On Time Cube
A rare peek into the genius that is Gene Ray
More and more people every day are becoming acquainted with the Time Cube principle, conceived by one Gene Ray, philanthropist and champion Marbles player. If you’ve had a chance to look over the TimeCube web page, you must understand the necessity to comment upon this fundamental new principle of nature.
After reading the full text of the web page (and after a massive migraine from the 10000-point font), it seems to me that one of three possible conclusions can be drawn about Gene Ray and the theory of the Time Cube:
- Gene Ray is in fact the wisest human in the world, and is capable of understanding things that no one else had yet dreamed of conceiving.
- Gene Ray is a paranoid schizophrenic who believes that he is surrounded by cubes, while living in a cube, while being a cube himself, with his face being only 1 corner of his 4-corner head.
- The Time Cube is really an elaborate metaphor that Gene Ray created to describe something for which he can’t find other words. After all, he does keep referring to his principle as “ineffable.” Therefore, trying to describe any aspect of it would prove useless, as his web page clearly shows.
In a nutshell, Gene Ray presents a theory that everything in nature revolves in a 4-stage (4-corner) metamorphosis. This includes human beings, which supposedly go through the “corners” of baby, child, parent, and grandparent. This also includes the planet Earth which, according to Ray, experiences four days’ worth of rotations within a single day. Ray also applies the theory to the human face, saying that your face is only one corner of your head; therefore, you believe that you are only one fourth the person you really are.
And of course, as is standard in any crackpot worldview, Gene Ray insists that the academic establishment is conspiring to prevent his theory from being given consideration. He fearlessly calls educators assholes and stupid and evil, and urges young students not to listen to their shithead professors and debate the Time Cube freely. Ray couples this with the idea that human language is “counterfeit,” and that all words we speak are evil and damaging. An additional outgrowth of Ray’s hate against words is his disdain towards God (presumably the Christian one), since all religions are, in one way or another, based on words.
Moreover, Gene Ray believes himself to be the “wisest human” who has ever lived, and, on occasion, has called himself Dr. Gene Ray (despite his hatred of academia), all because he is the first to discover this principle of the Time Cube.
My curiosity about the Time Cube can best be expressed in the form of questions and comments which I will address towards each major portion of the theory.
Obvious Mathematical/Physical Difficulties
- Since when does a cube have four corners? A cube has 8 corners, 6 faces, and 12 edges. A cube doesn’t have 4 of anything! However, Gene Ray might be referring to “corner” as in the corner of a room. But for that to make sense, we would need to assign a “top” and “bottom” face to each cube we conceive, which would not be practical.
- The number 4 itself is a square, not a cube.
- Aside from the number 4, Gene Ray pulls other numbers out of nowhere, like 4/16, 2×4x4, and so on. This might indicate periods of more extensive synaptic degradation in Ray’s brain.
- Why does all available evidence show that the Earth experiences one day within a single rotation, instead of four days like Ray suggests? In fact, a single rotation is precisely what defines a “day,” so to say that more than one day occurs within a single rotation is meaningless.
- A number of times in the text, Gene speaks of an “absolute proof” of his theory, but never presents one. And the web page that is supposed to hold his explanation of the “4/16 space-times” is conveniently under construction.
- Gene claims that he will give $1000 to the first person to disprove Time Cube. What would constitute such a disproof? Gene himself calls Time Cube “ineffable.” Being ineffable makes Time Cube unfalsifiable, and thus unscientific.
Conceptual Inconsistencies
- Gene Ray claims that it is the educational system that is preventing children from learning about Time Cube. So then how can Gene Ray understand Time Cube if he was “educated” in the same way as the rest of us? What was it that made him realize the alleged cubic state of nature?
- What reason would the educational establishment have to prevent children from learning about Time Cube? If a person grew up completely isolated on an uninhabited island (without an educational system), would she understand Time Cube? I’m willing to bet that she would probably experience a single day in a single Earth rotation.
- The various applications of the Time Cube theory presented by Gene Ray (rotation of the Earth, the human face, the human races, and human metamorphosis) are completely unrelated. How can a single theory apply to such radically different phenomena?
Human Metamorphosis
- When does a “baby” become a “child”?
- A person can be a “parent” and a “child” at the same time. Most people who have children also have living parents. Similarly, a person can be a “grandparent” and a “parent” simultaneously. Do these people occupy more than one corner of their cube?
- What if a person never becomes a parent? Is every person required to go through the four-corner metamorphosis?
- Many people have great-grandparents who are still living. In what stage of the metamorphosis are they?
- Should a 50-year-old person who has never had children still be considered a “child”?
