From Tom Bourbon (930503.1115)
[From Rick Marken (930430.1330)]
Dan Miller (930430.1120)--
In Serbia it is not history, or culture, or religion, or ethnicity that
is _causing_ the slaughter.
These acts are constructed
purposively in the present by thinking (if not rational) actors. ...
With Rick, without hesitation, "Yes!"
... They
can choose to not do this, to discontinue their perceptions of history,
and they can do what millions of people did when they came to the U.S.A.
They can reinvent themselves and leave their wretched pasts where they
lie.
Beautiful, Dan!
As Molly Bloom said (over and over) in a moment of life affirmation:
Yes!
Yes, but ... . Going up a level is not always easy. It sometimes creates
error, relative to references long held -- which means, defended vigorously
in the present. That is why therapy. That is why education. That is why
"let's try the test on Greg-Rick-Gary-...." From outside the loop, it is
sometimes easy to see other alternatives -- other references that could be
adopted. But try telling that to one of the simulated characters in
CROWD-GATHERINGS, when it dithers about in a cul-de-sac, working as hard as
its gain factors stipulate it must to eliminate error that is made worse, or
kept the same, by its actions. Of course, unlike the characters, some
persons do go up, or over -- or sometimes in a creative moment, down -- to a
new reference. But if it were all that easy for everyone, I doubt there
would be quite so many first order messes in the world -- and there probably
would not be people like David Goldstein, Ed Ford, and a number of others,
working at introducing PCT into the worlds of therapy and counseling.
Tom Bourbon (930430.0815) --
At the next CSG meeting, let's add a vote on that claim to
the session where we decide the swimsuit competition between Cziko and
Marken for best figure! (In that one, the smart money is on Cziko.)
Boy, you guys are merciless! But wait. You may be surprised at how
great my figure looks when I put on my semi-log plots.
High noon, Cziko!
Sorry, Rick. There is no way. Your effect sizes are far too large!
(Remember those whopping big stability indices? They are coming back to
haunt you!)
Bill Powers (930430.1000)--
Marcos Rodrigues, of the University of Wales at Aberystwyth, has
agreed to host the first meeting of the ECSG -- the European
Control Systems Group. He has obtained agreement from his
department to hold the meeting on campus, and for the University
to produce a Proceedings of the conference at cost. The meeting
will be held in late May or early June of 1994.
I'm saving up already. What a great idea.
To quote a fanatic in California, "Yes!" Have you sent word to the Plooijs?
I can get the word out to the people still in contact with me after the
workshop-summer school in Aix, last year, or should I pass their addresses
along to Marcos?
Until later,
Tom Bourbon
Until later,
Tom Bourbon