The Lizard Brain Has Imposed a No-Fly Zone Over the Cerebral Cortex

 
What does the title mean?

Who knows?  Great title, though!

I've been thinking about Christmas gifts.

Mind you, this occurs despite the fact that here in Japan we have no equivalent to Black Friday, though unfortunately I'm afraid it's coming.  Japan loves to imitate the U.S. and is about as materialistic and consumer-oriented a society possible.  I keep hearing about the "lagging economy" and give it much thought as I'm on a shuttle bus from a remote parking lot at the mall, because there are so many shoppers, they have to rent distant fields to find parking spaces for those of us who arrived late -- that would be anytime more than five minutes after the stores have opened for business.
 

Last year, I went out on a limb in making a recommendation of a gift for the "person who has everything" -- which is just about everybody with a credit card.  To put it mildly, what I personally thought was a great find -- the Deluxe Home Lobotomy Kit from Black & Decker -- drew a firestorm of criticism.

This stemmed not per se from the calming effects of the lobotomy itself, but from some of the side effects -- the uncontrollable, steady drooling and the shameless fixation on genital areas, both those of the lobotomized and anyone in visual range.

 

Frankly, I recall seeing both of these everywhere I went when I lived in America, and while I'm just ballparking it here, I'd say they afflict way beyond 50% of the population over 25.  It seems unlikely that all of these folks have been lobotomized, not surgically anyway.

But I can take criticism without getting all weepy.  So this year, while my recommendation is somewhat along the same lines, I'm confident that while still tuned into the needs of "people who have everything", I'm  considerably more sensitive to the need to avoid embarrassing and unattractive side effects.

 

Along the same lines as a lobotomy?

Quite honestly, considering the abundance of entertainment, diversions, computer games, movies, music, videos, social sites, live shows, virtual shows, virtual reality, reality shows, and every conceivable form of spectacle, stimulation, illusion, fantasy, recreation, getaway, escape, meditation, discovery, rediscovery, relaxation, rejuvenation, regeneration, reboot, invention, reinvention, on and on, I'm genuinely astounded by how much disorientation, distemper, disorder, dismay, dysfunction, anxiety, and fitful frenzy appears to overwhelm the average person, just trying to make it from one end of the day to the other.

We're talking . . . MAJOR STRESS!

I guess it could be that very abundance of so many ways to bludgeon the brain into being delighted which is the source of the problem.

 

That's neither here nor there.  The result is the same.

People are desperate to deal with it and will go to great lengths to do so.  Just look at the opioid epidemic which the U.S. is now confronting.  It's obvious all these addicts are not popping pills because of tennis elbow.

Which brings me to what I think may be the most ingenious gift anyone could buy for that someone "who has everything" -- everything but peace of mind.

Mind you, it's not available yet.  But it will be in time for Christmas.

So get out those smart phones, that credit card that isn't over limit yet, and get ready to pre-order this amazing gift, because they'll be going fast.

This year's "boy-will-they-be-surprised!" gift recommendation from John Rachel . . .

 

THE DELUXE HOME ELECTRO-SHOCK THERAPY KIT!

And offering another clue why Jeff Bezos is now personally worth $100 billion, this unique and assuredly invaluable addition to the array of modern home appliances that every family simply must have is exclusively available from Amazon.

[ This originated at the author's personal website . . . http://jdrachel.com ]



The Lizard Brain Has Imposed a No-Fly Zone Over the Cerebral Cortex

ASD: A Pandemic for an Empire in Decline

It's important to label everything, as if giving something a name somehow establishes control over it, mastery.  If it's a disease, just being able to say, "It's obvious that this person suffers from catalomistic phrenapsidia," puts us well on the road to a cure.

An acronym is even better!  Three or four letters does the trick.  Knowing that 10.2% of our children are ADHD, coupled with the understanding that we can douse them with all sorts of miracle drugs -- prescription meth -- puts us all at ease.  Situation under control!

I've come up with both a new pathology and a self-generated acronym that sums up what seems to afflict our political leadership -- or lack of leadership might be more accurate.

