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History, Ideology & Science QR Codes: the Ubiquitous Content Management System
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/13/2013
QR (Quick Response) codes are graphical barcodes: square black dots arranged in a grid on a white background. Subject to the installation of an app, they can be scanned by devices such as smartphones and digital cameras and call up text, videos, audio snippets, and other digitized content. QR codes can be printed or pasted onto any flat surface: paper, walls, screens, or windows. Americanization and Westernization of the Global Culture
Trish Hallmark - 4/4/2013
Are Americans forcing a global culture that smacks of jeans, t-shirts and apple pie? As American corporations like Wal-Mart, McDonalds and Acuvue Oasys, as well as European ones like Niance dot the globe, fueled by entrepreneurship ideologies, are they diluting the distinct cultural differences of our world? The debate over the Americanization of global culture centers around the trepidation ... "INVESTMENT POLITICS" is LOOKING FOR AUTHORS
GP Interviews - 3/28/2013
Are you an expert on the nexus between international affairs, domestic politics, and economics and finance? If so, we would like to publish your work: articles, essays, analyses, observations, vignettes, travelogues, and memoires. Impulse Control and Narcissistic Fear of Failure
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/28/2013
Many narcissistic defences, traits, and behaviours revolve around the compulsive need to sustain a grandiose self-image of perfection (“perfectionism”). The Beautiful Mathematical Laws of Physics
Rashidul Bari - 3/28/2013
Women usually love apples, although many holy books, including Genesis and the Quran, prohibited the eating of the apple. So it’s no surprise that my wife, as a woman, loves apples. In fact, she loves apples so much that she never forgets to give me an apple every morning before I leave home. “What makes this so-called fruit of Eden so special?” I asked her once. “An apple a day will keep you away from doctor,” she replied. Grim Reaper on All Saints Day
Stone A. Washington - 3/6/2013
Are You the one in costume or is it Me? Am I the young man behind the mask… or is it Thee? Surprising new way to use an old device
Dan Sampson, Esq. - 3/4/2013
A new invention and upgrade to a hydraulic torque wrench will make it useful to car mechanics, claims a Houston auto glass company that came up with a surprising way to use this device. Hydraulic tensioners apply a force to an object to maintain it in tension. Google Scholar: Legal Research for Both Lawyers and Non-Lawyers
Dan Sampson, Esq. - 2/28/2013
Google has recently launched Google Scholar, which is an amazing free resource for both lawyers and non-lawyers to research the law. (http://electricshaversuk.co.uk/). Google Scholar is a free search engine that indexes the full text of scholarly literature as well as court decisions. Lenin’s dream of financial ruin
Mike Spaniola - 2/28/2013
Clues to the nation’s financial debacle can be found in the dustbin of history, but those most responsible hide their sleights of hand as closely as any magician. In 1919, British economist John Maynard Keynes observed: “[Vladimir] Lenin is said to have declared that the best way to destroy the capitalist system was to debauch the currency. … Lenin certainly was right. America should back Israel's fight against Hamas, Hezbollah
Nicholas M. Guariglia - 2/28/2013
One of the most unusual aspects of the last ten years has been how Hezbollah camps in Lebanon and Hamas camps in Gaza have remained. You would think any serious effort to democratize Lebanon, or to eradicate terrorism, or to discredit undemocratic Islamist dogma would incorporate some semblance of an attempt to disarm, disband, or dissolve the Iranian-backed jihadist organization. US-China on-going confrontation: Is New Cold War Likely?
Dr. Sudhanshu Tripathi - 2/28/2013
Although China and the United States have never been close allies despite very significant trade promoted by international business management more so than the governments, the recently increased activities of America in Asia-Pacific region, particularly as regards South China Sea row and China’s amazing overall progress, all these appear tending towards differences between them, thereby risking the eruption of a new Cold War. Margaret Mead: Prophet of the sexual revolution
Ellis Washington, J.D. - 2/17/2013
Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. Internationalization versus Globalization of Higher Education and Education for Peace
Dr. Ravindra Kumar - 2/10/2013
1. Internationalization versus Globalization of Higher Education The New Matriarchy and the Redundant Male
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 2/10/2013
From the dawn of history to the late 1950s, the collective had been the organizing principle of human affairs. The pursuit of happiness was channelled via collectives and even dissidents and rebels formed collectives to express their grievances. But, this old system brought humanity to the verge of extinction. Disenchanted with mass ideologies, people switched to the opposite pole: militant individualism, which became the new battle cry and organizing principle of increasingly more narcissistic collectives and individuals alike. People-pleasers and Pathological Charmers
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/30/2013
People-pleasers dread conflicts and wish to avoid them (they are conflict-averse) - hence their need to believe that they are universally liked. Some choose people-pleaser professions and learn how to become a social worker, a counselor or a community organizer. Always pleasant, well-mannered, and civil, the conflict-averse people-pleaser is also evasive and vague, hard to pin down, sometimes obsequious and, generally, a spineless “non-entity”. These qualities are self-defeating as they tend to antagonize people rather than please them. Prophetic Women
Stone A. Washington - 1/30/2013
My father, Ellis Washington, is a law professor and a legal commentator for WorldNetDaily.com and GlobalPolitician.com. Every year he writes a special Christmas essay during Advent. For Christmas 2011 he wrote an article titled, Prophetic Women regarding the little appreciated, but magnificent historical legacy of the Sibyls—Women prophets, who in biblical and pagan sources were also known as seers and oracles. Sibyls were often residents at shrines and temples throughout the ancient world. Inspired by my father’s opus, I am writing my own essay on the Sybil. Technology Servitude
Joel S. Hirschhorn - 1/20/2013
Everywhere I look outside my home I see people busy on their high tech devices, while driving, while walking, while shopping, while in groups of friends, while in restaurants, while waiting in doctor offices and hospitals, while sitting in toilets – everywhere. While connected electronically, they are inattentive to and disconnected in physical reality. Once and Future Monogamy
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/2/2013
The ancient institution of monogamous marriage is ill-suited to the exigencies of modern Western civilization. People of both genders live and work longer (which renders monogamy impracticable); travel far and away frequently; and are exposed to tempting romantic alternatives via social networking and in various workplace and social settings. Christmas – an apt time for reflection on compassion and mercy towards animals
Senaka Weeraratna - 1/2/2013
A key test of a civilized society and basis of functioning communities is the protection afforded to the vulnerable. Whether those in need of protection happen to be children, the sick, aged, enfeebled, destitute, exploited humans, or animals, a value measure of civilization is the degree to which their rights and welfare are protected by law and other community practices. Thoughts Regarding Our Dystopic Future
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/29/2012
Many futurologists - professional (Toffler) and less so (Naisbitt) - tried their hand at predicting the future. They proved quite successful at foretelling major trends but not as lucky in delineating their details. This is because, inevitably, every futurologist has to resort to crude tools such as extrapolation. The modern day versions of the biblical prophets are much better informed - and this, precisely, seems to be the problem. The informational clutter obscures the outlines of the more pertinent elements. Knowing God in an Age of Uncertainty
Ron Coody - 12/8/2012
This is an age of uncertainty. The country band Little Texas made this clear with their lyrics, "the only thing I'm sure of/is I don't know what I'd do without your love." Politicians on both sides of the fence tell us to "believe" or "hope" or have "vision", but the details about all this hoping and believing are pretty slim. Now that the dust has settled from the recent elections we see that people a wide range of opinions about the issues. The answers don't seem easy to find or agree upon. So folks look around at the wide variety of opinions, shrug their shoulders, try to keep a tolerant, open mind. India vs. China: A Brewing Conflict?
