Pop’s Pop Psychology

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The mariner learned at his father’s knee. Father was attending college at the time and mariner was the one available to hear a recounting of many of the ideas that college provided for him. Father was a fan of pop culture – over simplified descriptions of personality, organization, emotion, and many other pseudo-psychology definitions. In memory of mariner’s father, a couple are defined in this post.

A popular one that many know is that there are three kinds of people in the world: WHY people, HOW people and WHAT people. The WHY person thinks about daily life in terms of ideas. It is difficult to define a situation or make a decision until the person understands why the situation exists. A classic example is Albert Einstein. If a person is extremely WHY, a classic example is the three-toed sloth.

The HOW person thinks about daily life in terms of solutions. The HOW person is constantly reinterpreting the circumstances of life into new relationships that may, or may not, improve those circumstances. Nevertheless, a solution has been achieved. The HOW person actually makes a decent manager – all other aspects being accepted. A classic example is Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon.com. If a person is extremely HOW, a classic example is the African Honey Badger.

The WHAT person thinks about daily life in terms of procedure. Father’s favorite example was his wife’s attempt to open luggage, which often requires different steps similar to a key, coded lock, different kinds of sliding latches, zippers, etc. Confronted with a new set of luggage, the wife had to try different combinations one at a time from the beginning until one worked.

Another example, perhaps a well-known anecdote, is the woman cooking a ham. Watching her is her daughter. “Why do you cut off a chunk of the ham before you bake it?” the daughter asked. “Oh, I don’t know; that’s how my mother did it.” Later, they visit Grandma and ask why she cut off a chunk of the ham. “My pot was too small.” If a person is extremely WHAT, a classic example is the Marmoset monkey.

The truth of the matter is all people have a bit of all three behaviors. Typically, one is dominant and a second is used if the dominant one fails. However, it is impossible for WHY and WHAT to coexist.

Another pop psychology definition that father used quite often as one of his own tools (he was a professor of sociology) is the one about how people learn. Again, there are three ways a person may learn: learning with the EYES, learning with the EARS, and learning with the BODY. Learning with the EYES includes reading, watching and thinking in pictures. An eye person will learn more and be able to apply learning more efficiently if that person receives education through the eyes. One every day example is the person who watches facial expressions to understand nuance. A very simple example is to watch another person stick their finger in a fire. Having watched this, the eye person needs no explanation as to why the fire burned; the event is embedded for life and will influence decisions thereafter. Art painters and writers use eye-based intelligence.

An ear person will learn more easily by listening. The reader may take in more listening to a lecture than reading the same words from a book. Anything requiring hearing is more easily learned. For example, musicians, those who interpret nuance by hearing tones in the voice, “Tell ‘em one time and they know how to do it” are typical of those who learn best by hearing.

Finally, learning with the BODY encompasses sensitivity to body motion of any kind including dexterity, sports, dance, and touch sensitivity. A BODY person will learn more by doing; If a body person is told what to do, or is shown what to do, the instructions will not be absorbed meaningfully until the body person actually does the task. Some assembly lines may contain a majority of BODY types with their dexterity and ability to memorize hand and body movement.

The mariner’s father had many more like these two examples. Mariner is confidant the reader has a few of their own.

Ancient Mariner

 

How to Choose the Best Candidate

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The overriding philosophy of deflecting change.

Since the Viet Nam war, the theory of government management has been to stabilize and minimize disruption; candidates elected since then have been influenced by that period of populist unrest, burning bras and draft cards, young people and pacifists seeking refuge and citizenship in Canada, the March to Selma and the civil rights unrest generally; four Kent State students shot by Guardsmen;  the murder of two Kennedys and Martin Luther King Jr.; the riots around the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago; the call out of the National Guard in many cities to contain rioting and looting; the loss of the Viet Nam war, and many more.

For the next fifty years, both liberal and conservative elected officials have clung to that philosophy. Other political and cultural needs were subordinate to the rule of stability and minimum disruption. Largely, policies were promulgated that buried dissent, supported economic stability, and, frankly, let serious issues slide rather than take action to change the status quo – climate change, water shortage, privacy and security, and a failed infrastructure went unmanaged. The mariner has referred to officials sensitive to instability and disruption as “old school” politicians. He feels that two generations of elected officials and a half-century later, the term is apropos. Whether a candidate is concerned about status quo versus new objectives and innovation is the first consideration in selecting a candidate. Choose “new school.”

The over dependence on corporate influence.

