INTERVIEW

Interviewer: Congratulations on your new book to be released in 2024, 

“The Fog of Meaning.” First, can you tell us why you wrote this book?

Miles V Soldier: I had no choice. My depression had stripped me down to the metal, and in the darkness, I began writing as there was nothing else to reach for. I should point out that I had never attempted or had any background in writing up to that point, which may not come as a surprise. Laughing. All I knew was that when I wrote, I felt just a little bit better.

Interviewer: Is depression something you’ve struggled with throughout your life?

Miles V Soldier: Not at all. My depression lasted a couple of years, but it felt as if all time had stopped. In hindsight, this dark period conceived my new book, “The Fog of Meaning.”

Interviewer: Can you tell us a little about your educational background?

Miles V Soldier: Yes, I was permitted to enter high school on the condition that I pursue a trade which, as it turned out, I sucked at even more, laughing. Do you really want someone working on your brakes who doesn’t qualify for grade 8? By 16, I had quit school and continue to this day to be self-taught by a fool on an errand. Laughing.

Interviewer: Were there specific experiences or events in your life that led you to explore these themes?

Miles V Soldier: At 14, I became very interested in pursuing the inner journey. I had come to the conclusion that there must be more to life than physicalism. As for the other themes, I’ve always been interested in human rights, especially once I started working for the Canadian Refugee Board. My other interests are the civil rights movement, Big Brother, and the grand chessboard. I’m embarrassed to confess that environmental issues have never been a priority until now. I have a proven track record of always showing up too late. My interest in science has grown as I believe an Idealist ontology will be fully adopted over physicalism once it can be scientifically proven within the next few decades.

Interviewer: The title of your book, “The Fog of Meaning,” is intriguing. What inspired you to choose this title, and how does it relate to the themes of the book?

Miles V Soldier: I chose this title because it reflects my journey and what we go through to varying degrees in life, especially for people asking, “Is this it?” and those experiencing developmental, situational, and, of course, existential crises. I think of each of us as soldiers on a unique mission, which is one of the reasons why I chose the pen name Miles V Soldier. My birth name is Ron Taylor.

Interviewer: Could you tell us the message you hope readers will take away from “The Fog of Meaning”?

Miles V Soldier: That consciousness is fundamental and that physicalism makes no sense scientifically and even less so intuitively. Physicalism posits that consciousness is in our heads. In contrast, idealism, which has been around since Plato, asserts that we are in consciousness. This hypothesizes that when we pass on, we leave our bodies and egos behind and transpire into consciousness without the restraints of our evolutionary headset.

Interviewer: Is there free will?

Miles V Soldier: In my book, I address it this way: IN A MASTER/SLAVE RELATIONSHIP, FREE WILL IS AN ACQUIRED TASTE.

Interviewer: Can you share some insights into your writing process? What was bringing this book to life like, and how did you approach the creative process?

Miles V Soldier: My writing style is strictly blue-collar. I punch in and punch out. By that, I mean I depend on consistency and putting in long hours to produce something decent. It has taken at least a decade to get to this point, and I hope the next book will take three years.

Interviewer: Many authors have a target audience in mind when they write. Who will most benefit from reading “The Fog of Meaning,” and why?

Miles V Soldier: People who have instinctively discarded the materialist narrative and wish to take the less travelled path, the inward journey.

Interviewer: Were there any challenges you faced while writing “The Fog of Meaning,” and how did you overcome them?

Miles V Soldier: You must remember I had no writing experience and never entertained the idea of writing. In fact, for the first few years, it was just therapy. About ten years ago, I had a breakthrough. I realized my collection of 150 quotes was almost all cliches. The very few that were left inspired me to believe there were more, and to my surprise, after a few more breakthroughs, I was able to construct “The Fog of Meaning.

Interviewer: Are there any writers that have significantly influenced the ideas you explore in “The Fog of Meaning”?

Miles V Soldier: Without question, the individuals who have inspired me are Carl Gustav Jung, Viktor Frankl, Donald Hoffman, Nima Arkani-Hamed, Richard P. Feynman, Margaret Atwood, Bernardo Kastrup, Christopher A. Fuchs, David John Chalmers, Anna Stepanovna Politkovskaya, Kurt Gödel, and Arthur Schopenhauer, to name a few.

Interviewer: As readers finish “The Fog of Meaning,” what do you hope they will feel or think as they close the final pages?

Miles V Soldier: That they realize they are on the right track and use the wisdom of others only as tools as a way of interpreting the synchronicities of their mission. I want to inspire and reward them for visiting my universe.

Interviewer: Lastly, can you share any future writing projects or endeavours with us? What can we expect from Miles V Soldier in the literary world in the coming years?

Miles V Soldier: Yes, the research for my next book is already underway and will be released in 2025.

Interviewer: One more question, out of curiosity: Why are all your quotes in Caps?

Miles V Soldier: I want to be heard! Laughing. Honestly, it’s just the aesthetics.