Poise

The upper classes don't fidget.

Three Tends

Social conservatism appreciates cleanliness and purity. The current stress on hand-washing and education about germs and infections tilts society in a more traditional, less innovative direction.

Society is aging, and older people tend to be more cautious, less bold.

The awareness of one's own death affects the decision-making of individuals and groups of people. A consequence of more public discussions of end of life care, advance directives, right to die, and mortality might be that we become … “more socially conformist and centered on group values, more authoritarian, less understanding or forgiving of deviance, and all the more willing to punish eccentrics and outsiders and to reward mainstream heroes.” *

Might these three trends lead to the end of deviation?  Are there other markers?

        * NIcholas Humphrey, Soul Dust: The Magic of Consciousness, Princeton, 2011, p 189

Motel room decor

A modest motel in Napa, CA - twin beds with matching bedspreads, twin night tables, identical twin lamps, décor topped off with twin paintings – two framed art prints, the same print, centered over each bed.

Please comment on why identical prints seems so odd, though identical lamps are expected.

Tools or Patterns?

Tools or Patterns?

Humans are differentiated by being users of tools.

Humans like to find patterns (think about the constellations).

I wonder if finding patterns came before using tools, that first humans recognized a pattern in several unrelated events and then developed the tool to make that pattern happen in a consistent way.

Numbers, like nature, are a self-organizing system.

more costs of aging

In addition to the end of life costs that Medicare pays, hospices and emergencies and trials, there are also complimentary medicines and adaptive devices costs that increase in the last years … grippers and support hose and more aspirin and … plus breakage and repairs and replacements for pots left on the stove … plus household help … - seniors are big contributors to the economy ...

The dominion of the monitor

“There's a book on hold for me,” I say to the student librarian at our university science library. She is blonde and pale and stiff, and seems untrained and unskilled and unwilling. “I'm moving to another computer; I don't want to reboot,” and she walks away with my card, returns with two books. “There's another on hold at the arts library,” she reads from the monitor. “Thank you; it's here,” I say. “No, it's at arts.” “It's here – there is a sign on the arts door that they are closed and all their holds are here.” “It says arts.” “It's here.” “But the screen says arts; I wouldn't know how to find it … “ “Maybe try looking on the hold shelves …. ?” I am firm and insistent. She returns with the book I know was there, mystified that something tangible has contradicted what the screen shows. I too am befuddled, wondering at the dominion of the software.