The economic fiasco in Greece was exacerbated when Greece leadership allowed corporate interests in Greece to frame a recovery policy. The result protected corporations from the worst actions, that is, national bankruptcy and debt obligation while providing no objectives that would actually restore functional capability to the government. Needless to mention, Greece had to start over again and suffered undue wrath from Germany.

In the United States, corporations have written most of the objectives contained in US trade agreements. No one contradicts the fact that the 1993 NAFTA agreement was an immediate benefit to relocated manufacturers and a disaster for American employees. To wit from www.citizen.org :

  • More than 845,000 specific U.S. workers have been certified for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) as having lost their jobs due to imports from Canada and Mexico or the relocation of factories to those countries.
  • NAFTA has contributed to downward pressure on U.S. wages and growth in U.S. income inequality
  • Soon after NAFTA’s passage, the small pre-NAFTA U.S. trade surplus with Mexico turned into a massive new trade deficit and the pre-NAFTA U.S. trade deficit with Canada expanded greatly. The inflation-adjusted U.S. trade surplus with Mexico of $2.5 billion and the $29.6 billion deficit with Canada in the year before NAFTA have morphed into a combined NAFTA trade deficit of $177 billion. The rosy job-creation promises made at the time of the NAFTA votes were predicated on NAFTA improving the U.S. balance of trade. The reality has been the opposite.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership in Congress today makes NAFTA child’s play both in economic terms and in the guaranteed rights of citizens in nine nations. TPP was written by corporate interests. A new school candidate will reduce corporate dependence and restore national independence; national independence is a mandate if the US will fix fossil fuel abuse, adjusts corporate tax independence to provide financial investment in infrastructure, and to assure dependable growth in salary and benefits for American workers. In short, vote for the candidate who is against TPP and advocates worker’s rights as an objective rather than one who advocates “making the economy great again.”

TIP

If the candidate is incumbent and running again, how strongly has the candidate backed new improvements in life-centered policies. As an example, Governor Rick Snyder of Michigan is classic: He blocks the cost of fixing lead-burdened amounts in the drinking water for Flint, Michigan. It is disastrous and scores of children have lead levels that are dangerous to life, let alone brain damage. The Governor plays the waiting game by initiating unnecessary studies in spite of the proven travesty of contaminated water in the city of Flint. Snyder is not interested in looking to present and future issues to shape priorities for governing Michigan. Local citizens say he doesn’t want to spend the money and suffer the disruption. Rick is old school, that is, the government manages stability rather than setting present and future need as a government agenda.

This is a similar attitude to Scott Walker in Wisconsin who prefers to break unions rather than have a budget shortfall. It is the same with Terry Branstad in Iowa, where closing mental health institutions in a brash way is an indicator of his lack of interest in solving the people’s issues. The tip is: what issues are high on the candidate’s list – budget and business or citizens and problem resolution. Today’s candidates must describe a government that follows the needs of the common citizen – both personally and environmentally.

Mariner has called Hillary Clinton an old school candidate. One attribute that supports mariner’s opinion is the willingness of both Bill and Hillary to negotiate compromises which are expensive to both sides and may or may not actually advocate progress. A good example is when Bill Clinton signed into law the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act in 1999, which repealed the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933. One of the effects of the repeal is it allowed commercial and investment banks to consolidate. Economists have criticized the action. At the same time, Clinton had been an advocate for welfare reform, tolerance for gay issues, defended civil rights and had a direct influence in reversing Reagan’s philosophy of provincial government.

The Clintons are liberal. And the Clintons don’t like to lose – a throwback to Bill’s days as Governor of Arkansas. Being liberally committed and wanting to win do not always coincide; hence, expensive deals to achieve liberal objectives and placate conservative interests at the same time. The mariner believes Hillary is cut from the same cloth as Bill. It is our good fortune that Bernie Sanders provides popular support for liberal ideologies, thereby making Hillary sensitive to major liberal policies.

Ancient Mariner

The Big Race

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For readers who don’t frequent bookie sites, the mariner provides today’s odds that a candidate will be elected President.

 

Hillary Clinton 8/11 72%
Marco Rubio 5/1 20%
Donald Trump 8/1 12½%
Ted Cruz 12/1 8%
Jeb Bush 22/1 4½%
Bernie Sanders 28/1 3½%
Chris Christie 33/1 3%
Ben Carson 200/1 ½%
John Kasich 200/1 ½%
Rand Paul 200/1 ½%
Martin O’Malley 250/1 2/5%
Mike Huckabee 250/1 2/5%
Carley Fiorina 250/1 2/5%

With the primaries about a month away, mariner doesn’t recommend placing a bet – except perhaps for Hillary since the odds for a democratic win are 150% versus the republicans at 120%.