Dr. Sudhanshu Tripathi - 11/17/2012
I. The on-going Chinese National Congress and India Original vs. Copy and the Question of Context
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/17/2012
Consider these conundrums:
1. A brilliant geek invents a 3D printer which replicates flawlessly the Mona Lisa. Leonardo’s masterpiece and the copy spewed out by the machine are indistinguishable even under an electron microscope: they cannot be told apart. In which sense, therefore, is the artist’s Mona Lisa superior to or different from its identical clone?
2. An ancient letter unearthed in the archives of the Church in France proves beyond any doubt that the Mona Lisa was not painted by Leonardo da Vinci, but by an obscure apprentice of his. The painting’s value drops o... Crime, Corruption And the Political System
Dr. Gary K. Busch - 11/4/2012
The world’s press is full of the terrible problems which a ‘rogue banking system’ has caused. The actions of the banks in the fall of Lehman Brothers and the corrupt fixing of the LIBOR rate in London by Barclays and other banks has been presented by journalists and analysts as a breakdown of the system. This may well be true but corruption and the flouting of rules is hardly a novel or unique event. Much of all international economic life, under capitalist, socialist, communist or despotic systems which utilises the abstraction of currency to express value and as a means of exchange has always been full of variations on the same theme. Friction, Efficiency, and Volatility in Financial Markets
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/16/2012
It is an open question whether frictionless markets are more efficient. Traders and investors need time to digest new information; incorporate it in models and theories regarding the markets and specific securities; map out the full implications of recent developments; and decide how to act. We call this time lapse "friction" and it guarantees that players and agents act more or less rationally and consistently. In a frictionless market, panics, crashes, and bubbles are far more likely, rendering it less efficient, not more so. Wake Up: Reject the Two-Party Plutocracy
Joel S. Hirschhorn - 10/16/2012
Here we go again. Millions of Americans will soon vote for either the Republican or Democratic presidential candidate not because they deeply believe that he is absolutely the best possible president the country needs and can have. No, they will know that they are compromising and choosing the lesser of two evils, mainly because most people know that both major parties and their candidates stink. The lesser evil is still a loser. I Hate This Brave, New World
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/1/2012
I hate this brave, new world where:
Illiteracy is 140 characters long and has a face-book;
Everyone has a thousand virtual "friends", but virtually no real friend;
Every child has a mother and multiple fathers, but no parents;
Knowledge is a matter of opinion and opinions a matter of fads;
Our idols sport muscles and vocal cords, but little else besides;
The right to vote is universal, but the will to vote is not;
Everyone has a right to free speech, but little of value to say;
Extramarital sex is considered recreation and monogamy a thro... Who is Actually Insulting Islam?
Rashidul Bari - 10/1/2012
The whole Muslim world—especially the Middle East—has been on fire for days. The ignorance of faithless believers
Prof. Dr Anthony A Kila - 9/29/2012
Which subtler way to put the recent display of violent demonstrations in parts of Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sudan and now northern Nigeria, which was characterised by burning of flags and pictures, and even leading to the killing of people in some cases, over a stupid obnoxious video clip? REVIEW Pears Cyclopedia 2012-2013
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/29/2012
The 2012-2013 edition of Pears Cyclopaedia is the first major revision in some time. It adds considerable heft to veteran chapters as well as re-introduces categories of knowledge from previous editions. A Progressive Obsession
Jason R. Werbics - 9/29/2012
The most interesting feature to emerge from the Great Economic Collapse of 2008 is not how this event forced people to realize what truly takes precedence in their lives, but more importantly, how the common man and woman have been hoodwinked and lied to by the progressive, manipulated into believing political ideas and slogans that turned out to be false, presented with solutions to today’s problems that have more to do with undercutting the “enlightened freedoms” guaranteed by the American Constitution than moving America toward a tomorrow of prosperity. The Social Costs of Small Business
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/22/2012
Big Business (with 1000 employees or more) and traditional business (central office or factory) provided workers with a network of social contacts and with opportunities to fraternize and befriend others. These workplaces fostered the formation of formal and informal emotional and economic peer-based support groups. These benefits were lost with the advent of the Small Office Home Office (SOHO), flextime, and personal entrepreneurship. Sex - Or Gender? Film Review: "What to Expect When You Are Expecting" (2012)
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/18/2012
Modern pop culture bombards us with gender stereotypes, which by now have become truisms: women are always sensitive, misunderstood, in touch with their emotions and neglected; men are commitment-phobic, confused, narcissistic, hypersexed, and hell-bent on frustrating the opposite number. Crime, Corruption And the Political System
Dr. Gary K. Busch - 8/30/2012
