Ladies and gentlemen, if you do not like to ponder "Life, The Universe, and Everything!", then this post is not for you.
We know that molecules are governed by formulae. We have used these formulae to build up an understanding of the world on a larger scale – calculating how long a line is, designing a battery, analysing a cell in the human body, breeding the perfect racehorse etc. These formulae have not only allowed us to understand the world, but to rule it.
But once we get to humans, the rules break down – nobody can predict the actions of a single person; no matter how we they know about people they will always continue to surprise. Which is probably a good thing – if we knew how to predict people then life itself would lose all meaning. Would you really want to live if you knew that someone with a calculator knew (not commanded, knew) exactly what you would do?
What really scares me is this: once you zoom out to look at populations rather than individuals, a new set of formulae comes into play – they are different of course from those that govern molecules, but they are formulae nonetheless, and they are frightfully efficient. What would you do if I told you that advertising companies could tailor an advert to increase their sales by a very specific percentage range? Somehow, on a large scale we lose whatever freedom we have created out of exact rules. It is almost as if whatever we do as individuals seems to make no difference to the grand game that governs us as a species.
And that, my friends, is very frightening indeed, because if this is true, then whatever choices we make are not going to make a significant difference to the world. And knowing human nature, someone out there will try to find out this magical set of formulae, to influence entire populations for their own ends. I won't use the words "mind control" because they're too clichéd. This is more subtle, more insiduous. It directs populations, yet abandons the individual to make sense of a world where they seem to have so much choice, but whatever they choose makes no difference to the final outcome. I pray that this will never come true, yet somehow I feel that it already has. I leave you with a movie quote for you to mull over. It may be from an action movie, but it is a powerful one nonetheless.
The truth [is]...that you are a slave, Neo. Like everyone else you were born into bondage. Into a prison that you cannot taste or see or touch. A prison for your mind.And you thought that The Matrix was just another action movie.
17 comments:
no wonder I despise calculations so much!!
lol man...
why do u think i took psychology?
Calculations and formulae are scientific explanations, you're right.
But, in reality, those are just Power plays.
For examle,
Law #35: Master the Art of Timing
"Never seem to be in a hurry-hurrying betrays a lack of control over yourself, and over time. Always seem patient, as if you know that everything will come to you eventually. Become a detective of the right moment; sniff out the spirit of the times, the trends that will carry you to power. Learn to stand back when the time is not yet ripe, and to strike fiercely when it has reached fruition."
Zheng,
...because you didn't know how confusing it was till you started it? :P
Teik,
Dude, where exactly did this 'law' come from? And how does it have anything to do with this particular musing?
chee baye..
hahahaha...
Teik, i think ur referring to the [The 48 Laws of Power] by Robert Greene and Joost Elffers right?
my dad owns it... before i started scanning through the pages i've been warned by my dad dat its not an ethical book that we must not follow blindly due to it teachings to exploit the weakness of human behaviors n tend to manipulate them. which supports the term "mind controlling" in hsin's post(though not fully a formula yet).
Its teachings Really should not be encouraged dude, imagine the whole world using its "principals" to interact with one another....
chaos man.. chaos...
Had no particular idea of what "muse" meant as the title. And....
I dunno.
As for the "law" thing, I have the book written by Robert Greene. By the way, Hsin, I thought you were going to pass around your grandpa's politic documentation? Where has it gone now?
Well I've passed a copy of "Politics in a Plural Society" to Cheing and Pig each, so go get it from them - I don't want to sit around scanning 150 pages of documents. Besides, I think I've gone beyond the race issue - it no longer holds any interest for me as a topic of discussion. The fact about race is that
1. we have to start acting like Malaysians rather than Chinese/Malay/Indian, and
2. everyone should have equitable rights to education, housing and healthcare.
And I think the first mistake that took us down the drain was when the first politicians of Malaysia implemented policies that should have been based on class rather than race.
Power Plays are nothing but an individual's attempt at controlling the flow of society for themselves rather than for the good of society, and that's why war and famine still continue - people don't give a damn about other people. I'm not interested in playing with power - it's not a game when lives are at stake. Instead, we should have a system which rewards people's contributions to society, rather than to themselves.
