Jimmy Kimmel and the Crazies

 Earlier in the day I read a chapter in “Motivation and Personality” by Abraham H Maslow. The chapter was titled” Is Destructiveness Instinctoid.”  Later that evening, Linda and I watched Jimmy Kimmel’s The Late Show program. Kimmel told the story of receiving a critical tweet from the sadistic Trump regarding his lackey Pence. That hostile tweet was in reply to Kimmel’s making fun of a televised clip from a C-SPAN tape of Mike Pence’s delivering PPE equipment from a van. Pence was recorded as saying something to the effect that “can I carry these empty ones for the camera?” Kimmel made fun of that remark. Later on in the 29 minute clip, Pence stated he was joking about caring empty boxes. Kimmel acknowledged that he failed to view the entire clip and apologized.

Kimmel went on to say that he received a number of critical and derogatory comments attacking him. In fact, there were threats against him, wishing his family, his son and his wife would die. Kimmel also received another tweet from Trump that stated something to the effect that “more fake news this time from Jimmy Kimmel’s last place show.” There was also a message from the White House directing Kimmel to apologize on-air. Kimmel did apologize on-air and then requested the White House to apologize for their numerous poor choice political policies-mishandling the coronavirus for one. This essay applies Maslow’s theory of personality to the hateful social media responses received by Jimmy Kimmel.

Death threats in response to a comedian joking about Mike Pence are troublesome. It’s obvious the written expression of hate and anger are shared by many but not a crime. One can dislike and even hate Jimmy Kimmel because he’s Catholic, a liberal Democratic fundraiser, a Hollywood elite or for some other reason. As a liberal, Kimmel likely wants to discard the traditional values put forth by the wealthy slaveholder James Madison. Madison cleverly orchestrated our Republic form of government by limiting the power of the common folk people. Just think that we have a populace state like California that has two Senators as well as all the other states with less population but also with two senators. Not only that, thanks to Madison, we have an electoral college that takes away a true populist vote for a group of electors that are determined by each state legislature. The District of Columbia has electors but US territories do not as they are not states. The District of Columbia is a state? Madison also believed the Indians were savages. Gen. Custer was doing what at Little Bighorn? Indians are savages and lesser than white men?  Further, Madison questioned the intelligence and sociability of blacks. Let him discuss constitutional law with Pres. Obama. Might that change his opinion of blacks? Madison, you’ve done well. You have kept the power with the wealthy as you distrust the common folk making political decisions. Thanks to you we continue to have political divide.

 However, to write about Kimmel and wishing for his family’s demise was clearly insane and sick. Let’s take this further. If one of these individuals had a plan and carried out the savagery, they would be breaking the law; spend the rest of their life in jail; and/or be killed in any number of manners. That would mean that their hate resulted in self-hate as they would be either killing themselves as in suicide or spending the rest of their life in prison. An eye for an eye accomplishes what?  Where is the moral equivalency of making fun of a VP and killing a comedian?  Where in the Constitution does it say that Free speech is okay for some and others should be killed?

Of course, we like and dislike things regularly. One problem results when an individual has a belief that’s emotionally charged. When emotional beliefs are challenged, like God is dead or Hillary would’ve made a good president then typically a hate response follows. Since it’s emotionally based, factual and rational arguments simply fail. It’s like putting together oil and water. They don’t mix together because they can’t. They just remain separate without a common ground. They are just stuck.

Typically, one can raise the question as to what degree is evil or destructiveness part of human nature, is it learned, and/or influenced by the society and culture? Looking to animal data, aggressiveness is observed in some species of animals but not to all animals. Notably, chimpanzees, gorillas and anthropoid apes considered higher animals and closest, on the evolutionary scale, to humans. They are seen to be more cooperative than aggressive. This does not mean that they are not aggressive or dominant when their survival is at stake.

Looking at anthropological data, the Arapesh peoples of New Guinea are mild, friendly and not aggressive. One has to go to extremes to find a man who is even self-assertive. On the other hand, people like the Chukchi of Siberia or Dobu in New Guinea are so full of hatred that one wonders what keeps them alive from not killing themselves.

Briefly, destructiveness or evil is often a reaction to physical, and/or psychological threat which results in anxiety and is subsequently followed by hostile, aggressive, and destructive behavior or responses which is often a counterattack. With a fragile or vulnerable personality or character, biologically and psychologically one is prone, ready to fight, paranoid and anticipates being attacked. Further, any organic deterioration or brain disease can also result in defensive hostile behaviors.

Genetically, male hormones in different degrees of adrenaline and noradrenaline set the stage with an individual that is poised and ready to fight rather than flee. The culture and society with its laws, institutions, mores, rules, regulations, restrictions, government policies, economic and political groups easily frustrate the masses. With frustrations, often follow aggression. Because of all the unfairness, it’s no surprise why there’s so much hate and destructiveness in our society.

It’s true that these hateful social media anonymous individuals are gutless and anonymous. Even though, I’m going to raise a few probabilities about these people. Likely, they are Trump followers and admirers which means that when he criticizes, that gives these people permission to be like him and criticize as well. The fact that they have identified with Trump means they are in unison with him regardless. So now we have the good and the bad groups. When Pence, who is good and a Trump servant is joked about, that’s perhaps threatening. It’s definitely bad. Kimmel is bad and a psychological threat to their thinking and way of life. Because, in the good guys eyes, Trump stands for authority, security, stability, dependency, strength and a protector for the old white dominance American way of life of the past . Trump,  presents a predictable Authoritarian, with consistency, clear expectations, controlling and a  man in complete charge that will shield them from the elite liberalism, political correctness, people of color, and other undesirable’s in every way possible. He also gives them permission to act out like he does. Because their safety needs are met they can act stupid, not use reason and express freely their hatred and racism.

