Showing posts with label Sutekh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sutekh. Show all posts

Friday 31 August 2018

The Black Prince




"In the Mesopotamian creation myth, 
mostly what you see menacing Humanity is  
Tiamat

She’s the 
Dragon of Chaos. 

That’s Mother Nature, 
Red in Tooth and Claw. 

But by the time the Egyptians come along, 
it isn’t only Nature that threatens Humanity: 
it’s The Social Structure itself. 

So the Egyptians had two deities that represented The Social Structure. 

 One was Osiris, who was like The Spirit of the Father. 

 He was a Great Hero who established Egypt, but became  
old, willfully blind, and senile. 

He had an evil brother named Seth.

Seth was always conspiring to overthrow him. 

And, because Osiris ignored him long enough, Seth did overthrown him—

Chopped him into pieces and distributed them all around The Kingdom. 

"Re-member Me."
-Hamlet, Father of Hamlet,
Act 2 Scene I

"Re-Member."

- Spock,
Star Trek II : The Wrath of Kahn
The Black Princess



Osiris’ son, Horus, had to come back and defeat Seth, to take the kingdom back. 

That’s how that story ends. But the Egyptians seemed to have realized—maybe because they had become bureaucratized to quite a substantial degree—that it wasn’t only nature that threatened humankind: it was also the proclivity of human organizations to become too large, too unwieldy, too deceitful, and too willfully blind, and, therefore, liable to collapse. 

Again, I see echoes of that in the story of the Tower of Babel. It’s a calling for a kind of humility of social engineering. 
One of the other things I’ve learned as a social scientist…I’ve been warned about this by, I would say, great social scientists…is that 

You want to be very careful about doing large-scale experimentation with large-scale systems, because the probability that, if you implement a scheme in a large-scale social system, that that scheme will have the result that you intended, is negligible. 


What will happen will be something that you don’t intend—and, even worse, something that works at counter-purposes to your original intent. 

That Makes Sense. 


If you have a very, very complex system, and you perturb it, the probability that you can predict the consequences of the perturbation is extraordinarily low, obviously. If the system works, though, you think you understand it, because it works. You think it’s simpler than it actually is, and so then you think that your model of it is correct, and then you think that your manipulation of the model, which produces the outcome you model, will be the outcome that’s actually produced in the world. That doesn’t work, at all. 

I thought about that an awful lot, thinking about how to remediate social systems. Obviously, they need careful attention and adjustment. It struck me that the proper strategy for implementing social change is to stay within your domain of competence. That requires humility, which is a virtue that is never promoted in modern culture, I would say. It’s a virtue that you can hardly even talk about. But humility means you’re probably not as smart as you think you are, and you should be careful. So then the question might be, well, ok, you should be careful, but perhaps you still want to do good. You want to make some positive changes. How can you be careful and do good? Then I would say, well, you try not to step outside the boundaries of your competence. You start small, and you start with things that you actually could adjust, that you actually do understand, that you actually could fix. 

I mentioned to you, at one point, that one of the things Carl Jung said was that modern men don’t see God because they don’t look low enough. It’s a very interesting phrase. One of the things that I’ve been promoting online, I suppose, is the idea that you should restrict your attempts to fix things to what’s at hand. There’s probably things about you that you could fix, right? Things that you know aren’t right—not anyone else’s opinion: your own opinion. Maybe there’s some things that you could adjust in your family. That gets hard. You have to have your act together a lot before you can start to adjust your family, because things can kick back on you really hard. You think, well, it’s hard to put yourself together. It’s really hard to put your family together. Why the hell do you think you can put the world together? Because, obviously, the world is more complicated than you and your family. And so, if you’re stymied in your attempts even to set your own house in order—which, of course, you are—then you would think that what that would do would be to make you very, very leery about announcing your broad-scale plans for social revolution. 

It’s a peculiar thing because that isn’t how it works. People are much more likely to announce their plans for broad-scale social revolution than they are to try to set themselves straight or their families straight. I think the reason for that is that, as soon as they try to set themselves or their families straight, the system immediately kicks back at them—instantly. Whereas, if they announce their plans for large-scale social revolution, the lag between the announcement and the kickback is so long that they don’t recognize that there’s any error. You can get away with being wrong, if nothing falls on you for a while. It’s also an incitement to hubris, because you announce your plans for large-scale social revolution, stand back, and you don’t get hit by lightning, and you think, well, I might be right, even though you’re seriously not right. I might be right! And then you think, well, how wonderful is that? Especially if you can do it without any real effort. Fundamentally, I believe that that’s what universities teach students to do, now. I really believe that. I think it’s absolutely appalling and horribly dangerous, because it’s not that easy to fix things, especially if you’re not committed to it. I think you know if you’re committed, because what you try to do is straighten out your own life, first, and that’s enough. 

