Andrew York playing 'Letting Go' live on a radio station. This song, released at the same time as the Hauser Session recordings on Segovia's guitar, is probably my favorite piece of his, and certainly his most emotive. He calls it "a celebration of the common but glorious I-IV-V progression', but it is so much more than that. And to top it off, he begins singing near the end, and it blends so perfectly with the guitar, that you don't even realize it at first. I hope some day to be able to play with the emotion this man does.
Friday, December 15, 2006
Okay, now for a special treat.
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wiaa/a...&id=924451
Goodbye, Baji
I am reminded of the destruction we humans inflict on this planet by the loss of the Baji, the chinese river dolphin. A lineage that migrated from the oceans into the Yangtze river system 20 million years ago, 20 million years of biological development. Gone, lost to development of another kind.
To be truthful, I seldom get as choked up like this over mammals. My heart lies more with the invertebrates, with the stepped upon insects, with the plants that no one ever notices when they were around, and no one even blinks when they are gone. The Baji is only one out of thousands that are no more this week, so why should this one pull me so?
Possibly because it is a symbol to me, that I have not done enough, that I am guilty of ignorance, that I have failed to help conserve "every cog and wheel", as Leopold put it, a reminder of what humans have cast upon this world with our technology and "achievment". Perhapse it is some shallow identification as kinship, feeling for a fellow mammal that is no more. Yet, do I really need a reason for feeling loss? Shouldn't the loss itself be enough?
I don't know.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Who knew there were so many Cyprinids?
Uggh...flash cards of fish. Really, I like taxonomy as much as the next biologists, but seriously, nearly 100 fish species to memorize for an undergraduate Icthyology course? It wouldn't be so bad if it was easily identifiable fishes, like the Centrarchids, for example. But, here I have before me 19 different cyprinidae species to learn, and all but one of them is easy (Carp, Cyprinus carpio). The rest are Daces, Minnows, Shiners and Chads. And then there are the Catostomatids! Who knew there were so many freaking kinds of suckers!
Any way, I'd like to petition the icthyologists in the audience to reduce the Cyprinidae to three species: Carp, Goldfish, and Minnow. Hell of a lot easier to learn, and you know all those damn cyprinids look alike anyway. Oh, and reduce the Catostomatids to one species: White Sucker.
(Yes, yes, above is satire. However, I am quite tired of fish. The remaining portion of my insanity is weeping in a dark corner of my soul, chanting in latin gibberish)
"Nouomis bigutatus, BIGUTTATUS I SAY!!"
Any way, I would much rather learn aquatic insects. Fish are so....vertebrata, with their bones and scales and lack of superior chitinous exoskelleton.
Any way, I'd like to petition the icthyologists in the audience to reduce the Cyprinidae to three species: Carp, Goldfish, and Minnow. Hell of a lot easier to learn, and you know all those damn cyprinids look alike anyway. Oh, and reduce the Catostomatids to one species: White Sucker.
(Yes, yes, above is satire. However, I am quite tired of fish. The remaining portion of my insanity is weeping in a dark corner of my soul, chanting in latin gibberish)
"Nouomis bigutatus, BIGUTTATUS I SAY!!"
Any way, I would much rather learn aquatic insects. Fish are so....vertebrata, with their bones and scales and lack of superior chitinous exoskelleton.
Monday, November 20, 2006
'The Life of the Land is Preserved in Righteousness'
Ua Mau ke Ea o ka Δ€ina i ka Pono, the words on the state seal of Hawai'i, translate to 'the life of the land is preserved in righteousness'.
Aldo Leopold, the great conservationist writer of the last century, expressed a similar ideal when he wrote in his book A Sand County Almanac:
It is ironic when we note that the ecological problems which have destroyed the natural Hawai'i are directly contrary to what the words on the seal mean if given Leopold's intent.
It is futher ironic that the Utilitarians and biocentrists, those people who would from a glance seem to be closest to Leopold's beliefs, are most horrified at the implications, that humans should have no qualms about eating meat, among other things; and the anthropocentrics, those people who would seem furthest from Leopold's beliefs, are more likely to agree with the implications.
Thus, Leopold's land ethic is often cast as something not to radical, because the majority of humans are able to agree with its implications, the eating of meat, the allowance of hunting, agriculture, and other human occupations, as long as the "land" survives to future generations. Yet, if one analyses Leopold closely, they find that his "land organism" is composed of animals and plants, as well as non-living soils and water, on which he places intrinsic value. Very radical; not many in this age give value in and of itself to non-living things, and even less when he wrote it, 65 years ago.
He was able to do this because he he casts his beliefs in a non-individualist light. His statement was about "community", not individual organisms. Thus, "kinds", or species, have intrinsic value, something that is not found in the essays of the Utilitarians, completly outside the scope of the Biocentrists; thus, amalgamations of matter which are intrinsicly part of the whole ecosystem, the "land mechanism as he called it, are also intrinsically valued.