It’s important for these anonymous to belong and be part of a group more powerful than they. In doing so, their belongingness needs can be met. As social animals, we individuals are driven to affiliate and become part of a group. That group could be a couple, family, club, or a political party with a similar ideology. We have a tendency to herd, to flock, to join and to belong. In our group or tribe are the good guys. The enemy is in the other group. Of course enemies pose a potential threat and thus help unite the group in order to overcome feelings of alienation, aloneness, separateness, strangeness, and loneliness. Because of  massive  general over mobility,  being without roots,   being torn from one’s home, family, friends , neighbors and being more transient has greatly contributed in joining and  becoming part of a clan or tribe  more emotionally necessary. We tend to join groups and remain in the bubble in order that everyone perceives the world in the same way as we do.

 Dissonant information or ideas result in conflict and anxiety which is uncomfortable and/or threatening. A Republican can dislike a Democrat and vice versa. However, the demonizing and hate that’s expressed verbally is not legally as bad as when the behavior turns to violence. It’s the violence, cruelty and the destructiveness that is an evil and sick crime. Hate is a negative emotion that creates a stress cortisol which is not good for the homeostasis regulation in the body. It’s like a cancer within the body and eats away at humaneness often resulting in hostility. Hitler, Mussolini and Saddam Hussein are good examples of evil, destructive and sadistic men. How did their lives turnout at the end? Even when an individual wishes someone dead on social media, that behavior is clearly inappropriate and suggests pathology as well. It’s too bad there’s no significant external consequences for behavior with people that are without a morally functioning conscience.

Why Brains Misfire

Our country has major health and social problems. Why are their more deaths from Covid 19 virus in our country than any other country? Why are roughly three quarters of our adult population overweight and/or obese?  Why are there so many guns and gun deaths? Why are we still at war?  Why are we behind 50 other countries regarding longevity? Why are we trailing so many countries in measures of happiness?  Why are our school-age kids behind children from other countries in reading and math scores? Maybe the answers to these questions have something to do with our thinking or dumbing down? This essay addresses the effects of aging, obesity, and head injury to brain function cognition.

Our brains weigh about 3 pounds and reach maximum size in our teens and remain that way until about age 28. Among healthy people, brain volume declines slightly but continually over the years. In other words, the learning of complex new material reaches its peak at age 28 and then declines after that due to the slowing of information processing speed. We also lose neurons over time and our neurons also lose some connections with other neurons because of reduced blood flow to the brain. Great works of art, scientific discoveries, and  classical musical symphonies are created before the age of 40 per Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Spinoza, Einstein, Marx, Freud, Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Wagner to name a few.

Hunter gatherers faced unpredictable food supplies and potential starvation regularly.  Thankfully, our physiology was genetically designed to protect us from the threat of starvation. Back then, it was feast or famine. We were designed to experience pleasure in the brain when our stomachs are full of food. Those that stuffed themselves most when food was found actually stored the most fat and were protected against starvation. Our brains experience pleasure when we ingest sweetness, fat and salts. In essence we are designed to crave these three caloric dense sweet, fatty and salty tastes. These cravings helped our species survive 13,000 years ago.  Sweets and fat were necessary calories while salt helped us store water in order to maintain critical electrolyte balances.

That was then but now these sweet, salty and fatty tastes that our brains crave are found in abundance in the processed foods found in supermarkets and on restaurant menus. The same genetic pathways that prevented our ancestors from starving in the Stone Age are now the major cause of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, with aging, everyone knows about forgetting, verbal fluency, concentration, attention, dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.

Our Stone Age genes were designed for a body expending a lot of energy, walking 6 to 22 miles per day in search of food, water, shelter and social contexts. In the late 1900s, human labor saving devices, that we’ve invented and mass-produced, have caused human activity levels to drop precipitously. Today, only about one in five Americans exercise regularly .Both excessive calorie intake and lack of exercise have contributed to the obesity epidemic currently plaguing our country.

As we age, our bodies need less energy to operate; our basal metabolic rate declines about 5%’s per decade over the age of 20; and we lose about one third of a percent of muscle mass every year after the mid-20s which turns to fat. By age 30, a person needs only 1900 calories and by age 40 only about 1800 calories. A person that continues to consume 2000 calories will gain weight. By age 70 an individual requires even fewer calories. Unfortunately being overweight with a high BMI results in a major risk for cognitive decline. A 16-year-old study of 6401 participants aged  39 to 63 found that being overweight significantly increased the risk for impairment in reasoning, word fluency, speed of thinking and memory. In other words, neurocognitive health is related to obesity.

Within optimal neurocognitive health there’s an ability to learn. This means one is able to attend, to concentrate, to focus and retain declarative memory. Essentially, incoming information or sensory input has been called Short-term Memory. Short-term memory is not held for long periods of time.  With attention, information now goes into what’s referred to as Working Memory storage were information might or might not be forgotten. Working Memory information then is encoded and proceeds into Long-term Memory storage where information can also be forgotten. Normally, long-term memory can be retrieved and thus remembered when required.

