Systemic Extortion

 This was my morning post on social media.

Overthinking again! I think therefore I am. Therefore I will depart. Or should I say retreat? Where?

Perhaps into the deep and dark secluded corners of the mind.

Conclusion: our individual perception of "the present moment" is the concatenation of life experiences. There are no two snowflakes alike. There are no two "realities" alike. As individuals reality is established through the lenses of life experience through which we view the natural world.

So off I go to my quiet secluded space, with my voice recognition software, Grammarly and the Hemmingway Editor, fighting procrastination all the way. Wish me luck! I will be back…

/h

Systemic Extortion

Now isn't this an odd title for an article? Yes of course it is, because only with the harsh reality can we be enticed or forced to arrive at new conclusions. Through personal observation, I would suggest that important critical changes are only achieved after experiencing a variety of natural human emotions.

So you've been to the pet store, and you are now home with a new member of the family. What a cute puppy. Now begins the many many months of "puppy training". Treats in your pocket, and perhaps a rolled-up newspaper. Good behavior is rewarded with praise and a treat. Deterred behavior with a swat from the rolled-up newspaper. This continues day after day, many times throughout the day until automatic responses are generated in the puppy, and we now consider our "best friend" housetrained.

The same is true of our social communities, as young individuals we are groomed into the community. Praise and stroking of individual egos, and criticism for noncompliance. No two communities are alike. No two individuals within the community are alike. Each individual grows and develops as an adult according to their early life experiences.

The title "Systemic Extortion", because the "puppy training" of each of us as individuals in our early years is a process of "reward and punishment". Praise and ego-stroking, and harsh criticism or rejection. In extreme cases, individuals are ostracized. The cornerstone of Western civilization is perpetual "Extortion". We don't call it extortion, because when the shaping and grooming of social behaviors are done by individuals that have conceded, their right to do so, from "Divine Providence ". "Systemic Extortion", has become standard social practice, the fabric of "faith-based" social networks.

We live in a world of engineered reality, that has evolved over many centuries. The leaders, the facilitators, the perpetrators are elevated to layers of social standing everywhere around us. If we examine human behavior, for the term "narcissism", we may reflect a new and deeper understanding. With the underlying purpose of "Divine Providence", in the hands of leaders, facilitators, and perpetrators the label "narcissist" is conveniently dropped. Conveniently dropped because in the broader context a greater good for the social structure is perceived. This begs the question, why drop the term narcissist? Do not each of these individuals mentioned retain social status, power and authority? Therefore their community and social group standing is solely dependent on narcissistic traits to be perfected to maintain the social hierarchy. In all instances along the way, "a power greater than myself" as self-determination defuses any criticism.

How is it that we continue to perpetuate these chains of events? It begins possibly during times before the example I will give. The early Greeks and Romans established the social process of removing the young boys from the home environment and placing them in compounds with other young males. From the earliest age, young boys found role models in their every day new environment and were gradually shaped. These times were before the establishment of what we observe today to be modern-day Christianity.

Psychology today understands the development of the human mind in much greater detail than our ancestors. The overall conclusion is this, the biological and physical maturity of our human brain is completed approximately at age 30. Keep in mind the previous two paragraphs as we move forward.

In the early months of human development, young child is observing their surroundings. Language and communication have not developed yet, but observations are establishing conclusions in the young mind. Keep in mind that there are a variety of environments, each one uniquely different. The widest gamut possible is the possible reality for each of these new members of our species. It can be a well-meaning and dedicated evangelical Christian household. It can be at the other end of the spectrum and narcissistic and abusive, substance-dependent environment. Without communication, the young mind can only come to conclusions and make decisions resulting from observations. The "reward and punishment" is understood and conclusions arrived at. Both of these extreme examples of the family atmosphere and all deviations exist in our communities.

In those early preteen years, communication is established with the outside world through acquired language. Clichés and phrases, shape the cultural lensing of the young mind. Dependent on geographical and cultural immersion, the young mind becomes a modified copy of both ancestors and community.