This melding of ethics and ecology is so beyond the bi-polar struggle of anthropocentrists and Biocentrists that it escapes the continuum, because it refuses to focus on the individual, instead focusing on something greater.
I find it is quite funny to see the head of both the anthropocentrist and the Biocentrist spin, in opposite directions of course, when this information is brought into play. The anthropocentrist cannot fathom giving intrinsic value to The Land, and the vegan Utilitarian cannot fathom eating meat.
In my opinion, both are wrong, both cannot accept cycles greater then their everyday workings, legacies that exist outside their daily grind.
When you get stuck on the individual, you loose site of the bigger picture. But when you focus on the whole, the individual is not elimiated. This Holism includes, not discludes. By focusing on the Land Organism, Leopold brings an ethic that is father reaching and more pertinent than the anthropocentrist and the Biocentrists could make working together.
Ua Mau ke Ea o ka Aaina i ka Pono, indeed.
Aldo Leopold, the great conservationist writer of the last century, expressed a similar ideal when he wrote in his book A Sand County Almanac:
A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.
It is ironic when we note that the ecological problems which have destroyed the natural Hawai'i are directly contrary to what the words on the seal mean if given Leopold's intent.
It is futher ironic that the Utilitarians and biocentrists, those people who would from a glance seem to be closest to Leopold's beliefs, are most horrified at the implications, that humans should have no qualms about eating meat, among other things; and the anthropocentrics, those people who would seem furthest from Leopold's beliefs, are more likely to agree with the implications.
Thus, Leopold's land ethic is often cast as something not to radical, because the majority of humans are able to agree with its implications, the eating of meat, the allowance of hunting, agriculture, and other human occupations, as long as the "land" survives to future generations. Yet, if one analyses Leopold closely, they find that his "land organism" is composed of animals and plants, as well as non-living soils and water, on which he places intrinsic value. Very radical; not many in this age give value in and of itself to non-living things, and even less when he wrote it, 65 years ago.
He was able to do this because he he casts his beliefs in a non-individualist light. His statement was about "community", not individual organisms. Thus, "kinds", or species, have intrinsic value, something that is not found in the essays of the Utilitarians, completly outside the scope of the Biocentrists; thus, amalgamations of matter which are intrinsicly part of the whole ecosystem, the "land mechanism as he called it, are also intrinsically valued.
This melding of ethics and ecology is so beyond the bi-polar struggle of anthropocentrists and Biocentrists that it escapes the continuum, because it refuses to focus on the individual, instead focusing on something greater.
I find it is quite funny to see the head of both the anthropocentrist and the Biocentrist spin, in opposite directions of course, when this information is brought into play. The anthropocentrist cannot fathom giving intrinsic value to The Land, and the vegan Utilitarian cannot fathom eating meat.
In my opinion, both are wrong, both cannot accept cycles greater then their everyday workings, legacies that exist outside their daily grind.
When you get stuck on the individual, you loose site of the bigger picture. But when you focus on the whole, the individual is not elimiated. This Holism includes, not discludes. By focusing on the Land Organism, Leopold brings an ethic that is father reaching and more pertinent than the anthropocentrist and the Biocentrists could make working together.
Ua Mau ke Ea o ka Aaina i ka Pono, indeed.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Look at this comment thread in which a bunch of Dhimmicrats do exactly the same shit that the republitards would have done if they had won the house and senate. See how I (Pseudo-Buddhaodiscordo-Pastafarian) tell these people this is only a pyrric victory, if any at all. See how they masturbate to each other and call me a loonie. See how I respond by pointing out that 7 out of 8 passed is 80% failure. See how they call me troll.
The dems care NOTHING for civil liberties. All they give a shit about is power, and their own wellfare. One partictular comment that struck me:
All the anti-gay ballot initiatives passed (mostly with wide margins) with the exception of Arizona. That is a resounding defeat for me and mine, and the continued downward spiral of GLBT equality across the nation.
Yes, this is a terrible thing. But it's pretty much independent of the Dem sweep of congress, governorships, and state houses, contrary to the implication of Mr. Pseudo.
In other words, if its not taking THEIR rights away, and as long as the dhimms "win", they don't give a shit.
Fools. The Nazi's didn't take away the rights of German citizens all at once either.
Originally posted at PD.com on October 26, 2005.
Fuck the Discovery Institute
Or
Michael Behe is a Fucktard
Or
Why Intelligent Design is a Crock of Shit
“TEACH THE CONTROVERSY!!” That is the battle cry of ID advocates from Florida to Kansas, those oh so friendly religious fanatics who are in the game to fornicate the nations public schools systems with the semen of Creationist “Science” yet again, this time with a more scientific sounding name. Teach the Controversy, huh? Well, I'm here to tell that THERE IS NO FUCKING CONTROVERSY! Intelligent Design is still the same piece of useless shit that it always has been, yet these people insist that their (read as everybody's) children need to be exposed to all “theories” equally. Of course, by theory, they mean a fucking guess written down by some old dead guys 2 millennial ago that is not only a fucking creation myth, but is FUCKING WRONG. Not to mention that its some of the most insipid crap I've ever read. But I digress. In the title I mentioned, among other things, that I would explain why ID is shit, and I intend to do that, now that I have shat some hate.
