apoptosis.

all this discussion on cells and whatnot from the other night have reminded me in my late night insomnia of Howard Bloom's Global Brain, a ruddy great work of genius that i've been pondering over for a long while in my own dimestore philosophizing on the human form and how it's reflected in this manufactured world of ours.
and so i opened up this clever tome to apoptosis, otherwise known as cell suicide:

apoptosis is a firecracker sting of self-destruct routines preprogrammed into nearly every living cell. its fuse is lit when the cell receives signals that it is no longer useful to the larger community. between self-crippling immune systems and self-defeating conduct, isolated individuals vastly increase their odds of death.

i find this interesting when contemplating memories and history of all sorts (also relevant to previous conversation on cell regeneration). they die off when they are no longer helpful, i imagine.

sigh. i've been having another go this weekend at my reading towards some educated understanding of the human body, and what it is Really On About, with its complexities and mysterious ways. i feel like if i could simplify it for myself, i'd do a better job at using it for what it is meant for here.

of course, right now, what it's meant to be doing is sleeping. so with that, to bed.