De blir allt lömskare, de som vill sabotera COP15 och fortsätta maximera våra mycket kortsiktiga vinster. På DN igår fanns artikeln "FN:s framtidsscenarier för klimatet är rena fantasier". Enligt författaren, Kjell Aleklett som är professor i fysik vid Globala energisystem på Uppsala universitet, är FN:s värstingsenarion om framtida kol- och oljeförbrukning helt orealistiskt höga eftersom det helt enkelt inte finns så mycket kvar att ta av.
Och? Det är väl en välsignad tur! Och det spelar ingen som helst roll, för konsumtionen måste i vilket fall som helst ner mot noll så snart som möjligt. Aleklett håller med om att vi orsakat temperaturhöjningen, men säger i och för sig inget om huruvuda han finner detta vara ett problem eller inte. Sak samma! Det viktiga är att han istället vänder hela artikeln till att förespråka ökad energiproduktion. Han säger inte hur eller vad, men misstanken väcks ofelbart att detta bara är en del av energilobbyns försök att motverka förändring.
För det finns inga genvägar, inga tekniska mirakel: Vi måste minska vår energiförbrukning. Punkt slut. Simple as that. Och det är inte ens svårt! Redan med dagens teknik kan vi minska våra utsläpp av växthusgaser med 84% (enda problemet är flygresorna, men även här finns idag tekniska lösningar som kan minska utsläppen högst betydligt). Och detta kan göras utan att inkräkta på vår levnadsstandard. Så vad är problemet??? Varför saknas viljan att göra något? Varför käbblas det så förbannat? Att lobbygrupper motsätter sig förändring, liksom de konservativa gubbar som styr världen, är inget konstigt och de har en oerhörd ekonomisk makt, men är det verkligen så illa att pengar styr denna värld? Det är ju intressant att de med mest pengar är mest mot en förändring...
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Inför Köpenhamn
Ja, nu har de samlats i Köpenhamn, men är det någon som på allvar tror att de konservaiva egoister som styr vår värld kommer att komma fram till några vettiga beslut? För att citera Cogitos senaste månadsbrev:
"Om det misslyckas beror det bara på en sak – att de rika ländernas rika
överklass, som redan håller på att drunkna i sitt eget avfall, inte vill
avstå från sin egen destruktiva överflödstillväxt för att ge utrymme åt
den fattigdomsavskaffande tillväxt alla de fattiga ländernas fattiga massor
självklart har rätt till."
"Om det misslyckas beror det bara på en sak – att de rika ländernas rika
överklass, som redan håller på att drunkna i sitt eget avfall, inte vill
avstå från sin egen destruktiva överflödstillväxt för att ge utrymme åt
den fattigdomsavskaffande tillväxt alla de fattiga ländernas fattiga massor
självklart har rätt till."
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Den konservativa pressen
Igår ondgjorde jag mig över kyrkans föråldrade människo- och samhällssyn, men tänkte att de är ju verkligen unika i sin bakåtsträvan. Idag hann jag inte mer än att öppna GP innan jag var tvungen att tänka om. Ok, GP är nog inte bakåtsträvare trots allt, men inte fan blickar de framåt heller, de verkar vilja leva i status quo. I deras ledare idag försvarar de nämligen kärnkraften och vår skyhöga energiförbrukning, som att detta vore en självklar rättighet. De har uppenbarligen inte fattat någonting.
VI. LEVER. ÖVER. VÅRA. TILLGÅNGAR. Fatta det. Men inse samtidigt att detta går att lösa. Med dagens teknik redan kan hela klimatkatastrofen undvikas och världens oerhörda orättvisor minska. Om man då dessutom blickar framåt och inser att solpaneler och vindkraftverk blir allt effektivare och att nya sätt att utvinna energi ur naturen utvecklas och effektiviseras, så inser man att detta omhuldande av icke förnybara energikällor som kärnkraft bara är gammal unken konservatism. Om våra politiker bara ville skulle vi väldigt snabbt kunna lägga om vårt energisystem till att inte längre behöva några föråldrade och resursslukande energikällor, som kärnkraft och fossila bränslen. Vi kan överlämna en ren värld till kommande generationer, inte en bomb som hotar att brisera vilket decennium som helst.
Ja, faktiskt - brisera. Se bara på hur dåligt Vattenfall sköter sina kärnkraftverk. I GP:s krönika skriver de ju så klart att detta bara visar på hur väl samhällets kontroll fungerar. Kvalificerat skitsnack skulle jag vilja påstå. Varför bygga upp ett samhälle som blir beroende av en potentiellt dödlig verksamhet när det finns fullständigt ofarliga alteranativ. Som dessutom är billigare!
VI. LEVER. ÖVER. VÅRA. TILLGÅNGAR. Fatta det. Men inse samtidigt att detta går att lösa. Med dagens teknik redan kan hela klimatkatastrofen undvikas och världens oerhörda orättvisor minska. Om man då dessutom blickar framåt och inser att solpaneler och vindkraftverk blir allt effektivare och att nya sätt att utvinna energi ur naturen utvecklas och effektiviseras, så inser man att detta omhuldande av icke förnybara energikällor som kärnkraft bara är gammal unken konservatism. Om våra politiker bara ville skulle vi väldigt snabbt kunna lägga om vårt energisystem till att inte längre behöva några föråldrade och resursslukande energikällor, som kärnkraft och fossila bränslen. Vi kan överlämna en ren värld till kommande generationer, inte en bomb som hotar att brisera vilket decennium som helst.
Ja, faktiskt - brisera. Se bara på hur dåligt Vattenfall sköter sina kärnkraftverk. I GP:s krönika skriver de ju så klart att detta bara visar på hur väl samhällets kontroll fungerar. Kvalificerat skitsnack skulle jag vilja påstå. Varför bygga upp ett samhälle som blir beroende av en potentiellt dödlig verksamhet när det finns fullständigt ofarliga alteranativ. Som dessutom är billigare!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Den konservativa kyrkan
Vi har skilt kyrkan från staten sägs det, men varför bryr vi då oss alls om vad de konservativa gamla pedofilerna håller på med eller tycker? Hade de fått bestämma hade vi aldrig lämnat medeltidens mörker och de hade haft oinskränkt makt över våra liv. Hur kan det komma sig att dessa stofiler fortfarande, 300 år efter franska revolutionen och förnuftets återinträde, har sådan makt?
I dagens SvD tex skriver en kyrkoherde att om kyrkan låter viga homosexuella då hotas "det av Gud instiftade äktenskapet". Man baxnar. Inte blir det bättre av hans stockkonservativa syn på könstillhörighet: "En kulturs grundläggande struktur är beroende av de sexuella kategorierna. Sexualiteten är av fundamental betydelse inte endast för de enskilda individernas liv, utan också för samhällsstrukturen och hur den erbjuder verkligheten till sina medlemmar. Den lobby som vill öppna äktenskapet för homosexuella, åstadkommer medvetet eller omedvetet en fundamental arkitektonisk förändring av hela förståelsen av den mänskliga naturen och av den helt grundläggande könsdifferentieringen."
Killen har inte fattat någonting. Ok, anta nu att det bara finns manligt och kvinnligt. Vad skulle detta innebära? Vad är en människa som fötts med både bröst och kuk? Eller vagina men inga bröst? Ett missfoster? Ett misstag? Något som inte passar in i världsbilden och därför måste ignoreras? En person som älskar en individ av sitt eget kön är besatt av Djävulen, eller hur var det nu?
När ska vi förpassa dessa föredettingar till den skrubb de hör hemma och låta dem dö sotdöden? När ska förnuftet äntligen segra?
I dagens SvD tex skriver en kyrkoherde att om kyrkan låter viga homosexuella då hotas "det av Gud instiftade äktenskapet". Man baxnar. Inte blir det bättre av hans stockkonservativa syn på könstillhörighet: "En kulturs grundläggande struktur är beroende av de sexuella kategorierna. Sexualiteten är av fundamental betydelse inte endast för de enskilda individernas liv, utan också för samhällsstrukturen och hur den erbjuder verkligheten till sina medlemmar. Den lobby som vill öppna äktenskapet för homosexuella, åstadkommer medvetet eller omedvetet en fundamental arkitektonisk förändring av hela förståelsen av den mänskliga naturen och av den helt grundläggande könsdifferentieringen."
