Tag: delusional

Atlantis and Kneejerk Adamant Assertion

~ quantumdreamer ~ Leave a comment

I’ll wager that if I raised the notion of an advanced civilisation on Atlantis many tens of thousands of years ago in certain circles, I would get the kneejerk adamant assertion that this is made up, fictional, delusional and that no evidence has ever been found. With an implicit nor is there likely to be any found, ever. Just like you can’t find evidence for unicorns, there is no evidence for Atlantis. Yet in the media, tales and recreations of Atlantis exist.

People who are fond of opining like their soap boxes and to hold court thereupon to an {admiring} crowd. The tendency to assert without due consideration is recently pandemic and can be found everywhere and all over the font of wisdom a.k.a. the internet.

The following quotation is there to be found attributed to Kelvin.

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There is nothing new to be discovered in physics now. All that remains is more and more precise measurement.

Lord Kelvin

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This sentiment was proven inaccurate. Those keen to uphold the hagiography of science can be found stating that there is no evidence he ever said this. {There is no evidence that he did not.} A founding prophet of a religion must not be tarred with the brush of quotable dogmatism. The faithful are defending the prophet who helped to inscribe the laws of thermodynamics upon the tablet given from the mountain top.

Knowing humans and scientists like I do, I think it is entirely possible that someone would opine thus, particularly if they were enjoying themselves holding court or relaxed after a few ports in the club.

In 2023 an additional chamber was found under the great pyramid.

“Precise characterization of a corridor-shaped structure in Khufu’s Pyramid by observation of cosmic-ray muons.”

Nature Communications 14, 1144, (2023)

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Using a very esoteric scientific technique something thought not to exist was “proven” to be there. Speculation as to purpose follows. Maybe it was the Aliens or Patrick Duffy a.k.a. the Man from Atlantis who built it?

Truth is nobody knows for sure how it was made nor what it was made for.

Kneejerk adamant assertion is at best lazy. It is all about face and being aligned to the current status quo unwilling to risk heresy or apostasy as measured by the omnipotent “they”.

Socio-political conformity encourages adamant assertion.

It is not very open-minded.

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Are you prone to kneejerk adamant assertion?

If so, why, what do you get out of it?

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Confirmation Bias and Conditional Transactional Interactions

~ quantumdreamer ~ Leave a comment

The previous post is an I Ching consultation and I will use it to inform any interactions upcoming which I might have in 2025. I am aware that confirmation bias is a widespread phenomenon. One of the lines speaks about someone withdrawn from the world being seen as aloof by others and not caring about what others think or say about him. That fits me, maybe. Now is my confirmation bias wanting to see that fit or is it by way of an accurate description, an oracle which arises out of six shakes of three coins. It could be a fluke. It is suggesting an increase in interaction. If that happens my confirmation bias might say “look the I Ching is right”.

My confirmation bias, if indeed it is that has found numerous good fits between I Ching consultations and “reality” during the near thirty five years I have been consulting it. I could be delusional. But If I am I am detached and delusional.

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For most people interpersonal interaction or “relationship” is of a conditional transactional nature. This time of year, people send Christmas cards and exchange presents. Good behaviour in children is rewarded by a nice present, if finances allow. This is a transaction. “If you are good, you can have a nice bike.”  If we send someone a Christmas card and they don’t return the favour, they may get left off next year’s card list. If don Corleone does you a favour, you owe him one back. If you fund the Trump election campaign you might get the nod for attorney general. You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.

One could say that this normal socio-political behaviour. We could call it conditional because the conditional if is implied if not explicit. Taken too far this behaviour is corruption. Gifts to politicians to curry favour need to be transparent, but a bribe is still a bribe. Bribery is an expectation and a norm in some countries. The confirmation bias of a norm fails to see illegality. “That is the way we do things around here.”

Nearly always with favour is a returned favour expected. People have a confirmation bias that this is the way of the world. Few acts are genuinely unconditional. There is some kind of price, or reward and maybe temptation or manipulation.

If you look back at the I Ching consultation it suggests that some might offer sexual favours easily to gain power. This theme is throughout human interactional history.

Out of the blue we had visitors yesterday. They asked us if we had plans for tonight New Year’s Eve. We don’t. The lack of drama in the festive period in this house is notable in comparison to much of the world. Are we ruining the illusion of Christmas like the grinch? No, it is calm and drama free. Which for some is difficult to understand.

If you live by the mantra of scratch my back… and someone did something unconditional your confirmation bias would imagine that they wanted something back. Recently I asked someone for their opinion on a course of action I was considering and he said I should use the lens of “what is in it for me?”

That is not at all how I think. Our orientation towards the world differs.

I am coming around to an opinion / hypothesis that the majority of people do not understand unconditional behaviour or acts. Most people are on the make, most of the time. They are after something; they want some thing or other. Which means they can be leveraged, by favour, money, kudos, apparent friendship or a New Year’s Honour.

My confirmation bias is that I am unlikely to be on the New Year’s honours list and sure enough we have not yet received anything from The Cabinet Office.

I told you so.