If there’s difficulty in attending, concentrating and focusing then there can be irregularities of information going first to sensory, then to working storage and finally to  long-term memory storage. Impairment becomes clear when aspects of the long term memory facts are forgotten and thus are unable to be retrieved. This leaves the individual with gaps in his story. These gaps are typically filled in with made up information or lies which are either embellished or reduced. The individual may or not be aware. Typically, the individual talks in generalities, clichés, and platitudes and other non sequiturs. In essence, the individual is limited in the use of rational thought, objective reasoning, moral comparisons, and understanding as result of lapses in memory. It is been said that we are our memories and that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

Currently with mild traumatic brain injury {TBI}, we have a significant problem especially in areas where competitive contact sports, military combat, motorcycle and equestrian injuries are concerned. Mild TBI is also called a concussion. Although most people recover from concussions, that can be problematic and result with physical, cognitive, emotional and/or sleep-related symptoms. Often the symptoms do not reach the level of dementia but they can be significantly disruptive.

 Roughly 1.6 to 3.8 million sports related TBI’s occur in the US every year. One of 10 require hospitalization and children are particularly at risk. Children under the age of 15 have twice as many TBI’s from sports than from auto accidents. Boxers, rugby soccer, bicycling, martial arts, auto racing, ice hockey, baseball, softball, wrestling and especially football are sports associated with high risk for TBI. 20% of high school football players and 40% of college football players are at risk for TBI. Center for the Study of Traumatic TCE at Boston University School of Medicine demonstrated that damage to the brain begins early on in youth football and continues to accumulate in many players. Current football helmets do not prevent concussions from the violent collisions in football.  Repeated TBI’s are called chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE. With this cognitive disease, the range of symptoms affect the emotional, motor and personality areas. Cognitively, symptoms include mild retrieval problems in memory, slowness of thoughts and speech, impairments in memory, attention, with impairment in the frontal lobe of executive abilities planning.

Mild TBI has become a significant problem for combat veterans. Because of the high prevalence of explosive device related mild traumatic brain injuries  in Iraq and Afghanistan, the US military has  instituted evaluation and treatment protocols as part of the Defensive and Veterans Brain Injury Centers on several military bases.

The research on cognitive brain functioning demonstrates impairment due to aging, obesity and TBI and CTE brain injuries. Unfortunately, our country has a rising incidence of these diseases. With these diseases, comes dramatic impairment to what happens between our ears. Our ability to employ wisdom, reason, rationality and impulse control are diminished along with a physiological decline. The severity of disease or diseases presents a major problem. Seems to me that, as a country, we have an excess of these diseases which interfere with daily living in the present and for future planning. With greater brain atrophy, our country is at a greater risk for future cognitive decline and more dumbing down. Learning, remembering, moral equivalencies, and intellectual reasoning capacities are all diminished and compromise the decision-making process. Our disease ridden lifestyle is obvious and contributes to the unfortunate consequence of additional irrational and stupid self-defeating behaviors.

References:

Institute for Natural Resources Understanding Dementia and Brain Fitness After 30

He Can't Get No Satisfaction

Covid 19 is the story about public health, Trump’s re-election’s economics. On one hand, we receive scientific information about the virus and techniques for protecting ourselves from the doctors, scientists and certain governors.  On the other hand, we receive information from Trump and his flunkeys with a divisive political economic slant that downplays the virus threat, lies about the numbers, dismisses the expendables, and getting back to normal. This essay is about Trump and his quest for power.

There are numerous authorities that provide data on the pandemic. From public health ;the World Health Organization; CDC; Dr. Fauci ; Bill Gates; Gov. Gavin Newsom and others that is factual and contrary to the false information given by Trump, Pompeo, Limbaugh, and his Fox news henchmen. These  public health first individuals give science, data and public health information  about the threat  of the virus ; it’s transmission; the mortality statistics ; the populations and areas most affected; the danger for the front line medical workers; the limited amount of PPE, ventilators, tests etc. available; personal safety steps; and detailed steps for reopening the economy.  Gov. Gavin Newsom stated “This is about public health first.”  Although Newsom, with his executive order, was the first governor to order mail in voting, as an option, for the November election, Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington  can already vote  by mail.  Trump and the Republicans are spending at least $20 million to squelch mail in voting by the states for November.  Trump continues to peddle false information about mail in voter fraud. Trump is a master of and at fraud.

Various health scientists provide data and admit how much they do not know about the virus. In fact, the coroners in Cook County Illinois, are taking a second look at individuals who have died beginning November 1, 2019. They admit that perhaps some of those deaths might be related to Covid 19. They acknowledge they could even go back earlier for additional data. There’s been tremendous amount of research looking for a cure and/or vaccine. Estimates, by those that know, believe that a vaccine might not be here for another 18 months. On top of that, it is predicted that were going to have a second wave of Covid 19 in the upcoming fall- winter season.

A friend of mine considers Trump smart. With that in mind, what’s been motivating Trump in his dealing with Covid 19? In 2015, Bill Gates at a Ted Talk, warned about another virus. In 2017, Trump cut funding for the CDC, appointed Dr. Robert Redfield, a researcher, as director, without significant managerial experience. In January 2020, there were 19 intelligence briefings for Trump related to the seriousness of the virus pandemic. In late January, one of Trump’s advisors-Navarro wrote an in-depth article spelling out the dangers of the pandemic. The WHO also in January labeled this virus a pandemic. No one can say, that the “intelligent “Trump did not know about the seriousness of this virus.