Killen har inte fattat någonting. Ok, anta nu att det bara finns manligt och kvinnligt. Vad skulle detta innebära? Vad är en människa som fötts med både bröst och kuk? Eller vagina men inga bröst? Ett missfoster? Ett misstag? Något som inte passar in i världsbilden och därför måste ignoreras? En person som älskar en individ av sitt eget kön är besatt av Djävulen, eller hur var det nu?
När ska vi förpassa dessa föredettingar till den skrubb de hör hemma och låta dem dö sotdöden? När ska förnuftet äntligen segra?
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Jens Lapidus - Snabba cash
När jag läser böcker läser jag tyst högt för mig själv, så därför påverkas min uppfattning av det jag läser mer av känslan i språket snarare än handlingen. Dessutom är jag så inne i handlingen så jag sällan tänker på vad som ska komma härnäst. Detta tjänar denna ok på. Handlingen är egentligen inte särskilt originell eller oväntad, de flesta kan nog lista ut det mesta, men jag tyckte verkligen om språket, tugget. Boken är skriven som att man läst av tankarna i karaktärerna. Så när man följer brat-wannabe-JW är det hans inre monolog man hör, hans observationer man får del av. I mitt fall blir det extra kul eftersom jag hör hans brat-stockholmska (egentligen kanske han tänker på norrländska i och för sig). När man hänger med Jorge - en latino med balle - hör man hans spanska svordomar och förortsslang. I huvudet på Mrado blir man cool och stark som Hulken och man bryr sig precis lika mycket om hans dotter som han gör. Och man knäcker lite ben, för det är ju faktiskt en nödvändig del av jobbet.
Detta är en intressant bok också för att man får en viss inblick i den kriminella världen - hur de tänker, hur stor den är och hur mäktig den är. Och man inser att i dagens samhällsklimat där man bara jagar pengar har vi inte en chans i helvete att någonsin ens minska brottsligheten. Detta patetiska fokus på pengar måste ersättas med högre, viktigare värderingar. Först då kan vi få en chans att göra världen bättre.
Och dessutom, i dessa nerladdningsdiskussioners dagar - är verkligen allt som bryter mot lagen verkligen dåligt? Kan kriminalisering rent av förvärra situationen? Eller borde man införa en nolltolerans?
Till sist lite bra-att-kunskap:
Finska rycket - att komma i handen
Stureplans partycentrum: "Kharma, Laroy, Plaza och Köket - högst upp. Rikast/brattigast/bäst.
Sturehof, Sturecompagniet, Lydmar Hotel - nästa nivå. Fint/brattigt/något äldre publik. Spy Bar, Clara's - Juggemaffians, muskelbyggar/kändis-lokus. The Lab, East - eget klientel. Undici, Crazy Horse - vanliga hederliga svenniga sunkhak."
Jorges tanke vid åsynen av köerna utanför dessa ställen - "feodalsamhället i repris".
Detta är en intressant bok också för att man får en viss inblick i den kriminella världen - hur de tänker, hur stor den är och hur mäktig den är. Och man inser att i dagens samhällsklimat där man bara jagar pengar har vi inte en chans i helvete att någonsin ens minska brottsligheten. Detta patetiska fokus på pengar måste ersättas med högre, viktigare värderingar. Först då kan vi få en chans att göra världen bättre.
Och dessutom, i dessa nerladdningsdiskussioners dagar - är verkligen allt som bryter mot lagen verkligen dåligt? Kan kriminalisering rent av förvärra situationen? Eller borde man införa en nolltolerans?
Till sist lite bra-att-kunskap:
Finska rycket - att komma i handen
Stureplans partycentrum: "Kharma, Laroy, Plaza och Köket - högst upp. Rikast/brattigast/bäst.
Sturehof, Sturecompagniet, Lydmar Hotel - nästa nivå. Fint/brattigt/något äldre publik. Spy Bar, Clara's - Juggemaffians, muskelbyggar/kändis-lokus. The Lab, East - eget klientel. Undici, Crazy Horse - vanliga hederliga svenniga sunkhak."
Jorges tanke vid åsynen av köerna utanför dessa ställen - "feodalsamhället i repris".
Monday, June 1, 2009
Hail USA - Hail socialism!
When Obama was about to finally end the Republican terror, I read somebody saying that the USA was the most socialistic country in the world. I couldn't understand it then, but now I do. It is a very bad idea to let governments run businesses, and now what do they do? They take over the formerly biggest car manufacturer in the world! It's insane! It's qualified capital destruction! And the worst thing is it's not even their own money! They have been living on borrowed money for decades, so this is foreign money being wasted on a company too bloody incompetent to make any profit even during good times! A bad company must die, to release its resources for better use. This is the very simple basis of capitalism, and it is the very best way to make sure resources are used as efficiently as possible. But it must be allowed to work, even if it sometimes pains.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Kladdkaka! (Mudcake?)
Kladdkaka
2 dl wheat flour
1 ml salt
2 tsp vanilla sugar
6 tbs cocoa powder (unsweetened of course, you have to say that explicitly???)
4,5 dl sugar (white sugar for old school people, raw sugar cane sugar (Rohrohrzucker) for the modern mind)
175 g butter
4 eggs
Mix all the dry ingredients together, then add the eggs and the melted butter. Now taste! :) Enjoy! And then put the rest of the batter in a cake mold (with approx a 25 cm diameter) with baking paper in the bottom (this stuff sticks like glue (tastes nothing like glue, though)). Have it in the oven, 175 degrees Celsius, for about 30-40 minutes. Make sure it doesn't get too dry! If you manage to control yourself, this cake just improves with time. The texture the next day is just exquisite...
For those confused with the weird old stuff some English speaking people still use for measurements, check out this site: ConvertWorld.com
2 dl wheat flour
1 ml salt
2 tsp vanilla sugar
6 tbs cocoa powder (unsweetened of course, you have to say that explicitly???)
4,5 dl sugar (white sugar for old school people, raw sugar cane sugar (Rohrohrzucker) for the modern mind)
175 g butter
4 eggs
Mix all the dry ingredients together, then add the eggs and the melted butter. Now taste! :) Enjoy! And then put the rest of the batter in a cake mold (with approx a 25 cm diameter) with baking paper in the bottom (this stuff sticks like glue (tastes nothing like glue, though)). Have it in the oven, 175 degrees Celsius, for about 30-40 minutes. Make sure it doesn't get too dry! If you manage to control yourself, this cake just improves with time. The texture the next day is just exquisite...
For those confused with the weird old stuff some English speaking people still use for measurements, check out this site: ConvertWorld.com
Cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)is what our brain floats in in our skulls. Up to half a litre is produced every day (20 ml/h) and is then absorbed by the body. But it might also escape through holes in the brain cavity. Rhinorrhea means runny nose, so if you experience a runny nose for a long time, CSF Rhinorrhea might be what you have. This doesn't have to be as bad as it sounds, as en increased brain pressure could lead to the tissue weakening and in the end CSF escaping into the nasal cavity and out the nose. This is called a spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea. Of course you should check it out!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Svensk maffia - Lasse Wierup, Matti Larsson
This is a really interesting book about organized crime in Sweden today. After having read it I didn't ever want to go out partying on The Avenue (Avenyn, the main party street in Gothenburg) again, because these assholes are big in this huge village and you'd never know when you'd confront an idiot that would pull out a gun! But gladly justice is catching up. First some background knowledge, from the book, to explain how the tactics of the criminal gangs are hitting back at them.
As so much else, it started in the USA, back in the 19th century, when italian, irish and Jewish males formed gangs to protect their 'hoods. Later on some ex soldiers that couldn't settle with normal life formed Hells Angels, and later Bandidos. Hells Angels were made famous by Hollywood and are still trying to act like a gang of innocent bikers. Bandidos are more hardcore criminals, they often don't even bother having bikes, all they want is the cash (most of them are heavy criminals, often nazis too). Later many other groups have followed - Original Gangsters, Bloods, Crips, Naserligan, Brödraskapet Wolfpack, Fucked For Life etc.