The world’s press is full of the terrible problems which a ‘rogue banking system’ has caused. The actions of the banks in the fall of Lehman Brothers and the corrupt fixing of the LIBOR rate in London by Barclays and other banks has been presented by journalists and analysts as a breakdown of the system. This may well be true but corruption and the flouting of rules is hardly a novel or unique event. Much of all international economic life, under capitalist, socialist, communist or despotic systems which utilises the abstraction of currency to express value and as a means of exchange has always been full of variations on the same theme. Britain- Ecuador stand-off over Assange’s extradition
Dr. Sudhanshu Tripathi - 8/22/2012
The asylum granted by Ecuador to the WikiLeaks founder Mr. Julian Assange may result into an unprecedented stand-off as Britain may resort to a possible military option against Ecuador though with Australian involvement into this controversy, the rising temperatures are likely cool down. The Dynamics of Modern Marriages
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/8/2012
Until recently, couples formed around promises of emotional exclusivity and sexual fidelity, uniqueness in each other’s mind and life, and (more common until the 1940s) virginity. Marriage was also a partnership: economic, or related to childrearing, or companionship. It was based on the partners’ past and background and geared towards a shared future. Academic Collectivism
Ellis Washington, J.D. - 7/21/2012
Academic Collectivism relies on the claims of “experts” rather than original documents as the standard for truth. Time-limited Marriage: Solution to Cheating and Divorce?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/10/2012
The ancient institution of monogamous marriage is ill-suited to the exigencies of modern Western civilization. People of both genders live and work longer (which renders monogamy impracticable); travel far and away frequently; and are exposed to thousands of tempting romantic alternatives via social networking. In an age of malignant individualism, bordering on narcissism, men and women alike put themselves, their fantasies, and their needs first, all else – family included – be damned. And with 5 decades of uninterrupted prosperity and feminism/ women’s lib most of the female denizens of the ... Lost in Space
Ron Coody - 7/10/2012
My oldest son John called the other day from college where he is studying physics. He excitedly asked if I had heard the latest news. No, I said, thinking he was referring to some natural disaster or political event. He continued, "My professor just got back from Switzerland after working on a team at the Hadron particle accelerator. He said he had some exciting news but couldn't tell us until it came out in the international media." I paused, then said, "Okay, what was it." John grew more excited, "He was on one of the teams that did calculations proving the existence of the Higgs Boson... Deconstructionism in modern society
Ellis Washington, J.D. - 6/23/2012
Conservative historian David Barton, in his outstanding new book—“The Jefferson Lies: Exploring the Myths You’ve Always Known About Thomas Jefferson,” has once again presented an opus that shines the light of truth on the lies and propaganda of atheism, progressivism, liberalism, humanism, and secular elites who possess a venal hatred against American exceptionalism. Campuses, Concealed Carry and the Right of Self-Defense
David Huntwork - 6/23/2012
A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity. - Sigmund Freud GLOBAL SWEEP USA Like Greece, Retail Sales, Euro,
Prof. Peter Morici - 6/16/2012
I. The United States Is Becoming Too Much Like Greece The Tower of Names: ICAAN gTLDs Aim for the Summit
Naseem Javed - 6/10/2012
What’s all this curious noise in global media about the booming ICANN gTLD dot names? GLOBAL SWEEP: US Jobs, Spain and the Euro, JP Morgan
Prof. Peter Morici - 6/4/2012
I. Another Lousy Jobs Report: Unemployment Up, Few Jobs Added Tobacco: Still The Silent, Ruthless Killer Near You!
Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye - 6/4/2012
May 31 was “World No Tobacco Day” (WNTD). First observed in 1987 following a motion passed by a cabinet of the World Health Assembly (WHA) which received the tacit support of the World Health Organisation (WHO), it has become a day devoted to global campaigns and efforts to significantly reduce, and eventually eliminate, the consumption of tobacco which not only ruins the health of its users, but also exposes every other person to serious harm by polluting the air we all breathe. Off to Sweden? Assange and his Anti-Politics
Binoy Kampmark - 6/4/2012
Confused, perhaps a tad neurotic, unhinged and overall an unstable mix, Julian Assange now faces a ratcheted assault on his badge as ‘freedom fighter’. His loss in the British Supreme Court has imperilled him, though he does, unusually, have a fortnight to appeal that decision to extradite him to Sweden. GLOBAL SWEEP: Europe, Romeny, US Recession
Prof. Peter Morici - 5/27/2012
I. U.S. Recession Could to Follow Greek Exit from Euro Cold Empathy and Warm Empathy
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/20/2012
Empathy is comprised of two components:
I. Cold Empathy: an intersubjective agreement as to the mental content (especially emotions) of two or more human subjects;
II. Warm Empathy: the emotional response to Cold Empathy.
Cold Empathy is an act of taxonomy and an attempt to overcome the barriers posed by the inaccessibility of the private languages of the empathee and the empathor. It entails a comparison of the mental states of the subjects, based on introspection and the classification of said mental states within agreed linguistic and cultural... GLOBAL SWEEP: Greece, American Banks
Prof. Peter Morici - 5/19/2012
I. Why and How Greece Must Exit the Euro
Austerity is imposing intolerable unemployment and political chaos in Greece, and won’t permit it to repay its debts. Athens must abandon the euro and reintroduce the drachma.
After the euro was adopted in 1999, productivity growth was slower and prices rose faster in Southern Europe than in Germany and other northern states. The more competitive north enjoyed growing trade surpluses and the Mediterranean states deficits.
