[extropy-chat] re: embedded in open hearts (Meta/EP)

[Olga Bourlin]

From: "Eugen Leitl" <eugen at leitl.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 10, 2005 11:44 AM

On Sun, Apr 10, 2005 at 02:08:40PM -0400, Keith Henson wrote:

>> Indeed, especially when the whole emotional outpouring around the Pope's 
>> death is so intensely interesting on a meta level.

>> Why do humans react this way?

>Even more interesting, why others don't.

Yes, I've wondered that, too.  Ever since childhood I observed religious 
rituals (and listened to religious explanations) with the "openness" that 
maybe - just maybe - when I became older I would understand the stuff that 
didn't make sense to me then.  I didn't see any benefit to (and certainly 
didn't feel good about) belonging to any "exclusive" club where other people 
were ostracized or thought of not as kindly.  So when I got older - rather 
than understanding religiosity better, I came to value critical thinking 
more and eventually lost my "openness" to supernaturalism.

> I don't get nationalism, sport fandom or religious attachment at emotional 
> level. It just bores me to tears, or gives me a case of creeps.... I 
> suspect most others here do not, either.

Count me in.  When I read about "emotional contagion" in a psychology class 
decades ago - I thought:  "Aha!  That's it!"

I tend to avoid crowds if at all possible - sitting in the middle of a pack 
of humanity at a sports stadium is the stuff of nightmares to me.

> Does anyone here have connections to any psychological profiling people?

... yes, do tell - especially if you have information about humans with that 
rare physical defect:  the absence of even one religious bone?  ;>)

Olga