- Do people who adopt a child transform to the corner of “parent” (e.g. a homosexual couple, or a woman who cannot become pregnant), or will they also remain children?
- Gene classifies humans into 4 separate races: whites, blacks, asians, and native americans (”redskins”), probably to fit in with his obsession with the number 4. But on what race-corner would a person fit whose parents are of different races?
The Big One
- How will understanding Time Cube change our life? What’s the difference if one Earth day is 24 hours or 96 hours? How will Time Cube resolve world hunger? Stop terrorism? Cure cancer? Bring interstellar travel? I mean, what’s the incentive for people to start believing in Time Cube? At least Christianity promises salvation — what does TimeCube promise?
Communications With Gene Ray
Believe it or not, I have exchanged a few e-mails with Gene Ray. I must admit, he was quite prompt in responding to me. But was he coherent? Well, judge for yourself. The following is an actual response from Gene after I sent him an e-mail asking him to go into a little more detail about Time Cube:
Hi Dmitry,
The Time Cube demonstrates that creation is actually Cubic, not 1-corner singularity as taught by academia and religion.. Think of a 4-corner classroom as representing the 4-corners of Earth, wherein stupid educators teach only 1-corner knowledge.
There are 4 simultaneous 24 hour days in a single rotation of Earth. There are 4 simultaneous years in a single rotation of Earth around the Sun. Each season has its own separate year. Your 4 corner head has only a 1-corner face – proving you to be only 1/4 or 1-corner of the entity you believe you are. Humans rotate around 4-corner stages of human metamorphosis as in baby, child, parent and grandparent. There should be a video tape and book available after the MIT lecture and debate. Your problem with comprehending the Time Cube may be due to your academic brainwashing and indoctrination. Time will tell.
Gene Ray
[12.25.01]
Conclusions
Gene Ray has drummed up somewhat of a following over the years, with pro- and anti-Cubic websites popping up now and then; more proof that people will believe just about anything. I suppose the reason I felt compelled to comment on Time Cube is due to the utter absurdity of Ray’s statements and the vastness of his delusion.
Ray was invited to lecture at MIT in 2002 and, more recently, at Georgia Tech. While I do appreciate the humor value in letting him lecture at any university, I feel somewhat sorry for Gene Ray himself, who believes that his audience actually buys into (if not understands) what he’s talking about.
Cubic Resources
- TimeCube.com — The official page.
- Cubic Awareness Online — Not sure if this is a parody or not. Attempts to support and promote the major points of Time Cube. Even has a “refutation” of the comments on this page.
- Georgia Tech Lecture — Buy Time Cube merchandise, as well as a DVD of the lecture.
- Proving Human Stupidity — A journal article that examines Time Cube and references this page.
Update
It’s recently come to my attention that Richard Janczarski, the Australian webmaster of the fan site Cubic Awareness Online, has committed suicide by throwing himself in front of a train. This bizarre and needless tragedy may have been averted, had Gene Ray not threatened to sue Richard for “corrupting” the principle of the Time Cube by writing “false information” about it on his website. Richard must have begun to see Gene Ray as a spiritual leader of sorts, and Gene Ray’s eventual rejection of Richard was too much for him to handle. He will be missed.
September 7th, 2005 at 9:09 am
YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND, AND NEITHER DOES SELFPROCLAIMED SILLY DOCTOR OF STUPIDITY GENE RAY. THERE ARE 24 HOURS IN A DAY, THEREBY 24 DAYS ON EACH ROTATION!! THE UNIVERSE IS BASE ON A 24 SIDED REALITY THAT WORD SCIENCE AND MORON RELIGION CAN NOT REFUTE OR DENY!!!1
This has been a test of the human stupidity system. Had this post been made by an actual stupid person, they would have meant it. This is only a test. Thank you.
September 16th, 2005 at 8:50 pm
TIME CUBE: I believe.
December 24th, 2005 at 7:52 am
Two Theories to Disprove Time Cube
Gene Ray, the formulator of the Time Cube theory wants someone to disprove him, right? Well, I will.
According to him, the earth is divided into four quadrants. How could that be? Maybe you think that the Greenwich Meantime Line also passes at the other side, acting somewhat like a longitudinal counterpart of the Equator. Here is an explanation why it is wrong: The GMT Line is called as it is because it passes on the exact same spot of Greenwich. The two poles act as the endpoints of this specific line. The Equator does not have any endpoint because there is no pole to interfere at the passageway of the line. So why conclude that the GMT Line has no endpoints? Comparison with the Equator alone could tell the difference!