Even though Trump knew about the seriousness of Covid 19, he presented to the public a very different view. We have it covered; no problem; it’s going to go away once the weather changes; it’s totally under control, the numbers are inflated, not accurate and countless other lies. A lie is not telling the truth. What motivated Trump to downplay and lie about this worldwide pandemic?

It didn’t take too long to know when we heard, from scientists and medical personnel, that we didn’t have the tests for diagnosis; we didn’t have PPE equipment for medical staff; we didn’t have ventilators and dialysis equipment; we didn’t have enough hospital beds etc. it was a real scary mess.  We still do not have enough testing. Then a few governors got into action and closed down their workforce.

There was an initial government stimulus package that totaled over $2 trillion. Most of the money went to the large corporations without oversight. These corporations had the flexibility to use the money as they wanted. That was a neoliberalism subsidy. Along the way, Inspector Generals were fired. In addition, Trump,   with his briefings, gave false and anti-science messages. Neither Trump nor his team wore facemasks or practiced social distancing. Even Pence, when visiting the Mayo Clinic, was the only one in the room without a facemask.  Minimizing the health risk and opening up the economy was the message. Flunkey Republican governors followed the Trump message.

Although most of the public does not believe the Trump propaganda that he has done a great job, he still brags, blames Obama, WHO, China, democratic states and suggested using a disinfectant etc. to solve this problem. Unlike the polio vaccine, when the government took the lead and provided funding for that cure, Trump holds the government back. What would his motivation be not to nationalize various businesses to provide the equipment that we need? Why do we have to import medical equipment and supplies from China and India? Don’t forget neoliberalism is about profits for the corporations and the means to weaken the federal government. However, when the automobile industry was in big trouble, they went to the government to bail them out. There are always exceptions to the rule.

Further efforts to put economics in front of public health include blocking Dr. Fauci’s House testimony and removing the whistleblower leadership role at the Department of Health and Human Services. According to AP, a 17 page report by scientists from the CDC Prevention  team titled “Guidance for Implementing the Opening Up America Again Framework,”  was directed to assist faith leaders, business owners, educators, states and local officials  but was stopped by Trump’s flunkey team. According to CDC, they were told the article would never see the light of day. CDC director Redfield also has been kept quiet.

Statistics, of the 86,000 deaths so far present the following profile for contracting the virus: being at least 55 years of age; being obese; having diabetes; having cancer; having heart disease; having asthma and/or respiratory diseases; having autoimmune diseases; and being economically poor and black. For example in Louisiana, blacks account for 70% of the deaths with 33% of the population. In Alabama, they cover 44% of the deaths and 26% of the population. Chicago and Milwaukee also have high infection and death rates. They are the expendables. Their life doesn’t matter. Jerome Adams the Surgeon General “avoid alcohol, tobacco and drugs” was a message to blacks and other communities.

Turning to reelection, blacks have been discriminated from voting for over 150 years. There have been polling taxes; ID restrictions; gerrymandering; limited number of voting stations; restrictions as to when to vote or where to vote notably if your college-age; and using a criminal record to disfranchise are racist policies used by red states. The minority party has been creative and sneaky and have even called mail in voting fraudulent. Trump has already called mail-in voting fraudulent. By the way, he has voted by mail as well. This year in Wisconsin the Republican controlled state government made the voters vote in person during the pandemic regardless of the request to postpone the election. Trump is the fraud.

It’s clear that Trump wants to be reelected. His tax cuts for the wealthy, $2 trillion subsidy for the wealthy corporations, and his opening up the economy while downplaying the Covid 19   are part of the neoliberalism policy that guarantees unlimited money contributions for his reelection campaign.

 The underlying psychological quest for power helps to explain Trump’s caustic verbal and written behavior. The quest for power is psychologically-based on an attempt to obtain reassurance against the uncomfortableness of anxiety. The quest for power is born out of anxiety, hatred and feeling insecure and inferior. It’s simply an attempt to reduce the dreaded feelings of anxiety. Unfortunately while exhibiting these counterproductive or aggressive behaviors, it interferes with his ability to receive needed affection, warmth, love and closeness from significant others.  Who wants to be close to him? Not surprisingly, therefore, he has to purchase affection, but only in the dark.

Striving for power also allows Trump to express his repressed hostility.  It serves somewhat as a protection against his vulnerability of unconsciously feeling helplessness/or weakness.  Any form of perceived helplessness or weakness is countered by disrespecting and humiliating another by written or verbal expression. To illustrate he has been described as refusing to read intelligence reports, receive advice from staff and even boasts that the knows more than the general’s. His aggressive verbal baseless threats and written words are his image of power thus avoiding any resemblance of weakness. He bragged and flaunted about his victory in the so-called impeachment sham, likewise in the trade wars with China. Verbal boasting, for him, serves as an irrational show of his strength. Bragging and blaming others for him also serves as a protection for feeling or being regarded as insignificant. He goes on as if he’s the master or king no matter how difficult the situation. He has to be the master and be in control because if not, it’s a personal disgrace.

