# a psychological play

**URL:** <http://discourse.iapct.org/t/a-psychological-play/12945>\
**Category:** CSG1996\
**Created:** [November 28, 1996, 8:58pm UTC](http://discourse.iapct.org/t/a-psychological-play/12945 "1996-11-28T20:58:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![T\_B\_Harms1](http://discourse.iapct.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/3e96dc/32.png) [@T\_B\_Harms1](http://discourse.iapct.org/u/T_B_Harms1)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 1996, 8:58pm UTC](http://discourse.iapct.org/t/a-psychological-play/12945/1 "1996-11-28T20:58:49Z")

</div>

"Wrong thinking is punishable, right thinking will be quickly rewarded.  
&nbsp;&nbsp;You will find it an effective combination."  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Telosian trainer,  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;from Star Trek pilot episode  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;written by Gene Roddenbury

Just now I watched a rerun of the original Star Trek pilot, which I believe  
was entitled "The Mission". I was struck by a couple of things. First, I  
was struck by the degree of parallel between its plot and that of my  
favorite SF movie of all time, Forbidden Planet. Secondly, it was really  
very well plotted, standing up among the best of the many Star Trek (+  
spinoff) episodes. But the reason I'm writing about it to this list is  
because its plot involved, with particular clarity, a theme which run  
strongly through the original Star Trek series, and a factor which I  
believe was a significant contributor to its success. (I must admit I miss  
it from more recent series writing.)

The theme I'm talking about, of course, was the theme of tension between  
autonomy and behavioral control. The aliens who capture the captain of the  
Enterprise put him in a blatently Behaviorist control experiment, and his  
unwillingness to be coaxed by the delivery of his strongest fantasies, nor  
intimideated by the infliction of his worst nightmares, made for his  
ultimate release from this captivity. Thus this stands as a work of art  
which paints the tension our culture has been wrestling with between our  
reward/punishment manipulation models of scientific psychology, and our  
good sense that autonomy is genuine in a manner which overrides this  
apparent advancement.

One of the greatest difficulties in this has been the sense that we face a  
decison between science--and certain enslavement--or a freedom of ignorant  
arbitrariness. Bill Powers' PCT theories are, in my evaluation, a major  
step in dissolution of this dichotomy. At last we have a means of  
acknowledging the importance of autonomy by means of detailed scientific  
reasoning, not "mere" tradition and predisposition. Thus we find rational  
counter to the widespread notion that science implies the farming of human  
beings.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.

Tracy Bruce Harms [tbh@tesser.com](mailto:tbh@tesser.com)  
Boulder, Colorado

> **···**
>
> ==========================================================================  
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"There is only one way I can see for fallible, ignorant human beings  
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;to live in accord with their own real natures and that is to discard  
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;forever the principle of controlling each other's behavior, dropping  
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;even the \*desire\* to control other people, and seeing at every level  
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the fallacy in the logic that leads to such a desire."  
> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;William T. Powers