There is another aspect of his theory which is wrong. He also stated that if the earth were divided into four quadrants, then there would be four legged horses. What is its connection with time? We’re talking about time and the rotation of the Earth, not the evolution of species! Besides, chickens only have two feet. Does that mean to say that if we will not believe in time cube, we deserve to see half-footed chickens? What monstrosity are you trying to invent? What happened to the chicken? Its foot got amputated because of diabetes? Wow! I didn’t know chickens could have diabetes.
Yeah. Maybe you are schizophrenic. If not, you’re an atheist. If not, you are both. You’re telling me that everyone who does not believe in Time Cube is stupid. Does that mean your former teachers are stupid? That some of your friends are stupid too? If you answer yes to both, I could tell you some things. You are the yellow-belly bastard. You are the one who should be spit upon publicly. You are a traitor. I’m not even a professor. I’m just a student. What a shame! Now give me the $10,000.00. I have just disproved you and your theory.
January 19th, 2006 at 1:57 pm
spacerquattre_jaimee04, you automatically lose because you acknowledged him and his ideas. Sorry!
February 5th, 2006 at 2:31 am
You guys are stupid! What you need to do is print the page, cut out the blocks of text, fold and glue it into a cube! Voila, then it will make sense.
PS: [The whole page] is actually Legolas/Harry Potter slash fanfic.
March 21st, 2006 at 9:11 pm
I’m just waiting for gene ray to break out the poisoned smores and kool aid.
March 29th, 2006 at 9:23 pm
Timecube is false. I believe in a 5-corner universe.
May 9th, 2006 at 4:05 pm
When’s the next visible comet supposed to come near earth? I’m sure the good ‘doctor’ will be ready to tie his shoe laces together, draw symbols on the walls, chant gibberish, and scalp himself.
This guy is like a cross between Carl Sagan and acid.
September 27th, 2006 at 2:45 am
http://www.somethingawful.com/learning_triangle/
This is the real truth that Gene Ray invented the time cube to hide from us.
December 26th, 2006 at 5:37 am
I have never been more afraid of a theorist in my life. He could teach televangelists a thing or two.
December 26th, 2006 at 5:57 am
oh yeah and shouldn’t this be time tetrahedron?
March 3rd, 2007 at 11:41 pm
The Time Cube religion is a dangerous New Age religious movement, apologists of the Cubic religion fail to meet the standards for scrutinizing criticism.
It also become obvious that the Time Cube religion is a fabrication of other philosophies merged into one, Gene Ray’s claim to be the “wisest human” is not anything unique in Cubicism, prior to the foundation of the religion, it was Confucius who made himself out to be as such, second, his religious and racial intolerance was obviously taken from the German Nazi organization, which was in power during Gene Ray’s adult life (born 1927) which would proves that Gene Ray plagarized such beliefs.
The Gene Ray Seminar can be visited at: http://generayseminar.blogspot.com
We hope to see you soon, sincerely:
-The Gene Ray Seminar
September 14th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
This guy is just some poor old fool that didn’t know how to select a smaller font in his website…
December 2nd, 2007 at 3:13 pm
Personally, I don’t think that Gene Ray is insane, just a complete moron. First, He talks of 4 EQUIDISTANT time points, major being noon and midnight, and minor being sunup and sundown. This already is not possible, except on two days out of the year, the equinoxes, usually around the 20th of march and the 23 of september. The other days of the year, oh teh noes, his theory is wrong. (Well, it’s bupkus on any day, but you know what I mean.) Also, the day and night lengths of the north and south hemispheres are not equal, but opposite, causing a discontinuity in this case as well. Unless of course, I’m mis-reading his page. Actually, with his style of writing (if it can be called writing), i wouldn’t be surprised if he confused himself.
December 18th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
I think Phil summed it up.
There are some “documentaries” about Mr Ray on youtube, and all i see is a poor old man, befuddled by the increasing complexity in the world he lives.
April 5th, 2008 at 12:20 am
[...] more Time Cube reading goodness, check out Time Cube (wikipedia.org) and On Time Cube (dmitrybrant.com). [...]
April 14th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
wow, “cubism” is the most retarded cult ive seen since $cientology.
July 7th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
I think my brain just fell out of my ass.
August 6th, 2008 at 8:20 am
I checked the TimeCube webpage, his 1st paragraph doesn’t make sense, and the rest is just an angray rant.