Now arrives adolescence. Language and cultural practices have been adopted, and now is the time to give responsibility to the developing mind. Stroking of the ego, reward and punishment go hand-in-hand with establishing the desired endpoint. Perhaps in the evangelical home, the young person takes on responsibilities to assist in their Sunday school program. At the other end of the social spectrum, substance abuse might result in the young individual beginning the use of these substances themselves. Why? Because in each case the young mind perceives a value in conformity. The young mind desires to mimic what is perceived to be advantageous traits. Throughout the teenage years, behavioural confirmation by the group begins to set firmly in place the personal conclusions. By the time the teenager passes through adolescence and reaches the age of 30, constructs in the mind can become firmly entrenched. No further knowledge or understanding is required, I have learned all I need to know, I am now an adult, I'm all grown up.

Here I will throw a curveball into the mix. As I had mentioned in a previous rambling, I attended a Congregational meeting in Saskatoon, perhaps 10 years ago now. It was suggested by a childhood friend that I attend, however, he had other commitments and would not be joining me. Innocent enough, I did. The meeting began with a recorded presentation of a debate between a believer and a nonbeliever. The presentation chosen was such that I can assume most people watching concluded the believer won the debate. After a brief interlude, perhaps 10 or 12 individuals from the congregation seated themselves on the stage. The lead facilitator of this gathering stood up and made a statement. "We are here to try and understand why more than 90 percent of our young people leave their faith after two years of higher education."

The reason I have related to this personal experience is that from the time the young mind leaves high school and enters institutions of higher learning, change is still possible. I recall out of context, from my preteen years, attending the rural Lutheran church service. "Maintain the innocence of a child." I do not recall the context or any other details, or even when in my early life this memory remains. I bring it forward at this time as an example that even upon completion of high school, "maintain the innocence of a child", has not solidified the possibility of a broader understanding by our human mind. In some individuals, even after the age of 30, conclusions are arrived at and major life decisions are made.

In conclusion, there are many facets of our human social interactions. We are all shaped by our life experiences. Those that claim to be the most caring, and for the greater good, clearly by example are the ones that practice "extortion" to the highest degree in the disguise of "divine providence". Collectively as members of the species, we must open our eyes to these practices and behaviours, and gradually through whatever processes necessary, stamp them out as detrimental to our collective advancement. During an earlier time, Hans Christian Anderson wrote "The Emperor's New Clothes", a poke in the eye of the social conformity during his time, of the obvious. Peter Boghossian, assistant professor of philosophy at Portland State University, defines faith as "pretending to know things you don't know."

2020 Christmas morning

Do you remember Alice in Wonderland?
Of course you do!

Come with me, and let us go for an adventure.
A stapler? Why?

Perhaps for at least the last few decades, this recognized tool, has played an instrumental part in our everyday world. It comes in varied shapes and sizes, for stapling together paper, stapling vapour barrier during construction, stapling bags closed, and many more. Let's not forget stapling wires or cables along the baseboard by the telephone or alarm system installer. Why such detail? Because this should all come together with the realization that regardless of the tool, the concept is the same. Take the shape designed for the tool, and get the job done. staples for cables, staples for attaching vapour barrier during construction.

Now let's extrapolate this, and perhaps go down a rabbit hole. Please consider that staples, regardless of the size or shape, represent the collective knowledge and understanding during the current era. That being established, let us understand that the stapler is the tool to establish greater common understanding.

Regarding cables and wires, and staples, we have now arrived at a time when many of the devices are wireless. Everything can be connected to everything else. Perhaps in this regard staples have become obsolete. If staples have become obsolete with the transfer of data, then what is the point of having a stapler? Yes for some jobs, we will always need one.

Vapor barrier, construction? Many building materials do not require this previous method, they themselves are a vapor barrier. Many methods of attaching building materials today use adhesives. Again the staple gun is obsolete, and only used in special applications.

A stapler is the method of delivery, of the staple. The staple is the common knowledge of the time. In an information and technological age that we exist in, communication is global and wireless. It knows no boundaries. At least very few boundaries. If we would consider that the stapler, as analogy analogy, to be the "College of Theology". Most if not all university campuses have one.

