Insights from conservatives | 50 comments (50 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Insights from conservatives (4.00 / 2)

I would like to have more time to answer (silly me of putting up a diary in the middle of a massive workload).

But the short story is:

If liking to play music is "romantic". If people want always "more". If people want to be "consumers". Then we, as a species, are screwed. Maybe we are (in that case, good riddance).

I thought I was the uber-pessimist around, but clear I am not.

I believe most of our current "desires" were invented (See Edward Bernays - There is a Beeb mini-series about this guy, mostly).

The reason we are Over-Prozaced is precisely because this "modern lifestyle" is at odds with our nature.

by cagatacos on Thu May 12th, 2011 at 10:49:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Insights from conservatives (4.00 / 2)

Most cannot really control how their behaviours develop: that's the main problem. It takes quite an effort to avoid being programmed by a reinforcing environment. Sadly, the tools to avoid being programmed are taught poorly, if at all.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu May 12th, 2011 at 12:03:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Insights from conservatives (none / 0)

No one can, as far as I can tell.

Tools can help you soften the impact, but I don't think they can negate it entirely - see the effects of being exposed to propaganda even when you know it for what it it.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu May 12th, 2011 at 12:22:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

"Danger mindfield" (none / 1)

Certainly to the extent that new behaviours themselves evolve from previous sourcing behaviours. But the cerebellum et al don't always come up with clear cut behavioural responses. There are after-the-fact options that are open to apparently conscious choice.

Of course you can argue that those options are not chosen, but also behaviourally driven.

It's a mindfield out there...

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu May 12th, 2011 at 01:50:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Insights from conservatives (none / 1)

One of the "revolutions" that I think it is needed is one on education. Let me explain.

Education seems to be mostly defined by "enlightenment" values: Humans are capable of full knowledge, society is there to help and so on.

Humans are actually quite limited creatures (from a cognitive perspective). And easily manipulated. There should be massive educational time dedicated to teach people to deal with their shortcomings and how they can be manipulated.

Bias, self-delusion. Use of misleading arguments. Coping with uncertainty. Coping with lack of knowledge (and the possible inability to acquire such knowledge). Falacies. This things can be taught to a large extent.

Spend much time not on knowledge based learning, but the opposite: learn how not to be (self) deceived, learn how to learn. Learn how ones feelings can cloud judgment. And so on.

Teach people on how to deal with their own shortcomings.

It is not perfection, but we can do better.

by cagatacos on Wed May 18th, 2011 at 01:29:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Insights from conservatives | 50 comments (50 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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