Trade deficits can instigate high unemployment and curb tax revenues, and to create jobs and finance social pr... GLOBAL SWEEP: Yuan, JP Morgan, Euro, Trade Deficit
Prof. Peter Morici - 5/16/2012
I. China’s Yuan Remains Hugely Undervalued, Dragging down U.S. Growth, Jobs The Demise of Empathy at Home and in the Family and the Role of Technology
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/4/2012
Empathy is on a precipitous decline in the family and home environments. Technology is partly to blame, but so are other social and economic trends. The Demise of Empathy in Business and the Workplace
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/3/2012
Empathy is at the foundation of both altruism and collaboration. Thus, while it does consume scarce resources, empathy confers important evolutionary advantages both from the individual’s point of view (cooperation) and from the species’s (altruism.) America's GDP, Europe's Collapse
Prof. Peter Morici - 4/30/2012
I. USA: First Quarter GDP Advances 2.2 Percent, Economy Slowing Breivik and the Death of Multiculturalism
Abid Mustafa - 4/25/2012
Breivik the right-wing Norwegian extremist who admitted killing 77 people used court appearances to demand a “medal of honour” for killing “traitors” who had facilitated "Islamic colonization”. He also vehemently denounced multiculturalism and said,” We, the Norwegian resistance movement, will not just stand by while we are made a minority in our own country.” Breivik is not alone in his rile against multiculturalism. INTERNATIONAL BRIEFS: Spain and China
Prof. Peter Morici - 4/19/2012
I. Spain Predicament Show the Perils of Austerity, Tough Limits on Central Banks IQCRACY: Against Barbarians with iPads
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/23/2012
The survival of the species depends on the establishment of an IQcracy, a Platonian Republic of the Intellect. At the top, serving as leaders and decision-makers, would be people with 150 IQ and higher. A soaring Intelligence Quotient (IQ), by itself, is insufficient, of course. Members of this elite of "philosopher-kings" would also have to be possessed with a high emotional quotient (EQ) and sound mental health. Parasite singles, boomerang kids, and accordion families
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/21/2012
The Japanese call them “parasite singles”, the Americans “boomerang kids”. Sociologists refer to the “accordion family”: it expands and then contracts as children return to what should have been an “empty nest.” With an anemic jobs market (youth unemployment hovers above 20% throughout the industrial world), extended education, and a culture of rampant individualism (not to say egotistical narcissism), parents are forced to continue to bankroll their children and take care of their needs well into their offspring’s thirties. Infantilism rocks and rules. The Lost Son Parable and Repentance
Elias Bejjani - 3/14/2012
Lent is a prime time for spiritual change through genuine praying, serious and in depth self-examination, return to the roots of faith, repentance and forgiveness. The United States of Islam
Alexander Maistrovoy - 3/10/2012
Arabic Caliphate is not a figment anymore: fragments of the Middle Eastern regimes will soon form a group of islands called The Muslim Archipelago The Delegitimization of Torture
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 2/29/2012
Throughout human (and Western) history and well into the 19th century torture was considered in large swathes of the world (and of Europe) to be a legitimate tool of interrogation, intended mainly to prove innocence and weed out the guilty. Torture was socially accepted and condoned. Both Church and state made use of torture habitually. There were manuals about torture techniques and implements. Written codes of conduct regulated minutely the process of torture and clearly demarcated what was allowed and what was impermissible. Will Mother Tongues Divide Global Internet Experience?
Naseem Javed - 2/28/2012
Within the next five years there could be as many as five billion online users on the Internet. The world is overflowing with cheap technology and round the clock induction towards online living. But there are early signs that this might change: SEO consultancy is now a multi-language business as people are searching in their mother tongue more and more. FDI Policy in Multi-brand Retail Favors the Big Multinationals
Shekar Swamy - 2/24/2012
On 24 November 2011, the Indian government approved 51 percent foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail stores and 100 percent in single brand outlets in its $450 billion retail market. The decision was met with a howl of protest from allies and opposition alike. Even several sections of the ruling Congress party have also expressed their reservation against the policy announcement. The country has not witnessed such a polarized view on foreign investment policy in the last two decades. Global Cyber Name Identities Face New Storms
Naseem Javed - 2/24/2012
Suddenly, perfect storms are developing on the global branding fronts; the top of the agenda is now ‘naming’ of the brands itself and how will the names survive the rapid changes of massive digitalization of social media where such name identities reside and skate to catch customers via global cyber branding. Excessive speed as a vital human factor in road traffic accident
Adewale T Akande - 2/16/2012
Driving is a means to achieve objectives associated with everyday life in our society. At the same time, driving requires a serious responsibility that determine the driver’s safety and that of the other road users within the vicinity. We drive to work, visit friends and relations, and travel to different places-short and long distances-for personal or public activities. A person that cannot plan, organise and manage his precious time effectively and efficiently, he then result to do all things in a hurry. As a result of this, many people drive faster without minding the speed limit and cauti... The Death Knell of Success in Business
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 2/16/2012
The film “The Artist” describes the waning career of a megastar of the era of silent movies when he refuses to make the transition into the epoch of “talkies” (films with sound.) He mocks the innovation and then challenges it by producing a lavish production of yet another silent epic. His inevitable downfall follows. He is reduced to pawning and auctioning off his few remaining belongings. Question of the limits of ‘Freedom of Expression’
Tanveer Jafri - 2/14/2012
International Human Rights organisations are the biggest advocates of the Freedom of Speech and Expression. Everyone should have the right to freely put forward his/her views and opinions. But every other day, the reports suggest that in one country or the other, an attempt is being made to suppress the Freedom of Expression. It was in the practice of the same ‘Freedom of Expression’ when a Danish newspaper Jilland Posten published a controversial cartoon of the Prophet Mohammad. It met with violent reactions in many Muslim countries. If the publication of that cartoon was an example of the so called Freedom of Expression of the cartoonist, what would we call the violence that ensued? Valentin'e Day for Love
Professor Nanxi Cao - 2/10/2012
By miles..
You are far from me!
By thoughts..
You are close to me!
By hearts..
You are in me!
Written by Jothi, www.123.greetingcards.com
The above poem speaks of not just romantic love, but of all forms of love in the world. Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love, for one’s lover, one’s spouse, one’s family, one’s friends, for those in need of the healing touch of love, for one’s fellow man, and for the universe in such turmoil today. Love comes in all different sizes, purpose, and need. We all need love in our lives. Love keeps us alive, giving us all a purpose... Western Civilization
Ellis Washington, J.D. - 2/3/2012
The sleep of reason brings forth monsters. ~ Goya Bodily Effects of Torture and Abuse
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/31/2012
There is one place in which one's privacy, intimacy, integrity and inviolability are guaranteed – one's body, a unique temple and a familiar territory of sensa and personal history. The torturer invades, defiles and desecrates this shrine. He does so publicly, deliberately, repeatedly and, often, sadistically and sexually, with undisguised pleasure. Hence the all-pervasive, long-lasting, and, frequently, irreversible effects and outcomes of torture. Symposium - The damnation of ideas
Ellis Washington, J.D. - 1/26/2012
Socrates (470-399 B.C.) – a renowned Greek philosopher from Athens who taught Plato, and Plato taught Aristotle and Aristotle taught Alexander the Great. Socrates used a method of teaching by asking leading questions. The Greeks called this form dialectic – starting from a thesis or question, then discussing ideas and moving back and forth between points of view to determine how well ideas stand up to critical review with the ultimate principle of the dialogue being Veritas – Truth. Market Domination via Name Identity
Naseem Javed - 1/26/2012
Global corporate nomenclature is making history, right now, as ICANN gTLD platform opens with full swing, the established and largest name brands of the world are now pitted against the newest, recently incubated, globally poised but relatively unknown name brands. Cruise Ship Vacation Wisdom
Joel S. Hirschhorn - 1/24/2012
I have taken a number of cruise ship vacations. The last one was about a year and half ago. I learned a lot about cruise ships and what factors should go into decisions about selecting a specific cruise ship that I want to share with you. When Conflict Resolution and Human Rights Clash: Can Both Prevail Together?
