Tag: psychology

Deep Sea Fishing

Via Off-Guardian

Every good fisherman knows that reeling in a big fish takes skill and conscious intention. One of the first things they learn is that you can’t just crank in the big guy with one effortless winding up of the line.

It takes finesse, a dance of sorts. While always keeping a steady line, you bring them in slowly, with the primary focus on wearing them out, almost hypnotizing them into compliance.

A popular fishing website HUK says this about the process:

Remember that too much tension can snap the line and when large fish decide to make a run for it, the worst thing you can do is try to keep them in place. By fighting their runs, all you are doing is increasing the chances that your line will break and your prize will get away. Instead, set the drag so the fish can take out line while still tiring itself. This will wear down the fish; eventually their runs will get shorter, less violent, and less frequent.”

Hmmm. Sounds a bit too close for comfort, eh?

I am afraid I am not all that excited about the current hoopla regarding our apparent victory over the mainstream narrative. I simply don’t believe it entirely.

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A Clockwork Orange: Waiting for the Sun

By Doug “Uncola” Lynn via TheBurningPlatform.com

 

 Society should not do the wrong thing for the right reason, even though it frequently does the right thing for the wrong reason.

 

 History has shown us what happens when you try to make society too civilized, or do too good a job of eliminating undesirable elements. It also shows the tragic fallacy in the belief that the destruction of democratic institutions will cause better ones to arise in their place.

– Stanley Kubrick on “A Clockwork Orange”, an interview with film critic Michel Ciment

 

An obscure Texas political consultant named Bill Miller once said “politics is show business for ugly people”.  It’s true for the most part, aside from the consequences.  This is because the theatrics of politicians result in policies that affect the lives of others; often against the will of the governed. In books and movies, however, the characters are much ado about nothing. Until, that is, life imitates art.

So it is with the futuristic dystopian story of “A Clockwork Orange”.  Both the book, by the author Anthony Burgess, and the film by director Stanley Kubrick, serve as moral dilemmas and cautionary tales plumbing such considerations as free will, the duality of mankind, societal anarchy, and the ascendancy of an all-powerful state.

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Boundaries

Why are there boundaries?

Boundaries serve to delineate a difference – over here is Germany, over there is Poland. They serve to separate incompatible functions – on this side of the wall is Sales, on that side is Production (and dangerous equipment, pressurized gases, concentrated chemicals, high voltage electricity). And they serve to provide guidance / provide protection – if you go past the fence, the bull / deep ravine / toxic waste might get you. Valid boundaries are vital to your happiness / health / survival.

We went through, a generation back or two, a widespread rejection of boundaries – “tune in, turn on, drop out” in Leary’s phrase. Boundaries were seen as limiting, arbitrary, restrictive – as obstacles rather than protections. Boundaries kept people apart rather than kept people safe. Boundaries prevented free association instead of limiting contact between incompatible groups. Boundaries were bad.

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