Very interesting post. I definitely agree with you. There are two additional points I'd like to make. 1. >does punishment work better, or does reward work bet

Very interesting post. I definitely agree with you. There are two additional points I'd like to make. 1. >does punishment work better, or does reward work better? There are always two "variables" when dealing with a situation: a) person you're dealing with b) situation you're dealing with For situation A that involves Henry, you know that punhishment works better. For situation A that involves Jonathan you will know that reward works better. For situation B it might be just opposite for the given persons. So, you just adjust to get results. It's not like you are in the punishing camp and won't reward in another situation involving the same person or different one. It's all about results sometimes. You want to get your stuff done or your kid do what you want, right? Not just to punish or reward. That would be really hollow personality type. At least in my book. 2. >It's just fascinating to me how people form ideas, and especially how dichotomous ideas take hold and self-reinforce, because I really think they do. I think it's one of the great problems we could solve in society in the next few dozen years with great benefit, but there's probably not anyone with the right mindset to study it correctly. Well, this problem has been "solved" by politicians who are currently running show in the West. Ever heard of the term technocrat when talking about politicians? Left more efficient with the social issues? Let's have left there. Right more efficient with the economy? Let's do what right advocates there. What you described is what technocrat politicians believe in and do. And is the reason why our societies and economies are so messed up ;-)