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Boojatta

(12,231 posts)
Sat Jan 7, 2012, 01:15 PM Jan 2012

Control Rituals, Causation, and the Benefits of Warning Signs

You may have seen a so-called "light switch." It's a device used in control rituals. Brainwashed people watch a performance by a light-switch operator who creates the impression of a causal relationship between the state of a light switch (on or off) and the state of a light bulb (luminous or non-luminous). Of course, in some cases, instead of manipulating a switch, the operator manipulates a slider or dial or other mechanism.

We know that everything is controlled by the one big hidden switch. We conclude that a little light switch cannot control anything. Obviously the control rituals display correlation and no actual causation.

However, we know that an ordinary light switch would be useless if it were stuck in the off position. Consider a similar idea, but think about the one big hidden switch. We cannot ascribe causal power to the one big hidden switch unless it changes state from time to time. We wouldn't need to be able to turn off the laws of nature, but we would at least need to observe that the laws of nature have toggled from one state to another state. There need to be at least two states. Otherwise, the one big switch wouldn't have causal power.

However, don't you think that if researchers can predict that the laws of nature are going to toggle from one state to another that they should provide some warning to the general public? There is, relying upon the usual laws of nature, a lot of infrastructure and equipment that could malfunction if the laws of nature change suddenly and without warning.

Note: this message is a slightly revised version of a message entitled "Can you turn off the laws of nature?" in the Boojatta DU2 Journal.

Link to that journal:
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Boojatta

6 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Control Rituals, Causation, and the Benefits of Warning Signs (Original Post) Boojatta Jan 2012 OP
yessssss! Boojatta has arrived! OnTheOtherHand Jan 2012 #1
I am not understanding this OP. Grateful for Hope Jan 2012 #2
Maybe I can help, but I'll need some details. Boojatta Jan 2012 #3
I didn't mean to sound critical of the OP Grateful for Hope Jan 2012 #4
I encourage you to be critical. Criticism has value to me, provided that it is specific. Boojatta Jan 2012 #5
I think would benefit me to read your DU2 journal. Grateful for Hope Jan 2012 #6

OnTheOtherHand

(7,621 posts)
1. yessssss! Boojatta has arrived!
Sat Jan 7, 2012, 05:26 PM
Jan 2012
However, don't you think that if researchers can predict that the laws of nature are going to toggle from one state to another that they should provide some warning to the general public?


Yes. Yes, I do. Absolutely.

Was not previously aware that the one big hidden switch controls everything. Seems hard to control everything with the one big hidden switch. Very interesting....

Grateful for Hope

(39,320 posts)
2. I am not understanding this OP.
Sat Jan 7, 2012, 06:15 PM
Jan 2012

And, not inclined to click on the journal link. Can you provide an explanation?

Thanks


 

Boojatta

(12,231 posts)
3. Maybe I can help, but I'll need some details.
Sat Jan 7, 2012, 07:53 PM
Jan 2012

Is there something about the overall structure of the message, or is it a problem within individual sentences? Are all sentences in the message equally difficult for you to understand, or are there a few in particular that you would like to draw attention to?

Grateful for Hope

(39,320 posts)
4. I didn't mean to sound critical of the OP
Sun Jan 8, 2012, 10:43 AM
Jan 2012

I just didn't know what point it was making. Your response, on the other hand, seems a bit rude.

Whatever...

 

Boojatta

(12,231 posts)
5. I encourage you to be critical. Criticism has value to me, provided that it is specific.
Sun Jan 8, 2012, 01:35 PM
Jan 2012

"I don't understand" is in some cases literally true, and I would like to learn as much as possible about how to revise my messages so that they will be understood. On the other hand, I suspect that it would be possible for me to write in such a way that many people wouldn't understand, but also wouldn't let me know that they don't understand. I think that would be a big mistake, and I will do everything in my power to avoid making that mistake.

If you actually do understand the original post itself and you wish to talk about it rather than reply to it, then you should feel free to start a thread in the Help & Meta-discussion forum for your topic.

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