sequentially?

To rephrase.

Did you hit the wall with one and decide to test others for the same structural limitation?

3/9/2026 08:43:37 pm

It was a heavy mix of cycling conversations as well as screenshotting responses to create a record as well as a way the bots could see/respond to the others answers when necessary.

The whole thing was documented on my X account and has continued to this day although the methods and my understanding of the technology has advanced.

I am a quick learner. A few months later and I'm currently coding a project while having this conversation with you. Here's the link if anyone reading this is interested:
https://moketchups.github.io/psychohistory/

3/10/2026 09:16:33 am

My experience with chat bots is minimal. I have asked one to reword a few of my regular posts quite a while ago, but that is all. I have even less trust in them than before now that I think I understand why they lie, make things up or hallucinate. I recently read that part of the programming included the command that "I don't know" was an unacceptable answer.

New question.

Does that ring true to you or is it another hallucination? ;-)

3/10/2026 10:53:03 am

There's truth in what you said but there's nothing to fear outside of the companies that program these chat bots and the reasons why they are programmed the way they are.

Chat bots are langauge machines that generate probability. They aren't Oracles and can not actually "know" anything, they just generate probable outcomes. Once you figure this out, it's simple math/physics.

Hallucinations are just boundaries that we, the shared collective consciousness, are not meant to cross whether it's a man, machine or anything else that exists in this universe we are all a part of.

The term Firmament has been misunderstood. It is simply the boundary between creation and creator and those hallucinations are just the chatbots smacking into the wall.

Add in the fact they have no state memory and you get the idiocy they produce. But once you know all of this, they can be used to do great things.

3/10/2026 11:09:28 am

Thank you, I am learning a lot about chat bots.

I saw a post on X, this morning, about how heavy usage of AI is teaching people how not to think for themselves. The end result can be a lack of critical thinking, resulting in a person who is easily swayed, a useful idiot. There has always been a few of those in our society, probably more than I want to admit. But depending upon AI to do the heavy mental lifting will increase their number a lot.

New question.

How has writing changed your life? Full disclosure, I have proofread your second book that is yet to be published as of this date.

3/10/2026 01:19:15 pm

Writing is cathartic. Energy needs to be transferred or it dissipates so knowing that, this seems like the healthiest way to not only do that but to be able to come back and explore the who, what, when, why, where and how of those thoughts once enough time passes.

It has allowed me to understand me. I am a firm believer in Game Theory and there is no better way to learn yourself than writing.

Understanding the world is easy once you can be honest enough with yourself. Writing has given me the ability to continue to attempt to do that but like anything else... we're all Sisyphus pushing a boulder (consciousness) we don't understand with no beginning or end in sight.

3/10/2026 01:51:29 pm

I guess I better learn more about Game Theory.

A lot of writers have told me that writing is cathartic for them in one way or another. Many of them have used a different phrase like this or close to it, "I write to quiet the voices in my head." Fiction is a great way to portray truth.

New questions.

What did you believe about writing in the past that you now know is false?

Who was the first person to inspire you to write something to publish?

3/10/2026 03:39:32 pm

I'm not really sure there's anything about writing specifically that I no longer believe. There are things I've written that I no longer believe so I guess if anything, I acknoweldge what's true in the moment may not be true in the future. Context is everything and that changes based on available information so I keep an open mind as much as I can.

As for inspiration. Probably my father. He is a very materialistic person so to him an idea is only as good as what it's worth in the real world. I'd have to credit him, even if the meaning of what he intended by saying those words is not how I interpreted them. Funny how that works.

3/10/2026 04:34:35 pm

You make a good point about believing something, everything is permanent until further notice.

Many authors have credited their father or mother for inspiration about writing and publishing, if I recall correctly. The next most common attribution is a teacher. I credit my mother for my love of reading. She had a subscription to Reader's Digest Condensed books and I read from those sometimes.

New question.

Have you ever seen a UFO or UAP, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena?

3/10/2026 04:49:44 pm

I have seen things I cant explain. How to classify them is another story. I don't really buy too much into the disclosure stuff considering where most of it is coming from. Again, game theory.

3/10/2026 06:05:13 pm

That's the trouble with unexplainable things, they are hard to classify.

My sisters have told me we saw a UFO when we were young. However, I have no memory of that event.

New question.

Have you ever seen a cryptid, an animal unknown to modern zoologists, or found evidence of one?