Reasons why Intelligent Design “Theory” consists of male Bovine fecal matter:
1. ID theory is not a theory: In scientific terms a theory is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that can incorporate facts, laws, inferences, and tested hypotheses. Key words here are well-substantiated and tested hypotheses. Now, lets see what one of the leading “scientist” advocates of ID has to say about theories...
The one giving answers is none other than Michael Behe, the forefront Messiah of the ID movement. While he pwns himself almost immediately by equating “Theory” to “Hypothesis” (something no real scientist would do) he then continues to suggest that Astrology and (I have to stifle laughter for this one) ETHER THEORY are both scientific theories. But enough of Behe for now, I'll come back to him later. The greater point is, ID is NOT a scientific theory.
2. There is no evidence for ID: In short, the definition of Intelligent Design “theory” is “since there are gaps in our knowledge of the universe, we conclude that it all came about by a “Intelligent Designer”. Thats it folks, the “theory of Intelligent Design”. In addition to not only being COMPLETLY FUCKING USELESS to science, it provides no evidence for its claim. Oh, fine, I guess I'll use Behe as a whipping post again, if only because its so fucking easy. Behe uses “God of the Gaps” as his main standing point, in addition to something he calls “Irreducible Complexity”. In other words, because the universe is so fucking big, and because biology is so fucking complex, the only way it could have possibly come about is by Intelligent Design. He then Points to, among other things, the Sphinx at Cairo, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and says “They are complex and designed, therefore, biology must be designed as well.” Both “God of the Gaps” and “Irreducible Complexity” use the standard ID logic formula: If A is not fully understood or is often too complex for normal (read: stupid) people to understand, then A != B (B being modern scientific opinion) and A = C (Intelligent Design). What they forget is that crucial of all things in science: EVIDENCE. Without evidence, a hypothesis should not even be considered scientifically. In other words, ID is shit.
3. ID Scientist = Crackpot Fucktard: I've talk quite a bit about Michael Behe already. He used to be a prominent biochemist working at Lehigh University. He still works there, but now he isn't so prominent for biochemistry, rather, he's well known for being an ID advocate. He's even written several books. But his arguments are just repetitions of those I have already stated. Repetition is a favored tactic of ID advocates. Personally, I think its an attempt at hypnotism. ^_^ Lets take a look at some of the other leading “ID scientists”.
William Dembski: Another Crackpot Fucktard. Mathematician and self-ascribed philosopher. Works directly for the Discovery Institute. Favorite quote: “Intelligent Design is an 'Argument from Ignorance...'” I believe that = pwned.
Kevin Hovind: Young Earth Creationist (read: Wannabe Crackpot Fucktard) Calls himself “Dr. Dino”. Quotes the Xtian Tree Corpse directly as science.
And there are many others, all of them Fucktards. The ringleader for this circus? Discovery Institute. As a front for the Republican Party, they pay “respected scientists” well for their bullshit. Except for Behe, of course. They stopped supporting when he committed career suicide at the recent Dover trial. I almost feel sorry for him. Almost.
4. Its all a mask: Heres the thing ID advocates don't want you to know, the thing that they will deny vehemently if you ask it (that is, unless you get them stirred up enough). This great secret is:
Intelligent Design = Scientific Creationism
Of course, we all know that. ID is just a mask for SC. The original Scientific Creationism was denied access to public education after the Scopes “Monkey” Trial in 1925, and ever since, SC advocates have been trying to weasel their way back into the classroom. The new vehicle is called Intelligent Design, mostly, I believe, because it sounds scientific to the layman. Even YECs are getting in the game, trying to sound like the Crackpot Fucktards.
In conclusion, ID is a crock of shit because it just revamped creationism in disguise, a crude hypothesis without evidence, supported only by Crackpots and fundamentalists. Keep it out of the classroom. Better yet, round up all the crackpots and put them in the asylums. Thats where they really belong anyway.
Fucktards.
Fuck the Discovery Institute
Or
Michael Behe is a Fucktard
Or
Why Intelligent Design is a Crock of Shit
“TEACH THE CONTROVERSY!!” That is the battle cry of ID advocates from Florida to Kansas, those oh so friendly religious fanatics who are in the game to fornicate the nations public schools systems with the semen of Creationist “Science” yet again, this time with a more scientific sounding name. Teach the Controversy, huh? Well, I'm here to tell that THERE IS NO FUCKING CONTROVERSY! Intelligent Design is still the same piece of useless shit that it always has been, yet these people insist that their (read as everybody's) children need to be exposed to all “theories” equally. Of course, by theory, they mean a fucking guess written down by some old dead guys 2 millennial ago that is not only a fucking creation myth, but is FUCKING WRONG. Not to mention that its some of the most insipid crap I've ever read. But I digress. In the title I mentioned, among other things, that I would explain why ID is shit, and I intend to do that, now that I have shat some hate.