Striving for power also explains Trumps motivation to control, dominate and exploit others. His celebrity talk show was a perfect match for him. As president, he can threaten, dismiss and does dismiss people at will. The employee turnover in his administration is unprecedented. He claims to be right all the time and is irritated and expresses his hostility with words and threats passive aggressively. He’ll say something at a press conference one day and the following day when a reporter reads back his words with quotes, he denies saying what he said with sadistic comments to humiliate and embarrass the reporter-male or female alike.  He babbles about everything and even invents the subject matter with makeup folk science and paranoid conspiracy ideas. Furthermore, Trump has to have his own way and is easily irritated with others if they don’t do exactly what he expects at the time he expects. His repressed hostility gets expressed daily with tweets, press conferences and tantrums. He’s a spoiled brat. He also is withholding as he never gives in nor can admit he’s wrong because that’s considered for him a weakness.

His quest for power is the underlying drive for reelection .The people that die are expendable, and don’t count .Re-election comes first. Trumps downplaying the virus is consistent. You never see him wearing a mask. It’s been reported that those around him get tested with 15 minute results. He states there’s no problem with testing. Yes, that’s only accurate for him and his staff.  What a phony. However, he reportedly went nuts when his valet tested positive for the virus. He will still continue to lie about the seriousness of the virus, criticize Pelosi, Fauci, and others, have temper tantrums and provide campaign like tweets. Trump’s quest for power neurosis is in full bloom. His craziness will only get worse. He can’t get no satisfaction.

Misery , Suffering and the Human Condition

Watching and/or hearing the news on the major networks or listening to NPR for the past few months, the major theme has been misery, unhappiness, not feeling well, pain and anxiety. It’s about the Covid-19 pandemic. Today’s news is similar. Recently, there were individuals carrying automatic weapons, dressed in military gear, with armored protected vests and wearing face covering masks in a group at the state capitol in Michigan.  Did they have ammunition? These individuals did not look like they were going hunting. Would these individuals have automatic weapons on Halloween? Do these individuals walk around the house looking like they do?  Do these individuals walk around their neighborhoods dressed this way?  If they were sound psychologically, they would not be flaunting. They certainly didn’t seem happy or feeling good. This essay addresses man’s misery, suffering, pain and anxiety.

We had had pain, misery and suffering in the past. For example, the Native Americans; the Civil War; the 1918-1919 Pandemic ; the Coal Strike of 1919; the Great Depression ; Pearl Harbor; the McCarthy hearings; the Cuban missile crisis; the assassinations  of the Kennedys and Dr. Martin Luther King; Watts; 9/11; Columbine and Sandy Hook; Katrina etc. Worldwide  also has had its share: World War I; World War II; the Holocaust; Nagasaki , Hiroshima and Dresden ; Balkan Wars; Ottoman Empire wars; Kosovo; Vietnam; Iraq; Syria; Chernobyl etc. The list goes on and on of man-made exploitations of misery and sufferings.

Turning to today’s news are major discussion of predictions about potential vaccines, treatments and according to Bill Gates how much we don’t know about this virus without accurate, reliable and quick testing results with scientific-based contact tracing numbers. There’s discussion on what and when various business are to reopen; and what to do about the education of children. There is concern that remote learning does not take the place of classroom learning and that the children are going to fall further behind in reading and math. Governor Gavin Newsom has a program in place for legitimized and safe child care for those families that are returning to work. There is even discussion using the cabin fever excuse that people have to leave their homes.  Cabin fever is folk science nonsense. One medical Dr. stated that all he can do is provide medical facts to his patients about the contagious and the seriousness of Covid 19. He also stated that he realizes that patients are going to do what they are going to do.

Let’s take a look at the biological design of Homo sapiens. In doing so, it’s not surprising that many experience, at different times during their life cycle, significant periods of unhappiness, dissatisfaction, and lack of contentment, uncomfortableness, not feeling well, pain and anxiety. Because of these life experiences, man engages in many techniques in an attempt to modify, reduce, and even change his psychological state.

In man’s brain, there are many neurotransmitters that affect pleasure and/or pain. Man becomes easily addicted to sugar, fat and salt substances. Obviously, when we look at the people, in our communities, we see the results of improper nutrition. They’re too many of us that are obese coupled with physical complications of heart, diabetes, respiratory diseases etc. This observation suggests why we have the numerous health problems that we do and perhaps one reason why we lead the world in Covid-19 cases and deaths per capita. It’s also easy to become addicted to alcohol and nicotine. These habits also bring misery, pain and suffering to those unfortunate individuals. Don’t forget about drugs prescribed and non- prescribed. Initially, we know that it can be shown that food, alcohol, nicotine and drugs are initiated to deal with man’s desire to chemically change his physical and psychological reality. Unfortunately, the consequence of these behaviors bring additional psychological and physical health misery and suffering.

We also know that natural disasters like floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, fires and viruses also bring misery to those affected. In fact, I’m unable to purchase homeowners fire insurance from the major companies. They say I live in a highly vegetative zone with too much surrounding fuel that can cause fire. When I run on the trail, I’ve encountered two mountain lions. Once, I followed a mountain lion’s snow tracks. Roughly at the 16 1/2 mile marker on the Western States trail, I pass a monument for Barbara, a woman killed by a mountain lion. I make sure that I don’t run alone early in the morning or late in the evening. I’ve encountered bears and even rattlesnakes while running. Yes there is danger. Yes, I have felt exhaustion, pain, suffering, not feeling well with psychological and physical pain and discomfort on numerous runs. But they were self-inflicted. On the positive side I have not been attacked or injured by critters as of yet.

