[From Rick Marken (931125.1200) -- waiting for the (unblessed) turkey]
Ed Ford (931125.1110) --
Hi Ed. Long time, no hear from.
I thought you (and Bill P.) might help me out in my "clinical"
dispute with Bruce Nevin. Bruce is blaming Annie's problems on
Mrs. Corrie and I'm blaming them on higher level systems in
Annie herself.I even gave you (Ed) a plug as someone who Annie
might want to see for help about her "double bind". But instead
of back up, "rubber meets the road" support, I get:
After dealing with all these areas, you have to be
thankful for your blessings (or whatever Rick would call
them). Sorry, Rick, I couldn't resist.
I would call "blessings" "successfully developed control systems". I suppose
"blessing" could also refer to the results of random reorganizations that
have produced relatively successful control systems. I don't see any reason
for "thanking" anyone (except, possibly, ourselves) for these blessings.
The idea that successful individual control hinges on the good graces
of some omnipotent being outside of ourselves seems to remove ultimate
responsibility for successful control from one's self -- something
that it seems that you (Ed) quite properly reject as a "faithful" of
PCT. Actually, I find it rather charming that you are able to give
thanks to this outside agency (god) for giving you the very thing
(the blessing of successful control) that you know could not have been given
to you by anyone but yourself. The fact that you see no conflict between
your understanding of PCT and your attribution of responsibility for
your blessings to an outside agency (god) is, I think, a testament to
your ability to control your own perceptions; and that is, indeed,
a blessing.
Responsibly
Rick