Reasons why Intelligent Design “Theory” consists of male Bovine fecal matter:
1. ID theory is not a theory: In scientific terms a theory is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that can incorporate facts, laws, inferences, and tested hypotheses. Key words here are well-substantiated and tested hypotheses. Now, lets see what one of the leading “scientist” advocates of ID has to say about theories...
Q In fact, your definition of scientific theory is synonymous with hypothesis, correct?
A Partly -- it can be synonymous with hypothesis, it can also include the National Academy s definition. But in fact, the scientific community uses the word "theory" in many times as synonymous with the word "hypothesis," other times it uses the word as a synonym for the definition reached by the National Academy, and at other times it uses it in other ways.
Q But the way you are using it is synonymous with the definition of hypothesis?
A No, I would disagree. It can be used to cover hypotheses, but it can also include ideas that are in fact well substantiated and so on. So while it does include ideas that are synonymous or in fact are hypotheses, it also includes stronger senses of that term.
Q And using your definition, intelligent design is a scientific theory, correct?
A Yes.
Q Under that same definition astrology is a scientific theory under your definition, correct?
A Under my definition, a scientific theory is a proposed explanation which focuses or points to physical, observable data and logical inferences. There are many things throughout the history of science which we now think to be incorrect which nonetheless would fit that -- which would fit that definition. Yes, astrology is in fact one, and so is the ether theory of the propagation of light, and many other -- many other theories as well.
The one giving answers is none other than Michael Behe, the forefront Messiah of the ID movement. While he pwns himself almost immediately by equating “Theory” to “Hypothesis” (something no real scientist would do) he then continues to suggest that Astrology and (I have to stifle laughter for this one) ETHER THEORY are both scientific theories. But enough of Behe for now, I'll come back to him later. The greater point is, ID is NOT a scientific theory.
2. There is no evidence for ID: In short, the definition of Intelligent Design “theory” is “since there are gaps in our knowledge of the universe, we conclude that it all came about by a “Intelligent Designer”. Thats it folks, the “theory of Intelligent Design”. In addition to not only being COMPLETLY FUCKING USELESS to science, it provides no evidence for its claim. Oh, fine, I guess I'll use Behe as a whipping post again, if only because its so fucking easy. Behe uses “God of the Gaps” as his main standing point, in addition to something he calls “Irreducible Complexity”. In other words, because the universe is so fucking big, and because biology is so fucking complex, the only way it could have possibly come about is by Intelligent Design. He then Points to, among other things, the Sphinx at Cairo, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and says “They are complex and designed, therefore, biology must be designed as well.” Both “God of the Gaps” and “Irreducible Complexity” use the standard ID logic formula: If A is not fully understood or is often too complex for normal (read: stupid) people to understand, then A != B (B being modern scientific opinion) and A = C (Intelligent Design). What they forget is that crucial of all things in science: EVIDENCE. Without evidence, a hypothesis should not even be considered scientifically. In other words, ID is shit.
3. ID Scientist = Crackpot Fucktard: I've talk quite a bit about Michael Behe already. He used to be a prominent biochemist working at Lehigh University. He still works there, but now he isn't so prominent for biochemistry, rather, he's well known for being an ID advocate. He's even written several books. But his arguments are just repetitions of those I have already stated. Repetition is a favored tactic of ID advocates. Personally, I think its an attempt at hypnotism. ^_^ Lets take a look at some of the other leading “ID scientists”.
William Dembski: Another Crackpot Fucktard. Mathematician and self-ascribed philosopher. Works directly for the Discovery Institute. Favorite quote: “Intelligent Design is an 'Argument from Ignorance...'” I believe that = pwned.
Kevin Hovind: Young Earth Creationist (read: Wannabe Crackpot Fucktard) Calls himself “Dr. Dino”. Quotes the Xtian Tree Corpse directly as science.
And there are many others, all of them Fucktards. The ringleader for this circus? Discovery Institute. As a front for the Republican Party, they pay “respected scientists” well for their bullshit. Except for Behe, of course. They stopped supporting when he committed career suicide at the recent Dover trial. I almost feel sorry for him. Almost.
4. Its all a mask: Heres the thing ID advocates don't want you to know, the thing that they will deny vehemently if you ask it (that is, unless you get them stirred up enough). This great secret is:
Intelligent Design = Scientific Creationism
Of course, we all know that. ID is just a mask for SC. The original Scientific Creationism was denied access to public education after the Scopes “Monkey” Trial in 1925, and ever since, SC advocates have been trying to weasel their way back into the classroom. The new vehicle is called Intelligent Design, mostly, I believe, because it sounds scientific to the layman. Even YECs are getting in the game, trying to sound like the Crackpot Fucktards.