As we enter the primary season, give some thought to the undercard, that is, the reader’s senators, representatives, state legislators, governors and mayors. Many states are so tightly bound by grotesquely gerrymandered voting districts that the winners can be predicted without voting. This is not a healthy sign for a democracy. Only nine states are swing states – worth 130 Electoral College votes. They are:

Nevada, Colorado, Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida and New Hampshire.

217 electoral votes are necessary to win the Presidential election. If the reader wants to track changes, a good site is: http://www.electoral-vote.com/ or http://www.bing.com/search?q=which+states+tossup+for+presidential+election&qs=n&form=QBLH&pq=which+states+tossup+for+presidential+election&sc=0-19&sp=-1&sk=&cvid=CC555DFBC2CF4D5F88AFB548D98F4E22

This is a very important election. The mariner strongly, strongly urges the reader to attend your caucus or primary. Then, especially strongly, vote in November.

Ancient Mariner

Food and Water plus a bit more about Joseph Campbell

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A report from Food and Water Watch about the Omnibus Appropriations bill just passed by Congress:

Our policy staff just finished combing through the 2,000-page omnibus appropriations bill that Congress must pass this week to keep the government running, and here’s how some of the key issues that impact our food and water fared.

Let’s start with some good news:

1. We stopped the Monsanto rider that would prohibit states from labeling genetically engineered foods (a.k.a. the DARK act). After thousands of phone calls and letters from people like you, legislators didn’t include it in the appropriations bill.

2. An amendment to label genetically engineered salmon was included. We’ll still be working to stop the introduction of GMO salmon in our food system, but this is an important step.

3. The attempt to overturn our national parks’ ability to ban bottled water did not make it into the final bill. Thank you to all of our supporters who took action on this issue!

4. We kept important food safety measures in the final bill including banning the purchase of chicken processed in China in school lunches and limiting the beef imports that may have been exposed to foot and mouth disease.

Now the bad news:

1. The 40-year ban on exporting crude oil is being removed. This fossil fuel industry giveaway happened despite massive opposition from everyone involved in fighting climate change and working for a renewable energy future.

2. Mandatory Country of Origin labeling for beef and pork is being repealed despite massive consumer and farmer outcry about the importance of these labels for our everyday decision making. Unfortunately because these deals were made behind closed doors and Congress didn’t follow the normal appropriations process, our members of Congress will only get a single up or down vote on the entire 2,000-page bill that includes these and many other amendments that affect a whole range of issues. It’s likely that this bill will pass this week to avoid a government shutdown, but that doesn’t mean we’ll stop working to protect your food and water. – F&WW

The mariner would like to add that the bill includes full funding of health care for first responders to 9/11 – a bill championed by Jon Stewart.

While on the topic of sustaining quality food and water sources, in a recent post, the mariner recommended viewing the series Breakthrough on the National Geographic channel. The most recent episode covered some of the new methods for extracting fresh water from many sources. It is an excellent review of an issue that is worldwide and growing worse as fresh water becomes scarcer. In a scant 100 years, human population will grow from 7 billion to 12 billion. Water ranks with climate change as a critical issue that transcends national differences. If you missed the show, it can be seen online at: http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/breakthrough-series/episodes/water-apocalypse/

REFERENCE SECTION

There is an interest in further inquiry about Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth. The mariner strongly recommends acquiring a DVD copy of the Bill Moyers interview and to purchase Campbell’s lecture series either in DVD or book form.

Transformation (metamorphosis) of consciousness, requiring consciousness to let go of the body, is of particular interest. In the interviews, Campbell says that everything in our known world has duality – an opposite value. For example, birth and death, consciousness and unconsciousness, physical and metaphysical, good and evil, before and after, etc. Transformation requires the separation of consciousness from the physical self. Transformation lifts consciousness into a unilateral existence where duality does not exist.

Mariner asked readers to identify the role of a few animals in mythology:

In Europe, the dragon – In many western myths, serpents and dragons are conflated into fearsome figures of evil that must be slain by heroes.

In Asia, the dragon – Dragons represent good things, good fortune and power. Only the Emperor could wear the golden five-toed dragon.

Lakota tribe (North America), the bison – Bison represented the source of the way of life for the plains Indians.

In China, the boar – The boar represents wealth and good fortune.

Celts in Britain, the boar – Boars were a symbol of courage in battle.

Ancient Mariner

Mother Earth

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The mariner came across this news item:

“Prince Charles has spoken exclusively to Sky News about his ongoing concerns about climate change, saying he believes there are links to the current refugee crisis and terrorism.