I think the New Testament states that it’s more difficult to rule yourself than it is to rule the city. That’s not a metaphor. All of you who made announcements to yourself every January about changing your diet and going to the gym know perfectly well how difficult it is to regulate your own impulses and to bring yourself under the control of some ethical and attentive structure of values. It’s extraordinarily difficult. People don’t do it. Instead, they wander off, and I think they create towers of Babel. 

The story indicates that those things collapse under their own weight, and everyone goes their own direction. I think I see that happening with the LGBT community. One of the things I’ve noticed that’s very interesting is that the community is, in some sense…It’s not a community. That’s a technical error. But it’s composed of outsiders, let’s say. What you notice across the decades is that the acronym list keeps growing. I think that’s because there’s an infinite number of ways to be an outsider. Once you open the door to the construction of a group that’s characterized by failing to fit into a group, then you immediately create a category that’s infinitely expandable. I don’t know how long the acronym list is now—it depends on which acronym list you consult—but I’ve seen lists of 10 or more acronyms. One of the things that’s happening is that the community is starting to fragment in its interior, because there is no unity. Once you put a sufficient plurality under the sheltering structure of a single umbrella, say, the disunity starts to appear within. I think that’s also a manifestation of the same issue that this particular story is dealing with. 

So that ends, I would say, the most archaic stories in the Bible. I think the flood story and the Tower of Babel story outline the two fundamental dangers that beset mankind. One is the probability that blindness and sin will produce a natural catastrophe, or entice one. That’s one that modern people are very aware of, in principle, right? We’re all hyper-concerned about environmental degradation catastrophe. That’s the continual reactivation of an archetypal idea in our unconscious minds—that there’s something about the way we’re living that’s unsustainable and will create a catastrophe. It’s so interesting because people believe that firmly and deeply, but they don’t see the relationship between that and the archetypal stories. It’s the same story: overconsumption, greed, all of that, is producing an unstable state, and nature will rebel and take us down. 

You hear that every day, in every newspaper, in every TV station. It’s broadcast to you constantly. That idea is presented in Genesis, in the story of Noah. So one warning that exists in the stories is to beware of natural catastrophe that’s produced as a consequence of blindness and greed, let’s say. The other is, beware of social structures that overreach, because they’ll also produce fragmentation and disintegration. It’s quite remarkable, I think, that, at the close of the story of the Tower of Babel, we’ve got both of the permanent, existential dangers that present themselves to humanity already identified. 

Wednesday 25 April 2018

Thanatophobia

Avengers : Infinity War is a Film about
DEPRESSION

Still a cheesy Darkseid knock-off.

"I bring Sutekh's Gift of Death
to all Humanity..!"

Evil? Your evil is my good. 

I am Sutekh, the Destroyer. 

Where I tread I leave nothing but Dust and Darkness. 

I find that good

- The Typhonian Beast

Teeth+Curls
Then I curse you, Sutekh, 
In the Name of All Nature
You are a twisted abhorrence. Argh


You can't always get what you want.
No, you can't all ways get what you want.
O, you can't - Always Get What You Want.

But if You Try (sometimes)
You Just Might Find

You Get What You Need

"The Revolution is successful.
 But survival depends on drastic measures. 

Your continued existence represents a threat to the well-being of society. 
Your lives mean slow death to the more valued members of the colony. 

Therefore, I have no alternative but to sentence you to Death. 

Your execution is so ordered, 

signed 
Kodos
Governor of Tarsus IV.
2246


"There was no other way."

- Says the man who just looked ahead into 14,000,406 Potential Futures


No one asks for their life to change, 
not reallyBut it does.

So what are we, 
Helpless? Puppets? No

The Big Moments are gonna come. 
You can't help that. 

It's what you do afterwards that counts. 

That's when you find out 
Who You Are.


You'll see what I mean.




[Enterprise-A bridge]

Gen. CHANG
Have you not a shred of decency ...in you, Kirk? 
We come in peace - and you blatantly defile that peace. 

And for that - 
I shall blow you out of The Stars.

Capt. KIRK : 
We haven't fired.

Capt. SPOCK : 
Captain - according to our data banks, we have
...Twice.

Lt. VALERIS : 
Captain, they're coming about!

Capt. SPOCK :
They're preparing to fire.