ASD!

Doesn't it just roll off your tongue?

While phonetically it's a cousin of LSD, and you could certainly speculate about possible fanciful connections, LSD is just short for its chemical name -- lysergic acid diethylamide.  ASD tends to be more descriptive and incisive, comprehensive, and indeed incriminating.  It says just about all that needs to be said about behavior that seems counter-productive, anti-social, self-serving, self-obsessed, even ultimately self-destructive, manifestly driven by values most of us don't understand, much less share.

ASD stands for Advanced Sociopathic Disorder.

What are the symptoms of sociopathy?

• Glibness and Superficial Charm
• Manipulative and Conning
  They never recognize the rights of others and see their self-serving behaviors as permissible. They appear to be charming, yet are covertly hostile and domineering, seeing their victim as merely an instrument to be used. They may dominate and humiliate their victims.
• Grandiose Sense of Self
  Feels entitled to certain things as "their right."
• Pathological Lying
  Has no problem lying coolly and easily and it is almost impossible for them to be truthful on a consistent basis. Can create, and get caught up in, a complex belief about their own powers and abilities. Extremely convincing and even able to pass lie detector tests.
• Lack of Remorse, Shame or Guilt
  A deep seated rage, which is split off and repressed, is at their core. Does not see others around them as people, but only as targets and opportunities. Instead of friends, they have victims and accomplices who end up as victims. The end always justifies the means and they let nothing stand in their way.
• Shallow Emotions
  When they show what seems to be warmth, joy, love and compassion it is more feigned than experienced and serves an ulterior motive. Outraged by insignificant matters, yet remaining unmoved and cold by what would upset a normal person. Since they are not genuine, neither are their promises.
• Incapacity for Love
• Need for Stimulation
  Living on the edge. Verbal outbursts and physical punishments are normal. Promiscuity and gambling are common.
• Callousness/Lack of Empathy
  Unable to empathize with the pain of their victims, having only contempt for others' feelings of distress and readily taking advantage of them.
• Poor Behavioral Controls/Impulsive Nature
  Rage and abuse, alternating with small expressions of love and approval produce an addictive cycle for abuser and abused, as well as creating hopelessness in the victim. Believe they are all-powerful, all-knowing, entitled to every wish, no sense of personal boundaries, no concern for their impact on others.
• Irresponsibility/Unreliability
  Not concerned about wrecking others' lives and dreams. Oblivious or indifferent to the devastation they cause. Does not accept blame themselves, but blames others, even for acts they obviously committed.
• Promiscuous Sexual Behavior/Infidelity
  Promiscuity, child sexual abuse, rape and sexual acting out of all sorts.
• Lack of Realistic Life Plan/Parasitic Lifestyle
  Tends to move around a lot or makes all encompassing promises for the future, poor work ethic but exploits others effectively.

Given this characterization, maybe I'm being unfair in exclusively singling out our leaders.  Perhaps it's an affliction that is spreading virally down through much of our society.

Certainly there are good, decent, caring, kind, compassionate people all around.  Yet we tolerate, even celebrate, egomania and narcissism like it's a national religion.  A sign of the times?  Or a symptom of societal malaise, massive disillusion, and a spiritual vacuum.  Is there no public path to self-aggrandizement and extravagance which isn't acceptable now?  Can we make it through a day without taking a selfie?



They say desperate times call for desperate measures.

Maybe desperate times create desperate people.

And desperate people?  What is their future?

If they were only dangerous to themselves, that would be one thing.

But . . .

(And now we turn our attention back to our leaders.)

When we see the recklessness of the sociopaths running things these days, we need to seriously ask ourselves.

Who is to stop them? 

If they aren't listening to others . . .
. . . and there's no voice of conscience on the inside . . .

Then what will stop them from destroying everything?

Because there's no denying . . .

It would be a truly AWESOME SELFIE!

#POTD
 




[ This originated at the author's personal website . . . http://jdrachel.com ]


ASD: A Pandemic for an Empire in Decline