Nuredin Netabay - 1/20/2012
I. Introduction
Conflict resolution and human rights are inseparable when it comes to the well-being of human communities. Both are underlying ingredients to bringing lasting peace. Neither can stand alone nor bring about tranquility of order. Human rights (justice) and conflict resolution (peace) are mutually inclusive. In principle, justice must not be sacrificed for peace, and the opposite is true. Simply, peace cannot operate without justice and vise versa.
Balancing or reconciling human rights and conflict resolution can present a major challenge. While it is essential to... Rating Downgrades: S&P Got France Right, Germany Wrong
Prof. Peter Morici - 1/17/2012
Standard & Poor’s was correct to downgrade the credit ratings of France and seven other Eurozone governments, but wrong to affirm Germany’s AAA status. The euro will inevitably collapse and chaos will follow, endangering even the strongest governments. Is Religion the Root of All Evil? Is Dawkins Right?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/17/2012
Richard Dawkins, the famous evolutionary biologist, traces the roots of evil to organized religion and to faith itself: the belief in a God has spawned all manner of wickedness and malice throughout history, he claims. Durban Fiasco: Options for Third World
Dr. Sudhanshu Tripathi - 1/13/2012
The recently held UN Conference on Climate Change in Durban could not blossom into full spirit. It simply agrees to engage into more talks to arrive at some kind of legally binding instruments ensuring imposition of emission curbs on all countries from 2020. It admits, according to this source, the fact that it is already too late to prevent the two degree Celsius rise which is the maximum limit for human beings on Earth to tolerate. The summit also witnessed the closing of not only the Kyoto Protocol of 1997 but also the idea of common but different... Maltin's Movie Guides Keep Giving
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/11/2012
Maltin’s Movie Guide requires no booting, minimal “surfing”, and no software, or special hardware. It is always on and it is authoritative in the best sense of the word: implying erudition, not bullying. It is updated sufficiently frequently to remain relevant in its field, though, admittedly, a web presence with real-time capsule reviews, peer-reviewed content, and user-generated commentary would have leveraged the Maltin brand to good use. An iPhone/iPad app of the Guide is a step in the right direction, hopefully to be followed by a comparable Android offering. Judaism’s Child Play
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/8/2012
Judaism is the only monotheistic religion which expressly allots a crucial role in its rites and ceremonies to infants, their predilections, and their pursuits. Children are positively encouraged and incentivized – often monetarily – to disrupt even the most solemn proceedings with questions (in Passover, during the Seder) or with raucous displays (in Purim, when they use their rattles to mark the names of Haman and other ill-wishers.) Prophetic women
Ellis Washington, J.D. - 1/3/2012
Now is come the last age of Cumaean song; the great line of the centuries begins anew. Now the Virgin returns, the reign of Saturn returns; now a new generation descends from heaven on high. Only do you, pure Lucina, smile on the birth of the child, under whom the iron brood shall at last cease and a golden race spring up throughout the world! Your own Apollo now is king! The gTLD Opera
Naseem Javed - 12/23/2011
The curtain rises on January 12th 2012 but key players are still singing different tunes. Let's peek into their performance as they start taking center stage. Make War and Money: Innovate!
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/20/2011
War and money confer an evolutionary advantage on Mankind by spurring innovation: hence their ubiquity. Attempts to foster creativity and genius via state largesse, the education system, and bolstering entrepreneurship pale in comparison to the accomplishments wrought on by belligerence and cupidity. Recession 2012, Euro Rejected, Newt and Obama
Prof. Peter Morici - 12/19/2011
I. A Second Great Recession in 2012?
Just as the U.S. economy appears improving, four sets of forces could thrust America into an abyss rivaling the Great Depression.
First, for decades, the Washington has pursued more open global trade and domestic deregulation. These unleashed great potential for innovation and growth; however, China and other nations have abused freer trade through export subsidies and import barriers to boost their economies at the expense of others. And, in some industries, a few players have amassed great monopoly power—notably, large financial house... Martyrdom of Hussein, Enemies of Islam
Tanveer Jafri - 12/14/2011
I. Martyrdom of Hussein reminds of victory of truth European Union, Eurasian Union
Lorna Thomas - 12/14/2011
1."FIVE DAYS TO SAVE THE EURO" AND AN EU TREATY CHANGE - GERMANY'S ROLE IN EUROPE GROWS INCREASINGLY DOMINANT What Will Happen to My Euros?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/14/2011
Investors have lost confidence in the political leadership of the Eurozone: in their commitment to the project, their solidarity, their willingness and ability to adopt unpopular measures, and their managerial competence. America’s political domination on two continents is over
Abid Mustafa - 12/12/2011
The fall of America doesn't have to be a complete collapse -- it is, after all, a country that has managed to reinvent itself many times before. But today it's no longer certain -- or even likely -- that everything will turn out fine in the end. --Der Spiegel A Shawshank Redemption Christmas
Ellis Washington, J.D. - 12/8/2011
I have no idea to this day what those two Italian ladies were singing about. Truth is, I don't wanna know. Some things are best left unsaid… It was like some beautiful bird flapped into our drab little cage and made those walls dissolve away and for the briefest of moments every last man at Shawshank felt free. Merkel Reforms Will Worsen Euro Crisis
Prof. Peter Morici - 12/8/2011
European leaders are working feverously to create what German Chancellor Merkel is calling a “fiscal union” to restore private investor confidence in Europe and rekindle growth. Unfortunately, what she advocates will thrust Europe into a deeper economic crisis, and leave European leaders without the fiscal and monetary policy tools necessary to combat recessions. American, Jobs, German Euro
Prof. Peter Morici - 12/5/2011
I. Unemployment Drops to 8.6 Percent as Many Adults Quit Labor Force The Democratic Renaissance Springs Forth into its Second Year: A New Era of Enlightenment Emerges
Jason R. Werbics - 12/2/2011
Eyes have been opened. Minds have been freed.