In his only interview ahead of COP21, the UN’s climate summit which opens next Monday, the Prince of Wales suggested that environmental issues may have been one of the root causes of the problems in Syria.

He said: “We’re seeing a classic case of not dealing with the problem, because, I mean, it sounds awful to say, but some of us were saying 20 years ago that if we didn’t tackle these issues, you would see ever greater conflict over scarce resources and ever greater difficulties over drought, and the accumulating effect of climate change, which means that people have to move.

“And, in fact, there’s very good evidence indeed that one of the major reasons for this horror in Syria, funnily enough, was a drought that lasted for about five or six years, which meant that huge numbers of people in the end had to leave the land.”

During the fourth millennium BC, about six thousand years ago, the Middle East was the first area to practice widespread agriculture. Slowly, over many centuries, weather patterns changed leaving mountains and harsh, crusty soil. The term “Fertile Crescent” is no longer applicable. Several debilitating floods and droughts occurred over the centuries as well as numerous wars. Governments and economies became minimal.

Then, in the nineteenth and twentieth Centuries, oil became profitable and has since provided 95% of the economy in the Middle East; the region was overrun by Western entrepreneurs who established weak local governments supported by oil profits. After the First and Second World Wars, the Middle East finally established permanent boundaries between countries except during the six year war between Iraq and Iran – a war for regional supremacy rather than for territory.

All this time, the weather worsened, leaving little in the way of economic disparity – it was oil and not much else. One wonders whether Prince Charles has a point. In the US, California suffered a drought for five years. Prices of fresh produce rose significantly. More produce was flown in from South America. North America is fortunate that another warming phenomenon came along in the form of El Nino – at the cost of floods and damaging storms. Already, 2015 is the warmest year on record. It hasn’t been thousands of years but is weather shifting? El Nino is a specific event but how can we tell that weather a hundred years from now may not be conducive to record corn and wheat crops?

Further, as with more of the Earth than we realize, fresh water is disappearing. Scientists are working hard at new ways to produce fresh, clean water. There are a few commodities that are provided by the Earth and as such should not be owned by proprietary corporations: a clean atmosphere free of carcinogens and chemicals that disrupt the chemical balance of our atmosphere. Another is water itself; corporations should never own water rights, whether natural or reproduced. Finally, while this is indirect, diversity of life is another commodity. Wildlife and plants service our planet and in the process, service us as well. Elizabeth Kolbert in her book, The Sixth Extinction, proves that humans are ravaging the Earth’s living family far more destructively than any terrorist attack by ISIL.

Very slowly, earthquake by earthquake, volcano by volcano, and our human contribution, excessive Carbon, the weather is bound to change. It’s an experience similar to living a lifetime: one is young and suddenly, almost by surprise, we wake up one morning to know we are approaching the end. It is hard to focus on large planetary issues far beyond nationalism – but the time has arrived.

Ancient Mariner

It’s Time

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The most serious issue with Donald is not his bullish personality – a lot of that is for effect. It isn’t that he lies a lot – Brian Williams did, too, fortunately not when he was broadcasting the news. It isn’t Donald’s ego – although his ego is a candidate for the largest ego in the Guinness Book of Records. The most serious issue with Donald is his promotion of our base instincts: fear, prejudice, moral abuse, violence, and blatant favoritism – just to name a few.

At last, some voters have begun to recognize Donald’s dark side: a person with no scruples, no ethic, and no morality. He says it himself, “I don’t like to lose; I only win.” And we only will lose. One perceives that the Constitution, the Congress, the Supreme Court and the fifty States will temper his rash decisions. Even if that were so, our nation would throw away four years that are badly needed right now. If ever this country needed leadership, it’s needed now. The election in 2016 is far more important than a typical presidential election. The entire planet stands on the threshold of an unknown future. How we live together will be better or just as easily will be worse than we live together today. The world is shorthanded of forward looking statesmen.

Metaphorically, to walk amid the fallen US government is tantamount to walking through burning Atlanta during the Civil War. Federal and state governments are dysfunctional, crooked, and misanthropic. Do not discount this opinion because the reader suspects mariner may be speaking as Amos. Many wise authors and analysts from several lifestyles fear a misstep in handling the rapidly approaching issues of our future. One can imagine our current society looking like a bunch of loose dogs running about with no cohesive belief in who we are or what we stand for – future or past – and when we organize, we behave just like a pack of wild dogs.

There are some exciting frontiers waiting for us to implement them. The definition of work will begin morphing into something more pleasant if we just focused on that task. Freedom from 19th century ideas about travel, power grids, and food distribution is out there waiting for us to step forward. If we had the fortitude to make health and medicine functional at a fair price, millions of people may live better and have a dollar or two to spare instead of crashing into bankruptcy and despair. Restructuring the role of corporate profit and taxes on everyone will make untold wealth available for reshaping our future to be a pleasant experience.