Biologically and psychologically we have drives based on needs which propel and direct our behavior in search of satisfaction and to avoid unpleasure. For example, the Abasement need is related to seek punishment, illness and/or misfortune; the Achievement need is related to rival and surpass others; the Aggression need is to fight, to attack, injure or kill another; the Autonomy need is related to resist coercion, to be a responsible and to defy convention; the Dominance need is to direct the behavior of others by command; and the Sex need is related to have sexual intercourse. In essence, man is self-centered or narcissistic in reference to his need structure. That suggests that he wants what he wants when he wants what he wants. Unfortunately, with the development of civilization we have rules and regulations going back over 10,000 years or so per the Hammurabi code. Rules, restrictions and regulations interfere with fulfilling our needs. Unfulfilled needs lead to anxiety, frustration and the expression of aggressive verbal and physical behavior. Thus, too much restriction leads to antisocial behavior, unhappiness, dissatisfaction, pain and misery. Religion was imposed, in part, to control the masses and to give hope to the daily misery. There were told that their misery and suffering would end on earth but when reunited with God they would be in heaven and/or with many virgins.

Civilization with advanced stage of social and cultural development and organization has created. According to the Doomsday Clock, the end of the world because of the threat of nuclear devastation and climate change is a matter of seconds. Man, in his society, cannot help but create misery, suffering, pain and anxiety for self and others.

Biologically, we develop and then die. There is no immortality of the body as we age. Physically, I was able to do things in my teens that I could not do in my 60s and certainly not today. I’m not happy when a young woman passes me on the trail and may rationalize and distort the reasons like just wait until she reaches my age. My first book was titled “It Has Nothing to Do with Age.” Today I would modify that title. One of the dangers in our biological design is our mind.

Unfortunately, we know very little about the mind. We do know that what goes on between our ears is constant and doesn’t seem to rest. It can even interfere with falling asleep. In our mind, are our secrets accompanied with various illusions and false beliefs that influence and motivate our behavior .These are substitutes in seeking pleasure and avoiding non-pleasure. The illusions are a displacement, a reduction of tension that allows for some satisfaction or temporary satisfaction of a need or needs which, at the moment, are unattainable in reality. It’s no wonder that we make the same mistakes over and over again and this is called the repetition compulsion. In our mind, we hold and chase many foolish and irrational ideas such as: Is there really a perfect or all wonderful mate, a perfect employment, a perfect home or location, a perfect possession, a perfect hobby or even a perfect sport? Are my parents the blame for my unhappiness, Trump has done a good job in tackling Covid 19, Trump’s wall will keep out the rapists and murderers, Trump is trustworthy, Trump won the trade war with China, the earth is flat, climate change is a hoax, we live in a democracy, subsidies to the farmers and the fossil fuel industries are not socialistic economic practices,   we don’t have a pandemic.

 We seek and follow money, fame, objects, prestige, power and possessions. Do they bring happiness or misery? We also follow and believe foolish folk science, irrational and prejudicial beliefs with pain and suffering around the corner. A better deflections allows us to make light of our misery .Read great literature; produce music and/or art and get involved in scientific activities. These are substitute satisfactions. Another poor deflection is using intoxicating substances which makes us insensitive to our misery.

Last night, Linda and I saw on TV “The Legend of Bagger Vance.” This is a feel-good story with a happy ending. However, the main characters experienced unhappiness, dissatisfaction, not feeling well, psychological pain and misery. During the depression, Matt Damon or Junuh was a decorated hero in World War I. Unfortunately, he experienced survivor guilt as a rest of his squad was killed. Prior to the war, he was the greatest golfer in Savanna, Georgia and perhaps was on his way to becoming the greatest golfer over. Returning to Savanna, after the war, he was a bum, depressed, PTSD, and an alcoholic.

Socialite Adele played by Charlize Theron was his love but Junuh rejected her when he returned. She also lost her father who put a bullet to his head. In the story, young Hardy played by J. Michael Moncrief called golf the greatest game. This was a game that could only be played and not won. In one scene, young Hardy saw his father, who once owned the hardware store, with a broom sweeping streets. Hardy was embarrassed and quickly took his two friends in another direction so they wouldn’t see his father. On a positive note, one of Bagger Vance’s clever life’s wisdom’s “Everything that is becomes one. There is a perfect shot out there trying to find each and every one of us. All we’ve got to do is get ourselves out of the way and let it choose us.”

After World War II, with all its destruction and negativity, psychologists like Erich Fromm, Rollo May, Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow and others were labeled as Humanistic Psychologists. They believed, researched and wrote about man’s nature. They stated, when fully functioning, man is constructive and trustworthy. In other words, when man is freed of  his defensiveness and open to experience, his reactions may be trusted to be positive,  forward moving and constructive. Man then will be able to socialize optimally because of his needs to affiliate and communicate with others. In fact these few individuals who become fully functioning were called self-actualizing.