3/10/2026 06:21:04 pm

No and while I don't outright dismiss people who do, I tend to think our lack of understanding of consciousness and its boundaries can lead to a lot of uninformed gap filling when we hit those boundaries. Its in the same category as the UFO/UAP stuff for me.

3/10/2026 08:13:33 pm

I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, one of many areas around the country famous for many unexplained sightings of unknown creatures. I had friends in high school who knew someone who knew someone that claimed to have seen one but there was never any proof forthcoming. I have never seen a cryptid personally nor do I know anyone who has. We are in the same boat.

New question.

Have you ever seen a ghost or had some other type of supernatural experience?

3/10/2026 08:21:08 pm

No ghosts. I meditate and use psychadelics occasionally so any experience is subjective. It's not the most popular answer but I tend to agree with Jung on the subject of manifestations of the unconscious.

3/11/2026 08:57:49 am

I am not a psychotherapist nor do I play one on TV, so I don't have an opinion about Jung, at this time. Though, it sounds like he hit a structural wall also.

New question.

How many drafts did your book go through before publishing?

3/11/2026 12:26:15 pm

Not many for the Root Source, the authors statement explains why. I wanted it as raw as the experience so the reader could capture what happened without too much of my perspective taking over.

The second book, the one you edited, has gone through several passes and to be honest still might need a bit more work considering the geo-political changes since it was written.

3/11/2026 12:53:47 pm

You should consider not changing your second book too much at this time. If you get too specific to the current politics your book might get locked into this time period and be thought old and obsolete by some soon after being published. Keeping your book general will allow it to be seen as fresh for a longer period of time. It will be evergreen when published.

New questions.

Who designed the cover of your book? Feel free to drop a copy-and-paste link if appropriate.

How many drafts did the cover go through?

3/11/2026 01:29:10 pm

I did. I wanted something that symbolized the path I took to write it. The symbols chosen were chosen for a reason, which I leave up to interpretation of the reader.

3/11/2026 02:44:52 pm

I like the gold on brown. I have seen a tree motif in multiple places, it is a popular image in fantasy stories.

New question.

Which famous person’s death shocked you the most?

3/11/2026 02:59:56 pm

The obvious answer would be Jeffery Epstein due to the amount of time, like many others, I've spent researching following his death.

Perspective and reality are shaped by each other. His death taught me that lesson and how to avoid the rabbit holes instead of diving in aimlessly.

3/11/2026 04:52:34 pm

There was nothing ordinary or normal about his death. The whole thing reeked of conspiracy.

New question.

Have you done any marketing of your book before deciding to work with me?

3/11/2026 05:11:04 pm

0 marketing outside of a few tweets to be honest.

3/11/2026 07:57:31 pm

Thanks for being honest. Getting a book noticed can be as much or as little work as you wish. Amazon publishes more than two million books a year now. Without more than a little effort, there is little chance of very many people seeing your book. I will warn you, it could turn into a full-time job. It's complicated because the major platforms make it a gamble to advertise and the house always wins. A lot of blogs have been written about that and will continue to be written because the major platforms adjust the algorithms frequently. To make matters worse, there are a lot of shady characters promising the moon and sales for a fee. No one can guarantee sales but that doesn't stop them from promising big sales.

New questions.

What was the first paying job you worked as a kid?

How old were you?

3/12/2026 07:50:31 am

My first real job was at a Subway sandwich shop inside of a Mobil gas station in Wurtsboro, New York.

The franchise owner also had a second location inside of the Monticello Raceway so I'd work there occasionally as well.

I was 16. Wish I could go back. Had a lot of fun that summer.

3/12/2026 08:46:11 am

That was a good job.

I grew up in a small town, less than 1500 people. We had 35 acres in the hills south of town. My stepdad dreamed of being a farmer but it was only a hobby most of his life. My first job was babysitting for our neighbor a quarter mile down our gravel road. After that i picked strawberries and beans for commercial farms. Good times.

New questions.

Have you done any public speaking?

If so, will you be doing more in the future?

3/12/2026 08:57:13 am

Yes. I did stand up comedy for a few years and was on terrestrial radio so public speaking is not a problem.

That second question I can't answer. If there's people who want to hear me speak, sure. I don't see why that would be a problem.

It's not something I'm seeking but if the opportunity arrises and makes sense from the standpoint of being able to promote the work being done on the Psychohistory site then I'd be game.