The mariner is old enough to remember a better culture that existed before 1980. He misses that time. It wasn’t perfect, no culture is, but the nation defined itself by its common citizens. Comparatively, those were the good times.

The 2016 election is an historic moment in our history. Consider the ballot, from top to bottom, with one thought in mind: Will this public official lead us into a new era. If you have doubts, do not vote for that person.

Ancient Mariner

 

Joseph Campbell

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Mariner became aware of Joseph Campbell in 1988 when the anthropologist was interviewed by Bill Moyers on PBS television. During that series of six interviews, Campbell provided interpretations of religious and social behavior in a way that was new to the mariner – frankly, new to most viewers. Many of Campbell’s interpretations, derived from decades of researching primitive cultures, provide a logical overlay for many human behaviors that seem to be universal. Mariner will share a few insights here but no matter how much is written, one must see the video of the Bill Moyers interviews; it is a significant event even today, 26 years later.

The mariner feels a visit with Campbell will have a calming effect on readers today. The cacophony of conflict, fear, financial instability, endless war, and weakened control of everything leaves us emotionally fatigued and we see no relief in sight. Joseph Campbell speaks pleasantly, unhurriedly but takes his audience to the core of their being. Whether we feel out of control or not, Joseph Campbell says things will turn out fine if we pay attention to our myths. All over the world, humans have similar needs and responses to religion, inspiration, enlightenment, phases of growth from birth to death, and many instinctive patterns that we perform automatically. Campbell has delved deeply into our common need for myths. He is famous for his advice to “find a blissful place.”

Joseph Campbell’s description of spiritual release: One piece of conversation mariner enjoys is a description of the spiritual metamorphosis that must occur in Christianity. Campbell said that everyone focuses on the pain and suffering of Jesus on the cross. That’s not it, he says. As Jesus approaches the cross, he is released from the bondage of his body; the cross is life. The body remains in a world of sorrow and pain but the spirit has transformed and releases the shackles that bind the spirit to the body. (So simply put but so hard to achieve.) See the video that talks about metamorphosis: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=joseph+campbell&view=detail&&qpvt=joseph+campbell&mid=40F1EF7847A31D484ED340F1EF7847A31D484ED3&rvsmid=40F1EF7847A31D484ED340F1EF7847A31D484ED3#view=detail&mid=40F1EF7847A31D484ED340F1EF7847A31D484ED3

Another approach to the experience of metamorphosis is described in the myth of the young Indian boy captured by an enemy tribe. He will be sacrificed at the tribal altar. As the boy approaches the altar, he is singing and happy. This confuses the chiefs because everyone is cheering the boy. See Campbell’s explanation at: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Bill+Moyers+Joseph+Campbell&view=detail&&&mid=CD67110856225F7A474ACD67110856225F7A474A&rvsmid=CD67110856225F7A474ACD67110856225F7A474A#view=detail&mid=CD67110856225F7A474ACD67110856225F7A474A

Joseph Campbell’s approach to the experience of life: “Myth is a kind of scoreboard. The libido looks at the scoreboard and knows what the situation is.” He goes on to say a forty year old man is not afraid of a scolding by his mother; if he is, he hasn’t looked at the scoreboard – he hasn’t moved on. The same is true with an eighty year old man. He shouldn’t be looking back to see how he can improve his golf score; He’s already done that. At eighty, he has lived his life and should be at peace with himself, knowing he has accomplished the arc of life but still always looking forward with satisfaction.

Campbell was a consultant to the “Star Wars” trilogy. George Lucas wanted to use the power of myth in all of us as an enrichment of the series. One example is explained in a short clip from the movie. See:

http://www.savevid.com/video/joseph-campbell-and-the-power-of-myth-with-bill-moyers-star-wars-pbs.html

Joseph Campbell was prolific. There are many books by him that cover his insights more succinctly; there are dozens of free clips a search engine will find. His Bill Moyer interview and DVD lecture series is available inexpensively through the German search engine Stuccu: http://stuccu.com/s/Joseph+Campbell+Dvd-MbSLsTI-Buy-Exclusive-Deals-70-OFF-Save-Big-Lowest-Price-On-Joseph-Campbell-Dvd-Best-In-Stock-Fast-Free-Shipping?keyword=%2Bjoseph%20%2Bcampbell%20%2Bdvd&matchtype=b&querystring=dvd%20joseph%20campbell&netid=2&aaid=5553c17ab1b1c62d9040ccc0&oid=29335685738&caid=5553c17ab1b1c62d9040ccbe&device=c&msclkid={mscklid}