In order to protect themselves, they use wannabes to do the dirty work. These poor loosers, lacking male role models, looking for a brotherhood, avoiding women (p14), entering crime to get some easy money and fame, do all the shooting, killing and other criminal activities, leaving the leaders "clean". The business idea, by the way, is to use the dangerous image they work hard on keeping up, to squeeze money out of people, but they also engage in drug and weapon trade, the sex industry, internet gambling (fruitpokercasino.com and zinba.com as two examples) etc.
Now, this is were it is now hitting back! Because the loosers are being pushed too far. For years and years they have to bring beer, wash the toilets, beat up and shoot people, and now they are fed up with it! So they squeek, because they realize there's no point - the easy money wasn't all that easy, the fame is far away and it's not all that cool being a criminal.
This setback is a very good thing indeed for the modern world, as justice and democracy is under threat by these gangs, making their own laws, following their own rules (p18). It is estimated that there are about 650.000 gang members in the Americas! The police has had a very tough time fighting these gangs too, as they (at least in Sweden) underestimated the threat. A very dangerous thing is that "normal" people and celebrities hang around these people. Examples are Frank Andersson hanging out with Thomas Möller (the leader of HA Malmö, the first club in Sweden). Hannah Graaf dating another criminal leader. In the US, Snoop Dogg, NWA and Warren G are backing Crips, while The Game, Dipsetand DJ Quik are backing Bloods. At the same time people sticking up against them, have not been backed up by ordinary man (Masoud and Khan Salar Garakoei in Gothenburg eg).
Rounding this off, some words from a man that got out of his criminal path:
"Man får aldrig tänka att man är säker, då är man farligt ute. Hela min existens idag går ut på att se värdet i att bara vara mig själv. Det är en oupphörlig kamp för att kunna vara vanlig. Jag var aldrig rädd för att få stryk eller ens att bli skjuten och dö. Jag var bara rädd för att vara vanlig."
As so much else, it started in the USA, back in the 19th century, when italian, irish and Jewish males formed gangs to protect their 'hoods. Later on some ex soldiers that couldn't settle with normal life formed Hells Angels, and later Bandidos. Hells Angels were made famous by Hollywood and are still trying to act like a gang of innocent bikers. Bandidos are more hardcore criminals, they often don't even bother having bikes, all they want is the cash (most of them are heavy criminals, often nazis too). Later many other groups have followed - Original Gangsters, Bloods, Crips, Naserligan, Brödraskapet Wolfpack, Fucked For Life etc.
In order to protect themselves, they use wannabes to do the dirty work. These poor loosers, lacking male role models, looking for a brotherhood, avoiding women (p14), entering crime to get some easy money and fame, do all the shooting, killing and other criminal activities, leaving the leaders "clean". The business idea, by the way, is to use the dangerous image they work hard on keeping up, to squeeze money out of people, but they also engage in drug and weapon trade, the sex industry, internet gambling (fruitpokercasino.com and zinba.com as two examples) etc.
Now, this is were it is now hitting back! Because the loosers are being pushed too far. For years and years they have to bring beer, wash the toilets, beat up and shoot people, and now they are fed up with it! So they squeek, because they realize there's no point - the easy money wasn't all that easy, the fame is far away and it's not all that cool being a criminal.
This setback is a very good thing indeed for the modern world, as justice and democracy is under threat by these gangs, making their own laws, following their own rules (p18). It is estimated that there are about 650.000 gang members in the Americas! The police has had a very tough time fighting these gangs too, as they (at least in Sweden) underestimated the threat. A very dangerous thing is that "normal" people and celebrities hang around these people. Examples are Frank Andersson hanging out with Thomas Möller (the leader of HA Malmö, the first club in Sweden). Hannah Graaf dating another criminal leader. In the US, Snoop Dogg, NWA and Warren G are backing Crips, while The Game, Dipsetand DJ Quik are backing Bloods. At the same time people sticking up against them, have not been backed up by ordinary man (Masoud and Khan Salar Garakoei in Gothenburg eg).
Rounding this off, some words from a man that got out of his criminal path:
"Man får aldrig tänka att man är säker, då är man farligt ute. Hela min existens idag går ut på att se värdet i att bara vara mig själv. Det är en oupphörlig kamp för att kunna vara vanlig. Jag var aldrig rädd för att få stryk eller ens att bli skjuten och dö. Jag var bara rädd för att vara vanlig."
Friday, March 20, 2009
Kärnkraft - nej tack!
Per Gahrton, ur Cogitos senaste veckobrev:
"De som vill satsa på kärnkraft är både ansvars- och hänsynslösa. De blundar för långsiktiga effekter på mänsklighetens överlevnad och struntar i risker för människors hälsa och miljö. De nonchalerar såväl risker för nya olyckor av Tjernobyltyp, som okontrollerad spridning av kärnvapen. Och allt detta för att upprätthålla obegränsad tillväxt i en begränsad värld hellre än att anpassa mänsklighetens förbrukning av resurser och miljöutrymme. Vem är det egentligen som är förnuftig och vem är det som är flummare?"
Den som är för kärnkraft är en egoistisk idiot utan förmåga att tänka längre än sin egen näsa. Patetisk.
"De som vill satsa på kärnkraft är både ansvars- och hänsynslösa. De blundar för långsiktiga effekter på mänsklighetens överlevnad och struntar i risker för människors hälsa och miljö. De nonchalerar såväl risker för nya olyckor av Tjernobyltyp, som okontrollerad spridning av kärnvapen. Och allt detta för att upprätthålla obegränsad tillväxt i en begränsad värld hellre än att anpassa mänsklighetens förbrukning av resurser och miljöutrymme. Vem är det egentligen som är förnuftig och vem är det som är flummare?"
Den som är för kärnkraft är en egoistisk idiot utan förmåga att tänka längre än sin egen näsa. Patetisk.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Boring life - boring music
I saw Sonja Aldén performing in the Annedal chuch in Gothenburg last night. A great singer, great musicians, great choir, superb performance, but there's just something missing. To be frank, if you live a content Medelsvensson* life in an average place like Huddinge, I don't think you're cut to create anything great. The best songs were written by others. Don't get me wrong, it's still super professional and very well done, but when it comes to music you need something more. After all, it doesn't matter how good of a sculptor you are, if the raw stone isn't good enough.
But how is this raw stone created? I don't know. But take Peter Le Marc as an example. He comes from another small place (Trollhättan), just as boring as his music was. But then Something happened - divorce, alcohol, inner struggle - and he creates a masterpiece, Det som håller oss vid liv, 6 years after his last record.
Bruce Springsteen is another example. His Nebraska album is a classic, but then he just got too rich, lead a too boring life and nothing really worth mentioning has come from him. Sure, some big hits, some very well made songs, but still - bad raw material. U2 after Achtung Baby. Depeche Mode after The Violator.
What happens? When they reach the fame and money they dreamt about they stop? My guess is they come into a crisis, realizing that life is still just the same - after all they are just the same they always were. The rest is just superfluous flowery surface. Then they need a few decades and then suddenly they do a masterpiece again. From Elvis in Memphis and Dusty (Springfield) in Memphis in 1969, as two superb examples. Johnny Cash through American Recordings from 1994 onwards, as another.
Good music is not born from easy lives. Sad but true?
* Medelsvensson is the Swedish Mr Smith, the average Joe.
But how is this raw stone created? I don't know. But take Peter Le Marc as an example. He comes from another small place (Trollhättan), just as boring as his music was. But then Something happened - divorce, alcohol, inner struggle - and he creates a masterpiece, Det som håller oss vid liv, 6 years after his last record.
Bruce Springsteen is another example. His Nebraska album is a classic, but then he just got too rich, lead a too boring life and nothing really worth mentioning has come from him. Sure, some big hits, some very well made songs, but still - bad raw material. U2 after Achtung Baby. Depeche Mode after The Violator.
What happens? When they reach the fame and money they dreamt about they stop? My guess is they come into a crisis, realizing that life is still just the same - after all they are just the same they always were. The rest is just superfluous flowery surface. Then they need a few decades and then suddenly they do a masterpiece again. From Elvis in Memphis and Dusty (Springfield) in Memphis in 1969, as two superb examples. Johnny Cash through American Recordings from 1994 onwards, as another.
