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Counter-terrorism is scarier than anything terrorists get up to

BBC News | AMERICAS | US names cyber-terrorism czar

“America built cyberspace, and now it must defend cyberspace,” Mr Clarke said in accepting his new position.”

This is scary language – counter-terrorist measures are mostly scarier than anything terrorists get up to.

Terrorism is scary, but that it may be not the real target here. It may be as in international politics, an excuse for extending superpower domination. The bit of foul jargon: cyber-terrorism does not bode well, despite some of the more reassuring words deeper into the article. In this time of doublespeak terrorist=friend may well be true.

Will he promote secure operating systems or ban them? I have no idea. Perhaps he does know what is what, but then why all the hype?

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Movie: A Beautiful Mind (2001)

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

“Plot Outline: John Nash, diagnosed as paranoid-schizophrenic, goes on to win a Nobel Prize for work on game theory.”

Warning: Spoilers ahead:

Of course I was entertained. That said, this is the second time in a short time I have seen such a form of inner aggression in the name of a psychological solution on the screen. Fight Club was the other movie – similar in concept.

The characters in John Nash’s psyche (as shown in the movie) had little connection with his own history and dynamics. In a way his isolation in the outside world spills into his inner life and in the name of sanity he treats his inner child, except for one parting moment, not unlike his own real son – with neglect.

As a therapist I have worked with people with similar dynamics. It is almost a law of the inner world that these characters have good intentions poorly executed. Role reversal and re-education can make them effective players in the soul.

So, I found it less than satisfying that these potentially interesting and rich aspects of the psyche – the best friend, the inner child, and the great protector were all dismissed as having no value.

It is a folly to interpret the symbolic as literal. Are there hidden codes in magazines? Are they dangerous? Yes. The consumer society promoted in the magazines kills people. He was not so silly really! A case of category confusion.

On the positive side, Nash’s solution was far better than the one the psychiatric system was trying to impose. Still, I would have liked to have been his therapist!

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SELF
Personal Non-Fiction

“I write online and I write it in segments. I still believe that there is a new organization for the hypertext narrative. What do you I mean?

“That you can enter this book from any chapter and it will be a new narrative.”

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Psyche and Machine
by Michael Grosso

“Marshall McLuhan once remarked that the telephone may be likened to a form of telepathy. This comparison suggests an interesting question: What, if any, is the relationship between psyche and machine, between powers of the human soul and technology? At first glance, coupling the two seems an unpromising move.”

Found this while exploring the notion of an Inner Cyclopedia using search engines – found this with: automobile self dream psyche

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Walter’s Weblog Discussion – Quick Topic

Brand New on this Weblog Today

I have always liked the simplicity of Quick Topic. There is now a link in every item here to a quick topic discussion. So far there is just one thread – and anything and everything goes in that. It is a sort of web forum, but you can sub to it via email!

So have a go – click the discuss link below.

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85211129

Walter’s Weblog Discussion – Quick Topic

Brand New on this Weblog Today

I have always liked the simplicity of Quick Topic. There is now a link in every item here to a quick topic discussion. So far there is just one thread – and anything and everything goes in that. It is a sort of web forum, but you can sub to it via email!

So have a go – click the discuss link below.

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