Click images for higher resolution versions
The War on Drugs
Relationships
Supporting family values
The Israeli Palestine conflict
Multi-culturalism
Sex education
Thursday, June 22, 2006
A picture is worth a thousand words
Some great images I found on Flikr
Click images for higher resolution versions
The War on Drugs
Relationships
Supporting family values
The Israeli Palestine conflict
Multi-culturalism
Sex education
Click images for higher resolution versions
The War on Drugs
Relationships
Supporting family values
The Israeli Palestine conflict
Multi-culturalism
Sex education
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Alice and the Looking glass
First published May 21, 2005
Quick tribute to Alice Miller http://www.alice-miller.com, who was the first to reveal the true extent of human suffering and to give us a true glimpse at the staggering level of psychological trauma that exists within human populations. This has profound political consequences for those that dare to think in terms of the individual (Stalin's favourite crime).
Alice gave us this glimpse back in 1981 with her first book Prisoners of Childhood and carved out a path that leads directly to todays ideas of emotional intelligence. Today her voice grows stronger and is heard ever more clearly.
We can and will eliminate all cruelty towards children, especially abuse in early childhood that has such a devasting impact on the developing brain.
As far as I can tell humanity is unique in that so much development continues after birth. Evolution found a bottleneck in the human pelvic girdle combined with the human upright stance. So development continued outside the womb, especially in the first year before language acquisition. A crucial point.
Quick tribute to Alice Miller http://www.alice-miller.com, who was the first to reveal the true extent of human suffering and to give us a true glimpse at the staggering level of psychological trauma that exists within human populations. This has profound political consequences for those that dare to think in terms of the individual (Stalin's favourite crime).
Alice gave us this glimpse back in 1981 with her first book Prisoners of Childhood and carved out a path that leads directly to todays ideas of emotional intelligence. Today her voice grows stronger and is heard ever more clearly.
We can and will eliminate all cruelty towards children, especially abuse in early childhood that has such a devasting impact on the developing brain.
As far as I can tell humanity is unique in that so much development continues after birth. Evolution found a bottleneck in the human pelvic girdle combined with the human upright stance. So development continued outside the womb, especially in the first year before language acquisition. A crucial point.
Parecon and the ghost in the machine
First published May 21, 2005
Ive been reading ideas on Parecon http://www.zmag.org/parecon/indexnew.htm for a while now. It occurred to me a few years back that human beings working within a Parecon as described by Michael Albert and his crew will require considerable emotional intelligence for it to work. Hence, while a powerful conceptual framework, it seemed utopian to me.
Of course another way of saying this is that Parecon plus psychology will give more powerful insights into self organising economic communities. Who knows the secrets of the black magic box?
Ive been reading ideas on Parecon http://www.zmag.org/parecon/indexnew.htm for a while now. It occurred to me a few years back that human beings working within a Parecon as described by Michael Albert and his crew will require considerable emotional intelligence for it to work. Hence, while a powerful conceptual framework, it seemed utopian to me.
Of course another way of saying this is that Parecon plus psychology will give more powerful insights into self organising economic communities. Who knows the secrets of the black magic box?
When the lights go on
First published May 21, 2005
In the past a spectre has haunted Europe.
The spectre has varied according to ideological belief systems but all such beliefs have led resolutely back to the state, especially with regard to the economic activity of humans living within it's geographical reach.
Chomsky has consistently argued over the years that free markets as normally understood have never existed, except perhaps briefly. Yet they do seem like a good idea, what the heck is wrong with trading?
Or for that matter what is wrong with people freely associating in self organising economic communities?
Why can't we coexist together? Or even trade with each other?
I can't think of one good reason not to.
In the past a spectre has haunted Europe.
The spectre has varied according to ideological belief systems but all such beliefs have led resolutely back to the state, especially with regard to the economic activity of humans living within it's geographical reach.
Chomsky has consistently argued over the years that free markets as normally understood have never existed, except perhaps briefly. Yet they do seem like a good idea, what the heck is wrong with trading?
Or for that matter what is wrong with people freely associating in self organising economic communities?