Good music is not born from easy lives. Sad but true?
* Medelsvensson is the Swedish Mr Smith, the average Joe.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Slumdog millionaire
This "comedy" is great! It's about how a young man whose life has been hell in the indian slum manages to get into the TV show Who wants to be a millionaire.
I wouldn't call the movie a comedy at all, though. It's a depiction of hell. And what makes me so damn angry is that while kids live in hell we spend billions on fancy housing and totally unnecessary luxury. The world needs more socialism! Money has a tendency to stick together - fewer people are getting very much richer while the masses are getting poorer. Just look at the USA! China is doing quite well. Why? Because the capitalistic system is controlled! Money has to be actively taken from the rich and given to the poor, invested in infrastructure, schools, health care, in short - investing in the mutual future. Why was the USA so successful after WWII? The New Deal! Why was Sweden so successful? The Social Democrats! Everywhere in history you see that equality leads to prosperity, and that collection of wealth to a few is the beginning of the end. So act, while there is still time!
I wouldn't call the movie a comedy at all, though. It's a depiction of hell. And what makes me so damn angry is that while kids live in hell we spend billions on fancy housing and totally unnecessary luxury. The world needs more socialism! Money has a tendency to stick together - fewer people are getting very much richer while the masses are getting poorer. Just look at the USA! China is doing quite well. Why? Because the capitalistic system is controlled! Money has to be actively taken from the rich and given to the poor, invested in infrastructure, schools, health care, in short - investing in the mutual future. Why was the USA so successful after WWII? The New Deal! Why was Sweden so successful? The Social Democrats! Everywhere in history you see that equality leads to prosperity, and that collection of wealth to a few is the beginning of the end. So act, while there is still time!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Some are just meant to die...
Already when GM bought Saab I thought this is the end. They didn't even manage to make a profit during the extremely good years of the last two decades! Don't blame it on management (even though US management has proved to be lousy) or hard times (you have to be able to handle tough times). The company stinks, let it die.
This is the very simple, but beautifully efficient basic mechanism in the market capitalism - strong companies make money, weak might survive for a while, but in the end - weak means death. This is great! Because then no more money is wasted on a lost patient - the resources can be better used in some other way. And never forget that hard times do wonders for the creativity!
Any company that begs money from the state should be executed, as fast as possible. And, of course, the management shall have exactly zero pay. This goes for Saab, as well as GM. May they rest in peace.
Comment: The company shall die, not its employees, of course. They will be taken care of by the social security system and will soon enough find other work. If they got greedy and made financial commitments they can't fulfill? Well, as we say in Sweden: You sleep like you made the bed...
This is the very simple, but beautifully efficient basic mechanism in the market capitalism - strong companies make money, weak might survive for a while, but in the end - weak means death. This is great! Because then no more money is wasted on a lost patient - the resources can be better used in some other way. And never forget that hard times do wonders for the creativity!
Any company that begs money from the state should be executed, as fast as possible. And, of course, the management shall have exactly zero pay. This goes for Saab, as well as GM. May they rest in peace.
Comment: The company shall die, not its employees, of course. They will be taken care of by the social security system and will soon enough find other work. If they got greedy and made financial commitments they can't fulfill? Well, as we say in Sweden: You sleep like you made the bed...
Monday, February 16, 2009
Yann Martel - Life of Pi
I love it!! It's about a boy named Pi who ends up on a lifeboat with a tiger, crossing the Pasific. Or how is it, really? It's about belief, and atheist as I am, I choose to believe. Because this story is wonderful.
Pi grows up in India, with a father who has a zoo. So we learn a lot about zookeeping. That animals that are "free" (to be eaten at any time) might not be happier than those in zoos. That animals that somehow leave zoos come back as soon as they can.
Pi is very religious (in fact he's Christian, Jewish and Muslim) and has understanding for atheists, but none for agnostics: "To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation." (p36)
Pi grows up in India, with a father who has a zoo. So we learn a lot about zookeeping. That animals that are "free" (to be eaten at any time) might not be happier than those in zoos. That animals that somehow leave zoos come back as soon as they can.
Pi is very religious (in fact he's Christian, Jewish and Muslim) and has understanding for atheists, but none for agnostics: "To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation." (p36)
Oliver Sacks - Musicophilia - Tales of music and the brain
Just like the subtitle says, this is a collection of stories about our fascinating brain, and its musical (dis)abilities. Oliver Sacks is a Jewish atheist and physician who has written many books (The man who mistook his wife for a hat might be the most well-known) and has collected many stories over the years.
This is a fun book, due to its stories, but as the brain is still so unknown, no real answers are given. It's more like a collection of thoughts and ideas of how the brain might work. The importance of music is thrilling. It makes you want to force every parent, every school, to put every kid through musical schooling! Music makes the brain grow (enhancing mathematical, verbal and visuospatial abilities (p101)) and it can cure, or at least help, all kinds of mental disorders (Parkinson's, Tourette's, dementia). Tod Machover, at MIT is trying to democratize music, making it available to all, by making computer systems like Guitar Hero and other interactive systems.
Most people "have a radio in the brain" - the brain plays all kinds of music to us, in some only small clips, in some full symphonies! Is this the real source of musicality? Music that is created and just has to come out? Like Schumann talked about "the inner hearing of wondrously beautiful pieces of music, fully formed and complete!" (p56) Shostakovich was even more sophisticated: "Shostakovich, however, was reluctant to have the metal removed and no wonder: Since the fragment had been there, he said, each time he leaned his head to one side he could hear music. His head was filled with melodies - different each time - which he then made use of when composing. Moving his head back level immediately stopped the music." (p78) This explains how Beethoven could still compose even when he was deaf. Che Guevara, on the other hand, was rhythm-deaf. Freud didn't care about music at all. Tolstoy didn't like it because it had the power to induce in him "fictitious" states of mind.
On page 126 Oliver Sacks talks about Rachel, who has "a difficulty in synthesizing the elements of an entire scene at a glance... thus she would notice one thing, then another, then a third". When I read it I thought that's how I do! At least when I enter a room filled with people...
Absolute pitch is often mentioned and funnily enough, it might not always be a blessing! In fact, it makes it a pain to hear anyone out of tune and even transposing a song can screw it all up! (p132) The absolute pitch may shift with age (p133) making it even worse, because the F might change to an E-flat! This is a capacity that can be trained as a kid. 50% of the children born blind have absolut pitch! (p135) The language matters too - far more Chinese (Chinese being a tonal language) than English (non-tonal) speaking people have absolute pitch. (p136)
The brain and ear are forming a two-way system where the brain can tune (via the outer hair cells) the inner hair cells. (p146) This ability makes it possible to pick out a single voice in a crowd eg.
Not all people are lucky enough to have symphonies playing in the head. Some people hear an awful noise, or screaming, when they listen to music! (p112)
A book is often mentioned by Sacks - The Oxford Companion to Music. I need to check out that book!
There is a brain phenomenon called synesthesia. It can have different effects, but usually a tone or a key or an instrument is seen as a colour. (p180) This effect can increase with increasing deafness or blindness.
Music is not just notes and instruments, it's somehow more of a feeling. And there are different kinds of memory, one of the strongest being the emotional memory. Music being very emotional is therefore often very well remembered! So if you one day don't feel the music anymore - watch out! You might have had a stroke or something...
When I read the book I first thought I'm not musical at all. After all, I don't invent symphonies in my head! On the other hand I hear music most of the time, and I certainly feel music (if it's any good) and I have some kind of pitch, just need to train it... Maybe I'm just normal???
This is a fun book, due to its stories, but as the brain is still so unknown, no real answers are given. It's more like a collection of thoughts and ideas of how the brain might work. The importance of music is thrilling. It makes you want to force every parent, every school, to put every kid through musical schooling! Music makes the brain grow (enhancing mathematical, verbal and visuospatial abilities (p101)) and it can cure, or at least help, all kinds of mental disorders (Parkinson's, Tourette's, dementia). Tod Machover, at MIT is trying to democratize music, making it available to all, by making computer systems like Guitar Hero and other interactive systems.