Official Joseph Campbell website: http://www.jcf.org/new/index.php

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/191743028404?item=191743028404&lgeo=1&vectorid=229466&rmvSB=true   The Power of Myth for $27.00

http://www.compare99.com/compare.html?q=joseph-campbell&ort=Joseph-Campbell-Sale&adid=iaCkp56s0qSXo8mPppKfo8PHz51YosyfraClmNHKkHSToNHEyJ2eWdSfypKnpofFy5KkcMs%3D&baa=J&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=J_3&utm_term=%2BJoseph%20%2BCampbell   Book versions of lectures for $12 to $20.

Complete DVD set of series on Amazon.com for $42.00

Individual DVD lectures on Amazon.com for $4 to $14.

REFERENCE SECTION

Joseph Campbell said, “Mythological images are the images by which the consciousness is put in touch with the unconscious.” To this point, he documented the use of animals in different myths. Below are a few animals used as mythic symbols. Using your own intuition, what representation do these animals provide? Example: the raven has a universal reputation for cunning; in Greece and China, the raven was a messenger between gods and humans.

In Europe, the dragon –

In Asia, the dragon –

Lakota tribe (North America), the bison –

In China, the boar –

Celts in Britain, the boar –

The United States uses many animals to represent a multitude of symbolic virtues. Name at least six animals, each from a different type of endeavor or belief; what does each represent? Mariner will help by naming two; what virtues do they represent? (this puzzle has an arbitrary air to it. Intuition may be more important than fact)

Elephant and donkey (or jackass) for political parties.

To record your answers, click “Leave a reply” at the bottom of this post. The mariner, too, will reply with answers to the first puzzle.

Ancient Mariner

Role Play on the Campaign Trail

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The mariner watches the Presidential campaign from dockside. He is not an active soldier day to day in the campaign skirmishes – although he is active in some important advocacy groups. All the candidates play one role or another as they seek any advantage to move ahead. Now, as months have passed, the mariner is reminded of role play that is similar to labor union negotiations.

In 1975, the mariner was fortunate to have the Maryland Secretary of Public Safety as a mentor. Mariner had the opportunity to attend a number of top notch training courses in management, systems development and labor negotiations. The labor negotiations class was sponsored by the American Arbitration Association in Washington D.C. The class of ten was divided into two teams, one representing management and one representing a labor union. Each team had separate instructors who taught the methods and strategies of labor negotiation. After a few days, it was time to negotiate.

Each team had been coached about the various roles that each team member played at the table. The chief negotiator was the only one who could commit to contract terms. His role was to be calm, self assured, but very direct in his comments. Another member was responsible for being the guy the other side could talk to and befriend – usually away from the table; another member played the role of a fact checker who kept the other side honest; then there was “Mad Dog.” Mad Dog had to show simplistic aggression, demanding concessions that were beyond what the team actually would accept. As a footnote, after six days, mariner’s team won the concession battle and had a good contract.

It was an interesting and intense experience. Everything we did, even in the evenings, was filmed to be used in a debrief session after the negotiation.

Mariner is reminded of that training as he watches the candidates. Guess who the Republican Mad Dog is…. His outlandish opinions and poor manners make the rest of the Republicans sound reasonable and urbane; Donald does a good job! On the Democrat side, Bernie is Mad Dog. He forces the dialogue to include progressive ideas that are so removed from the Republican dialogue they seem to be in a different language. However, Bernie’s unexpected influence in the democratic race has pulled Hillary to a more liberal platform. Bernie’s outlandish demands for a rebellion make Hillary’s comments more acceptable.

As to other team roles, one should watch the Republicans to see who emerges as chief negotiator. Will it be Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio? Some say Chris Christie has a chance although Chris is a better mad dog by nature. Jeb will be the fact checker; Lindsey Graham could be the nice guy everyone can talk to – if he makes the team.

There are only two team members on the Democratic side. Post Election, Martin O’Malley could play a role in the Administration. As mentioned, Bernie is the Mad Dog. Hillary has a lock on chief negotiator. It’s as if she is the CEO of management and no one has the authority to unseat her.

The only issue is that the candidates aren’t negotiating a labor contract; it’s dog eat dog.

People watching is fun.

Ancient Mariner

 

Current Reality

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Today’s post has a number of reflections. There is somewhat of a theme in that they all relate to current reality but are derived from separate disciplines.