In conclusion, ID is a crock of shit because it just revamped creationism in disguise, a crude hypothesis without evidence, supported only by Crackpots and fundamentalists. Keep it out of the classroom. Better yet, round up all the crackpots and put them in the asylums. Thats where they really belong anyway.
Fucktards.
Monday, November 13, 2006
The Process of Sustaining
The Process of Sustaining
In the universe, all things sustain by both taking and giving.
All things must take for substanance,
and must give, for the substanance of others.
Thus, in giving and taking, the universe is sustained in balance.
Sol
Sol gives and gives, but no longer takes.
It gives, because it has taken enough.
Thus, by continously giving, Sol sustains Earth.
Life
Life is a gift of the universe.
It is known as the process of that which Sustains.
All living things take for substanance.
They take sustanence from other life,
and thus, others give their lives for sustanance.
All living things take and give, and there is balance.
Death
Death, that is, loss of ones life,
is the highest gift of the process of that which Sustains.
Ones own death, the body, the corpse,
is consumed by life.
The decomposers take the gift, and partake to sustain themselves.
They, in turn, give the gift of their own lifes to others.
Water and Soil
Water and soil are living entities.
They are suffuse with life, in many forms.
Thus, they are part of the process of that which Sustains.
What is decomposed in the soil, is then moved by water.
Moved, and all things are then sustained by it.
The nutrients of the earth,
and those gifts decomposed by other living things,
are taken again by green things,
to sustain themselves and all living things.
Sustaining oneself
A loon is calling out on the lake.
He understands what I mean by "taking to sustain".
Because that is all he takes for.
An Agent of that which Sustains
does not take more than she needs to sustain.
When she takes, she gives back,
and when she gives, she also takes.
Life is then at balance,
and she is at peace.
Respect
Of all the emotions one can have,
respect is of the most importance.
Respect for life does not mean
that one avoids taking.
To do so would be ones own demise.
Rather, by taking only what one needs to sustain,
the Agent respects those lifes whish he takes.
The Agent also does not discriminate
on basis of form.
Plants, Animals, fungi, protists, and bacteria;
They are all living.
None is more alive than the other.
None has less value than the other.
None is less a part of the Process of Sustaining.
Thus, the Agent of that which sustains
takes what one needs to sustain,
whether it be plant, animal, fungus, protist, or bacteria;
he does not discriminate on basis of form.
As long as he respects life, in all forms
the Agent of that which sustains cannot do wrong.
Mind's sustainence
The sustainence of the body
is the life of others.
The sustainence of the mind
are the ideas of others.
One takes ideas from others for sustainence. Then, she gives ideas back.
Her ideas are partially formed from that which she has taken.
Thus, the spreading of ideas
is a process of sustainance
in its own right.
The Illusion of Taking without giving
Many people in this world
follow the illusion of taking and not giving.
Is it ironic
that the end of giving
began as a gift?
The idea that one is not part
of the process of sustaining,
that one is above it,
that one can control it;
that is the path to destruction.
These people take the gifts given freely,
and then enter the house
and take everything.
They have no respect for life.
To them, taking is a game,
a livelyhood.
But, they are not at peace.
In buying into the illusion,
they have formed their own hell.
A hell of consuming, and of fear
especially fear of their own death.
They will still die, in their own hell of fear
and possibly they will relent,
but not likely.
They may not give their life freely,
in the end,
but it will still be taken.
The Agent
The Agent of that which Sustains
is known by her three qualities:
her respect for Life,
her fearlessness of death,
and her inner peace.
The Agent of that which Sustains
is not above the process.
Her respect of Life,
and fearlessness of death,
immerse and humble her
to the process of sustaining.
She knows of Taking and Giving.
She knows of the Illusion of Taking without Giving.
She has purged the Illusion from her.
Thus, she is not driven to consume,
not driven by fear.
Thus, she is at peace.
Humility
All things live and die.
Therefore, one is no different in nature from another.
The smallest organisms
can be those that all other lives rest upon.
Size is not a measure of importance.
One human
is just one out of zillions of living things,
each one intrinsicly able to give and take.
Therefore, a person is just a life like any other,
and ones size and mind
does not put one above another life.
To know and live this is to be humble.
Through this humility, one can find inner peace
Continuity
Since Life began
there has been no end to Life.
Life begets Life
there is no period of no-Life
between the two.
Since the begining, Life has continued,
the Transient, that which Sustains.
The Lineage is continuous,
Back to the Begining,
and on beyond our view.
The Agent realized this;
She knows that death is no end,
and birth is no begining.
She knows that all is Transient,
Arising to complexity,
Returning to simplicity.
The Process which Sustains,
Life Itself,
Infininte.