Cmdr. CHEKOV : 
Shields up, Captain?

Lt. VALERIS : 
Captain, our shields!

Cmdr. CHEKOV : 
Shields up, Captain?

Captain James T. KIRK :
(It means "Church")
Signal Our Surrender.

Lt. UHURA :
Captain?!

Captain KIRK : 
We surrender!

*****



Capt. "Rabbit" :

Okay... Time to be The Captain...

*****
The Ancient One :
You Cannot Beat a River into Submission - 

You Must Surrender to It's Currents
and Use It's Power as Your Own

Dr. Stephen Strange :
I..? I... 
Control It by Surrendering Control..?
That Doesn't Make Sense..!


The Ancient One :
Not Everything Does,
Not Everything Has to --

The Ancient One :
Your Intellect has Taken You Far in Life -
But it Will Take You No Further :

Surrender, Stephen.

Silence Your Ego
and 
Your Power Will Rise

The Ancient One :
I've spent so many years, 
peering through 'Time',
looking at This exact Moment - 
but I can't see past it.

I've prevented countless, terrible Futures - 
and after each one, there's always another.

And they all lead Here - 
but never further.

You think this is where you die..?

The Ancient One :
You wonder what I see in your Future..?

No...
...yes.


The Ancient One :
I never saw Your Future - 
only it's possibilities.

You've such a Capacity for Goodness -
You always excelled -
 
But not because you craved Success
But Because of your Fear of Failure

It's what made me a Great Doctor.

The Ancient One :
It's precisely what kept you from Greatness
Arrogance and Fear still keep you from learning 
The Simplest  and Most Significant Lesson of All :

Which is...?

The Ancient One :
IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU


The Ancient One :
Mastery of the Sling-Ring is Essential to The Mystick Artes - 
they allow us to travel throughout The Multiverse.

All You Need to Do is Focus - 
Visualise.

See The Destination in Your Mind.
Look Beyond The World in Front of You.
Imagine Every Detail.

The Clearer The Picture, 
The Quicker+Easier 
The Gateway Will Come.



Buffy : 
Don't worry about me. 

Whistler : 
It's all on The Line here, kid. 

Buffy : 
I can deal.
 (sadly) 
I got nothing left to lose. 
(leaves

Whistler : 
Wrong, kid. 

You got one more thing. 





“It was a Fool’s Leap, a Shot in The Dark
But anything of any value in our lives, whether that be a career, a work of art, a relationship, will always start with such a leap. 

And in order to be able to make it, you have to put aside the FEAR of FAILING and the DESIRE of SUCCEEDING

You have to do these things completely purely without Fear, without Desire - 
Because things that we do without Lust of Result
are The Purest Actions that we shall ever take.”

Alan Moore
Wizard


Thanatophobia: The One Fear Everyone Has
March 1, 2017 /// ELSIE DIVINAGRACIA, MPH

Thanatophobia – the fear of death – is something every human has to face

What is Thanatophobia?
There is really only one certain thing about life, and that is that it ends. However, constantly keeping this thought in mind can stop you from actually living life! The extreme and often irrational thought or fear of death is known as thanatophobia. 

The word thanatophobia is derived from the Greek god of death, who was called Thanatos. It is also commonly referred to as “death anxiety.” For anyone who has seen the Final Destination film series, this concept is already familiar. 

In the first one, the main character shut himself up in a remote cabin, completely isolated, bundled up and fearing for his life.

Causes of phobias

Though that is an intense dramatization, for many people the fear of death does carry similar consequences. A sufferer of thanatophobia can refuse to leave his/her house, drive, fly, or any number of other daily activities that could be seen as (irrationally) dangerous or potentially life-threatening. 

Even though thanatophobia is not on its own a distinct clinical disorder, this phobia can occur simultaneously with other phobias or psychological or behavioral issues. If left untreated, the phobia may get much worse, so it is important to seek professional help.

Freud was the first to theorize about thanatophobia and said that Death Anxiety was the representation of unresolved conflicts from childhood, and humans are unable to accept their own mortality. 

Another theory that has been widely researched is the Terror Management Theory, which states that people have the essential will to live life fully, but are constantly aware that Death is inevitable. 

People then try to manage this conflict by seeking meaning in their life, with personal goals and fulfillment. However, a person with a lower tolerance, lower self-esteem, and lessened management of this internal conflict will experience greater anxiety about death.

Author Stanley Hall established that children are born with no fear of death, just like animals, but with child development, the consciousness of dying becomes more and more viable.