The very general purpose of the College of Theology, was to establish general consensus and cohesion in community or nation. Apply the common knowledge of the day in such a way that the general population understood the greater good. In this way the stapler, the College of Theology, established conformity. The fabric of community, the rule of law, for social and economic harmony.

Today, "common knowledge" is available to everyone regardless of social or economic strata. Available through many devices, in many languages, across cultures. A global network of data. As this decade moves forward past the year 2020, perhaps the most obvious observation, is that the "stapler" is relegated to the dustbin of history. A delivery method from an earlier time. Just as the textbook used in earlier medicine, perhaps from 500 years ago, is now a museum piece. We certainly do not accept as standard practice, curing ailments by a practice of "bleeding". We have advanced past the time when sickness and disease was accepted to be something in the air around us, a part of "the ether". We simply did not know any better!

Colleges of theology, over centuries, have evolved strategic methods to establish social conformity. The general population in our recent past accepted without question the opinions of the graduates. The power of the microbial world has been demonstrated to us globally in this year 2020. These graduates of theology, "stand down and stand by". Everyone recognizes this year the insignificance and assertions of certainty which cannot be measured or defined.

Two major disasters in our modern recorded history shaped our modern world. These two disasters were the earthquakes in Spain which caused the general population to question and reevaluate "The Divine". In recent history, the events of 9/11 precipitated the past two decades of divine purpose for a greater good. "The War on Terror". A concept for retribution, firmly based on the foundation of evangelical Christianity, the heydays of "Billy Graham" popularity. Reflecting back from 2020, we can clearly see that this firmly established "Christian arrogance" is simply attempting to apply obsolete staples through an obsolete staple gun. Perhaps more clearly, and attempt to apply concepts from early colonialism to our current era. Science and genetics, the knowledge of the microbial world, space exploration and astronomy have rendered the foundations of "the College of Theology" an elephant in the room which has not yet begun the process of fossilization.

This concludes my 2020 Christmas morning of "overthinking everything". Thank you for reading!

/h

Through the centuries, we know more.

 
As you slowly scroll this website, the text will appear on alternate sides of the screen, giving you a slow and gradual explanation of the image in the center.

"Big-bang", no...
With time and the advancement in technology we, as a species, arrive at a new understanding of the natural world - including far distant space. Far distant space, that our ancestors had no concept of.

As I read more, over the years, there are a continuous number of "big-bang" events. These are natural phenomena beyond our earth's atmosphere. We come to observe this natural cycle of energy and matter, in a never ending cycle. It appears to be regional in parts of distant space. events occur that lead to the demise of stars and planets. There are events that lead to the creation of new planets and stars. These events happen over BILLIONS of years, a time scale that our human existence commonly is in DENIAL OF. As a "species" we are "self-centred", certain that our personal "life" is of some great importance, What we observe in these recent decades, is that this is not the case. 
One example to illustrate the "time-scale" is this.  Hold your arms out on each side of your body. At the far tips of your hands on either side, your fingernails extend. Now imagine taking a nail file and stroking the tip of the farthest nail. 
The fully extended arms represent the age of our planet.
The single stroke of the nail file at the extended finger tip represents "human existence" on this planet.
Will a single stroke of the nail file, you have removed our entire human existence on the face of this planet.

What we observe far off in distant space are events that happen during multiple time frames that would be measured by the distance to the fingertips of your extended arms. Let's call this "extended arm" time frame a "celestial year". We as a species are insignificant.
Our hereditary concept of afterlife appears to have no place in this time frame. We exist, and someday we will no longer exist. We are  but bugs in a slow moving storm of transitions of energy and matter. 
/h



“Black holes are enormous sources of energy in the universe, and that is because material falls into the black hole. As it does so, it goes faster, and if it collides, those collisions can take kinetic energy and turn it into radiation. In terms of the lifecycle of a galaxy, the black hole at the center plays a major part in how the galaxy evolves.”
https://static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/assets/media/multimedia/fabian/index.html 

No no it is simpler than that!

 

No no it's simpler than that!

Break the problem into smaller pieces.

Overthinking and rethinking. Eventually you break it down. You arrive at the lowest common denominator. Why?