In the universe, all things sustain by both taking and giving.
All things must take for substanance,
and must give, for the substanance of others.
Thus, in giving and taking, the universe is sustained in balance.
Sol
Sol gives and gives, but no longer takes.
It gives, because it has taken enough.
Thus, by continously giving, Sol sustains Earth.
Life
Life is a gift of the universe.
It is known as the process of that which Sustains.
All living things take for substanance.
They take sustanence from other life,
and thus, others give their lives for sustanance.
All living things take and give, and there is balance.
Death
Death, that is, loss of ones life,
is the highest gift of the process of that which Sustains.
Ones own death, the body, the corpse,
is consumed by life.
The decomposers take the gift, and partake to sustain themselves.
They, in turn, give the gift of their own lifes to others.
Water and Soil
Water and soil are living entities.
They are suffuse with life, in many forms.
Thus, they are part of the process of that which Sustains.
What is decomposed in the soil, is then moved by water.
Moved, and all things are then sustained by it.
The nutrients of the earth,
and those gifts decomposed by other living things,
are taken again by green things,
to sustain themselves and all living things.
Sustaining oneself
A loon is calling out on the lake.
He understands what I mean by "taking to sustain".
Because that is all he takes for.
An Agent of that which Sustains
does not take more than she needs to sustain.
When she takes, she gives back,
and when she gives, she also takes.
Life is then at balance,
and she is at peace.
Respect
Of all the emotions one can have,
respect is of the most importance.
Respect for life does not mean
that one avoids taking.
To do so would be ones own demise.
Rather, by taking only what one needs to sustain,
the Agent respects those lifes whish he takes.
The Agent also does not discriminate
on basis of form.
Plants, Animals, fungi, protists, and bacteria;
They are all living.
None is more alive than the other.
None has less value than the other.
None is less a part of the Process of Sustaining.
Thus, the Agent of that which sustains
takes what one needs to sustain,
whether it be plant, animal, fungus, protist, or bacteria;
he does not discriminate on basis of form.
As long as he respects life, in all forms
the Agent of that which sustains cannot do wrong.
Mind's sustainence
The sustainence of the body
is the life of others.
The sustainence of the mind
are the ideas of others.
One takes ideas from others for sustainence. Then, she gives ideas back.
Her ideas are partially formed from that which she has taken.
Thus, the spreading of ideas
is a process of sustainance
in its own right.
The Illusion of Taking without giving
Many people in this world
follow the illusion of taking and not giving.
Is it ironic
that the end of giving
began as a gift?
The idea that one is not part
of the process of sustaining,
that one is above it,
that one can control it;
that is the path to destruction.
These people take the gifts given freely,
and then enter the house
and take everything.
They have no respect for life.
To them, taking is a game,
a livelyhood.
But, they are not at peace.
In buying into the illusion,
they have formed their own hell.
A hell of consuming, and of fear
especially fear of their own death.
They will still die, in their own hell of fear
and possibly they will relent,
but not likely.
They may not give their life freely,
in the end,
but it will still be taken.
The Agent
The Agent of that which Sustains
is known by her three qualities:
her respect for Life,
her fearlessness of death,
and her inner peace.
The Agent of that which Sustains
is not above the process.
Her respect of Life,
and fearlessness of death,
immerse and humble her
to the process of sustaining.
She knows of Taking and Giving.
She knows of the Illusion of Taking without Giving.
She has purged the Illusion from her.
Thus, she is not driven to consume,
not driven by fear.
Thus, she is at peace.
Humility
All things live and die.
Therefore, one is no different in nature from another.
The smallest organisms
can be those that all other lives rest upon.
Size is not a measure of importance.
One human
is just one out of zillions of living things,
each one intrinsicly able to give and take.
Therefore, a person is just a life like any other,
and ones size and mind
does not put one above another life.
To know and live this is to be humble.
Through this humility, one can find inner peace
Continuity
Since Life began
there has been no end to Life.
Life begets Life
there is no period of no-Life
between the two.
Since the begining, Life has continued,
the Transient, that which Sustains.
The Lineage is continuous,
Back to the Begining,
and on beyond our view.
The Agent realized this;
She knows that death is no end,
and birth is no begining.
She knows that all is Transient,
Arising to complexity,
Returning to simplicity.
The Process which Sustains,
Life Itself,
Infininte.
Reverse Brainwashing: A Guide
Introduction
I'm not all that great at this stuff, so I'm not posting a piece for the PD06. Instead, I am going to expand upon what I call reverse brainwashing, and was mentioned earlier in the brainstorming stages. Reverse Brainwashing works in nearly the same manner as the garden variety, except its purpose is to free the individual from their 'Iron Bar Prison', and get them to expand their imagination to think for themselves. To wake them up to reality, essentially. Like the opposite, reverse brainwashing rewrites a persons paradigm, and there are several stages to the process.