At the time of its publication in the summer of 2010, who could have imagined that the Direct Democracy Ireland manifesto, with its foreshadowing of a Democratic Renaissance, would be the first document of its kind to accurately describe a political and intellectual movement yet to attain substance and form; an aspiration that resided solely in the hearts and minds of millions around the world, brought closer together through technology and social media; an audacity to dream a little dream of freedom, dignity and hope everywhere, emboldened ... Private Education - A Bad Idea?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/2/2011
I am not too impressed with the level of public education. But is private education the solution? Occupy Revolution/Movement: Next Step Convergence
Joel S. Hirschhorn - 11/30/2011
There is a growing convergence of thinking about where the US Occupy movement should go as a next step to turning its values, concerns and commitments into changing what most Americans see as broken government under control of corporate interests. When it comes to political and social movements, history shows us that they usually fail not because they disappear, but rather because they become marginalized, unimportant despite a core group of committed people and groups. Abandon the Euro, Shy Away from Treasuries
Prof. Peter Morici - 11/28/2011
I. Time Fast Approaching for EU to Abandon the Euro The Feminine Mystique of Marxism
Ellis Washington, J.D. - 11/18/2011
Society had to be restricted so that women, who happen to be the people who give birth, could make a human, responsible choice whether or not—and when—to have children, and not be barred thereby from participating in society in their own right. This meant the right to birth control and safe abortion. Germany is Next to Fall
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/16/2011
As the crisis in Italy is threatening to spread to France, Austria, Belgium, and other "solid citizens" of the eurozone, pundits have hitherto ignored the greatest threat: Germany. With its economy stagnant (0.5% projected GDP growth this year), Germany has assumed hundreds of billions of euros in new commitments to the faltering euro project. Normally, in times of crisis, investors would snatch up German bunds, driving up their prices and driving down their yields. This time, yields on Germany's much-vaunted bunds remained stable. Investors are shying away, terrified that the toxic waste gene... Ahmadi-Muslims: the Moderate Muslims of Islam
Allison Knight-Khan - 11/16/2011
The media often asks the question: “Where are the moderate Muslims?” This question has been repeated often since 9/11. The question doesn’t really beg for an answer. It suggests that there are no moderate Muslims. In fact, it is a criticism. They are not looking for the moderate Muslims at all. I mean, if you look, you might find something…and that is not their intention at all. What they suggest or insinuate by asking this rhetorical question is: there are no moderate Muslims. Will Google Search Replace Domain Names?
Naseem Javed - 11/14/2011
The growing notion among big advertising agencies and brand marketers is that as search engines find answers instantly, there's no real need to enter a domain name in the browser and therefore domain names are far less important. They're absolutely right. Why would you type www.rolex.com when you can simply enter 'Rolex' and be there before you blink? Penn State Scandal: Big Time Sports Harm Universities
Prof. Peter Morici - 11/14/2011
The scandal at Penn State is more than a stain on a storied college football program and patriarchic coach. It is an indictment against universities who continue the pretense that big time sports support their academic mission. Italy, Gold, and the Euro
Prof. Peter Morici - 11/9/2011
I. Berlusconi Ouster Won’t Avert Italian Default, Euro Collapse Eurozone Crisis: You Read It First in Global Politician, almost TWO YEARS ago!
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/9/2011
Almost two years (!) before anyone dreamed of a eurozone crisis, a Greek default, and soaring yields on Italian bonds, Global Poilitician has published a series of articles predicting all three events. Click on the links and judge for yourselves: Weak Position Limits Cannot Tackle Speculation in Commodities
Kavaljit Singh - 11/2/2011
After months of delay, the US commodity regulator – Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) – finally approved new rules to limit traders’ positions on 28 physical commodity futures (and swaps) contracts. ICAAN and gTLDs: Revolt and Fantasy
Naseem Javed - 10/31/2011
I. A Made Up Fantasy and the ICANN GTLD Reality
According to webcentricsolutionsonline.co.uk, Gary Elliot, the chairman of the Association of National Advertisers and vice president of global marketing at Hewlett-Packard, wrote a column in Advertising Age titled "ICANN's Promises Aren't Simply Speculation, They're Outright Fantasy".
His arguments opposing ICANN gTLDs are similar to the other heads of various advertising associations around the world.
While the main powerbrokers of the global advertising sector are mum, ... Poverty: a social burden or a challenge to be alleviated
Iqbal Ahmed - 10/27/2011
What is poverty? It points to a cycle of human behavior, suggesting that the poor remain in poverty because of their adaptation to the burden of unfulfilled needs. The Quick Demise of Qwikster - ICANN gTLD Approach
Naseem Javed - 10/19/2011
The superstar movie rental giant, Netflix rapidly graduated to movie streaming and suddenly splintered the old fashioned DVD movie rentals and created 'Qwikster', a separate division with a name identity inspired by the sorts of Twitter and Napster etc. When the outcry of customers reached the boardroom, the objections over account access, dual billings and having to deal with two separate unrelated name identities overwhelmed the management while the wisdom kicked in. It's the Same Banking Crisis, Stupid!
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/15/2011
The crisis that started in 2008 is a banking crisis and it is still going strong. Banks all over the world over-leveraged their capital and extended loans unwisely to the undeserving. Britannica Everywhere?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/11/2011
Overview
Britannica Online
Encyclopedia Britannica 2011-2012 Ultimate Editions
Britannica Guides and CD-ROMs
Overview
The Encyclopedia Britannica has long been much more than a venerable print reference work. A decade ago it pioneered a freemium website (some content free, other content behind a pay wall). This has now flourished into a comprehensive walled garden of knowledge. Additionally, the Britannica publishes books and CD-ROMs about specific topics and issues. These are the best primers and introductions available to a host of fields and areas, from hi... Modern Hagiography: Steven Jobs and Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/8/2011
Steven Jobs had one important insight in his entire life: that people are imbeciles and should be treated as such. Prior to this epiphany, this college dropout had failed in everything he had done and touched, to the point of being ousted by a soft-drinks executive from the very company he had founded. By 1985, his products had been roundly rejected by both the robust business market and the fledgling home market. Darwin’s diabolical delusions
Ellis Washington, J.D. - 9/30/2011
Liberals defend the guilty and impugn the innocent not only because they side with barbarians, but because a fair and just system of law challenges their hegemony as judges of the universe. How much is that?