Most people "have a radio in the brain" - the brain plays all kinds of music to us, in some only small clips, in some full symphonies! Is this the real source of musicality? Music that is created and just has to come out? Like Schumann talked about "the inner hearing of wondrously beautiful pieces of music, fully formed and complete!" (p56) Shostakovich was even more sophisticated: "Shostakovich, however, was reluctant to have the metal removed and no wonder: Since the fragment had been there, he said, each time he leaned his head to one side he could hear music. His head was filled with melodies - different each time - which he then made use of when composing. Moving his head back level immediately stopped the music." (p78) This explains how Beethoven could still compose even when he was deaf. Che Guevara, on the other hand, was rhythm-deaf. Freud didn't care about music at all. Tolstoy didn't like it because it had the power to induce in him "fictitious" states of mind.
On page 126 Oliver Sacks talks about Rachel, who has "a difficulty in synthesizing the elements of an entire scene at a glance... thus she would notice one thing, then another, then a third". When I read it I thought that's how I do! At least when I enter a room filled with people...
Absolute pitch is often mentioned and funnily enough, it might not always be a blessing! In fact, it makes it a pain to hear anyone out of tune and even transposing a song can screw it all up! (p132) The absolute pitch may shift with age (p133) making it even worse, because the F might change to an E-flat! This is a capacity that can be trained as a kid. 50% of the children born blind have absolut pitch! (p135) The language matters too - far more Chinese (Chinese being a tonal language) than English (non-tonal) speaking people have absolute pitch. (p136)
The brain and ear are forming a two-way system where the brain can tune (via the outer hair cells) the inner hair cells. (p146) This ability makes it possible to pick out a single voice in a crowd eg.
Not all people are lucky enough to have symphonies playing in the head. Some people hear an awful noise, or screaming, when they listen to music! (p112)
A book is often mentioned by Sacks - The Oxford Companion to Music. I need to check out that book!
There is a brain phenomenon called synesthesia. It can have different effects, but usually a tone or a key or an instrument is seen as a colour. (p180) This effect can increase with increasing deafness or blindness.
Music is not just notes and instruments, it's somehow more of a feeling. And there are different kinds of memory, one of the strongest being the emotional memory. Music being very emotional is therefore often very well remembered! So if you one day don't feel the music anymore - watch out! You might have had a stroke or something...
When I read the book I first thought I'm not musical at all. After all, I don't invent symphonies in my head! On the other hand I hear music most of the time, and I certainly feel music (if it's any good) and I have some kind of pitch, just need to train it... Maybe I'm just normal???
Friday, February 13, 2009
The Illusionist
First I thought I was just tired and gloomy. I was after all watching this movie all alone, on a Friday night, from a DVD on a 20 inch screen. It was well made after all, I liked Edward Norton as the illusionist, but Jessica Biel was just as bad as I had thought and I just didn't give a shit about the characters.
So I took a break to check out the reviews. All swedish reviews I swiftly found through Google were very positive (like Film.nu and Moviezine) so for a while I thought I was actually just very grumpy. But as I couldn't see any reviews from any serious source (like GP or SvD) I started to wonder... and sure enough, the British reviews weren't licking any arse! Pocket lint said "As Paul Daniels would say, 'you'll like this but not a lot'". Big Picture Big Sound wasn't too happy either.
So I stopped watching it. I didn't even rip it. A life is too darn short to waste on the mediocre, after all.
So I took a break to check out the reviews. All swedish reviews I swiftly found through Google were very positive (like Film.nu and Moviezine) so for a while I thought I was actually just very grumpy. But as I couldn't see any reviews from any serious source (like GP or SvD) I started to wonder... and sure enough, the British reviews weren't licking any arse! Pocket lint said "As Paul Daniels would say, 'you'll like this but not a lot'". Big Picture Big Sound wasn't too happy either.
So I stopped watching it. I didn't even rip it. A life is too darn short to waste on the mediocre, after all.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Expensive housing is not a blessing
I know politicians are no more clever than anybody else these days, but still - why do they think expensive housing is so good? Everytime the interest rates are lowered everybody is happy, talking about increased housing prices as if this was good. First of all, a low interest rate is a sign of a week economy, so any politician should be ashamed and think about what (s)he did wrong to get us there. Of course the real estate people are happy because they will make more money, but for the common man, is it really that great? No. The more expensive the housing is, the tougher it will be to create a good life for oneself. Already back in the 60's this was understood in Sweden and they did all they could to build housing, so that everybody could get a decent life. This was the basis for the "swedish miracle", the reason why Sweden still is the best country in the world to live in. Now, this is totally forgotten.
Is it simply greed? In that case it's actually stupidity, because you can't cash in on that fine deal! You need a place to live, no matter what. Not only does it get tougher to enter the housing market in the first place, but it will also become much more expensive to afford bigger housing. The only good thing is that you can make a buck moving to a smaller place, or moving abroad. But is this really what we want? Smaller housing? Poorer people?
Is it simply greed? In that case it's actually stupidity, because you can't cash in on that fine deal! You need a place to live, no matter what. Not only does it get tougher to enter the housing market in the first place, but it will also become much more expensive to afford bigger housing. The only good thing is that you can make a buck moving to a smaller place, or moving abroad. But is this really what we want? Smaller housing? Poorer people?
It's time to say goodbye
The USA is pushing a new foreign affairs strategy. I'd say this is a prefect moment to say no. We don't want to help them with their illegal prisoners from Guantanamo. Or cleaning up the mess they created in Afghanistan and Iraq. Not to mention any nuclear "shield". And isn't it about time that the occupation of Europe ends? Why have thousands of foreign troop on our soil, listening to their own radio stations, shopping in their own stores, never learning the local language or culture? Even paying US prices for gasoline! Why do we still tolerate this?
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Sam Mendes - Revolutionary road
This movie, based on the novel by Richard Yates, is just plain fantastic! I sat starring unable to move several times during the movie.
It's about how youthful appetite for life crumbles as you get older and start prioritizing safety over life. And how you can end up in a situation unable to fulfill your dreams if you don't watch out. Well, there are many more things to be said, but you'd better see it! Whatever you do, watch out for the suburbs! ;)
It's a beautiful movie in every aspect. It is set in the USA in the 50s and the style in just great, everything looks good, tasteful. The plot is still very much valid - how we give up life for work and start dying...
It's about how youthful appetite for life crumbles as you get older and start prioritizing safety over life. And how you can end up in a situation unable to fulfill your dreams if you don't watch out. Well, there are many more things to be said, but you'd better see it! Whatever you do, watch out for the suburbs! ;)
It's a beautiful movie in every aspect. It is set in the USA in the 50s and the style in just great, everything looks good, tasteful. The plot is still very much valid - how we give up life for work and start dying...
Sunday, January 25, 2009
P. F. Thomése - Shadowchild
I know people who have lost their children, but never have I realized what a nightmare it is. I could not put the book down until it was finished. The heaviness of your dead child, the complete emptiness, the impossibility to understand that she is no more, is captured in the most beautiful way.
"Panic
The smell of clean sheets, the bedroom window open. A new day.
The sunlight coming in and finding her nowhere."
"But above all she dies in us. There where she has been thought of, there she must die. There where she will be thought of, there she will have to be dead. But it is impossible, and it will remain impossible, not to think of her. At last, therefore, there will be no place left where she has not died."
"Panic
The smell of clean sheets, the bedroom window open. A new day.
The sunlight coming in and finding her nowhere."
"But above all she dies in us. There where she has been thought of, there she must die. There where she will be thought of, there she will have to be dead. But it is impossible, and it will remain impossible, not to think of her. At last, therefore, there will be no place left where she has not died."
Thursday, January 22, 2009
The Pope
I would like to claim that the Catholic Pope is one o the most dangerous men on this planet. The freaking idiot thinks homosexuality is just as bad as the climate change! If this was just a normal dickhead walking the streets you could just ignore it, or talk some sense to him, but this is a man that millions of people actually think is an authority and they believe all he says! (For those of you knowing Swedish, look at the homepage of the green think tank Cogito.)
Even though democratic countries have separated church and state, religious views like these are still taken way too seriously. Why not just conclude that they are parts of a dark memory from the past and ignore them!