In order to be an instrument for change, knowledge is required. You acquire knowledge by being observant. As you observe patterns begin to emerge. Patterns? Yes patterns in behaviour of our species.

I'll begin this discussion quoting one of the very common introduction statements. I reflect back over many decades, this one appears to be very common, a lowest common denominator. Why? More to come about the "why" near the end.

"Howard, you seem to be a nice person?"

Why do I find this a low common denominator?

In past experiences of interactions, this has been the lead in statement. Usually made by those either new to my social circle, or on the fringe areas. I conclude that they have observed my behaviour for some time, and they simply cannot help themselves to interact and find out more. Find out more about you? Yes! The "more" they want to find out, is to determine if you are part of their "camp", "worldview".

The conclusion, or profile, that I have arrived at which is common to all of these interaction is this. They have been observed your knowledge and experience. They highly respect your accomplishments and lifestyle or behaviour. Perhaps to sum it up, "we need people like you". It's part of the recruitment strategy. They need to know if you are already part of their "camp", and if not, I'll desirable recruit.

What has been the common outcome? The common out come is that they soon realize they cannot compete with your knowledge and experience. What I can best describe as "Christian arrogance". Ask them questions, and the most common response will be a biblical reference. The soft pushback? "You have to believe in something." Within a few minutes it can quickly deteriorate to a personal attack. The most common personal attack statement: "I don't like the way you think!" Many times profanity part of this last statement.

Reflecting back to the mid-nineteen eighties, a particular individual. Literally many hundreds of hours spent together, enjoying our adventure with the common interest of playing music. Now more than 30 years have passed. The individual refuses to meet for coffee. Why? Because through all this time he has assumed that I was part of his "worldview". Through those early years of togetherness, he was always the dominant alpha male personality. Continuing to this day I am sure to volunteer with the local "mustard seed" outreach. Over the past five years I have sent him a few email links, and all I have received back from him are scripture quotes. What happened? Perhaps for the past 30 years he has made an assumption that, "Howard you are a good person". Only now within less than five years, perhaps Google searching my name, he found something and could not contain his curiosity. He had found a LinkedIn entry which I had made in my work history. That entry was that I had been a volunteer for "Recovering from Religion". His first contact back to me after many years was to ask me what this was about. I sent him a few links. I realize that this is been a turning point. For three decades he had made the assumption, that I was a "good person", and now he found out that I was an instrument of "evil". I can only imagine his internal anguish with respect to biblical statements about associating with "nonbelievers". His personal dismay at how he could have been wrong all these years. His internal angst that he had collaborated with the nonbeliever all this time. Perhaps best described that his mind is that of an eight or 10-year-old, running to his parents in the middle of the night, because a nightmare woke him up.

I have other instances, this is just one example of my observations of human behaviour. Just one example that I observe of the suppression and obliteration of the natural "inquisitive nature" of our species. The pattern that I observe is that this lifelong personal position is established before the age of 13 to 15. The establishment of critical thinking can continue mental development throughout the lifetime. However the human brain reaches maturity approximately age 30. This being observed, most individuals spend the second half of their intellectual development in echo chambers that cement perceptions permanently. Between ages 15 and 30, many are given adult responsibilities. These adult responsibilities stroke the ego and establish their personal identity. As with this individual that I have used as an example, past the age of 50, there is little chance of change. Perhaps in their later senior years, as memory begins to fade, the early preteen childhood nightmares are remembered and become their true every day reality.

Probably, I could go on for another two or three paragraphs with more detail, I hope that the above is sufficient to demonstrate a pattern.

"Faith is hope masquerading as knowledge." ~Peter Boghossian, Washington State University. 

I now come to realize in my early seventies, that when you start to see this pattern, an interpersonal relationship cannot be derived. The lifelong position of "faith", is firmly entrenched. Reason and logic was hijacked sometime back when they were in their mid-teens. The "inherent truth" as understood by them from their scripture reading trumps everything.