August 27th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
I loved how your webpage asked the question, How will this timecube help us? My question is wtf does it have to with God? Yes I mean WTF??? It gives no salvation, no happiness, nothing at all, and basically Gene Ray says we are all damned to hell for not believing in the time cube? Gene Ray seeks to control the simple minded by constantly telling them they are ignorant and retarded for not believing in it. A simple minded person might feel pressured to believe in this because he is called a ignorant fag so many times on the website Gene posted. Gene also gives God dodgers a reason to choose not to believe in God no matter what it is. If there is a hell, I can guarantee that Gene will most certaintly go the same area where men like Hitler and Stalin went. Choosing not to believe in God is one thing, but spreading blasphemy to millions regardless of whether they choose to believe in his bullshit or not guarantees Gene a very special place in Hell. Gene might as well be Satan’s right hand man. I don’t fucken care if the timecube exists or not. It will get me nowhere in life. I just care that Gene is possibly sending millions to hell with his blasphemy. If he never mentioned God in his gay webpage I would have never made this comment. I could care less about old men talking about meaningless theories on the internet that will never help us achieve anything in life if that was the case.
September 19th, 2008 at 11:50 am
Time Cube? PAH! I like Time Spheres much better. They’re not as sharp and don’t hurt as much when you drop them on your toes from all that erstwhile juggling. Circles and spheres are where it’s at. This poor Ray fellow is trapped in oldthink. Someone send him a lifeline and have him climb up into the light.
I mean think about it – what makes things move the best through time? Ball bearings. Ball bearings are round and smooth. If ball bearings where cubic we would all go deaf from the grinding noises of all the machinery!!
November 15th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
I have just one thing to say to mr Gene : 3.14159265358979323….
December 16th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
I think this guy hails from Htrae aka Bizzaro World. That’s why he insists the Earth is a cube
December 25th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
You are all educated stupid! Mentally fold your consciousness to four sides and bask in wisdom, eat cubed cereal with 4-sided molecular milk, build a home using only 4-sided empty containers, or you are idiots taught by the education system of the world to make you dumb! Only embracing the cube in all aspects of life can make you understand. Educated stupid! ALL OF YOU!
January 22nd, 2009 at 7:49 pm
To study Gene is to study the absurd nature of belief. As he denounces “word”, he offers only a different version of “word”. To define four starting points for four different days is valid, just not very useful. To defame a singular God is not original, in fact quite Jewish (see Shekhinah). His recent rant on Obama is likely AM radio induced. And to say something loudly and repetitively is a strong indication of a voice in the back of your head saying “your full of shit, but if you can get others to buy in, its OK”.
January 23rd, 2009 at 10:36 am
Just watched a show on American Nazis. Realized that Genes views and attitudes are hauntingly familier. I thought that the Nazi/Cristian stance was wierd because the main Nazis were into occult/neo-aryean stuff, then I thought of Gene’s rants against monotheism. Hmmmmm… his core objectives seem to be to come up with reasons to devalue others… he should really market to these guys. A swastika is nicely cubic! OK, just something I noticed. And BTW.. Asking to disprove cubic time is like asking to prove that an inch doesn’t exist. It’s a form of measurement dumbass. Better educated dumb than natural born I guess.
April 6th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
lol wow….cubes everywhere! The world is round not cube nor is it divided by limited quadrants. the equator goes around and around haha (infinite) Poles are opposite. and as for baby child parents and grand parents lmao what if i dont want kids or what if my grandmas mom is still alive that would make her great grandma ohhh thats a fifth quadrant…she can still act like a kid too haha so now the theory is all mixed up what are we to do. I have an idea lets cube them! Now theres 4 corners for a baby! and 4 million for the son in law twice removed racist 5 legged 3 eyed sister who didnt come to prom cuz she was allergic to TIME CUBE….my point? there wasnt one other then to significantly make fun of this rediculously bizzare thoery. GENE RAY i Ask you get help and be medicated daily for your schitzo dillusional ideas that come out of your four cornered ass
April 22nd, 2009 at 10:39 am
“A swastika is nicely cubic!”
Funny that you should say that. The swastika is actually an ancient symbol that predates Nazism by some 7000 years, and although it is mostly associated with religions in India (Jainism, Hinduism), it has actually been found by archeologists ALL OVER THE WORLD (you might say, in all four corners of the world
)
Gene Ray is actually expressing a very ancient concept, although in a convoluted and confused manner–this is perhaps why, though it is an obviously flawed concept, it has garnered some believers, because it is based in archetypal truth.
The swastika is 4-fold symmetry + circular symmetry, the same concept Ray is trying to express with his Time Cube theory. Before it was symbol of hate, it was a symbol of the 4 seasons and of rejuvenation. Jung also believed in the importance of ’squaring the circle’ (SEE: mandala)
June 26th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
My world is a d20.