Even though democratic countries have separated church and state, religious views like these are still taken way too seriously. Why not just conclude that they are parts of a dark memory from the past and ignore them!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Sweden - a country without history
I am born in Sweden, I have gone through the whole educational chain from pre-school to university and still I know hardly anything about swedish history. I just vaguely remember long series of kings and queens that never caught my interest.
Now I'm reading a review about Kärlek och krig - Revolutionen 1809 (Love and war - The revolution of 1809) - and am stunned by a story filled with war, love and intrigue. Imagine a movie made out of this material! Why have I never heard of it before? Why isn't there a movie about it?
I'd like to say that the history teaching in Sweden is very bad indeed. But why? Could it be that the Social Democrats who ran this country for the last century, more or less, want a people without history, a people that is easy to herd?
Now I'm reading a review about Kärlek och krig - Revolutionen 1809 (Love and war - The revolution of 1809) - and am stunned by a story filled with war, love and intrigue. Imagine a movie made out of this material! Why have I never heard of it before? Why isn't there a movie about it?
I'd like to say that the history teaching in Sweden is very bad indeed. But why? Could it be that the Social Democrats who ran this country for the last century, more or less, want a people without history, a people that is easy to herd?
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Scarlett Thomas - The end of Mr. Y
I must admit I was a bit sceptical when I started reading the book. The main character Ariel is a bit weird, but as you get to know, and like, her and get absorbed by the story and all the theories of being presented, you just can't stop reading.
Ariel is a loner, who's working on a PhD, but would rather just stay home reading. She likes kinky sex, probably in an attempt to feel alive (she cut herself when she was younger, with the same goal, and that was later replaced by smoking). The story is about a book - The end of Mr. Y - and a recipe in it that can take you to another dimension.
Her lust for and thoughts about sex are fun breaks from the story:
"A quick fuck might be just the thing to break up the afternoon. And other people have tea breaks, don't they?" (p111)
"Once I rubbed out the pencilled-in marginalia from a hundred pages of a book that I wanted to photocopy (long story) and afterwards if felt like I'd been wanking off a giant for a hundred years." (p129)
"In the sexual economy, I've got millions in the offshore account called 'Older Men', but I think I'd get turned down for an account anywhere else."
Ariel's main thesis is that the world is made of language. It's all just quarks and electrons, the only thing making a 'urinal' and a 'painting' different is because we make them different in language (p279). She's got a point when she says that we only see what's in our language - if we can't express it in our language it doesn't quite exist. So, the language limits us. (I wrote about this in my old blog, The importance of languages, and thought that people speaking English might miss out on something as they often have no words for a certain thing, but an endless amount of synonyms.)
Some interesting thoughts about religion are presented too: A story is referred to where the Catholic pope gets served by nuns. The man being served by the women and Ariel thinks: "How could he have missed the bit about everyone being equal in the eyes of God? If this was the wisest Catholic, I certainly didn't want to meet the stupidest one." (p402) Further on: "How is it possible that religion, which claims to be more profound than anything else, still has less of a grasp on humanity than any personnel department in this country? It's not just Christianity, either: how could the Buddhist have missed the bit in their thinking about freedom from desire, when most of them seem to desire to be reincarnated well, and in such a way that they can be a man, and be called 'venerable master', and tell other people what to do?" "Are we the thoughts of God? a poster asks. No, I realise. It's the reverse."
Being an engineer some of the philosophical thoughts are a bit out there, but in all it doesn't matter. This is an excellent book.
Ariel is a loner, who's working on a PhD, but would rather just stay home reading. She likes kinky sex, probably in an attempt to feel alive (she cut herself when she was younger, with the same goal, and that was later replaced by smoking). The story is about a book - The end of Mr. Y - and a recipe in it that can take you to another dimension.
Her lust for and thoughts about sex are fun breaks from the story:
"A quick fuck might be just the thing to break up the afternoon. And other people have tea breaks, don't they?" (p111)
"Once I rubbed out the pencilled-in marginalia from a hundred pages of a book that I wanted to photocopy (long story) and afterwards if felt like I'd been wanking off a giant for a hundred years." (p129)
"In the sexual economy, I've got millions in the offshore account called 'Older Men', but I think I'd get turned down for an account anywhere else."
Ariel's main thesis is that the world is made of language. It's all just quarks and electrons, the only thing making a 'urinal' and a 'painting' different is because we make them different in language (p279). She's got a point when she says that we only see what's in our language - if we can't express it in our language it doesn't quite exist. So, the language limits us. (I wrote about this in my old blog, The importance of languages, and thought that people speaking English might miss out on something as they often have no words for a certain thing, but an endless amount of synonyms.)
Some interesting thoughts about religion are presented too: A story is referred to where the Catholic pope gets served by nuns. The man being served by the women and Ariel thinks: "How could he have missed the bit about everyone being equal in the eyes of God? If this was the wisest Catholic, I certainly didn't want to meet the stupidest one." (p402) Further on: "How is it possible that religion, which claims to be more profound than anything else, still has less of a grasp on humanity than any personnel department in this country? It's not just Christianity, either: how could the Buddhist have missed the bit in their thinking about freedom from desire, when most of them seem to desire to be reincarnated well, and in such a way that they can be a man, and be called 'venerable master', and tell other people what to do?" "Are we the thoughts of God? a poster asks. No, I realise. It's the reverse."
Being an engineer some of the philosophical thoughts are a bit out there, but in all it doesn't matter. This is an excellent book.
Monday, January 5, 2009
George Leonard - Mastery - The keys to success and long-term fulfillment
I never get the time to do all I want. Instead I make future plans - I will study Spanish and dance tango in South America, I will study gong-fu in China and massage in New York, go horse-back riding in Mongolia and god knows all I've been planning lately. So I asked my sifu where I could go and concentrate on gong-fu for a few months. He obviously thought I was a bit dumb and said I have to integrate gong-fu into my life, that is the only way to ever become a master. At first I thought he's lacking a lot of knowledge being a sifu and all, but as his words sunk in I realized he's right. All these grand plans I was making was only a way to avoid action in the present. If I really want to learn gong-fu or Spanish or anything I have to do it now. I have to live in the present.
Despite the pathetic sub-title, this book is great and has been an inspiration on my search for the path of mastery. I will try to catch the most important advice here.
First of all you have to forget the bottom-line mentality that has become so dominant. It's claimed that the result is the only thing that counts, and this fits well into the short-sighted thinking of neoliberal capitalism, but on the path to mastery, the journey itself is the goal.
Chapter 1 (p14): "There's really no way around it. Learning any new skill involves relatively brief spurts of progress, each of which is followed by a slight decline to a plateau somewhat higher in most cases than that which preceded it."
In chapter 2 three types of behaviour is described, behaviours that are not paths to mastery. You can behave according to different patterns in different matters.
The Dabbler approaches each new thing with enormous enthusiasm, but as he reaches the first plateau he finds excuses to stop. "When the initial ardor starts to cool, he starts looking around. To stay on the path of mastery would mean changing himself. How much easier it is to jump into another bed and start the process all over again. The Dabbler might think of himself as an adventurer, a connoisseur of novelty, but he's probably closer to being what Carl Jung calls the puer aeternus, the eternal kid."
The Obsessive is a bottom-line type, he knows the result is what counts and will not settle for second best. "American corporate managers by and large have joined the cult of the bottom line... They strive mightily to keep the profit curve angled upward, even if that means sacrificing research and development, long-term planning, patient product development, and plant investment." "Somehow, in whatever he is doing, the Obsessive manages for a while to keep making brief spurts of upward progress, followed by sharp declines - a jagged ride toward a sure fall. When the fall occurs, the Obsessive is likely to get hurt. And so are friends, colleagues, stockholders, and lovers."
The Hacker is content to get by, he doesn't mind staying on the plateau indefinately.
Chapter 3 - America's war against mastery - is about how the constant strive for easy fixes gets you nowhere; the path of endless climax. "Our [USA] present national prosperity is built on a huge deficit and trillions of dollars worth of overdue expenditures on environmental cleanup, infrastructure repair, education, and social services - the quick-fix mentality." "...our time of grace might be running out. In the long run, the war against mastery, the path of patient, dedicated effort without attachment to immediate results, is a war that can't be won."