Naseem Javed - 9/28/2011
Is $185,000 the right price for a single gTLD? No, it's definitely not. If a gTLD is supposed to provide worldwide exclusive use of a name identity with unlimited sub-name-brand-extension-domains, this amount is insufficient for ICANN to add on critical features in the same application process. A gTLD is like buying a powerful car engine, and being given a list of body makers, mechanics and tire shops for optional fitting. This is just how it was before the revolutionary BOOK REVIEW: The Oldale Curiosity Shop
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/15/2011
“Who, or Why, or Which, or What: A Global Gazetteer of the Instructive and Strange” by John Oldale – London and New-York, Particular Books (Penguin Group), 2011 Narcissist's Reactions to Deficient, Fake, Negative, Low-grade, or Static Narcissistic Supply
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/9/2011
The narcissist presents to the world a facade of invincibility, equanimity, superiority, skilfulness, cool-headedness, invulnerability, and, in short: indifference. Yen’s Recent Surge Hurting Japan
Rajaram Panda, Ph.D. - 9/5/2011
The steady appreciation of the Japanese Yen is hurting Japan’s economy at a time when it is still struggling to recover from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami and the unresolved crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The administration of Kan Naoto government was unable to implement policy measures to deal with the catastrophe. His successor Noda Yoshihiko, who was the finance minister in the Kan Cabinet, is expected to understand financial matters better and therefore has a tough job to do to rein in the surging Yen. When the Yen ventured near its March 17 high of 76.25 agains... Darwin’s legal legacy: Justice O.W. Holmes
Ellis Washington, J.D. - 9/1/2011
To Holmes law was simply an embodiment of the ends and purposes of a society at a given point in its history. Crisis of Growth, Crisis of Measuring Growth
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/26/2011
The sovereign debt crisis of 2010-2 emanated from the realization that lower growth rates throughout the industrialized West were insufficient to guarantee the repayment of debts accumulated by governments. The proceeds of the credits and loans assumed by public sectors throughout Europe and in the USA were ploughed into successive futile attempts to stimulate ailing economies and avert banking crises and panics. ‘Ideological terrorism’ is the biggest threat to mankind
Tanveer Jafri - 8/22/2011
Terrorism is considered to be the biggest challenge facing the world today. The pattern emerging out of it clearly shows that most of the perpetrators of terrorist violence are either influenced by or owe their allegiance to one or another extreme ideology. Psychopathic Narcissists: The Uncanny Valley of Cold Empathy
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/22/2011
Cold Empathy evokes the concept of “Uncanny Valley”, coined in 1970 by the Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori. Mori suggested that people react positively to androids (humanlike robots) for as long as they differ from real humans in meaningful and discernible ways. But the minute these contraptions come to resemble humans uncannily, though imperfectly, human observers tend to experience repulsion, revulsion, and other negative emotions, including fear. The Debt Crisis and the Difference between a Strategic and a Tactical Surprise
Yoav J. Tenembaum - 8/19/2011
One of the main features that distinguish a crisis from a non-crisis situation is the element of surprise. Japan and Russia: Lessons from each other
Sameer Jafri - 8/19/2011
Russia is about 40 times bigger than Japan in terms of area; still they both complement each other in many ways. Albeit following different systems of administration and governance, both Japan and Russia boast of lots of feats to their credit attained during the post-World War period. Still, there remains much for both of them to learn from each other. REVIEW Thieves: One Dirty TV Pastor and the Man Who Robbed Him
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/18/2011
TITLE: Thieves: One Dirty TV Pastor and the Man Who Robbed Him (Denver, Trey Smith Books, 2011) The global crisis and the decline of market fundamentalism
Prof. Dr. Rumen Georgiev - 8/18/2011
The questions how is the current global economic crisis similar to previous collapses of this kind and in what way it differs from them, as well as what lessons we should draw from it, has been debated on a number of occasions during various scientific discussions and in the media. The gTLD Metamorphosis
Naseem Javed - 8/16/2011
The cocooned GTLD has started to spread its wings, soon it will show its color and become a butterfly. The well guarded fuzzy and slow progress has finally put some real power in the most anticipated metamorphosis but the world still The Insanity of the Insanity Defense
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/16/2011
By Sam Vaknin
Author of "Malignant Self-love: Narcissism Revisited"
Aron Levy, who kidnapped, murdered and dismembered 8-year old Leiby Kletzky in Brooklyn now faces a battery of defense-appointed experts in an attempt to plead NGRI (“Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity”). He has a history of “psychiatric disorders” and had been hearing voices, his lawyers claim.
The insanity defense in criminal trials is nothing new. The Babylonian Talmud had this to say 1800 years ago: “It is an ill thing to knock against a deaf-mute, an imbecile, or a minor. He that wounds them is culpable, b... Letter to Generation Y
Ellis Washington, J.D. - 8/12/2011
My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments. Liberal fascism through the ages
Ellis Washington, J.D. - 8/5/2011
No matter how mad the plan is—Fraternité, the ‘New Soviet Man,’ the Master Race, the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution, Building a New Society, ObamaCare—a [liberal] mob will believe it. The Case of Maltin's Movie Guides: The Expert and the Crowd
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/2/2011
In an age of crowdsourcing and mob "wisdom" made available on every mobile device, why invest in a reference book? With dozens of user reviews available on websites such as imdb.com and rottentomatoes.com for each film ever shot, however obscure - why bother with Maltin's voluminous fine-print doorstopper movie guides? Because Maltin is the Britannica to imdb's Wikipedia: he offers expertise where laymen merely register opinions. The Greatest Savings Crisis in History
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/27/2011
In 1996-7, a saving bank named TAT collapsed in Macedonia, eliminating the savings of thousands of people of all walks of life and nearly causing a recession. Adopted Homelands
Ron Coody - 7/27/2011
On the front page of the Turkish newspaper I picked up today at the local Istanbul cafe two articles confronted me. Portfolio Management Theory And Technical Analysis Lecture Notes
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/25/2011
The Bill of Rights of the Investor
1. To earn a positive return (=yield) on their capital.
2. To insure his investments against risks (=to hedge).
3. To receive information identical to the that of ALL other investors - complete, accurate and timely and to form independent judgement based on this information.