The first reflection is derived from the mathematical theory of chaos. Chaos Theory is a real system in mathematics. The most popular example is: If a butterfly flaps its wings in Africa and other physical influences are present, the fluttering will be the beginning of a Hurricane in the United States – or not.

Not to indulge in mathematics too much, chaos is a measure of change. Certain events and conditions occur which change the value of currently accepted values. These new values are in turn influenced by changes in other values. Eventually, everything that was accepted has changed and new, unanticipated values emerge. The US is in a whorl of change; it is chaotic because so many events seem not to be what was expected; around every corner are new extremes, unexpected crises and turbulence. The changes come faster and faster and there are few dependable expectations; chaos will take its course with little regard for history.

For example, US citizens did not expect the rise and influence of the tea party movement. It changed the Republican Party in ways that were not expected. This led to a breakdown in the ability of Congress to achieve legislation as expected. One bill was passed by the House more than forty times in an attempt to overturn The Affordable Care Act. Something is changing. What are the new rules? Who would predict the US would be at war with the Middle East for twenty-five years? Who knew that perniciously the industrial age would bring the Earth to a state of unacceptable pollution? So many situations have new, unexpected consequences.

Has a presidential campaign ever had more than twenty candidates? Values have changed. What are the nation’s new values that Donald Trump can be so popular? An amazing phenomenon is that a Nazi-style authoritarian is running against a democratic socialist in the same presidential year! There obviously is change occurring in America’s gestalt.

In recent weeks, killing innocents has become de rigueur. In the West, French and American atrocities have held the headlines – should it be said the news organizations have held the headlines. Beyond the Western nations, terrorist attacks have killed 147 at a University in Kenya, 43 people were killed and 239 wounded in Beirut, Lebanon; in recent weeks, Al-Shabaab, a militant group based in Somalia, attacked a mall in Nairobi, Kenya, leaving 67 dead; 49 people died when rebels shot down an Ukrainian plane; 224 died in the Russian plane bombed in Egypt; suicide bombers killed 81 at a church in Pakistan; and the Taliban took credit for killing two police officers with a car bomb in Afghanistan. Terrorism is a recent phenomenon, widespread, and not necessarily acting in behalf of a religion. Something has changed. Will the world ever be able to restore civility? What values must change to reconcile random murder performed by third-nation rebels? No one knows yet. The entire world seems to be caught in a tornado of chaos.

REFERENCE SECTION

Recently, mariner offered a book by Gene Baur, Living the Farm Sanctuary Life: the Ultimate Guide to Eating Mindfully, Living Longer, and Feeling Better Every Day. The mariner suggested it was an upbeat book about animal rights and proper dieting – an unusual approach, that is, being upbeat. The mariner tinkers in the kitchen. He found the recipes – the largest part of the book – were unusual and intriguing. Many of us have read vegan books and find the recipes mundane and make an attempt at competing with omnivore diets. Baur’s recipes often are unique and out of the norm for a vegan recipe book. Vegan and vegetarian readers will be well served to give this book a read.

The Atlantic Magazine has an article describing reactions to Donald from around the world. It may be a comforting read. See:

“What the World Is Saying About Donald Trump’s Comments About Muslims”

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/12/trump-muslims-global-reaction/419343/

Expanding the Liberal Arts Mind:

In the 17th century, Thomas Hobbes was a proponent of determinism. Generally, this philosophy means that every act is the result of previous acts. The battle was about free will and whether it could exist if everything was deterministic. This dialogue went on for centuries. In 1960, Edward Lorentz wrote a computer program that mimicked weather. He discovered that each time he loaded the first values, he received a different prediction. In a word, there was an element of “chaos” that prohibited predictability. This is why we cannot predict infallible weather more than a day or two ahead. For a great presentation that is as entertaining as it is enlightening, see:

http://www.abarim-publications.com/ChaosTheoryIntroduction.html#.VmdWKxZdG01

Ancient Mariner

Will the Next Generation have Their Lives Lived for Them?

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The mariner admits he is a privacy advocate. It stems from his first job in computer systems: he was responsible for a corporation’s system and data backups. Security was an aspect of the job. Throughout his career in systems, he was aware of the power of information in the automated world. The mariner has written many times about the disappearance of privacy.

Generally, the younger generations have less or no concern about individual privacy in exchange for the toys, correspondence, convenience, and social media. In this post, the mariner asks a few questions to demonstrate the kind of control and abuse a computer can impose on your personal life.

Assuming that most folks eventually will order groceries online, the grocery store wants to know your shopping preferences. At least grocery stores are willing to pay for this information with discounts on gasoline or sale prices. With your history of purchases, two things occur: first, the grocery store can trim its inventory overhead by providing only those items you are likely to buy. This seems reasonable but you will be offered fewer options to buy other items unless the grocery store wants to show them to you. It will be to the store’s advantage to offer only those items or brands they want you to see.

