[Paleopsych] influence

[Paul J. Werbos, Dr.]

At 11:05 PM 3/13/2005, you wrote:
>Paul writes:
>They have the ability to learn to be more effective and more rational, but 
>some learn faster than
>others, and some cultures support learning more positively in some areas 
>than others.
>Some cultures have violated nature by tying girl's feet, so they grow up 
>unable to walk.
>Others try to do the same with the mind. Yet it is our nature to resist 
>such perversions,
>and to try to grow out of our mistakes (both personal and collective).
>
>GRW:  I wasn't referring to physical circumstances (link binding of girl's 
>feet) but rather in the way they are brow beaten by parents, family, 
>community, etc.

Yes, I said "others try to do the same with the mind."


>As for "capitalism," it is a fuzzy word. Many people nowadays seem to have 
>adopted Karl
>Marx's version of the word, especially those who delight in the image of 
>power of living up
>to someone else's image of a great devil. If I remember correctly... 
>Ronald Reagan
>tried hard to change the emphasis back form "capitalism" so-defined
>to "freedom," which is more like the idea that our Quaker forebears had in 
>mind,
>and is more rational, in my view.
>
>GRW:  There should be nothing wrong with the word capitalism....if it is 
>performed with a concern for others i.e. adding soul to capitalism.
>Quakers and Ronald Reagan were fine for the time in which they lived.
>Now we need to move ahead.

The word "capitalism" is used with different definitions by different people,
and is doubly fuzzy (multiple meanings and a broad "membership function")
even as used by most individual people. ANY word with such fuzziness
needs to handled with great care.

Examples of that principle --

The word "consciousness" has been a great toy for those who try to use words to
liberate them from objective reality. Picture the person saying: 
"Consciousness..
it is all about illumination and coherence. So of course the physical basis 
of consciousness must
be zillions of tiny lasers in the brain, emitting coherent light.."
(People really believe that kind of stuff..)

Or: "I support capitalism, the all-America principle of freedom laid down 
for generations.
And of course, since capitalism means that monopolies rule, as explained by 
that all-American
capitalist Groucho Marx, it is fair that we trade on the free market for 
Congressmen, in order to
buy subsidies and regulations and special tax breaks and plus ups and pass 
laws to
make it illegal for people to shirk on their duty to be always obedient to 
their overlords..."

I really do not think that the core values of the Quakers are out of date.
They are part of the real weltanschaung (sp?) of this civilization... they
are the kind of values the rejection of which would be an example
of what Spengler called the transition from Culture to Civilization.
I hope we can be conscious enough to choose to not do that.
But if instead we trust in teeny tiny lasers implanted in the brain... well,
in that case, "God help us" (though would he?).

Best,

   Paul