Why can't we coexist together? Or even trade with each other?
I can't think of one good reason not to.
The Age of Aquarius
First published May 21, 2005
This is my tribute to good friends who kept me sane during difficult years.
There are basically two type of spiritual communities.
Managed spiritual communities and Self organising spiritual communities.
Throughout the world Self organising spiritual communities are on the ascendancy. An inexorable and profound cultural development on a global scale.
I won't go into all the features they have in common. Most people are already familiar with the concepts when they stop to think about it.
This phenomenon is exactly what a knowledgable person would expect to complement an emerging global culture.
This is a hot ticket item for intellectual study but here are some of the observations I have made :
1) Spiritual healing is at the centre of it.
2) Core practices within this movement exactly parallel psychotherapeutic techniques once the language is deconstructed.
3) Millions of people are actively engaged in it.
4) The movement is remarkably resistant to political domination.
It's time to honour our spiritual friends and engage with them in a language of respect.
This is my tribute to good friends who kept me sane during difficult years.
There are basically two type of spiritual communities.
Managed spiritual communities and Self organising spiritual communities.
Throughout the world Self organising spiritual communities are on the ascendancy. An inexorable and profound cultural development on a global scale.
I won't go into all the features they have in common. Most people are already familiar with the concepts when they stop to think about it.
This phenomenon is exactly what a knowledgable person would expect to complement an emerging global culture.
This is a hot ticket item for intellectual study but here are some of the observations I have made :
1) Spiritual healing is at the centre of it.
2) Core practices within this movement exactly parallel psychotherapeutic techniques once the language is deconstructed.
3) Millions of people are actively engaged in it.
4) The movement is remarkably resistant to political domination.
It's time to honour our spiritual friends and engage with them in a language of respect.
State of Psychology
First published May 21, 2005
Currently the state projects a mixed and confusing psychological image upon the population.
Sometimes punitive, sometimes authoratarian, sometimes authoratative though seldom the latter these days hence the political crisis.
Voices from the past, Neo-cons, Neo -liberals (the usual suspects) demand ever increasing punitive measures. Meanwhile, psychologically speaking, the population marches in the opposite direction.
There is no force on earth that can stop this.
Currently the state projects a mixed and confusing psychological image upon the population.
Sometimes punitive, sometimes authoratarian, sometimes authoratative though seldom the latter these days hence the political crisis.
Voices from the past, Neo-cons, Neo -liberals (the usual suspects) demand ever increasing punitive measures. Meanwhile, psychologically speaking, the population marches in the opposite direction.
There is no force on earth that can stop this.
Children of the Revolution
First published May 22, 2005
There is chaos in the classrooms of the Anglo-American bubble.
Herded within these structures are children from 3 different family models.
1) Punitive family model
2) Authoratarian family model
3) Natural family model
The educators are overwhelmingly from family model (2)
Children from family model (1) are habituated to being controlled by physical violence which educators from family model (2) are forbidden to use.
Children from family model (3) are habituated to being self directing, supported by emotionally intelligent parents. Teachers from family model (2) reflexively project their authoratarian mind set onto children. This mindset is fundamentally repellant to children from family model (3).
Hence the chaos.
The children from natural family backgrounds are the children of the revolution. Long live the revolution.
There is chaos in the classrooms of the Anglo-American bubble.
Herded within these structures are children from 3 different family models.
1) Punitive family model
2) Authoratarian family model
3) Natural family model
The educators are overwhelmingly from family model (2)
Children from family model (1) are habituated to being controlled by physical violence which educators from family model (2) are forbidden to use.
Children from family model (3) are habituated to being self directing, supported by emotionally intelligent parents. Teachers from family model (2) reflexively project their authoratarian mind set onto children. This mindset is fundamentally repellant to children from family model (3).
Hence the chaos.
The children from natural family backgrounds are the children of the revolution. Long live the revolution.
Where now for Captain America?
First published May 19, 2005
This article is dedicated to the 6 Billion human beings living outside the Anglo American cultural bubble, and also to the many millions within it for whom the lights have gone on recently.