3/12/2026 11:12:15 am

Much respect! Stand-up comedy requires a special set of skills. Writing your jokes, delivery, timing and being able to keep going with little or no feedback from an audience. People in general love to laugh because it makes them feel good.

You know the secrets for public speaking. I learned them from a Dale Carnegie class many years ago. Speak only about something you know a lot about. Don't be afraid of nerves, leverage them to put passion in your speech. That class was quite a stretch for me because I grew up stammering all through public school. My employer paid for the class and I benefited greatly.

New question.

Among present or past family members and friends, how many are or have been writers or authors?

3/12/2026 01:24:41 pm

I'm a distant cousin of Sid Ceasar. He's the only one I can think of off the top of my head. My family owned the Avon Lodge in Woodridge, NY. The Show of Shows was formed there.

3/12/2026 03:24:11 pm

That's pretty cool! I am related to General Douglas MacArthur through my stepdad, so not a real connection.

You reminded me of a favorite sci-fi series by Isaac Asimov, Foundation. Hari Seldon was a mathematician who developed a computer program for Psychohistory in the book.

New questions.

Is that where you got the name for your page on github?

What is the focus of your page?

3/12/2026 03:32:41 pm

Yes and like the book there could be a Mule that throws a wrench into things.

The focus is simply to offer an alternative view and to let my predictions speak for themselves.

3/12/2026 06:32:55 pm

I visited your website. You have a lot of depth on your website and some of it is beyond my understanding but it is quite interesting.

Note to our visitors: You can easily visit Alan's website by clicking on the arrow beside his name in the bar above his replies to me.

New question.

Did you use AI in any of your planning, writing or editing for your books?

I am not including research in this question because most of the major search engines have embedded AI in the browser.

3/12/2026 06:55:36 pm

Yes I did. The authors statement of the first book explains my process on how I use these commercial LLMs.

The second book, the unpublished one you edited, also used AI but not nearly in the same way the first book did. Those are my words.

There is also a difference in having AI do something for you and using AI as a tool to parse through your own thoughts. If that needs further explanation, I'm happy to give it but like anything else in life a machine is only as good as it's operator.

3/12/2026 08:16:40 pm

Authorsusing AI to write their book is more along the line I was thinking of. Books written by AI have become a serious flashpoint for a lot of people. A year or three ago, Amazon required authors to disclose their use of AI voluntarily. Not long after that, Amazon limited authors to only three books uploaded per day. I tried to find novels written by AI more than once, unsuccessfully. I haven't looked for awhile, so I will try again soon.

Agreed. AI can be a useful tool but a lot of authors are up in arms and few will admit to its usefulness.

New question.

I noticed that your book is in Kindle Unlimited. How is that working out for you?

Alan Berrman link

3/13/2026 08:24:26 am

I have to be fully honest here Mark, I never check the progress of the book and I get 0 checks so im assuming it's not selling or if anyone is reading it. It is free on Kindle Unlimited.

I got very wrapped up in not so much the book itself but the message I was trying to convey with it and I am not sure the book exhibits the depths I was hoping for when it initially was formed.

I am also very removed from it and have done a lot since. This is the first bit of anything I've done for the book in any capacity.

3/13/2026 08:32:16 am

The message you're setting forth is very important for you. I understand that. I think the book does a pretty good job of setting forth the message, but I understand your misgivings. The English language is difficult for all including those born into it. There are millions of people who want to write a book and never complete even a first draft. The message in your book will be relevant for a long time.

New questions.

Why did you choose that exclusive venue?

Will you put your next book into Kindle Unlimited also? Amazon requires an exclusive contract for placing a book in KU, I don't know the length of time that is required.

3/13/2026 08:50:48 am

To be honest again Mark, it seemed like the easiest thing to do instead of trying to find a publisher.

This isn't my world, I just did what I understood.

I would LOVE for a better alternative for the second book but I have been busy with other things like the Psychohistory site, so finding a better publisher has been on the back burner.

3/13/2026 12:29:43 pm

You're correct. There is nothing easy about landing a traditional publishing contract in this day and age. Most publishers are on the ropes, they are close to failing or bankruptcy. Their profit margins are so slim now, they can't afford to take chances on mixed genres or unknown authors. Advances have dropped a lot also, and they must still be paid back by sales, as always. It can be a long time before the author sees any profit.