Specifically, Abraham Maslow’s theory incorporated 15 concepts in arriving at his understanding of man. His research was creative in that he studied individuals like Wagner, Van Gogh, Huxley, Spinoza, Keats, Whitman, Goethe, Renoir, Byron, Lincoln, Jefferson, Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt, Einstein and other’s. Briefly, he developed a hierarchy of needs-starting with the physiological, the safety, the love-belonging, the esteem and finally the self-actualization. If one was able to reach self-actualization, not many did, Maslow described a number of characteristics. Maslow also admitted that people were not perfect, they had ordinary human failings and on occasion can be ruthless, alienate others, detached and so forth. He also argued that man’s happiness is dependent on satisfaction of his needs-especially his lower needs.

Per Maslow’s Motivation and Personality, these individuals can experience misery and hardships. They can tolerate uncertainty and ambiguity. They are able to overcome trauma despite their shortcomings and be loving, and protective. They can easily experience solitude and they respect people regardless of birth, blood, skin color etc. They are creative, original and life centered. On the contrary, they would not associate, be in a group with others that carried automatic weapons and display themselves at a state government building in a so called protest. These acting out miserable are not self-actualized but neurotic. Neurosis is associated with misery, suffering, unhappiness, pain and anxiety.

Maslow researched outstanding and productive individuals from all over the world. Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic model, had a different take regarding the outstanding achievements of the individuals in Maslow’s research. Freud views man as seeking pleasure and avoiding unpleasantness. The external environment provides barriers and restrictions that interfere with the satisfaction of his libidinal drives. Even though man employs illusions, drugs, alcohol etc., these mechanisms do not result in happiness but can result in more misery and suffering. The term displacement which is displacing the energy with an attachment to a more appropriate object explains how the individual chooses essentially a substitute in an attempt to fulfill satisfaction or pleasure. Freud believed that a displacement would be more pleasurable and not frustrating like the harsh reality in the external world. Substituting a wife for a mother would be an example of a displacement. In addition, individuals identify with others throughout a lifetime. Identification helps to fulfill one’s deficits by identifying with an object that has more of what he lacks.

An artist employs fantasies and imagination which are displacements from libidinal components like narcissism, aggressiveness and erotica to create works of art with the result that it is more socially acceptable. Likewise, a scientist, with displacements can solve problems or discover other truths. Other intellectual work can also be displacements that in essence are indispensable for the preservation and justification of the existence of society. Einstein, Jefferson, Spinoza, Goethe etc. all experienced some form of misery and suffering but, had  the ability to sublimate their instincts or drives thus resulting in pleasure thereby avoiding some of the frustrations that come from the external world . In doing so, they went on to provide for the betterment of society.

Because of all the misery and suffering from the external world or society, how much satisfaction and pleasure can be long-lasting? Money, power, possessions, drugs, alcohol, objects are illusions and diversions but do not provide long lasting pleasure.  For the few, displacement and sublimation assist in the betterment for society.  In essence, no man totally escapes misery and suffering in our society.

PS

Tony just gave me an update on our friend Tom a former ride and tie, runner and endurance athlete. Tom has ALS and currently has difficulty eating, drinking, breathing and talking. Our hearts go out to Tom and Laura.

Two Myths

The Covid- 19 pandemic exposes the vulnerability of living in our country. This natural disaster is without boundaries, it does not discriminate between religious, political, prejudicial or folk science beliefs and moreover highlights man’s fear of helplessness, insecurity and inability to control his environment. Specifically, this essay addresses our economic and health care weaknesses brought by Covid -19.

Roughly 80% of our workforce live paycheck to paycheck. With the elimination of many jobs; the economic shutdown; and the risk of contracting the virus add to our misery.  Also, the economic disparity of wealth in our country more than likely will increase and we may be headed for a depression.

After World War II, we had robust union participation and membership, worker friendly corporations, a significant middle class, and a tiny socio-economic wealth gap.  University of Chicago economist Milton Friedman, in the 1970s, pushed for neoliberalism policies. He believed that neoliberalism policies would protect us from another depression. Reducing government’s significance and privatizing ownership of capital were fundamental. Because of this policy, we now have significantly less union membership, capital centered corporations, a dwindling middle class and the largest wealth gap ever.

The $2 trillion stimulus legislation was for the corporations. There was talk about providing aid to small business, independent contractors, and to low-wage employees. Let’ take a look at minimum wage.  First, a few facts: 1.Paul Krugman in 2013 advocated raising the minimum wage for these reasons: A. The minimum wage was below its 1960’s purchasing power despite a near doubling of productivity B. The great preponderance of evidence indicated there is no negative impact on employment for moderate increases and C. A high level of public support specifically by Democrats and Republican women. 2. As of October, 2016, there have been 29 states with the minimum wage higher than the federal minimum. 3. Beginning in January, 2019, Washington DC had the highest minimum wages in the country at $14 per hour. 3. In California, minimum wage increased to $13 for businesses with 26 employees or more; $12 for businesses with 25 employees or fewer effective January 1, 2020. 4. At last count, 27 California cities had a minimum wage higher than the state minimum as of January 1, 2020.

One folk science belief used by Republican lawmakers, to justify their disdain, is the idea that workers are lazy and that if you pay them stimulus money, they won’t ever return to work because they are takers. We also know per past research that 44% of 50 manufacturing executives believed that money alone was the answer for increasing workers productivity. In another survey, with a 1021 sample of employees of manufacturing companies, 65% of them stated that incentive pay increases output while only 22% stated that hourly pay makes for higher production. Of this group, 65% of them said that they preferred hourly pay and only 29% of them favored incentive pay. The author of this study believed that incentive pay as far as raising output does not in itself solve the problem of workers cooperation, meaningful employment, and increased worker wellbeing.