If your reading this I'm going to assume you have heard of emotional intelligence. If not then google it http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=DVXA,DVXA:2005-10,DVXA:en&q=emotional+intelligence
As everyone knows, lurking at the heart of American power is a frightened bewildered population, mainly white, who have enjoyed privilege and power which they now fear losing. We've all read the hate mail.
Interestingly, Corporate America has discovered that emotional intelligence is a vital part of efficient workgroups. There's a whole bunch of stuff written on this: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&rls=DVXA%2CDVXA%3A2005-10%2CDVXA%3Aen&q=emotional+intelligence+corporate&btnG=Search
Let me boil it down to a scenario:
Imagine an efficient corporate workgroup composed of emotionally intelligent workers. There's a couple of older heads to give experience, a couple of younger ones to challenge orthodoxy and specialist members of the team according to the task in hand.
Then into the midst of this plunk down Captain America. Get the picture?
Is he going to insult the Gay team leader? Believe that the science advisor can't possibly be right because she's a woman? Persistently try to sell bibles to the younger team members? Is convinced that the Asian team member got his position because he is Asian. The list goes on.
Anyway what happens to Captain America?
If he's lucky he'll be put on state courses at great expense to help rid him of his socially and economically disfiguring prejudices or, more likely, will simply be excluded from better paid jobs.
Whereupon he will complain that he is a discriminated against minority and it's everybody else's fault except his.
This article is dedicated to the 6 Billion human beings living outside the Anglo American cultural bubble, and also to the many millions within it for whom the lights have gone on recently.
If your reading this I'm going to assume you have heard of emotional intelligence. If not then google it http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=DVXA,DVXA:2005-10,DVXA:en&q=emotional+intelligence
As everyone knows, lurking at the heart of American power is a frightened bewildered population, mainly white, who have enjoyed privilege and power which they now fear losing. We've all read the hate mail.
Interestingly, Corporate America has discovered that emotional intelligence is a vital part of efficient workgroups. There's a whole bunch of stuff written on this: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&rls=DVXA%2CDVXA%3A2005-10%2CDVXA%3Aen&q=emotional+intelligence+corporate&btnG=Search
Let me boil it down to a scenario:
Imagine an efficient corporate workgroup composed of emotionally intelligent workers. There's a couple of older heads to give experience, a couple of younger ones to challenge orthodoxy and specialist members of the team according to the task in hand.
Then into the midst of this plunk down Captain America. Get the picture?
Is he going to insult the Gay team leader? Believe that the science advisor can't possibly be right because she's a woman? Persistently try to sell bibles to the younger team members? Is convinced that the Asian team member got his position because he is Asian. The list goes on.
Anyway what happens to Captain America?
If he's lucky he'll be put on state courses at great expense to help rid him of his socially and economically disfiguring prejudices or, more likely, will simply be excluded from better paid jobs.
Whereupon he will complain that he is a discriminated against minority and it's everybody else's fault except his.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Links
Politics
Znet: Huge site with thousands of articles on radical politics. Lots of blogs including one by Noam Chomsky.
Znet: Huge site with thousands of articles on radical politics. Lots of blogs including one by Noam Chomsky.
Democracy Now!: National, daily, independent, award-winning news program airing on over 350 stations in North America. Pioneering the largest public media collaboration in the U.S., Democracy Now! is broadcast on Pacifica, NPR, community, and college radio stations; on public access, PBS, satellite television (DISH network: Free Speech TV ch. 9415 and Link TV ch. 9410; DIRECTV: Link TV ch. 375); as a "podcast," and on the internet.
Rockridge Institute: Applies the discipline of cognitive linguistics to reveal the underlying frames and assumptions that structure American political discourse. Well worth visiting, cognitive linguistics is a necessary tool in modern politics.
We: We is a fast-paced 64 minute documentary that covers the world politics of power, war, corporations, deception and exploitation.
We visualizes the words of Arundhati Roy, specifically her famous
We visualizes the words of Arundhati Roy, specifically her famous
Children's Rights
Alice Miller: Alice Miller, PhD in philosophy, psychology and sociology, as well as a researcher on childhood and author of twelve books, translated into thirty languages. Highly recommended.
