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> everybody agrees on it is that is is someone else's fault. > In 2000 I was in the same place May I ask what moved you and where you feel you moved to Paul?

> everybody agrees on it is that is is someone else's fault. > In 2000 I was in the same place May I ask what moved you and where you feel you moved to Paul? For myself, trying to transcend that anger, as I expect you have during 25 years, is emancipating. To take ownership, rather than pleasure in anger, allows shame begin doing its hard work, the path to a powerful and infectious change of perspective. "I did this" is empowering because it restores agency lost in the fog of rationalisation - some of which you allude to. What a free person does a free person has a firm right to undo as they choose. Taking responsibility is therefore a freedom rather than encumbrance for the rational person who hopes to engineer a way out of a complex problem. These are conclusions I'm drawing toward in the last parts of my series on "Tech rights or responsibilities", which I hope you'll enjoy as a whole when the final chapter is written. edit: s/emacs-org/HN/

PaulHoule 2y ago
Here is what I practice today: (1) Science & engineering: A physics PhD and involvement in technology has given me a good foundation for climate science and also the engineering of solutions ranging from solar energy, biomass, carbon capture and storage, etc. Every so often I wish I knew some more about chemistry. My RSS reader shows me many articles on this topic every day that it selects for me. (2) Social sciences. I have a perspective on the science of civilization that we are in a race between problems and solutions. When the problems get too bad people start looking for solutions and when they get really bad growth stops and there is no choice to find solutions. Someone could have despaired for humanity in 1938 but it turned out pretty well in the end. (3) Meaningful work. I'm a software dev at a public opinion data archive. As GW is really a people problem this is relevant. Somebody down the hall from me has written a lot of papers about what people think on the subject and the difference you get when the issues are framed differently. We enabled the research described in the movie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Join,_or_Die https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Join,_or_Die (4) Shamanism. I've recently felt a call to the ministry and I'm learning about Chinese and North American shamanism and developing a practice that helps people change even when it seems impossible.
- nonrandomstring 2y ago
  Your lifestance anchored in the physical, social, personal and spiritual is a strong base to stave off despair. [Not sure you included the right link for a movie?]
  - PaulHoule 2y ago
    Oh sorry, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Join_or_Die https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Join_or_Die We had a showing of the movie that my organization sponsored at Cornell cinema. A few of the people from my office were in the movie and were at the showing so it made me think of the ending of Pee Wee Herman's Big Adventure.
    - nonrandomstring 2y ago
      I see why you made that connection, thanks Paul. RD Putnam definitely on my radar. I presume you're aware of Rick Roderick's great lecture connecting Bowling Alone to the Big Lebowski and de Toqueville's "Democracy in America".

PaulHoule 2y ago

Here is what I practice today: (1) Science & engineering: A physics PhD and involvement in technology has given me a good foundation for climate science and also the engineering of solutions ranging from solar energy, biomass, carbon capture and storage, etc. Every so often I wish I knew some more about chemistry. My RSS reader shows me many articles on this topic every day that it selects for me. (2) Social sciences. I have a perspective on the science of civilization that we are in a race between problems and solutions. When the problems get too bad people start looking for solutions and when they get really bad growth stops and there is no choice to find solutions. Someone could have despaired for humanity in 1938 but it turned out pretty well in the end. (3) Meaningful work. I'm a software dev at a public opinion data archive. As GW is really a people problem this is relevant. Somebody down the hall from me has written a lot of papers about what people think on the subject and the difference you get when the issues are framed differently. We enabled the research described in the movie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Join,_or_Die https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Join,_or_Die (4) Shamanism. I've recently felt a call to the ministry and I'm learning about Chinese and North American shamanism and developing a practice that helps people change even when it seems impossible.

nonrandomstring 2y ago
Your lifestance anchored in the physical, social, personal and spiritual is a strong base to stave off despair. [Not sure you included the right link for a movie?]
- PaulHoule 2y ago
  Oh sorry, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Join_or_Die https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Join_or_Die We had a showing of the movie that my organization sponsored at Cornell cinema. A few of the people from my office were in the movie and were at the showing so it made me think of the ending of Pee Wee Herman's Big Adventure.
  - nonrandomstring 2y ago
    I see why you made that connection, thanks Paul. RD Putnam definitely on my radar. I presume you're aware of Rick Roderick's great lecture connecting Bowling Alone to the Big Lebowski and de Toqueville's "Democracy in America".