Second, you cannot price shop; the options are offered via the Internet showing the grocery store’s pricing to you, the individual buyer. Are your prices the same as everyone else’s? Are your prices competitive with other grocery stores? Will your income, bank balance or credit score determine how much you can buy? You have traded independence for convenience; you have surrendered private shopping preferences to anyone who wants to see them for their own purposes. Mariner wonders whether a shopper has lost control of grocery shopping decisions.

Anyone who owns a computer today, whether it’s a PC or the multitude of handheld devices, has experienced unwanted popups and other advertisements that almost trap the reader into making a purchase – wanted or not. How many inexperienced folks have bought computer cleaning software because they couldn’t get rid of the popup? Further, have you noticed that advertisements and email for automobiles are limited? They are limited because the seller knows your credit score, your entire history of auto purchases, and your income.

A store clerk will not see ads from Cadillac and Tesla; more likely, it will be Kia and Mitsubishi Mirage. On the surface, this limit of choices seems innocuous; on the other hand, someone else is deciding what car you will buy. In a subtle way, someone else is telling you what you can’t buy. Can’t is the operative word: today, interest rates are based on risk – not only your credit score but if the store clerk is buying a Cadillac, the interest will be higher because a Cadillac doesn’t fit the clerk’s profile.

Banks know your credit situation before they send you an offer for another credit card. Is your credit score high? You have the opportunity for a higher line of credit and many credit options; if your credit score is low, your line of credit will be low and your interest rate higher. You actually have little choice in the matter; the full array of credit card choices is not shown – someone else has selected your card for you.

The mariner receives thousands of junk email from boat suppliers, hardware companies, woodworking companies and especially plant nurseries. How do all these retailers know about the mariner’s propensity for boat, shop and gardening? The businesses have two external sources: they buy customer lists from other businesses and they buy from the worst lot of them all, the companies that control your access to the Internet.

That brings us to Google – the worst thief of the bunch that, usually without your knowledge or any recompense, takes your personal life and makes large profits selling that information to anyone who wants it. Why do others want your information? They want to live your life for you – using their products, of course.

I mentioned in a post a few years ago that I had written an email using an AOL account; Google was my link to the Internet. In that email, I used the word “depression.” The next day, when I launched Google, three separate ads for psychiatrists appeared. Google reads our mail even if we don’t use gmail. Google knows everything. It knows the brand, model and configuration of your device; it knows every website you ever visited; Google knows all the information available through government agencies like your birth certificate, driver license, social security number, and all your insurance policies. Google denies its obsession to know everything about everyone. Google says they don’t read people’s mail – but their computers do and the computers sort, select and bundle your information to obtain the highest price from information buyers.

Another growing use of your personal data is psychological evaluation. By cross-matching your computer activity over time, Google (and anyone wanting to pay for it) can determine the status of your life. The mariner knows for a fact that Google can deduce you had an increase in pay from your purchasing patterns; Google can deduce that a divorce is imminent; Google knows your political disposition and can determine who you will vote for by cross-matching the shows and channels you prefer on television, the neighborhood you live in, the car you own, your arrest record…need the mariner go on?

What provoked this post on privacy is the fact that Google again is caught red handed modifying settings in school PCs so that Google can monitor the use of the PCs unbeknownst to anyone. Further, a student cannot modify the setting to turn off Google’s snooping. The news article is a MUST READ. See:

http://www.zdnet.com/article/google-invading-student-privacy-with-chromebooks-eff/

Mariner says it again: Don’t worry about what NSA knows about you; it’s Google who knows a lot more than NSA ever will and can use it without accountability. Besides, at least the NSA doesn’t want to live your life for you.

A recent advancement in computer technology is the use of “clouds.” A cloud is a data storage service where you can leverage many processing devices to process your data. The cloud also stores your data. This is a boon for large companies and science research that need faster processing than possible in their own locations. These large scale users have IT specialists to assure security and accuracy – specialists that you may not have to protect your data for you. The issue of privacy is bound up in the cloud service because the smart phone companies store your smart phone activity on clouds whether you need high powered processing or not. However, the smart phone companies use the high powered processing to sort through your data just like Google always has.

The next chapter in limiting your choices in life will come soon when you can no longer buy your own processing system and programs. You will rent them from owners of the clouds. Like the child who picks up a dirty object and you say, “Don’t put that in your mouth – you don’t know where it’s been!” you may also be able to say that about your data.

Ancient Mariner