Causes of Thanatophobia
Many people are afraid of dying, because of the unknown question that every human is faced with: what happens after you die, and what is dying actually like? We may never be able to know the answer until we actually die, and these thoughts can lead to severe anxiety symptoms at just the mere thought of death. But like all phobias, there are a number of contributors to the development of thanatophobia:

A traumatic experience – A near death experience can bring the fear of death to the forefront of your mind. This could be a severe accident, a serious illness, a violent attack, or even a natural disaster. The loss of a loved one could also trigger the symptoms of thanatophobia, or if someone close to them has a near death experience.

Constantly being surrounded by Death – Similarly, emergency room nurses and doctors who are often surrounded by death and dying are constantly reminded of their own mortality and are at risk of developing death anxiety.

Religion – Religion tries to give a reason and explanation of death. Most religions believe that salvation in the afterlife only comes from following strict rules and any deviations will lead to condemnation. However, when someone is questioning their faith, their confusion can intensify the fear of being wrong about the afterlife.

Fear of the unknown – Similarly, a deep fear and confusion of not knowing what happens after death will contribute to thanatophobia. This fear of death mostly affects those who are highly intelligent or questioning their beliefs, philosophical or theological.

Fear of loss of control – Everyone wants to feel like they are in control of their own destiny. However, as of now, there is no possible way that you can completely prevent death. The thought of not being in control is enough for some people to onset the symptoms of thanatophobia.

Fear of ghosts – For those whose thanatophobia is rooted in religious beliefs, the fear of being stuck on earth as a ghost can be terrifying, and control your life and actions if you try to prevent that outcome by any means possible.

Other related fears – People that fear death often also extend that fear to anything that can remind them of death. This could include funeral homes, burials, tombstones, ghosts, skeletons or skulls, or any other symbol of death.

Just the sight of tombstones can trigger anxiety symptoms.

Symptoms of Thanatophobia
Symptoms of Thanatophobia can be brought on by just the thought of Death, and are comparable to symptoms of extreme anxiety. This can include physical symptoms like dizziness, nausea, sweating, palpitations, chest pain, or stomach pain. There can also be mental symptoms, which can be constant thoughts of death or dying, uncontrollable reactions, repetition of gory or distressing thoughts about dying loss of control, or even delusions, and the inability to tell reality from fantasy. 

Emotional symptoms involve the sufferer constantly worrying about the prospect of death, a strong desire to flee the situation that reminded them of death, anger, guilt, and extreme avoidance of anything that reminds them of death or dying. All of these symptoms are similar to anxiety symptoms. 




Treating Thanatophobia
Since there are so many causes and possible complications of thanatophobia, it is important to consult a mental health professional. Depression, bipolar disorder, or ADHD can often be mistaken for, or be happening concurrently. Other conditions that could be related to thanatophobia include Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, psychotic episode, epilepsy, or strokes. Since thanatophobia is not on its own a clinical diagnosis, the sufferer will need to discuss with their mental health practitioner if their symptoms are interfering with their daily life. Your doctor will be able to discuss any possible related symptoms and disorders to prescribe the best possible course of treatment.



Like other phobias, the most widely used and effective treatment for Thanatophobia is cognitive behavioral therapy. CBT is aimed at understanding the underlying thoughts that are the basis of the person’s fear of death and changing those thoughts to be more realistic and positive so that the person is able to function in their everyday life without the constant fear of death. Religious counseling could also be helpful if the fear is rooted in their religious beliefs. Relaxation techniques can be useful to employ during a phobic episode, which could look like a panic attack. Medications such as antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications may also be prescribed, especially if the phobia is occurring with those emotional disorders. 

With thanatophobia, peer groups can be particularly helpful, where you can discuss feelings about Death, and coping processes that have helped others.

The main point is not to lose hope and seek treatment if you think you are suffering from thanatophobia. The fear of death or dying can be a persistent struggle, and can constantly be in the back of your mind, but there is always help available from mental health professionals, and peers.

Brady, M. Death anxiety among emergency care workers. Emergency Nurse. 2015; 23, 4, 32-37.

Dadfar M, Lester D, Bahrami F. Death Anxiety, Reliability, Validity, and Factorial Structure of the Farsi Form of the Arabic Scale of Death Anxiety in Iranian Old-Aged Persons. Journal of Aging Research. 2016;2016:2906857. doi:10.1155/2016/2906857.

HealthyChildren.org: Understanding Childhood Fears and Anxiety. 2015.

Milosevic, I., McCabe, RE. Phobias: The Psychology of Irrational Fear. 2015. ABC-CLIO.