Chapter 4 ends with "To love the plateau is to love what is most essential and enduring in your life." This chapter is about living in the present, on the plateau (mostly) and enjoy it.
In part 2 of the book, the five master keys are presented:
1. Instruction: You must look for a good instructor and a good instructor is one that has the patience and empathy to teach also the untalented. In fact a slow student can be the better one in the end, because "the talented student... is likely to learn so fast that small stages in the learning process are glossed over, creating an opaque surface that hides the secrets of the art from view." It is emphasized that you must keep the proper psychological distance to your teacher (p71). Too close and you loose all perspective and too far you can't surrender (see below).
2. Practice: "The master is the one who stays on the mat five minutes longer every day than anybody else" an old saying goes. You must practice until you have the skill in your body, until you no longer have to think. "What is mastery? At the heart of it, mastery is practice. Mastery is staying on the path."
3. Surrender: "The courage of a master is measured by his or her willingness to surrender. This means surrendering to your teacher and to the demands of your discipline. It also means surrendering your own hard-won proficiency from time to time in order to reach a higher or different level of proficiency." "...the essence of boredom is to be found in the obsessive search of novelty. Satisfaction lies in mindful repetition, the discovery of endless richness in subtle variations on familiar themes." "For the master, surrender means there are no experts. There are only learners."
4. Intentionality: It's about creating a mental picture of the goal, a vision. "Intentionality fuels the master's journey. Every master is a master of vision."
5. The edge: To ever become a master you must explore the limits. "But before you can even consider playing this edge, there must be many years of instruction, practice, surrender, and intentionality. And afterwards? More training, more time on the plateau: the never-ending path again." "Almost without exception, those we know as masters are dedicated to the fundemantals of their calling."
In part 3 tools for the path of mastery are presented and some dangers along the way.
Chapter 10 deals with homeostasis, the condition of equilibrium, the resitance to change, that keeps our bodies working and societies stable. This is normally a good function, but the bad thing is it resists all change, also good change. So that's why our body screams when we suddenly start doing sports, why people stay conservative and the USA still haven't grasped the metric system. It can also explain (p111) why if the drinking father stops drinking the son might get crazy - just to keep the normal chaos going. Maybe this is the reason it feels so good to come home, to keep that old apartment even though I'm never there? "Ultimately, you'll have to decide if you really do want to spend the time and effort it takes to get on and stay on the path." Some tools are presented, if you decide to do so:
1. Be aware of how homeostasis works.
2. Be willing to negotiate with your resistance to change. Keep pushing, but not without awareness. Be prepared to take a step or two back if necessary.
3. Develop a support system. Friends, family, people who have done or are doing the same thing. (Johan Huizinga's book Study of the play elements in culture is about sport's and games' tendency to bring people together.)
4. Follow a regular practice. "Practice is a habit, and any regular practice provides a sort of underlying homeostasis, a stable base during the instability of change."
5. Dedicate yourself to lifelong learning. "...the best learning of all involves learning how to learn - that is, to change. The lifelong learner is essentially one who has learned to deal with homeostasis, simply because he or she is doing it all the time."
Chapter 11 is about energy, how to get enough of it. "A human being is the kind of machine that wears out from lack of use." But why do we then often feel so drained? As kids we are full of energy, exploring everything. But then parents say "Shut up!" and school says sit down and listen. "Peer groups at every stage of life exerts a leveling influence. Conformity is valued. High energy is feared as a threat to conformity." (p122) This is understandable as extreme amounts of energy is often used in bad ways, but for a responsible person, suggestions on how to get started are presented:
1. Maintain physical fitness.
2. Acknowledge the negative and accentuate the positive. Positive thinking! But don't try to deny negative facts.
3. Try telling the truth. Don't avoid saying things to save your own skin or anything else.
4. Honor but don't indulge your own dark side. Robert Bly in A little book on the human shadow tells about a child putting all parts others don't like in an invisible bag. This drains his energy and by 20 only a thin slice of original energy is left. We can use the energy of eg anger in a positive way.
5. Set your priorities. "...to move in one direction, you must to forgo all others." As a 29-year old friend of the author says: "Our generation has been raised on the idea of keeping your options open. But if you keep all your options open, you can't do a damned thing." "Ultimately, liberation comes through the acceptance of limits."
6. Make commitments. Take action. Deadlines! A commitment leads to a surge of clarity, and energy.
7. Get on the path of mastery and stay on it. "A regular practice not only elicits energy but tames it. Without the firm underpinnings of a practice, deadlines can produce violent swings between frantic activity and collapse." "People whose energy is flowing don't need to take a drug, commit a crime, or go to war in order to feel fully awake and alive"
Chapter 12 mentions a lot of pitfalls along the way to mastery, such as conflicts in life, injuries, laziness etc. "Never marry a person who is not a friend of your excitement." It is also warned against excessive use of external motivation. Schoolkids that gold stars as reward for good achievements initially speed up their learning, but soon level off and when gold stars are no longer being given they drop to a level lower than before (p137). Another proof that the fat bonus checks in big corporation are nothing but greed. The danger of perfectionism is highlighted too. If we set our standards too high it kills our creativity. "The master is the one who is willing to try, and fail, and try again, for as long as he or she lives."
Chapter 13 - Mastering the commonplace - is about applying mastery to all kinds of stuff in our lives; driving, making the dishes, vacuuming. After all, most of our lives consist of these commonplace tasks. It also applies to our relationships. In fact, driving takes more brain power than landing on the moon (p144), so why not take it seriously? And make it fun!
For the journey of mastery you should pack this book (surprise) but also find your qi. Qi, inner energy, has been "proved difficult to measure, and skeptics tend to attribute its powers to suggestion, a sort of dynamic placebo effect." Shortly, it's about relaxation, being able to focus all your energy at one point but never let it linger (see Thomas Cleary - The japanese art of war). (I personally recommend you to study gong-fu or tai-chi if you want to find your qi.)
This last chapter ends with some encouraging words:
"You are the culmination of an extravagant evolutionaryjourney. Your DNA contains more information than all the libraries in the world; information that goes back to the beginnings of life itself. In potentia, you are the most formidable all-around athlete who has ever roamed this planet. Many creatures possess more highly specialized sense organs, but no total sensorium is so well equipped and integrated as is yours. (The unaided human eye can detect a single quantum of light - the smallest amount possible - and discern more than ten million colors.) Your brain is the most complex entity in the known universe, its billions of twinkling neurons interact in ways so multitudinous and multifarious as to dwarf the capacity of any computer ever yet devised or even imagined. The best way to describe your total creative capacity is to say that for all practical purposes it is infinite. ... How to begin the journey? You need only to take the first step. When? There is always now."
The epilogue speaks about the importance of letting yourself be a fool - that emptiness is a precondition for significant learning. The downside is that you might look childish, like a fool, but in fact the world's greatest geniouses have allowed themselves this, and thereby unleashed their full potential (Mozart and Einstein to name a few).
The very end is buddhistic as it tells about Jigoro Kano, the founder of judo, who wanted to be buried in his white belt. "At the moment of death, the ultimate transformation, we are all white belts."
Despite the pathetic sub-title, this book is great and has been an inspiration on my search for the path of mastery. I will try to catch the most important advice here.
First of all you have to forget the bottom-line mentality that has become so dominant. It's claimed that the result is the only thing that counts, and this fits well into the short-sighted thinking of neoliberal capitalism, but on the path to mastery, the journey itself is the goal.
Chapter 1 (p14): "There's really no way around it. Learning any new skill involves relatively brief spurts of progress, each of which is followed by a slight decline to a plateau somewhat higher in most cases than that which preceded it."
In chapter 2 three types of behaviour is described, behaviours that are not paths to mastery. You can behave according to different patterns in different matters.
The Dabbler approaches each new thing with enormous enthusiasm, but as he reaches the first plateau he finds excuses to stop. "When the initial ardor starts to cool, he starts looking around. To stay on the path of mastery would mean changing himself. How much easier it is to jump into another bed and start the process all over again. The Dabbler might think of himself as an adventurer, a connoisseur of novelty, but he's probably closer to being what Carl Jung calls the puer aeternus, the eternal kid."