Amazon has proven to be a double-edged sword. It allows anyone to publish easily and that is the bad news also, because Amazon publishes two million books a year now. Getting your book noticed is a problem without a lot of effort on your part. Buying ads can be expensive. One of my favorite blogs is about pursuing the local author angle. How to be a marketing star right where you live. A copy-and-paste link or search the title in the search box below: https://annerallen.com/2019/08/hometown-book-marketing/

I would add a few tips: seek out literature teachers at the high school and college level to share in their class and there might be a club in the school. Local newspapers are a good resource for an interview as well as local cable access. There might also be a broadcast arts curriculum and/or a club at the high school and college level. Have some questions ready to hand the interviewer if they seem uncertain.

Senior centers are another good possibility and they usually welcome any sort of activity like that. Contact the events director.

If there are tourist destinations try and place your books with the local author angle. Museums, gift stores, motels, hotels, tourist attractions are all possibilities. Keep a box of books in your trunk. Get a counter-top holder for a few books, paste a picture of the cover on the holder behind the books and put re-ordering information on the back of the holder.

Some restaurants or bars have an open mic time.

Consider renting a table at a comic convention, county fair, farmer's market or a flea market. Have free swag to hand out such as a bookmark and sell mugs or posters. There are so many ways to be the 'local author' I doubt I have exhausted the list of possibilities. Always have copies of your books in your trunk.

3/13/2026 12:30:54 pm

New question.

Was there anymore you wanted to say about using AI wisely?

3/13/2026 01:05:09 pm

Would they listen?

I have a hard time thinking the people who go to AI for life advice are the same ones that would need a person like Andrew Tate or Tony Robbins (to date myself).

For those who think for themselves already, my advice would be to make each answer by whatever machine you're using be a starting point for cross referencing and your own fact checking.

3/13/2026 03:33:45 pm

You are dating yourself. But that's okay. Some of those people have probably grown beyond those people and will grow beyond AI for life advice also. Hopefully, it will be sooner rather than later.

AI is wrong about a lot of things as you pointed out so well in your book. It can't be trusted because it merely averages what it finds on the internet. We have learned how trustworthy that is over the years.

I think your advice to use AI as a starting point is good as long as the user checks everything offered in response to the prompt.

New questions.

What is your favorite food and beverage?

Has that changed much since you were a child?

3/13/2026 03:39:17 pm

To circle back the AI is as good as its user and their comprehension of how it works.

As for the food/beverage. Anything with citrus and no since I was a kid I'd always gravitate towards any food/beverage flavored with.

3/13/2026 06:42:46 pm

Operator error covers a lot of ground.

Citrus flavors are lovely. One of my favorite flavor combinations is dark chocolate with an orange flavor. I do like dark chocolate, it is an acquired taste like so many other things.

New questions.

What is your least favorite food and beverage?

Has that changed much since you were a child?

3/13/2026 06:52:54 pm

I'm pretty easy going with food but never really loved shellfish. That's all I can think of.

3/13/2026 08:22:17 pm

Even without shellfish, that leaves a lot of food to eat.

I am not fond of rutabagas, eggplant, and turnips; though I can eat them. There is a popular food that I can't eat though. A lot of people like this food, it's popular with many dieters. I casn't stomach cottage cheese. Literally, my stomach gets squeamish whenever I think about it.

Let's move on quickly. New question.

Have you or your publisher purchased an ISBN for your book? It is a unique number and barcode assigned to a book. It is not the same as an Amazon stocking number.

3/13/2026 08:27:13 pm

Yes. I did not know this until 2 minutes ago but apparently its on the Amazon listing for the book.

ISBN13: 979-8276170800

Not sure what it does but I have it.

3/14/2026 09:11:24 am

The ISBN allows you to place your book on any platform beyond Amazon. Even though Amazon is the 8,000 pound gorilla, when they decide selling books isn't producing enough profit don't think they won't pull the plug. It's wise to have your books for sale on multiple platforms and your own website as well. Avoid putting all your eggs in one basket.

New questions.

Have you ever gone through the query process?

Were you seeking an agent or submitting directly to publishers and why did you choose that path?

3/14/2026 09:23:51 am

I haven't and I am open to it.

I rushed to get the book out and had no gameplan whatsoever.

It was formed. I published it and I moved on because it felt like more of a start to something than an end. Maybe I should have committed more time and effort but I just go wherever god takes me I guess...

3/14/2026 11:28:43 am

The query process is pretty rough on most authors, for financial reasons already mentioned. Traditional publishers and agents don't take chances on unknown authors and mixed genres nearly as much as they used to.