And Teik, Zheng's right - if a book tells you to lie to get to the top of the pack, then I'd rather not read it. Doesn't matter if other people are doing it as well - some things in this world are wrong, and simply shouldn't be done.
PS: To 'muse' is to think or meditate (in Western terms)on something.
You see, you do not judge a book by its cover. Not because your daddy told ya not to read it doesn't mean its fully what you believe. I've read the whole book, I do confess that its scary and mean, but, the author does includes its law transgressions, observations, reversals, reflections and conclusions.
Which I find it very useful, you can choose how use it, but instead, you KNOW what other people are doing to you so that you can defend yourself. Dude, you study so much and don't tell me you can't THINK rationally?
There are lots of hidden resources in there where we can see, like con man tactics, politic revolutions and stuff. You know more, you recognize more.
lol..
chill man.. I agree dat its a book of great inspiration and provides powerful insights in terms of human behaviors.
but dun get me wrong.. im not saying that one must NOT read it.. but to warn you about the fine line between good and evil especially after gaining such knowledge. History shows that humans starts to change their visions from "selflessness" to "selfishness" with the presence of power(or money) around them. The term: "Heroes gone Bad" is no more an unfamiliar term today.
Mayb i should'nt hav brought my dad inside this topic in the 1st place but i hav 2 say dat though not fully, i did read some full chapters of the book myself.. Its theories are undoubtedly more bias to a cynical ideology and often amoral. All for the sake of power gaining.
I feel that i have to warn you because if u examine carefully, the intentions(or mindset) of the author is clear.
Greene called his theories "Laws". "Laws" are defined as unchangeable and ever correct.
Book title "[Laws of Power]" clearly paths dat "whoever intends to gain power, seek no other ways but this"
Easily misleading if one does not have a strong standpoint on what is right and what is wrong. In the light of "rationality".. We all see by now there is even more people doin TERRIBLE ACTS in the name of GOOD. Take the Nazis or even the Muslim extremist for example.. And as a matter of fact.. we all have different perspectives on "good" and "bad". Whether ur religious, or just being an agnostic like me.
For this book, i think we could all picture it as one of the "dark magic spells" in the Harry Potter series. A powerful one. Understanding it lets you noe wat the "bad guys" is thinking but using it "unintentionally or so" makes you one of them even when you think of yourself as being a "good guy" doing it for "good intentions".
All im saying here is dat its a good book with dangerous ideas. People with Wrong ideas on good and bad is devastating. While.. "95% of the people is always wrong"- Quoted by Edward Cole in The Bucket Lists.
Ask yourself.. how many people that you really noe is having "good intentions"?
My opinion is dat its best to learn n keep. Not promoting it. The lesser people noe bout this the better the world we live in.
because until 2day, its still A world where u dun have to constantly look behind your backs... at least for now...
peace out..
guys.. if we'r still debating bout this lets talk inside the forum..
btw, celcom blocked my line due 2 over use.. i'll try connect u guys through the uni's line
I was actually referring to Zheng.
I knew chansey would read ANY book. As long as its in English. No harm done, just a history book.
I wouldn't read a book if I knew it would empower me to do something I would adamantly not do. And I will adamantly not become a 'politician', especially the kind that we know today - the means must not subvert the end. The end for me is in the other post "Agnosticism Now". And the only means that I can see are to start from the bottom, and change the root cause of the problem - human nature as we know it today.
"95% of the people is always wrong"- Quoted by Edward Cole in The Bucket Lists"
which also states that what Cole said is also wrong...
Let's move on to the next topic...
teik, juz do me a favor n stop promoting the book..
before the wrong guy like cole reads it for wrong doings...
Frm: Zheng
Pardon me, the contents have been finished downloading into my bio-hard drive. It'll just sit remain there until it is eventually overwritten by new data or I decided to execute the programs.
I read it for self-exposure, instead of for anyone's sake.
May the Force be with you.
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