1 Topic by covertmetaphor (edited by covertmetaphor 2007-12-23 10:19:31)

  • From: ¿donde está aquí?
  • Registered: 2007-08-05

Topic: Context, Stories, and Ethics

The following is an unedited stream of consciousness I posted on my site today. It flows for the most part. I would appreciate any feedback from members here. I find NR members to be much more intuitive (and on the level) than the majority, and feel its readers will understand what I'm trying to say more than anyone. I rarely get comments on my site.

The following is a stream of consciousness which I wrote sitting at a café one morning. I was thinking about things which disturb me, and this is what came out. Read it carefully because there are a few key components of persuasion and manipulation sprinkled about.

What do I find disgusting and revolting? Now as I attempt to produce an answer I can’t think of much that really gets to me. Where some people might tend to resist the image of blood and guts, I think what makes me cringe the most is the effects of successful persuasion and manipulation which break all ethical boundaries; those insidious techniques used against people to ruin lives.

Even slightly more mild examples make my skin crawl. I can’t stand watching small children parrot every commercial they see, or spew forth religious dogma on cue like trained puppies, their parents smiling so proud. Vomit.

I see it everyday when someone manipulates their partner using emotional techniques of give and take. The willing victims are those who don’t analyze their own actions, question their own beliefs, and accept everything at face value. Is an unexamined life really worth living?

It is a disturbing thought to think humans may be nothing more than organic vessels carrying loads of useless memes around, infecting each other at every opportunity.

If there is such a thing as absolute truth, I have only seen glimpses of it indirectly. That is through pure intuition, devoid of any symbols, stories, language or thought.

It is possible to translate this experience into language and art, but you are still left with only symbols which represent the experience. This is the reason language will always fail to give that which it promises.

It may seem perplexing to some that I study and teach techniques of persuasion and manipulation when I find many of its effects revolting.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on your perspective, life does not work without it. We are all manipulators. Every child manipulates its parents, every lover their partner. It is inescapable.

Of course not all outcomes of persuasion and manipulation are negative. Wouldn’t you try to persuade a friend who might be walking down a path of self-destruction? It all depends on the context doesn’t it? Context is everything in this game.

There are some recent ads targeted at teenagers against the use of methamphetamine (speed). I’ll take two of these ads to clarify the point I am trying to make. The first billboard shows a young man with lesions on his skin, dark circles under his eyes, and a caption reads, “Actually, doing meth won’t make it easier to hook up.”

Imagine if we changed the context and put him in a completely different environment. For example, change the background and put him underneath a tropical sun standing before a beautiful pool, surrounded by a group of skimpily clad bikini models. The caption remains the same, but the story changes completely.

The second billboard is a picture of a filthy toilet stall and a caption that reads, “No one thinks they’ll lose their virginity here. Meth will change that.” Now keep this caption but instead of a filthy toilet stall, replace it with an image of a beautiful room, a large ornate bed with silk sheets and a young attractive half-naked man with muscles. The effects will obviously be different. The context tells an entirely different story. Context is being used to control the masses on a daily basis.

Also, recognize the type of appeal being made in these ads. They are targeted at teenagers who tend to be more susceptible to emotional appeals rather than rational appeals. Ads using rational appeals are declining because of an increase of less-educated people.

Speaking of stories…

Humans are hardwired for stories it would seem. Depending on your own stories is what determines your life outcome. The stories you consistently tell yourself determines your own reality. Is yours a story of frustration, sadness, and failure, or one of success, happiness, and health? Do you hate your job? Well, that’s a story too.

Perceive what is behind the language, symbols, and metaphor. Recognize the context and write your own story.

I just reread it. It seems more disjointed than I thought. I might need to smooth this out.

Covert Metaphor
The Absolute Truth of Bucky Beaver

covertmetaphor's Website

2 Reply by Millenium (edited by Millenium 2007-12-23 14:12:34)

  • Registered: 2006-05-30

Re: Context, Stories, and Ethics

http://forum.noblerealms.org/pics/1014_rcg021-alien.jpg



Which Test Tube Alien Will You Choose?