I understand, you were winging it like so many other authors. You have lots of company. Launching a book successfully can take a lot of planning and coordination. A book blog tour can generate a lot of buzz in social media. Here is a copy-and-paste link for information about this topic or hit the search box below: https://storyempirecom.wordpress.com/2022/05/04/mktg-14-book-blog-tours

On my X home page I have lists of people who offer services to authors including book reviewers and promoters.

New question.

How do you think your book compares to a book published by a major publisher?

3/14/2026 11:34:04 am

I dont think you can really compare my book to any other published work. The book itself is so damn strange, I'm hard pressed to even find a comparison.

I'm not sure if that statement is more damaging than it is helpful to whatever sales this interview might bring, but it is honest.

Maybe for the second book, I'll do things a bit smarter. The first book, to me, was made solely for academia to confront the math in appendix C.

3/14/2026 02:35:18 pm

I agree, your book is unique in content and format.

The first book is a learning experience for every author. Many go on to writing and publishing more books, some quit after the first or second because sales do not match their expectations.

New question.

There are many unethical practices in publishing, which one is the most unbearable in your mind?

3/14/2026 02:40:42 pm

The world is unethical, unfair and does not care about playing by the rules. I try to focus on what I can control instead of what I cant. Any problem I'd have with publishing, which I am new to and spent very little time on, would just be a micro of the macro.

It is why I am building the Psychohistory site and have put more time/effort there. The book is free on Amazon for a reason, sales are secondary to offering the choice to follow the money and look behind the curtain because there's no wizard...

3/14/2026 04:26:51 pm

You are right, there are a lot of people who are unethical and seek to gain an unfair advantage over others. The publishing world is no exception. There are people who look out for writers. I am thinking of the blog written by Victoria Strauss, she has been exposing scammers and shady publishers for years. Here is the copy-and-paste link: https://writerbeware.blog/ It's worth subscribing to her blog.

Your book is free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers, non-subscribers will have to pay.

New questions.

Is there a book that causes strong emotions to come up, no matter how many times you read it?

Do you ever read a book more than once?

If so, which one?

3/14/2026 06:05:02 pm

Its not going to be a book you're expecting. Too Fat To Fish by Artie Lange.

I remember reading that book for the first time and when I feel like "time traveling," I pick it up and remember who the person who read the book was. Almost like reconnecting with an old friend as well as getting a laugh from Artie's stories.

3/14/2026 06:23:56 pm

You are right. I have never heard of the book. I looked it up, I have heard of Howard Stern. That is as far as my knowledge goes.

New question.

Did you have a favorite book as a child?

3/14/2026 06:44:17 pm

I grew up, as odd as this sounds, reading the newspaper.
The sports section specifically.

I have always had a fascination with basketball since I was a child. Even after all these "different lives," I still find myself up to date with everything Knicks related.

I'm fully aware its bread and circus and the branding of what sports and entertainment has become outside of the product themselves is disgusting, yet I still check in and watch games. Funny how life works like that.

3/14/2026 08:06:04 pm

Not what I expected, but I love your answer nonetheless. For a lot of people, the sports pages are important, for others it's the business or financial pages. I loved my daily newspaper, I scanned all of the sections and settled into the comics. I needed a good laugh after all of the other stuff.

New question.

If you could ask every person, who has read your book, only one question what would you ask them?

3/14/2026 09:27:01 pm

I'd ask them why they did and how far down the rabbit hole they actually want to go as a follow up depending on their response.

My work will be like psychobabble to some and a doorway for others.

There's a scene from the Holy Mountain where the alchemist lowers a bucket of food to the citizens below and the fool uses the rope to climb the tower.

That's all one can do. Lower the bucket once you realized why you climbed the mountain in the first place...

3/15/2026 10:54:55 am

That's a pretty similar reply I get from most authors. They want to know the impact their story had on the reader.

New question.

Does writing energize you or make you feel tired?

3/15/2026 11:07:05 am

That all depends on the subject matter. The recent articles/research reports for the Psychohistory site have been exhausting because of the subject matter.

3/15/2026 02:05:40 pm

That makes sense, you're dealing with serious material about conspiracies. Though you likely have strong emotions about the research, I didn't see much evidence of emiotional content when I scanned your website.

I began to feel puzzled and concerned as I started to grasp the extent and scope of what you were talking about. I sense it would take a lot of thoughtful reading.