The Natural Child Project: "Our vision is a world in which all children are treated with dignity, respect, understanding, and compassion. In such a world, every child can grow into adulthood with a generous capacity for love and trust. Our society has no more urgent task."
Aims to speed the end of corporal punishment of children across the world.
Children are unbeatable!: "Children are unbeatable!" is an Alliance of more than 350 organisations and projects, including professional and religious bodies, as well as many prominent individuals. It was formed in 1998 and campaigns for children to have the same legal protection against being hit as adults and promotes positive, non-violent discipline.
Home Start: Home-Start's informal and friendly support for families with young children provides a lifeline to thousands of parents and children in over 337 communities across the UK and with forces families in Germany and Cyprus.
Also visit Home Start International
Saturday, June 17, 2006
The SSP: The last 18 Months and a rapidly changing society
Scottish Socialist Party
First published 4th June 2006
Clearly the political experiment that is the SSP has stalled.
Platforms and loose coalitions of comrades are at each others throats.
Bullying is rife and the SSP has revealed itself to be a party trapped in a cultural time warp where little men act as if they are Red Clydesiders. They use the rhetoric of class war to advance their own position against the rest of us less impressed by Machismo posturing.
Patriarchy within the party is self-evident and the passivity of the women's network revealed. Some women comrades are either passive in the face of male power or actively support it as we have seen with the SWP whose woman comrades support the latest SWP line.
Cliques abound and factional in-fighting leaves the broad membership from powerful participation in political discussion. Having your voice heard in this party if you are not a member of the "in crowd" is difficult, most members try but fail.
Elitism among progressive comrades is also obvious. The most progressive within the party rely heavily on contacts with the Scottish intelligentsia, paid social activists and assorted media stars to bolster their position internally.
Discrimination against comrades with disabilities is also obvious and the disability network exiled to the outer reaches of the party.
Grand strategists, the magicians of knowledge occupy the centre and progressive knowledge and ideas meant to empower others used instead as a means of intellectualising and justifying special privileges for an elite few. Political privilege and patronage entrenched, not for financial gain as in other parties but for personal gain never the less. It's empowering being heard and valued is it not?
Elitism, intellectual hubris, self-deceit and deceit towards others are everywhere.
The clarion calls to be "positive" are already being heard. This or that class warrior or earnest revolutionary points excitedly towards the "working class" or the"community" and urge us all "to get out there" and put our differences behind us.
Any notion of self-analysis is attacked as being "negative" and one can well understand why. There are some members who will not fare well with introspection. Deep in their hearts, or more accurately their minds lurk the shadows of a previous culture now extinct.
They are yesterday's psychology in today's party with emotional attitudes towards themselves and others evolved in a patriarchal and bullying culture and family. These internalised lessons are broadcast unconsciously. At least unconsciously to some, though not to the rest of us who look on in awe as radical fossils lacking all but the most rudimentary self-awareness walk among us.
The various Marxist platforms that started the SSP to create a mass party often attack others seen somehow less socialist.
Members without a Marxist pedigree are viewed with suspicion and seen as potential counterrevolutionaries needing urgent conversion to the one true faith for fear ill disciplined ideas pollute the party. If they cannot be so converted then excluded so the contagion does not spread to "good" contacts beloved of Marxist cliques.
Around them some of the nonaligned hover hoping that they too will be well regarded and allowed into hallowed meetings where the great and the good meet and decide what happens for the rest of us.
Yet a mass party by definition would have more nonaligned members than Marxists.The platforms would have to work within a political environment where collectively they are a small minority. This is not to their taste and in good part is one reason the SSP experiment has stalled.
The culture and psychology gap is also a generational gap. Though some, notably Cumnock branch perhaps others, have found new ways to work with the younger generation. In Edinburgh the older generation unconsciously patronise young people who are groomed in the attitudes and politics of an older generation by platform members.
Already ominous attitudes are emerging among the most progressive of the younger generation who regard the SSP as "bossy" or authoritarian, intent on leading and not listening. The sexual dysfunction so obvious in the older generation only adds to the impression the SSP are old fashioned and out of touch with modern attitudes.