1. Hook the Sheep
In this stage we attract those who may be more receptive to waking up at the moment. From earlier discussions, we have found that certain things work well to attract the target population. From polls of other discordians, we have found the target age group, the age group which is most receptive to this process is late teens (16-20). So the modes of attraction are aligned towards these individuals.
Shiny things tend to catch peoples eye, that is, things that are oddly colored when compared to surroundings. The best way to go is LOUD. Clashing colors, bright graphics, complex, interesting looking graphics, these all get peoples attention. One color font is right out. Non standard fonts are better, but make sure they are easily readable. Make each sentence or thought a different color. Use bright colors, or at least those that contrast highly with the background. Make it ATTRACTIVE to teens these days. You know they spend all day in bland 'prisons', so make it look as different from the prison as possible!
Place the propaganda in prominent locations. If you are going to disseminate fliers, dress cleanly and properly (depending on the location, maybe suit, maybe street gear), but don't say anything, just hand them out. At this point we are just trying to get them to notice.
2. Reel them in
So, you've caught their attention. Now, what do you TELL them off the bat? Generally, members agree to leave out as many inside jokes as possible. Leave out 'classic' rich words too, like All Hail Eris, Fn0rd, Greyface, etc. These only get in the way of keeping them interested. In fact, leave out any mention of religion in general. Use newly coined phrases, like “The Discordian Society cordially invites you to join us in a jailbreak...”. Leave out as much classical humor as possible. Use questioning phrases.
Most of all, intrigue them. Give them just a little meat to work with, using new buzzwords like “Iron Bar Prison”. Make them want to come to you for more. Make the message short, don't draw it out. These kids have short attention spans, its got to be catchy.
Finally, give them somewhere to go. Putting www.principiadiscordia.com at the end of the flier is good, or the address to POEE. This is very important, and it will weed out those who are truly interested; they will take the initiative and come.
3. Operation Mindfuck
In this stage we fuck with the dogma that is stuck in circuit. We weaken the prison with weirdness. This is the realm of the PD06 now in progress, it is the most difficult job of this process, and the most important. It is here that we begin changing the paradigm.
The document itself has little ability for variability in length. On one hand, the potential discordians have short attention spans, so it should be short enough to adjust for this. On the other hand, there is a minimum length for such documents, because of the time needed for the weakening to occur. This is important: if the PD06 is too short, it will accomplish little or nothing in this stage. This is because a sort of minor hypnosis must occur, which allows the mind to be more easily screwed with.
The PD06 must be easily accessible; if possible, it should be the first discordian document the potential has ever come across. The less he/she has heard before this point, the better. Put it next to or, if possible, in place of the original at PD.com.
It should look unassuming. Start out with the same sorts of things from the 'propaganda'. Give a little humor, but make it background. Use lots of buzzphrases. Use repetition. Lull them into an unassuming state, while slowly increasing the weirdness.
When a critical point is reached, completely shatter their world view. Shock them. Warning: this can only work if they are first lulled into that semi-hypnotic state. This is the point of turning, where the dogma that has been ingrained is broken. What they knew can't possibly be true anymore. So give them something else to know.
4. Reversing the cycle
Throughout the PD06, subliminal messages should be placed. These should span around central themes such as freedom, 'jailbreak', thinking for oneself, imagination, waking up, etc. gradually increase the frequency of these and decrease the subliminality, until the critical point is reached. Then, all things should be about these central themes. At this point, we are taking their closed mind and replacing it with an open one. We broke their reality, and now supply a better one. Once you are at this point, you can say nearly anything, and a person will run with it, so be careful! Don't fall in the same traps as the original pd! Yes, some randomness, some humor, but don't make them the most important things. Otherwise you end up with more 'zomg23pinealglandlol' discordians, who are seldom well welcomed in most discordian forums, and their growth as people is also impeded.
5. Welcome the convert
So a person is converted. What next? They most likely go to find more like them. Thus making active discordian web communities of high importance. The convert should be welcomed and guided. They still have lots to learn. Eventually they should be introduced to the full cannon of discordian literature. But for now, teach the basics. As before, keep the religious aspects low key. There is still the possibility to ostracise. Make them feel welcomed, give them praise and constructive criticism. Encourage them in their interests. In other words, be like good foster parents. They're still kids and have a long way to go!
Conclusion
One by one, we break the sheep from their Iron Bar Prisons and expand their imaginations, make them think for themselves. In turn, they break more from their prisons. Eventually, critical mass is reached. Our key word: Resolve. Evangelize with compassion and determination. And realize that there will be few in the beginning. We are hand picking our successors. They are the future of discordianism. Let us guide our future with intelligence.
I'm not all that great at this stuff, so I'm not posting a piece for the PD06. Instead, I am going to expand upon what I call reverse brainwashing, and was mentioned earlier in the brainstorming stages. Reverse Brainwashing works in nearly the same manner as the garden variety, except its purpose is to free the individual from their 'Iron Bar Prison', and get them to expand their imagination to think for themselves. To wake them up to reality, essentially. Like the opposite, reverse brainwashing rewrites a persons paradigm, and there are several stages to the process.