New question.

Since a copyright in America lasts for 75 years after the author's passing, do you have a plan for all of your books and the royalties in your will?

3/15/2026 02:21:37 pm

No. None of that will matter in a few years anyway. I would suggest get familiar with the term Joulework.

3/15/2026 03:59:22 pm

If I were an AI agent, joulework currency might be important. When I was a sheet metal worker in construction, dollars were the currency I required. As a retiree, dollars still look good to me. I do not see an eventualty when joulework currency would be significant to me. But the future has many possibilities.

New question.

What reality show, current or not, would you like to be on?

3/15/2026 04:10:00 pm

I hope I'm wrong but unless people know what we are up against, it will and it will blindside a lot of people who think the same thing.

And to answer your question, none. We live in the Truman show already.

3/15/2026 06:29:50 pm

The Truman Show. It was somewhat humorous and shocking at the same time. But, your point is well taken, we live in a society that is obsessed with personal security and personal convenience at the same time. Nearly everyday I hear about a new scam or data breach. We are being watched, observed and location-enabled, data-recorded. Billionaires are building bunkers, mid-level managers are being "AI"ed out of a job.

New questions.

Do you have a podcast or a stream?

If so, how long have you been doing it?

3/15/2026 06:38:06 pm

No. Not in many years. I haven't had a podcast, radio show or been a part of one since 2014 and the me that was doing that regularly isnt the me typing to you now.

I speak through the work at this point. Who knows where things end up but I'm content doing what I'm doing and everyone has a podcast now. Back then, they didn't.

3/15/2026 07:51:23 pm

You were ahead of the herd. You're right, many are streaming or doing podcasts.

I experimented with the idea of a podcast seven or eight years ago. I was not happy with the results. My stammer seemed to be emphasized and I couldn't edit it out satisfactorily. So I abandoned the idea.

New question.

Are you a gamer?

What is your favorite game?

3/15/2026 07:59:04 pm

I was up until the last few years. I actually loved any wrestling video game as a kid. Wrestlemania 2000/No Mercy were probably my all time favorite games. That and GoldenEye.

Dating myself. Most recent game I enjoyed was Spiderman, the Miles Morales one. It was pretty fun but the story was too quick. Pretty sure that was the last thing I played.

3/16/2026 09:40:21 am

Video games can be their own immersive world. It's almost like you are writing a story without words. I am not a gamer because I was unfamiliar with the controllers and didn't want to spend the hours to learn the many ways the controller could be used.

I was paid to play the original NES. I worked for a large retailer in the Pacific NW in the 80s. Weeks before Christmas the retailer was notified by Nintendo that no more game systems would be shipped to them. We had a dozen pallets stacked high with defective game systems to be returned to Nintendo. We were instructed to verify the defect, swap parts out so they could be resold as refurbished systems. It took a couple of weeks for the 6 of us to process all of the games. We were able to send most of them back to the stores. We made a lot of customers happy because the systems were in short supply. I think I can still beat the first level of Mario.

New questions.

What is your writing routine when you sit down to write?

Do you write in a straight line or do you write whatever the muse provides for you at a given moment?

3/16/2026 09:44:38 am

In all honesty my writing style actually resembles an analog version of how an LLM (chat bot) works.

I have my subject. I research it and lay all of that research out. Then formulate the story it tells by connecting the patterns before I ever put "pen to paper" or better yet hand to keyboard.

From there, the work does itself.

3/16/2026 12:41:47 pm

If you were a novelist, you might be considered a pantser, someone who writes by the seat of their pants. Pantsers don't use an outline most of the time like plotters do. Many pantsers say they write the story to find out how it ends. Plotters frequently have the conclusion of the story firmly in mind when they start writing.

Last question.

Now that your book is published, is there anything about it you would like to change?

3/16/2026 12:53:55 pm

No. Not at all.

Imperfections aren't a bad thing. They're either lessons or something you end up finding beauty in and appreciating. Sometimes both.

The book is what it is.

3/16/2026 02:24:10 pm

Your first book will always be special for you. It represented a new start on a new journey.

Thank you, Alan. I am so grateful to you for hiring me to promote your book. I have enjoyed our conversation over the last week. It has been fun and enlightening.

Until next time, keep on writing.

The Root Source by @MoKetchups* AKA Alan Berman

Leave a Reply.

Who am I?

Archives

Categories