The "swinging" sexuality of middle-aged men and women fatigued by endless bad relationships bewilders progressive young people who have a healthier attitude towards sex than those brought up under the unforgiving shadow of sexual repression linked to guilt and shame.
The SSP stands revealed as old fashioned, unable to make sense of a modernising Scottish society experiencing fast cultural and technological change. Globally, the emergence of a genuine international; antiauthoritarian, participatory and democratic in nature forces diverse political ideas into Scottish political orthodoxy.
The Internet is part of this revolution yet the SSP devotes most of its communications resources to print journalism just as traditional print organisations are transferring to the web.
The younger generation are comfortable with these new technologies yet the SSP cannot collectively find a way to use them to set up modern 21st century communications. Whatever rationalisations offered this self-evident truth is a further sign of our inability to cope with rapid modernisation.
Improvised attempts by empowered members working alone or in small groups is further evidence of the gap between self-appointed elites and the broader membership, judged not sufficiently interested or enthusiastic or knowledgeable to help in modernising our communications. This elitism hidden behind a welter of accusations, recriminations and technological aggrandisement leaves members passive and techno elites point to this passivity as proof that we should continue as before.
Authoritarianism and bullying is endemic within the SSP. Inherited from the past this authoritarianism undermines the entire Scottish left and progressive movement as we stumble unsteadily towards a different society radically different from the one we grew up in not that long ago.
The SSP has currently stalled. To move forward we need to examine ourselves intelligently and thoroughly.
Nonaligned members will face hostility from ingrained authoritarians unable to adapt to modernity and reflexively suspicious of the new. The bullying and harassment will not always be obvious. Members in favourable positions huddled around this or that powerful figure within the SSP, too needy for recognition will lead the certain attacks.
Grassroots democracy will prevail whether within or outside the SSP. The old culture will gradually recede within the society and its political parties will reflect those changes. The SSP will adapt or perish.
Meanwhile a new radical politics is emerging which does not lend itself to descriptions from a bygone era whether Marx and his contemporary critics or even later thinkers like Reich and Fromm.
The discussions around the progressive platform and the events of the last 18 months prove this. For those trapped in the past no amount of text will convince them.
Scottish progressive politics is in transition. Authoritarians everywhere are on the run. The efforts by Tommy Sheridan and hangers-on are reactionary last-gasp efforts to stop the unavoidable. Though they may gain temporary success backed by media stars like George Galloway their victory will be pyrrhic.
First published 4th June 2006
Clearly the political experiment that is the SSP has stalled.
Platforms and loose coalitions of comrades are at each others throats.
Bullying is rife and the SSP has revealed itself to be a party trapped in a cultural time warp where little men act as if they are Red Clydesiders. They use the rhetoric of class war to advance their own position against the rest of us less impressed by Machismo posturing.
Patriarchy within the party is self-evident and the passivity of the women's network revealed. Some women comrades are either passive in the face of male power or actively support it as we have seen with the SWP whose woman comrades support the latest SWP line.
Cliques abound and factional in-fighting leaves the broad membership from powerful participation in political discussion. Having your voice heard in this party if you are not a member of the "in crowd" is difficult, most members try but fail.
Elitism among progressive comrades is also obvious. The most progressive within the party rely heavily on contacts with the Scottish intelligentsia, paid social activists and assorted media stars to bolster their position internally.
Discrimination against comrades with disabilities is also obvious and the disability network exiled to the outer reaches of the party.
Grand strategists, the magicians of knowledge occupy the centre and progressive knowledge and ideas meant to empower others used instead as a means of intellectualising and justifying special privileges for an elite few. Political privilege and patronage entrenched, not for financial gain as in other parties but for personal gain never the less. It's empowering being heard and valued is it not?
Elitism, intellectual hubris, self-deceit and deceit towards others are everywhere.
The clarion calls to be "positive" are already being heard. This or that class warrior or earnest revolutionary points excitedly towards the "working class" or the"community" and urge us all "to get out there" and put our differences behind us.
