Religion supplies reasons for the illogical questions.
No religion, no God, no sins, no atonement. So who better to blame than our parents, society, leaders. Finger-pointing headlines sell. In a democracy, they used to sell ideas to voters, before we started blaming the owners, and ignoring the punch lines. Now like inverted snobbery, they insulate against the buying of their ideas. Read the torygraph for a month, you will never vote tory again, for fear of joining a very negative cabal. Proabably the same for this blog. But then we are not trying to be or emulate a god, or sell a religion.
Recycling energy
English energy politics are strange: expensive drinking quality water is used for flushing, petrol cannot be made from coal, cardboard and plastic are not recycled in certain city boroughs, and distribution by the grid is allowed to waste half the energy transmitted. Roof water could be collected, liquid fuel for transport and home energy generating can be made from coal, shredded plastic could be burnt for energy or recycled as plastic bags and packing material, and much of the national grid, admirable in concept and emergencies, could be put on standby. The major obstacle is nimbyism. The major ally is the urban terrorist. The ‘no drains’ law of pollution if applied would fast lead to the ‘no energy purchase’ dreaded by centralists, unions and utility merchants.
Nuclear politics
The major reason for keeping UK nuclear power alive is having the experience, and practising the counter measures. Yes there will be mini chernobyls, and the ongoing threat of them. There might be a maxi-chernobyl or two, before we know we have to switch them all off. But the engineering experience of dealing with all the issues including the decision making is essential if we are to be a competent world player.
Triggers for good hysteria
Jokes are best. They involve the whole system, temporarily uncontrollable by its owner. They isolate all the brain modules for the duration. Similarly to dreams, all the pathways may clear. Allowing the happy signals to flood around. The paradox behind humour, the resolution of opposites, the schadenfreude, the relief that threat can be resolved by giggling, and many more are used by advertisers and by comics. Journalists cement closure by tail in a piece, politicians ensure party compliance by joviality coupled with moral high ground. All are triggering ‘good’ hysteria.
Dreams of power
Dreamtime is reality in shamanic culture. Western dreamtime is memory juggling, as in defragmenting a hard disc to speed a pc. (Common law theory runs that during normal slow wave sleep, the connections are made for moving memories into permanent store. Actual defrag causes the eye jumping effect seen in some people when they are thinking fast.) Happy dreaming in child and adult may well build confidence, personality, decisiveness and effectiveness, sad dreams the converse. The shamanic leader can influence dreaming, as can ritual, physical involvement and the three layers of bullying. A comforting and non-judgemental counsellor, mentor or guru can finger the state of mind, and suggest strategies – without the cost of analysis.
Hence the corporate chairman, court jester, PA and every city’s Harley Street.
Psychological strictures
Most computer processes are useful: they respond to signals, change them, and send out reports. A few foul up: handshakes are not returned, grids lock, gateways block with spam, passwords are wiped. Protection gets built in, forgotten, then trips an unexpected fuse. Two committees issue clashing protocols. Programmers whose basic instinct is survival leave backdoors in case. Thus with brain and mind co-evolution. Analysis of the built-in strictures is leading to opportunities of cure, prenention and mental strength. Dynamic functional MRI scans are improving in fineness of detail. As with computer radiation surveillance, we may be able to detect the subtle shifts of electronic patterns by which our mental processes flow. Fish oil, folic acid and future myelin builders are only the start of brain chemistry and plumbing. Process control has as many facets as there are minds seeking improvement. As the mass effects of the soaps are showing, developing a law of intended consequences is becoming a priority.
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