1. Hook the Sheep
In this stage we attract those who may be more receptive to waking up at the moment. From earlier discussions, we have found that certain things work well to attract the target population. From polls of other discordians, we have found the target age group, the age group which is most receptive to this process is late teens (16-20). So the modes of attraction are aligned towards these individuals.
Shiny things tend to catch peoples eye, that is, things that are oddly colored when compared to surroundings. The best way to go is LOUD. Clashing colors, bright graphics, complex, interesting looking graphics, these all get peoples attention. One color font is right out. Non standard fonts are better, but make sure they are easily readable. Make each sentence or thought a different color. Use bright colors, or at least those that contrast highly with the background. Make it ATTRACTIVE to teens these days. You know they spend all day in bland 'prisons', so make it look as different from the prison as possible!
Place the propaganda in prominent locations. If you are going to disseminate fliers, dress cleanly and properly (depending on the location, maybe suit, maybe street gear), but don't say anything, just hand them out. At this point we are just trying to get them to notice.
2. Reel them in
So, you've caught their attention. Now, what do you TELL them off the bat? Generally, members agree to leave out as many inside jokes as possible. Leave out 'classic' rich words too, like All Hail Eris, Fn0rd, Greyface, etc. These only get in the way of keeping them interested. In fact, leave out any mention of religion in general. Use newly coined phrases, like “The Discordian Society cordially invites you to join us in a jailbreak...”. Leave out as much classical humor as possible. Use questioning phrases.
Most of all, intrigue them. Give them just a little meat to work with, using new buzzwords like “Iron Bar Prison”. Make them want to come to you for more. Make the message short, don't draw it out. These kids have short attention spans, its got to be catchy.
Finally, give them somewhere to go. Putting www.principiadiscordia.com at the end of the flier is good, or the address to POEE. This is very important, and it will weed out those who are truly interested; they will take the initiative and come.
3. Operation Mindfuck
In this stage we fuck with the dogma that is stuck in circuit. We weaken the prison with weirdness. This is the realm of the PD06 now in progress, it is the most difficult job of this process, and the most important. It is here that we begin changing the paradigm.
The document itself has little ability for variability in length. On one hand, the potential discordians have short attention spans, so it should be short enough to adjust for this. On the other hand, there is a minimum length for such documents, because of the time needed for the weakening to occur. This is important: if the PD06 is too short, it will accomplish little or nothing in this stage. This is because a sort of minor hypnosis must occur, which allows the mind to be more easily screwed with.
The PD06 must be easily accessible; if possible, it should be the first discordian document the potential has ever come across. The less he/she has heard before this point, the better. Put it next to or, if possible, in place of the original at PD.com.
It should look unassuming. Start out with the same sorts of things from the 'propaganda'. Give a little humor, but make it background. Use lots of buzzphrases. Use repetition. Lull them into an unassuming state, while slowly increasing the weirdness.
When a critical point is reached, completely shatter their world view. Shock them. Warning: this can only work if they are first lulled into that semi-hypnotic state. This is the point of turning, where the dogma that has been ingrained is broken. What they knew can't possibly be true anymore. So give them something else to know.
4. Reversing the cycle
Throughout the PD06, subliminal messages should be placed. These should span around central themes such as freedom, 'jailbreak', thinking for oneself, imagination, waking up, etc. gradually increase the frequency of these and decrease the subliminality, until the critical point is reached. Then, all things should be about these central themes. At this point, we are taking their closed mind and replacing it with an open one. We broke their reality, and now supply a better one. Once you are at this point, you can say nearly anything, and a person will run with it, so be careful! Don't fall in the same traps as the original pd! Yes, some randomness, some humor, but don't make them the most important things. Otherwise you end up with more 'zomg23pinealglandlol' discordians, who are seldom well welcomed in most discordian forums, and their growth as people is also impeded.
5. Welcome the convert
So a person is converted. What next? They most likely go to find more like them. Thus making active discordian web communities of high importance. The convert should be welcomed and guided. They still have lots to learn. Eventually they should be introduced to the full cannon of discordian literature. But for now, teach the basics. As before, keep the religious aspects low key. There is still the possibility to ostracise. Make them feel welcomed, give them praise and constructive criticism. Encourage them in their interests. In other words, be like good foster parents. They're still kids and have a long way to go!
Conclusion
One by one, we break the sheep from their Iron Bar Prisons and expand their imaginations, make them think for themselves. In turn, they break more from their prisons. Eventually, critical mass is reached. Our key word: Resolve. Evangelize with compassion and determination. And realize that there will be few in the beginning. We are hand picking our successors. They are the future of discordianism. Let us guide our future with intelligence.
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