[MD] Hive mind, more fully explicated

[David Thomas]

JC reincarnate,

>[John]
>   I thought, I really should
> explain more carefully what I mean by "hive mind" and exactly how I think it
> should be dealt with - ithrough and through.
> 
> It does arise from the central conceit, of an intellectual pattern having a
> virtual "life" of it's own.  In the same way a city, a cultural pattern
> devours and uses people, so does an intellectual pattern devour minds,
> through people.

"Ghosts in the Machine" and "Giants" are mythic creations and they are not
exclusive to cities. Listen to or read Garrison Keeler spiels about the
mythic town Lake Wobegon  on "Prairie Home Companion" or in his novels.
It seems that all cultures have a constant low level of bitching and whining
that their culture is always too or not enough...something. Be it too static
or dynamic.

> 
>  I have dealt with this before, on this list. what I mean by this
> low-quality, social pattern, that seems to rear its ugly head in human
> affairs, every so often, in an earlier post, under the lable "homotheism".
> Which nobody really appreciated much, I think because there's a kinda "homo"
> connotation that leads to prejudicial attitudes that have NO place in an
> intellectual forum.

I think what you speak of is normally labeled "humanism" in all its many
shades and tones. "Man is the measure of all thing" to "Hitler's Super Volk"
Check your other gods at the door.

> 
> So in many ways, I really think "hive-mind" is the better term for what I
> think is the root of all  problems an intolerance of diversity. An
> un-appreciation for the varities of religious experience, the strong need to
> suppress and reject deviation.  The automatic exclusion or rejection  of
> other-that-is-different that you find in narcissistic minds, for instance.
> 
> "machine-brained" is another good term for what I mean, but itself suffers
> from such meta-mechanical overtones, that it's not quite rich enough.
> Really, "hive-mind" is perfect.
> 
> My particular concern is with the instantiation of this hive-mind, in a
> techno-programmed and reinforced way, today.  A very individualistic
> society, that takes care of everybody.  And it's easy to do, because
> everybody is centrally programmed to be the exact same, cool,
> independent-minded, individual, existential island.  See the irony?  The
> pathetic sadness?
>  
> Imagine for a minute, that my point might be true.  Imagine the intellectual
> patterns-that-be, running tests to understand the depths of social control.
> What if they can get the most individual and cool people, those most outside
> the traps  of suburban normality,  to stick metal through their sensitive
> parts? All together, in the exact same ways?!
>  
> Ok, I'm joking.  But you have to admit, it'd be an amusing to find out how
> non-avant the garde really is.    I mean, if you can overcome biological
> good sense, metaphysical manipulations should be a breeze.
>  
> I mean after all, Just what is a "self" in an age of "everybody's equal" and
> we all see the same shows, so we all know the same stuff?  What does
> 'individual' even mean, in such an age?,
> 
> a coming age, an arriving age.  As plain as a wave on the horizon.
> 
> Sneer all you fucking want, Dave's of both mb and Thomas, but with or
> without a tin foil hat, the cultural pattern I describe is as real as any
> historical brown-shirt fascist regime, and it's forming right before our
> very eyes. On and through tv.  Group conformity, hive mind is a real
> pattern.
> 
> It doesn't like being challenged.  It doesn't like being discussed.  It
> worms its way into all public discourse, with it's lens of popularity and
> celebrity focusing on what feeds it the fastest (money)
>  
> Every generation is tabula rasa.  The slate is wiped clean, ready for new
> programming.  Never before has mass technologically enhanced programming
> been so widely available.
> 
> And sure, it could do a lot of good.  But the truth is, it's immense power
> is centralized.  There is some decision about what makes "Good" programming,
> going on at the highest levels, by the few, for the many.  And then new
> generations pop out of their pods, into the world they are offered.
> 
> Hive-mind seeks peace.
> 
> Hive mind seeks growth and prospertity.
> 
> Hive-mind seeks all that seems good, and right, with equality and justice
> for all.  And this is achievable, as long as we have One Good Queen, and
> perfect communication to her subjects, along paths of electronic and
> absolute control.
> 
> I think PD Ouspensky was right.  I think the danger of Hive-mind is far
> greater than any can imagine.  All the more terrifying because of it's
> horrible inevitability.  It holds the threat of nuclear sword, over the head
> of humanity on earth. How much more inevitable can you get?
> 
Pretty bleak assessment John. If you truly desire a "tabula rasa" for your
children, and our county or probably the whole world is so terribly awful
rotten bad though and though, I would think you should be whole heartedly
embracing the "nuclear option". Press the reset button. Blast everyone back
to the stone age and start over. Sure your kids might not make it through
but anything is better than all devouring HIVE-MIND. Sounds like a remake
of the 1938 film "Reefer Madness."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reefer_Madness

You claim to be an advocate for "community" but you pray for ruggedly
individualistic, isolated, family oriented lifestyle with no external
influence to corrupt your delicate offspring. Or maybe, more importantly,
disagree with anything YOU decide is right? All families self sufficient,
home schooled from curricula developed and approved by the wise
Patriarch. All marriages arranged. All transgressions washed in blood.
Maybe if you watched a little TV, the travel brochures from Afghanistan
would not look so appealing.

OK, I agree this is an over the top rant and your heart is mostly in the
right place. I think, in part, of all the participants here, and the
popularity of ZaMM in general, is the attraction to, or relating to the idea
(really the myth) of the basic unfairness or waste of an anti-hero being
chewed up and spit out by "THE SYSTEM." But somehow, coming back and
triumphing. A great deal, maybe everyone, feels like that from time to time.
To use it as a life's philosophy to me seems to guarantee success in
fulfilling it. I'm not a big fan of Dr Wayne Dyer but his "You are who you
think you are" is more true, than false. James's "Will to Believe" in
self-help business garb. Oh, how distasteful.

This is a timeless traditional point of view. But hewing to and pursuing
these views to exclusion of all others lead consequences like Waco, Ruby
Ridge,the World Trade Center, and lone gunmen shooting doctors. IMHO of
course.

Dave