The Obsessive is a bottom-line type, he knows the result is what counts and will not settle for second best. "American corporate managers by and large have joined the cult of the bottom line... They strive mightily to keep the profit curve angled upward, even if that means sacrificing research and development, long-term planning, patient product development, and plant investment." "Somehow, in whatever he is doing, the Obsessive manages for a while to keep making brief spurts of upward progress, followed by sharp declines - a jagged ride toward a sure fall. When the fall occurs, the Obsessive is likely to get hurt. And so are friends, colleagues, stockholders, and lovers."
The Hacker is content to get by, he doesn't mind staying on the plateau indefinately.
Chapter 3 - America's war against mastery - is about how the constant strive for easy fixes gets you nowhere; the path of endless climax. "Our [USA] present national prosperity is built on a huge deficit and trillions of dollars worth of overdue expenditures on environmental cleanup, infrastructure repair, education, and social services - the quick-fix mentality." "...our time of grace might be running out. In the long run, the war against mastery, the path of patient, dedicated effort without attachment to immediate results, is a war that can't be won."
Chapter 4 ends with "To love the plateau is to love what is most essential and enduring in your life." This chapter is about living in the present, on the plateau (mostly) and enjoy it.
In part 2 of the book, the five master keys are presented:
1. Instruction: You must look for a good instructor and a good instructor is one that has the patience and empathy to teach also the untalented. In fact a slow student can be the better one in the end, because "the talented student... is likely to learn so fast that small stages in the learning process are glossed over, creating an opaque surface that hides the secrets of the art from view." It is emphasized that you must keep the proper psychological distance to your teacher (p71). Too close and you loose all perspective and too far you can't surrender (see below).
2. Practice: "The master is the one who stays on the mat five minutes longer every day than anybody else" an old saying goes. You must practice until you have the skill in your body, until you no longer have to think. "What is mastery? At the heart of it, mastery is practice. Mastery is staying on the path."
3. Surrender: "The courage of a master is measured by his or her willingness to surrender. This means surrendering to your teacher and to the demands of your discipline. It also means surrendering your own hard-won proficiency from time to time in order to reach a higher or different level of proficiency." "...the essence of boredom is to be found in the obsessive search of novelty. Satisfaction lies in mindful repetition, the discovery of endless richness in subtle variations on familiar themes." "For the master, surrender means there are no experts. There are only learners."
4. Intentionality: It's about creating a mental picture of the goal, a vision. "Intentionality fuels the master's journey. Every master is a master of vision."
5. The edge: To ever become a master you must explore the limits. "But before you can even consider playing this edge, there must be many years of instruction, practice, surrender, and intentionality. And afterwards? More training, more time on the plateau: the never-ending path again." "Almost without exception, those we know as masters are dedicated to the fundemantals of their calling."
In part 3 tools for the path of mastery are presented and some dangers along the way.
Chapter 10 deals with homeostasis, the condition of equilibrium, the resitance to change, that keeps our bodies working and societies stable. This is normally a good function, but the bad thing is it resists all change, also good change. So that's why our body screams when we suddenly start doing sports, why people stay conservative and the USA still haven't grasped the metric system. It can also explain (p111) why if the drinking father stops drinking the son might get crazy - just to keep the normal chaos going. Maybe this is the reason it feels so good to come home, to keep that old apartment even though I'm never there? "Ultimately, you'll have to decide if you really do want to spend the time and effort it takes to get on and stay on the path." Some tools are presented, if you decide to do so:
1. Be aware of how homeostasis works.
2. Be willing to negotiate with your resistance to change. Keep pushing, but not without awareness. Be prepared to take a step or two back if necessary.
3. Develop a support system. Friends, family, people who have done or are doing the same thing. (Johan Huizinga's book Study of the play elements in culture is about sport's and games' tendency to bring people together.)
4. Follow a regular practice. "Practice is a habit, and any regular practice provides a sort of underlying homeostasis, a stable base during the instability of change."
5. Dedicate yourself to lifelong learning. "...the best learning of all involves learning how to learn - that is, to change. The lifelong learner is essentially one who has learned to deal with homeostasis, simply because he or she is doing it all the time."
Chapter 11 is about energy, how to get enough of it. "A human being is the kind of machine that wears out from lack of use." But why do we then often feel so drained? As kids we are full of energy, exploring everything. But then parents say "Shut up!" and school says sit down and listen. "Peer groups at every stage of life exerts a leveling influence. Conformity is valued. High energy is feared as a threat to conformity." (p122) This is understandable as extreme amounts of energy is often used in bad ways, but for a responsible person, suggestions on how to get started are presented:
1. Maintain physical fitness.
2. Acknowledge the negative and accentuate the positive. Positive thinking! But don't try to deny negative facts.
3. Try telling the truth. Don't avoid saying things to save your own skin or anything else.
4. Honor but don't indulge your own dark side. Robert Bly in A little book on the human shadow tells about a child putting all parts others don't like in an invisible bag. This drains his energy and by 20 only a thin slice of original energy is left. We can use the energy of eg anger in a positive way.
5. Set your priorities. "...to move in one direction, you must to forgo all others." As a 29-year old friend of the author says: "Our generation has been raised on the idea of keeping your options open. But if you keep all your options open, you can't do a damned thing." "Ultimately, liberation comes through the acceptance of limits."
6. Make commitments. Take action. Deadlines! A commitment leads to a surge of clarity, and energy.
7. Get on the path of mastery and stay on it. "A regular practice not only elicits energy but tames it. Without the firm underpinnings of a practice, deadlines can produce violent swings between frantic activity and collapse." "People whose energy is flowing don't need to take a drug, commit a crime, or go to war in order to feel fully awake and alive"
Chapter 12 mentions a lot of pitfalls along the way to mastery, such as conflicts in life, injuries, laziness etc. "Never marry a person who is not a friend of your excitement." It is also warned against excessive use of external motivation. Schoolkids that gold stars as reward for good achievements initially speed up their learning, but soon level off and when gold stars are no longer being given they drop to a level lower than before (p137). Another proof that the fat bonus checks in big corporation are nothing but greed. The danger of perfectionism is highlighted too. If we set our standards too high it kills our creativity. "The master is the one who is willing to try, and fail, and try again, for as long as he or she lives."
Chapter 13 - Mastering the commonplace - is about applying mastery to all kinds of stuff in our lives; driving, making the dishes, vacuuming. After all, most of our lives consist of these commonplace tasks. It also applies to our relationships. In fact, driving takes more brain power than landing on the moon (p144), so why not take it seriously? And make it fun!
For the journey of mastery you should pack this book (surprise) but also find your qi. Qi, inner energy, has been "proved difficult to measure, and skeptics tend to attribute its powers to suggestion, a sort of dynamic placebo effect." Shortly, it's about relaxation, being able to focus all your energy at one point but never let it linger (see Thomas Cleary - The japanese art of war). (I personally recommend you to study gong-fu or tai-chi if you want to find your qi.)
This last chapter ends with some encouraging words:
"You are the culmination of an extravagant evolutionaryjourney. Your DNA contains more information than all the libraries in the world; information that goes back to the beginnings of life itself. In potentia, you are the most formidable all-around athlete who has ever roamed this planet. Many creatures possess more highly specialized sense organs, but no total sensorium is so well equipped and integrated as is yours. (The unaided human eye can detect a single quantum of light - the smallest amount possible - and discern more than ten million colors.) Your brain is the most complex entity in the known universe, its billions of twinkling neurons interact in ways so multitudinous and multifarious as to dwarf the capacity of any computer ever yet devised or even imagined. The best way to describe your total creative capacity is to say that for all practical purposes it is infinite. ... How to begin the journey? You need only to take the first step. When? There is always now."
The epilogue speaks about the importance of letting yourself be a fool - that emptiness is a precondition for significant learning. The downside is that you might look childish, like a fool, but in fact the world's greatest geniouses have allowed themselves this, and thereby unleashed their full potential (Mozart and Einstein to name a few).
The very end is buddhistic as it tells about Jigoro Kano, the founder of judo, who wanted to be buried in his white belt. "At the moment of death, the ultimate transformation, we are all white belts."
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