Dec
21
Horses for courses
Filed Under Life, Psychology | Leave a Comment
Contrary, I suspect, to the opinion of many others, I am very much aware that I have self focussed and blatantly selfish ways. If I did not have these, I would likely slot into the social frabric more readily. But the self-centred streak is very much an instinctive part of my personality.
There are a number of points to make on this matter.
First, that I am not always self-centred. This does not permeate my every action. Indeed, I go to the other extreme, and can be very empathic and generous, often spontaneously so.
Second, the inherent difficulty with my variety of selfishness is that it can be inflexible. If I do not want to do something, I struggle terribly, for instance.
Third, that it is not inherently bad to be selfish. Albert Einstein might well have failed to achieve much if he had had a more easy going nature. A self focus can create an intensity that can achieve immense deeds. Selfish in terms of possessiveness is a tricky one, however. It is harder to see a plus side. But Ifeel that I am not so tainted with this aspect.
This self-focus is described in me and others by a profile more than an absoluteness. Much as I am sensitive in many ways, but insensitive in others.
But the key point I want to make is that self focus, along with many other seemingly negative attributes (such as aggressiveness) all have their place. It is, in a way, an inherent feature of intense researchers or writers or inventors or actors.
Dec
13
Correlations and causes
Filed Under Health | Leave a Comment
As explained so intelligently in “The Diet delusion”, much advice by Health ‘experts’ treats correlations too glibly.
1st, a correlation does not necessarily mean a causal relationship
2nd, even if there is a causal relationship, this also does not mean that you should treat the symptom directly.
For example, damp in a house will cause fungal growth, but drying out the damp is not enough - you need to find the source of the damp, or the cause will persist.
So it is with the obesity myth. That overeating was falsely seen as causal in the majority of cases, and that undereating should be the treatment. The cause is the balance of the food not the quantity, coupled with a metabolic proneness to that food imbalance. And, sadly, the correlation between obesity and overeating is not that strong anyway. Sad because obese people become stigmatised.
Dec
10
The car
Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
It was only by good fortune that I happened to be informed by a TV announcement of a programme about to start on BBC4. With the dire state of affairs that sees a paucity of good programmes sprinkled across many channels, missing good programmes is easily done. Oh for a simpler life! The programme was an hour long story of childrens play in the 1940s and 1950s. It was blessed with fabulous black and white footage of simpler times, where children as young as 2, it seems, sat and played in the streets on a daily basis. More healthy times, where this generated many bonds, grew strength, social skills and independence in the children, and was simply a delight to observe.
The programme ended on a sad note, marking the end of this golden social climate for British youngsters by the rapid intrusion of cars, killing safety and the fun.
Oh how shortsighted we are to have taken cars to our hearts. They destroyed our streets as a social linkage.
Think about it - we want a car so that we can be somewhere else. Yet our heart is where we are right now.