 One major point to consider centers with how to deal with boredom, alienation and job dissatisfaction. A second point to consider is the degree of physical and psychological illness associated with employment in an unsatisfactory working environment. Specifically, we know that high blood pressure, ulcers, insomnia, nervous tension, and fatigue are physical symptoms of health characteristics while absenteeism, satiation, dissatisfaction, apathy, boredom, sense of futility, drug and alcohol use, job turnover, repression of anger and being dependent and being scared are psychological factors. Alan Greenspan, former Chair of the Federal Reserve, stated that keeping workers insecure was necessary for capitalism to thrive.

 We also know that money, prestige and power are main incentives for a large part of the working population. How can working for wage slavery be realistically associated with a significant desire to work? Economist Greg Mankiw stated that 79% of economists agreed in his survey that a minimum wage increases unemployment among young and unskilled workers. Even with minimum wage, how many Republican government folks are motivated to work in the fields and pick the crops? They must be lazy.

More about laziness. Simply put, laziness as a motivational opinion not to work is actually folk science. Folk science means there’s no hard data to support the belief or opinion. Four of my male friends are in their 60s. Three of these males are currently working and making wages that far exceed minimum dollars with significant benefits. Aside from being in their 60s, all three of my friends actually count the number of days to their retirement. Their desire for retirement has nothing to do with laziness but with their desire to escape their employment slavery.  A fourth friend retired a number of years ago. He liked the work but did not like the various supervisors that were simply barriers that interfered with his working. He also was not lazy and looked forward to his release from his sentence. I concluded, from this limited sample, that money alone was not the most important motivation for them to continue working beyond retirement. They all worked to financially support their unions. Perhaps, to call another person lazy is simply a distortion, a bias and a projection. It’s true that wages are necessary to function in this consumption driven capitalistic economy and as a result, keep us enslaved. Advertising, consumption and capitalism are united in this regard.

 Capitalism is dependent on the consumption of goods, services etc. The idea is to buy, buy and buy. Advertising, which is psychological conditioning, does not provide rational information about the products but instead creates emotional desire and wants. Emotional wants become a strong motivating factor for the purchase of a necessary or unnecessary product. Advertising slogans like the importance of home ownership; buying your dream home; man with the biggest toys wins; and keeping up with the Joneses , reinforce capitalistic consumption. The winner in the slogans are clear. Since when does debt bring happiness? Since when is happiness dependent on consumption of newer and better commodities?  Bankruptcies are not the answer. It’s obvious that advertising messaging does not give hard factual data about the value but instead provides folk science opinions related to emotional, irrational desires and wants. Advertising started in the1920s, and continues to work. What is the cost for a 30 second commercial on any Super Bowl? These corporations are not stupid but smart.

More than likely we are headed for a Depression, further economic divide, greater worker insecurity, and more frustration with repressed and non-repressed anger. At the moment, it doesn’t appear that the economic policies of Neo liberalism will be the barrier to combat a depression. The virus exposed its economic weakness. Are we really the wealthiest country? Or, do we have many or most of the wealthiest individuals in the world?

Our private for profit health care system has also been challenged by this nasty pandemic. Our unprepared hospital system and drug oligarchy is set up for profit with just the right number of beds; just the right number of ventilators; just the right number of PPE equipment; just the right number of profitable meds and just the right number of personnel to handle regular run-of-the-mill healthcare. For example, a US company that manufactured high-quality-low-cost ventilators decided that even turning them into high cost-low-quality ventilators was not profitable enough. With the pandemic, doctors are now in the position and decide who to kill based on their limited resources. Drug companies don’t initiate research. Let’s face it, much of the products they sell don’t cure but just treat or mask symptoms with unsafe side effects. Sometimes the side effects are more deadly than the existing disease. Because of our Neo liberalism policies, we are dependent on other countries for the manufacture of necessary drugs, vitamins, and important medical supplies.

Our health care and government system cannot even and does not want to provide accurate and reliable data as to the number of Covid -19 cases. Nor do we have enough accurate, quality and safe testing for diagnosis as well as personnel to track {contact tracing} to identify the depth and widespread degree of this pandemic. Where does it say in the Constitution that employers are responsible for healthcare? When the Affordable Care Act was initiated, how many employers cut the hours of their workers so they didn’t have to pay healthcare benefits? How many in our society believe that health care is a human right and in the Constitution?

On the other hand, the private for profit health care complex does all that it can to keep its power. It may say that everyone loves their health care. Instead it’s more accurate to say that people like their medical providers. The system says that government healthcare is not efficient but they don’t define it. What about their creative ability to deny service? They wanted to deny because of preexisting issues. They make money when they do not have to provide service. Back in the 1990s, I was providing psychotherapy service. When the referrals stopped and I asked why. I was told that they found somebody else with a lesser license that they could pay less. One would think that if healthcare systems in countries like Canada, Great Britain, Finland, Germany etc. were inefficient, that there would be out cry and change would follow. None follows our model. That certainly challenged the credibility that our high-cost, inefficient and health care system is the best. We are best at discriminating and providing profit for the few.

It’s also clear by now, that the inefficiency of the Trump administration is in full force. Trump continues to falsify about the threat of the virus: does not mobilize national resources; deceives about testing availability; pushes off responsibility to the states; lies about the statistics and withholds financial monies to the states.