Kurion - Good
Yagoni - Good
Tatsuni - Good

Dodec - Evil
Takon - Evil
Shako - Evil

I Am A Test Tube Alien,

My Test Tube Alien Story
by Buckrion - Good

"Naratuko (The Test Tube Aliens 'home' planet) is dying. The environment in the test tube, recreates that of Naratuko, until a new suitable planet can be found for the test tube aliens to colonize. The test tube aliens planet has habitable sloog swamps, much like the continents on earth, so the test tube aliens natural living environment deems they be raised in sloog environment which contains their food & nutrients and protects them from drying out, Due to the size of the test tube aliens planet and the speed it rotates around their suns, their year equates to one earth day, our daytime being their summer and dark all winter, so to maintain perfect health the test tube aliens prefer to see 12 hours continuous light followed by 12 hours continuous dark.

The test tube aliens breathe through the tips of their antennas, therefore for perfect health the test tube aliens like to remain covered in sloog, with just the tips of their antennas protruding. If completely immersed in sloog the test tube aliens will start to drown, if not enough they will starve or dry out. The test tube aliens will grow to their maximum size over a period of a couple of weeks, (14 days) making them teenagers in their own planet terms. An alien may live to be over 200 years old on Naratuko. Whilst the test tube aliens are alive they have a visible flashing heartbeat, You can tell the status and health of a test tube alien by monitoring this heartbeat.

The test tube aliens can communicate through the Internet, by holding a test tube alien to the computer screen at testtubealiens.com the test tube alien can be interrogated to determine; health, age, or to set various modes.

Who am I ?

In the face of the destruction of their race, the good aliens decided that their only hope would be to do as their forefathers had done. A genetic mutation allowed them to regress their age and transform their bodies into that of an unborn aliens. By doing this they lost all of they bodily strength gained over the millennia only their powerful minds remaining intact, as their bodies reverted to that of an infant. They would travel the galaxy in search of a sympathetic life form that would raise them back to adulthood, until such a time as a new, habitable planet could be found, As they fled the planet in their regressed chrysalis state, the evil race saw the lights from their launch and decided they had no choice.

The evil race would not allow the good to prevail and decided to undertake the same gruesome transformation so that they could pursue the good race, in an attempt to wipe them out once and for all........."



Enter....FLUFFY! .... to be continued

3 Reply by titmouse_ (edited by titmouse_ 2007-12-23 10:40:44)

  • From: Shores of Lake Titikaka
  • Registered: 2006-05-25

Re: Context, Stories, and Ethics

covertmetaphor wrote:

The following is an unedited stream of consciousness I posted on my site today. It flows for the most part. I would appreciate any feedback from members here. I find NR members to be much more intuitive (and on the level) than the majority, and feel its readers will understand what I'm trying to say more than anyone. I rarely get comments on my site.

The following is a stream of consciousness which I wrote sitting at a café one morning. I was thinking about things which disturb me, and this is what came out. Read it carefully because there are a few key components of persuasion and manipulation sprinkled about.

What do I find disgusting and revolting? Now as I attempt to produce an answer I can’t think of much that really gets to me. Where some people might tend to resist the image of blood and guts, I think what makes me cringe the most is the effects of successful persuasion and manipulation which break all ethical boundaries; those insidious techniques used against people to ruin lives.

Even slightly more mild examples make my skin crawl. I can’t stand watching small children parrot every commercial they see, or spew forth religious dogma on cue like trained puppies, their parents smiling so proud. Vomit.

I see it everyday when someone manipulates their partner using emotional techniques of give and take. The willing victims are those who don’t analyze their own actions, question their own beliefs, and accept everything at face value. Is an unexamined life really worth living?

It is a disturbing thought to think humans may be nothing more than organic vessels carrying loads of useless memes around, infecting each other at every opportunity.

If there is such a thing as absolute truth, I have only seen glimpses of it indirectly. That is through pure intuition, devoid of any symbols, stories, language or thought.

It is possible to translate this experience into language and art, but you are still left with only symbols which represent the experience. This is the reason language will always fail to give that which it promises.

It may seem perplexing to some that I study and teach techniques of persuasion and manipulation when I find many of its effects revolting.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on your perspective, life does not work without it. We are all manipulators. Every child manipulates its parents, every lover their partner. It is inescapable.

Of course not all outcomes of persuasion and manipulation are negative. Wouldn’t you try to persuade a friend who might be walking down a path of self-destruction? It all depends on the context doesn’t it? Context is everything in this game.

There are some recent ads targeted at teenagers against the use of methamphetamine (speed). I’ll take two of these ads to clarify the point I am trying to make. The first billboard shows a young man with lesions on his skin, dark circles under his eyes, and a caption reads, “Actually, doing meth won’t make it easier to hook up.”