Any notion of self-analysis is attacked as being "negative" and one can well understand why. There are some members who will not fare well with introspection. Deep in their hearts, or more accurately their minds lurk the shadows of a previous culture now extinct.
They are yesterday's psychology in today's party with emotional attitudes towards themselves and others evolved in a patriarchal and bullying culture and family. These internalised lessons are broadcast unconsciously. At least unconsciously to some, though not to the rest of us who look on in awe as radical fossils lacking all but the most rudimentary self-awareness walk among us.
The various Marxist platforms that started the SSP to create a mass party often attack others seen somehow less socialist.
Members without a Marxist pedigree are viewed with suspicion and seen as potential counterrevolutionaries needing urgent conversion to the one true faith for fear ill disciplined ideas pollute the party. If they cannot be so converted then excluded so the contagion does not spread to "good" contacts beloved of Marxist cliques.
Around them some of the nonaligned hover hoping that they too will be well regarded and allowed into hallowed meetings where the great and the good meet and decide what happens for the rest of us.
Yet a mass party by definition would have more nonaligned members than Marxists.The platforms would have to work within a political environment where collectively they are a small minority. This is not to their taste and in good part is one reason the SSP experiment has stalled.
The culture and psychology gap is also a generational gap. Though some, notably Cumnock branch perhaps others, have found new ways to work with the younger generation. In Edinburgh the older generation unconsciously patronise young people who are groomed in the attitudes and politics of an older generation by platform members.
Already ominous attitudes are emerging among the most progressive of the younger generation who regard the SSP as "bossy" or authoritarian, intent on leading and not listening. The sexual dysfunction so obvious in the older generation only adds to the impression the SSP are old fashioned and out of touch with modern attitudes.
The "swinging" sexuality of middle-aged men and women fatigued by endless bad relationships bewilders progressive young people who have a healthier attitude towards sex than those brought up under the unforgiving shadow of sexual repression linked to guilt and shame.
The SSP stands revealed as old fashioned, unable to make sense of a modernising Scottish society experiencing fast cultural and technological change. Globally, the emergence of a genuine international; antiauthoritarian, participatory and democratic in nature forces diverse political ideas into Scottish political orthodoxy.
The Internet is part of this revolution yet the SSP devotes most of its communications resources to print journalism just as traditional print organisations are transferring to the web.
The younger generation are comfortable with these new technologies yet the SSP cannot collectively find a way to use them to set up modern 21st century communications. Whatever rationalisations offered this self-evident truth is a further sign of our inability to cope with rapid modernisation.
Improvised attempts by empowered members working alone or in small groups is further evidence of the gap between self-appointed elites and the broader membership, judged not sufficiently interested or enthusiastic or knowledgeable to help in modernising our communications. This elitism hidden behind a welter of accusations, recriminations and technological aggrandisement leaves members passive and techno elites point to this passivity as proof that we should continue as before.
Authoritarianism and bullying is endemic within the SSP. Inherited from the past this authoritarianism undermines the entire Scottish left and progressive movement as we stumble unsteadily towards a different society radically different from the one we grew up in not that long ago.
The SSP has currently stalled. To move forward we need to examine ourselves intelligently and thoroughly.
Nonaligned members will face hostility from ingrained authoritarians unable to adapt to modernity and reflexively suspicious of the new. The bullying and harassment will not always be obvious. Members in favourable positions huddled around this or that powerful figure within the SSP, too needy for recognition will lead the certain attacks.
Grassroots democracy will prevail whether within or outside the SSP. The old culture will gradually recede within the society and its political parties will reflect those changes. The SSP will adapt or perish.
Meanwhile a new radical politics is emerging which does not lend itself to descriptions from a bygone era whether Marx and his contemporary critics or even later thinkers like Reich and Fromm.
The discussions around the progressive platform and the events of the last 18 months prove this. For those trapped in the past no amount of text will convince them.
Scottish progressive politics is in transition. Authoritarians everywhere are on the run. The efforts by Tommy Sheridan and hangers-on are reactionary last-gasp efforts to stop the unavoidable. Though they may gain temporary success backed by media stars like George Galloway their victory will be pyrrhic.
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