[ot][spam][crazy] Decision Making

[dal at riseup.net]

Hi Karl,

You mentioned on the list something about prioritizing EEG testing. You
also mentioned a bunch of other priorities. I don't really understand
much about this stuff but I like old radios and trying to make sure
people are healthy and know a little bit about these things so apologies
if I delude the list with some of my idiosyncratic sincerity ...

I have seen cool EEG measuring gizmos that were never figured out by me
and I don't know if they are of any relevance to the sort of task(s) you
envision because maybe to monitor phone EEG requires certain types of
EEG measuring gadgets. I think it's something people in the world would
care about, nobody really wants shooting wars except when they're really
angry and lashing out and can't think of how high numbers of people can
calm down safely and sufficiently to cease lashing out, anger, etc.

There's that famous John Lennon song "Imagine" about "Imagine all the
people living life in peace" and I think hippies usually don't hear the
"ALL the people" part which is what probably strikes the ears of
soldiers. I would like to learn what cypherpunks list people sincerely
hear in that sentence line of Lennon's, like which phrases are most
salient for them?

I had a funny experience getting on a bus a while back. I was polite
getting on and paid the fare in old-fashioned currency. I sat up front
and became a good Kool-Aid drinker of the bus-driver's little
many-wheeled fiefdom. Then someone attempted to board the vehicle as it
was just past time for departure. This messed-up guy didn't have enough
money and seemed a bit out of sorts. The bus-driver chewed him out.
Normally I would have rooted for the messed-up guy, this disabled and
poor person, but because I had paid and boarded successfully, I felt a
little full of myself, which made a Kool-Aid drinker of this
bus-driver's many-wheeled fiefdom. Things like this happen to all of us.
So then I reminded myself of things I was grateful for and enjoyed the
view of the ride. I hope we can all do these things, all of us
Earthlings, so that all those words of Lennon's come true, not just the
parts some political factions prefer over others.

I really would like the list's sincere thoughts on this. So often, it's
just people being angry and smug and sarcastic and attacking at each
other. And I'm not sure that's really helping the world. Maybe it does
in the short-run here or there but not so much in the long run.

Douglas