Imagine if we changed the context and put him in a completely different environment. For example, change the background and put him underneath a tropical sun standing before a beautiful pool, surrounded by a group of skimpily clad bikini models. The caption remains the same, but the story changes completely.

The second billboard is a picture of a filthy toilet stall and a caption that reads, “No one thinks they’ll lose their virginity here. Meth will change that.” Now keep this caption but instead of a filthy toilet stall, replace it with an image of a beautiful room, a large ornate bed with silk sheets and a young attractive half-naked man with muscles. The effects will obviously be different. The context tells an entirely different story. Context is being used to control the masses on a daily basis.

Also, recognize the type of appeal being made in these ads. They are targeted at teenagers who tend to be more susceptible to emotional appeals rather than rational appeals. Ads using rational appeals are declining because of an increase of less-educated people.

Speaking of stories…

Humans are hardwired for stories it would seem. Depending on your own stories is what determines your life outcome. The stories you consistently tell yourself determines your own reality. Is yours a story of frustration, sadness, and failure, or one of success, happiness, and health? Do you hate your job? Well, that’s a story too.

Perceive what is behind the language, symbols, and metaphor. Recognize the context and write your own story.

I just reread it. It seems more disjointed than I thought. I might need to smooth this out.

"Blinded by self-importance the visionaries of society haven't the vision of a blind musician nor the perception of a churchmouse_"
~~carefulcarpenter


I try to offer intuitive images and reflected insights rather than try to manipulate others into serving my needs.  I rather they serve the common good from their own set of paradigms, only hoping those paradigms are their own and not built upon the lies of manipulation.  I see your point--the more we use language the more we twist and distort the story; then we also have to recognize our misperceptions, selective memory, and peer-appeal.  Thanks for the stream! smile



"I AM a fly fisherman
Catching morsels in a storm,
The flow is remarkable,
The air is fresh and clean"
~~carefulcarpenter

Fun fact: Great Tits are common in Europe

To know love is to know trust; to know oneself is to know truth
~~carefulcarpenter

1+1=1
  • Registered: 2007-07-06

Re: Context, Stories, and Ethics

I don't really understand your complaint.  Or rather, I do understand it but I feel you are not expressing it entirely.  You are either holding something back on purpose, or because you find it difficult to define.

I wonder if what people express to others are just what they feel the others would like to see and hear.  What is important is inside.  So as far as other people are concerned it is adequate simply to play a part like an actor on a stage.

I suspect that the government and the media are really not capable of fooling people.  People might let the two think they are successful because the people probably don't want to see whatever ugliness they are doing anyway.  I don't think any government ever overthrown at any time in history or any place on the globe, was ever replaced by anything better. 

But you are all welcome to tell me different.  Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies.  Tell me liessss

Good judgement comes from experience; experience comes from bad judgement.
----------------------------------------------------------
You have to believe in the impossible in order to become.
  • Registered: 2006-03-29

Re: Context, Stories, and Ethics

Here's my own 'stream o consciousness' to add to the mix.


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Genesis 2:19
So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one.

Genesis 2:20
He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

And man hasn't stopped labelling things since.  Man continues to add a barrier between himself and the essense of the reality he finds himself in.

Language indeed forms an ever increasing layer of film over the eyes of man.

A film that can be twisted and distorted to such an extent that each person becomes an island unto themselves, living in a subjective bubble.

But it's comfortable.  Everybody does it.  Every person learns it from those that came before.  A self-perpetuating prison of non-reality.

Populus Vult Decipi --- The People Wish to be Deceived

Several factors lend to this collective delusion.  Fear.  Ego.  Dishonesty with Self.

Society is built on it.  If your not in, your out.  And being out can cause fear.

A deep rooted fear.  A survival fear.  The lone wolf has less of a chance than the pack.  Or so we're told.

It's a knotted web.  Those of the enslavement persuasion know the tricks.

Those that wish to free themselves need to learn them too.


Thought is not just words and sentences, although that is how we know it now.

Stopping the words stops the language.  Stops the disconnect.

But the mind is far deeper than that.

Active non-thinking awareness is "non-word" awareness.  Non-Language awareness.

To catch a glimpse, stop a thought loop in mid stride.

Hold the space open and the vacuum will be filled with thoughts beyond words.

A connected knowing awareness that flows omni-directionally.

A mind no longer imprisoned by it's own devices.

A mind no longer under the illusion of separation from intelligent infinity.