Instincts

"Instinct" is a wonderful word and better still a human facility describing something we do not really know. Put any noun before it and you've got a book.  Consider the faith instinct, language instinct, ... math, physics, political, poker, gaming, medical, musical, confusion, business instincts, and so on.  As well, there are intellectual, social, and physical instincts  The case is made; the logic is complete. Instincts are celebrated at the same level as innovations and intuitions.


Our everyday life is immersed in a vat of instincts. They are an aspect of life not well defined but upon which many of us rely.  They are a consequence of long study and many times longer experiment and experience. It allows us to transcend logic, confidence, and understanding.  They form a deep primordial type of reasoning ability we truly treasure.

To many, they transcend expertise going beyond the everyday and metrical norms. A person with good instincts is regarded as having beyond the usual abilities we appreciate. "He has a genius, this we know, but are his instincts good?"  we may ask.  Instincts cannot be taught.  Indeed, they often seem counter to classroom learning.  Yet, instincts can be developed. We often trust our lives upon personal instincts and those of others.  The great hunter is valued for pure instincts; the navigator for decisions, the parents in raising children, the artist for form, composition and color, the general for strategies. Literally, hundreds of books have been written about human (and animal) instincts.

Instincts help us confront the unknown, and even the unknowable. 

Instincts are a principle tool for confronting risk.  Lack of instincts leads to risk-aversion.  Instincts plunge us into devising solutions in our everyday world of partial information.  Instincts make poor testimony in legal proceedings, but give great guidance for personal action.


We have political candidates whose main claim is their instinct about what to do.  No details are really given, but we have elected presidents on the basis of our trust in their instincts. It does not matter whether they have previously achieved results, but it does matter we believe they have the instincts to do an excellent job.  Like it or not, we fall to the promise of higher instincts again and again, and we may do it again soon.  Basically and compounding the term, 

We use our personal instincts to abduct whether another has the ‘right’ instincts. 

Flattery

Many folks run better on a high octane blend containing 50% flattery.

Vengeance

Read any novel; read any history; watch any movie.  You will see...

Gallons of ink and miles of celluloid  have been drawn on the power of love.  Justifiably so.  Love is there and continues.  Stories of love permeate all of literature and folk lore. Thank heaven for love.

A more powerful force is that of vengeance. Vengeance turns the world; it resets clocks; it measures the man; it resolves problems; it settles scores; it creates wars.  It is one power of religion; it is one power of the individual; it is a significant power of politics.  Yet it is a power that calms the spirit.  The stories of vengeance litter history.  The stories of vengeance compel too many to many deeds.  It is a dark and powerful force on this earth.

Even the most loving person can seek vengeance, but hardly the converse. Vengeance is a non-commutative and permanent aspect of humanity.  Even the animal kingdom endures this frightful emotion.    It is closer to the opposite of love than is hate, both love and vengeance commanding action. Unrequited love is best served by that v-word, as mere hate is too passive.

The Willow

A new device seems to have hit the market place with massive advertising.  Called the Willow Curve, it seems to be little more than a heating pad with lights - little red ones.  At first I  thought it may have a Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) component, but I could find no evidence.  This could have a positive impact on pain.  But no, there is nothing I can see other than heat. Nothing in the ads is suggested other than heat - not even a vibratory component.    A typical heating pad costs about $20.  This new device has a price tag in the hundreds of bucks.

The Presidency

Today Rand Paul announced his candidacy for President of the United States.  Of course, this is just one of many to come.    But the question occurred to me:  What would I say if I were announcing this?  Whatever, it would be roundly critiqued, condemned, praised, and all measures in between.

Jaws of Hell

The person who ventures into the jaws of hell with a specific exit strategy will be almost certainly disappointed.

Creating anarchy with a specific end result in mind is a delusional activity.

Promoting as true that which could or is wished to be true is the sport of deception.  Why?  Because, almost anything could be true.

The space between "could be true" and "is true" is as vast as between true and false.