In summation, be a role model, be an instrument for change. Be visible in your path of the logic and reason. The inquisitive nature will find what it's looking for you just by watching you, even if only from a distance. I attended an evangelical Congregational meeting one evening. I was the outsider, I didn't know that I should not have been there. The topic of the evening was "why do 95 percent of our children leave their faith when attending higher education?" As mentioned earlier the human mind completes growth and development about the age of 30. Consider that these children, in spite of their evangelical and homeschooling or private upbringing, 95 percent left the "faith" of their family and community within two years of higher education. The inquisitive mind will continue to develop until about the age 30. Therefore those that continue on to higher education have approximately 10 more years. These 10 years are crucial to disbanding hereditary faith groups and systemic racism. Since the wide acceptance of the Internet, even those that do not continue on to higher education, may all of their own discord, walk away from the understanding of their family and community. Information is now readily available to all those who are curious. The broadest base of common knowledge, available to all regardless of country of origin or nationality, is now available to everyone. 

The Highway of Life

We are all flying down the highway of life! Let's take your imagination on a little side trip. Every Highway has a centreline. This Highway has a side lane, the cargo lane, perhaps called the express lane. What? Yes this on the highway of life, is logic and reason. The main lane that most people are on, the lane most travelled is the one closest to the centreline. Let's call this lane, the path travelled in the first person. Let's call the express or cargo lane the lane travelled in the third person. How do these two lanes differ? Travelling in the most common lane closest to the centreline, the lane in the first person. It is the path guided by emotion. The express lane, is you in the third person. Continuous cycles of making calculated decisions and risk assessments. Everything depends on logic and reason. For the record, the express lane does not allow cognitive impediment. For obvious reasons in the express lane you would not be driving under the influence. Simple third person risk assessment would default that it would not be possible. To be emotional is to be impared.

Now along this highway there are rest stops. In these rest stops are places where people take a break and entertain themselves. These rest stops, let's call them arcades, are entertainment complexes to expound upon your emotions. Let's say for example, they contain many complex pinball machines. Imagine yourself dropping into a rest stop, deciding to let your emotions wild. You find yourself in the pinball machine with your emotions running wild, you may run many cycles. You may run your entire lifetime and this pinball machine, because there is no way out. All these emotional roller coasters take their toll on your life expectancy.

What about those that are in the express lane? They are travelling down there highway of life, and seldom pulled into a rest stop. Many oblivious to the existence of the rest stops and the pinball arcades that exist there.

Stay tuned as we continue down this rabbit hole. I am sure there is much more to come!!

/h

...being in my "moment". After two emotional days, time to get back into the 3rd person state of mind. Leave emotion behind, It might be creative, but it is also destructive and pointless! Lesson learned, "stop" in depth enteraction with others. The default human condition is 1st person - emotion driven.

Deeply "rooted" faith conviction

Deeply "rooted" faith conviction in communities and families can not be "reasoned with"...
It is an emotional position, no amount of fact or logic permitted. They are easily triggered to a temper tantrum...
AS a senior exhibited at a church breakfast I attended some years ago.... The senior assistant facilitator of the event was almost in tears..... Blurted out.... "Why do you hate Jesus so much?"
History recorded by neighbouring peoples has no record of such an extraordinary person. Thus, it is beyond a reasonable doubt, that the "icon" of faith is a FICTIONAL CHARACTER. As the centuries pass by the story is re-interpreted and embellished. More "possibilities" added to the interpretations. Then considered FACT by the faithful.
This view was obvious by a co-worker from 20 years ago. He described biblical content as "inherent truth". He insisted that his view nullified all current knowledge. His summation: "Everything happens for a reason." Thus I conclude adding the word "inherent" in front of the word "truth" trumps all other points of view. "They" have "laid down" their biblical law..
It's "Christianity" over the centuries: conversion | assimilation | genocide

Have you ever sat back and retraced your footsteps?

Have you ever sat back and retraced your footsteps? Replayed your personal interactions with others?

Unfortunately, I have. The ability to remember interactions from many years past. Remember the dialogue word for word, and do a reevaluation. I recall in the workplace, the conversation with the senior technical specialist. “Howard, you are a perfectionist, you will never survive here.” Wow, where did that come from? The casual comment made when he passed by on the way to the coffee machine. Was this statement a result of a general conversation with coworkers? Could he not restrain himself from passing on his or the group’s consensus to me? This happened in the technical workplace, soon to be 20 years in my past, by an individual 25 years my junior.

Reflecting on that statement two decades later. I’ve arrived at an assessment of our species. “Those who feel that they cannot compete play dirty!” We have many levels of personal understanding and experiences. We can decide based on our general knowledge and familiarity. One point I recall from a motivational tape. I purchased it through the Daytimer catalogue back in the 1980s. It described a senior gentleman at a petroleum conference in Calgary, at the podium. At the end of his presentation, there were questions from the audience. One question was: “why is your company so successful?” In his slow southern voice, he responded, “because we drill more wells.”

Lived experiences mould altruism, compassion, and general understanding. We should find ourselves in a conundrum more often. Social status comprising group acceptance, spiritual or religious views. All of which provide us with layers of lenses for bias. These multilayered biases create us as an individual personality. General communication will have little or no disagreement. Imagine an individual finding self in new surroundings. There will be a learning curve for all concerned in this new social environment. All individuals will monitor the newcomer. The newcomer will evaluate the group.

Back to the earlier statement, “Howard, you are a perfectionist. You will never survive here.” 25 years of hands-on technical service work. In later years, as a technical specialist, providing support to junior employees. I need not justify my conclusions on technical matters. Given the opportunity, I can very present the many dots that lead me to make a conclusion or decision. Conclusions together with an extreme detail from memories of technical troubleshooting from my past. Within the first three months, I conclude the following of the entire social group I found myself in. The entire technical team had evaluated my work ethics, technical experience, ease of collaboration and communication with coworkers. This brings to point, this same individual that stated that I was a perfectionist. On another occasion he said: “Howard, why do you use your hands so much when you speak?” Well, I didn’t respond. I would suppose that it results from mimicking people that are in leadership roles or in front of a class. I had performed in the role of a technical specialist. Provided classroom training to junior employees over 20 years earlier in Calgary. I have never thought about it. I see no reason not to use this adapted skill. It is part of my transfer of technical knowledge and experience to others. Either in day-to-day one-on-one communication or in front of a class. The conclusion two decades after the fact. This senior technical specialist within this new workplace felt threatened by my presence.

Bringing up the previous statement, “those who cannot compete, play dirty.” This I conclude to be not a human trait. A study of behaviour trained primates to play a game. In rotation, given a cucumber or a grape as a reward for their turn in the game showed the following. The equal performance or similar performance received a cucumber instead of a grape. When the primate understood the unfairness, it refused all future participation. This technical workplace 2000/2001, of coworkers with University educational backgrounds. I have between four and five decades of technical hands-on performance and knowledge. A high school education. After two years, I was given double the severance. I signed a document stating I would not take them to court for wrongful dismissal. There were two other unconnected instances of differing viewpoints about religious affiliation. I answered and did not engage in any in-depth dialogue.

On the morning of 9/11, a coworker who was my senior but 25 years my junior came over to my work cubicle. At 7 AM near the end of our all-night shift, he said to turn your second screen onto CNN.com. I did and immediately saw the twin Towers and the embedded airplane. He looked down over the wall of the workspace with his arms folded. He said: “See Howard, if people follow the Bible more closely, things like this wouldn’t happen.” I looked up at him with my handshaking. This is the first time that something like this has happened on our continent. I recall my repetitive nightmare as a young child. The Cuban missile crisis. At that moment, I responded to him, my handshaking. “If it wasn’t for people like you and people like them, things like this would not happen.” During the months after 9/11, there were financial cutbacks on wages. A reduction of 30% on everyone’s paycheck. Reflecting. I realize I withdrew from almost all interactions in the workplace. I sat at my workstation. I used my perfectionist ability. I did “a more perfect” call handling and diagnostic procedure.

Why am I going on with such extreme detail about things that happened so long ago? Not for most of the masses. I do so for the very few that may connect the dots in the stories. They may arrive at a new sense of understanding within themselves.

The majority having their own personal identities of self-esteem and self-confidence within the confines of the social structure. Those levels in many social circles are rarely challenged. They are only challenged in new surroundings, with new individuals finding themselves in the group. The comparisons on a social level are ongoing in many species.