4.To alternate between investments - or be compensated for diminished liquidity.
5. To study how to carefully and rationally manage his portfolio of investments.
6.To compete on equal terms for the allocation of resources.
7. To assume tha... Ann Coulter on [liberal] mob psychology
Ellis Washington, J.D. - 7/21/2011
Laws of logic have no action on crowds.
~ Gustave Le Bon (1896)
But liberals, being a mob, are perfectly capable of holding two completely contradictory ideas in their heads at the same time.
~ Ann Coulter
Leading conservative intellectual and my fellow WND colleague, Ann Coulter has done it again writing yet another #1 New York Times bestselling book, “Demonic: How the Liberal Mob is Endangering America.” In this outstanding book Coulter uses the enduring idée fixe that “Democrats are heirs to the French Revolution, the uprising of a mob. Conservatives are heirs to the Am... The Morality of Child Labor
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/21/2011
From the comfort of their plush offices and five to six figure salaries, self-appointed NGO's often denounce child labor as their employees rush from one five star hotel to another, $3000 subnotebooks and PDA's in hand. The hairsplitting distinction made by the ILO between "child work" and "child labor" conveniently targets impoverished countries while letting its budget contributors - the developed ones - off-the-hook. From Madoff to Murdoch to Greece: Whatever Happened to Ethics?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/18/2011
The former head of the biggest stock exchange in the world swindles his clients. The editors and journalists of Britain's largest paper hack the phone of the victims of crime and terrorism. Greek workers paralyze the country, refusing to give up early and costly pensions. American congressmen say that defaulting on the country's debts wouldn't be such a bad thing. Who will tell the Men and Women of God?
Prof. Dr Anthony A Kila - 7/18/2011
Up until not too long ago, everybody we knew was Anglican, Catholic or something similar to that. The clergymen were then known by titles such as canon, reverend, father and vicar. They were known for their robes, collar and demeanor; they were not necessarily good public or motivational speakers but they were clearly knowledgably, well read, generally full of commonsense and always capable offering administrative aid such as letter writing and providing reference and representations. Miracles were not part of the most frequently discussed topics of the clergymen of then and their congregations were quite content. South Sudan vs. Kosovo: Secession, National Sovereignty, and Territorial Integrity
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/13/2011
In July 2011, South Sudan became a new state by seceding from Sudan, follwing decades of civil war and a referendum. Caylee Calls us to the Crossroads
Ron Coody - 7/13/2011
I've read a little bit in recent days about the case of the death of Caylee Anthony. It's tragic, unbelievably tragic. The court acquitted her mother of murder. What's so unbelievably frustrating and unjust in the matter is that a little girl died and was tossed out. The mother doesn't seem to care. Where is the desperate attempt to locate the person who put duct tape on Caylee's mouth and let her to decay in the woods? Where is the heart-wrenching sense of loss that a normal mother would feel at losing her child? All the mother seems to care about is having gotten off free. The Missing Dimension
Dr. Gary K. Busch - 7/13/2011
It has been a great source of interest to read the erudite and professional reports of think tanks, high-priced political and economic consultants and a host of governmental and non-governmental experts on the subject of the conflicting pressures in international relations without seeing a word about the activities of national and international labour organisations as key players in this process. Metamorphosis: Digital Presence of Print Newspapers (Lecture Notes)
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/12/2011
Stage 1: Brainstorming
PAPERNAME ONLINE / ePAPERNAME SUGGESTED BRAINSTORMING AGENDA
I. STRATEGIC AIMS
Print versus Web primacy
Content flow models
The Web as an income or profit center
The Web as a marketing tool
The community aspects of the Web (interactivity, UGC - User Generated Content, social media strategies)
The Web as a shopping mall (e-commerce)
Integrative function of the medium's Web presence
PAPERNAME Online/ePAPERNAME as a brand and brand differentiation (the problem of cannibalism)
II. CONTENT and TRAINING
Audience-driven co... Letter to Generation X
Ellis Washington, J.D. - 7/12/2011
Property, brains and character will settle the question of civil rights. Narcissistic Immunity
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/9/2011
"We permit all things to ourselves and that which we call sin in others is experiment for us, for there is no crime to the intellect." The Making of Muhammad Yunus
Rashidul Bari - 6/28/2011
Grameen Bank (GB) was founded by Muhammad Yunus, a Fulbright scholar with a flair of a Citoyen (comrade). He was a classical economics student at Vanderbilt University, who had been schooled in the tradition of Adam Smith and Karl Marx. He was also a gifted writer who became a revolutionary journalist during the Bangladesh Liberation War. Two Capitalisms
Joel S. Hirschhorn - 6/25/2011
With a kind of religious fervor, American conservatives love to talk about their love of capitalism, as if it has a singular definition and can always be counted on to serve public and national interests. The intelligent way to think about capitalism is that it can be of two kinds. The good kind is patriotic and stakeholder oriented, the bad kind is selfish and shareholder obsessed. The global economic downturn is strong evidence of the dominant second form of capitalism that has caused so much human suffering while it has served the rich and powerful. Global Image Cyber Warfare: The gTLD weaponry
Naseem Javed - 6/22/2011
Why would someone invest $187,000 for single name application with ICANN plus another few hundred thousands of dollars on related costs to acquire a new gTLD domain root system? Simple, the real motivation will be to declare global-image-cyber-warfare and to create global market domination under a name identity. Allan Bloom - In Memoriam
Ellis Washington, J.D. - 6/15/2011
Part 1
We can’t avoid thinking. The thoughtless are always going to be the prisoners of other people’s thoughts. American intellectual life has given us an easy way to believe anything we want.
~ Allan Bloom (Time Magazine interview, Oct.1988)
Prologue
I am kindred spirits with Allan Bloom, a great American philosopher, historian, academic and classicist. My worn copy of Bloom’s magnum opus The Closing of the American Mind has the inscription: “Border’s Books, Sept. 7, 1988”— literally days after I arrived at Harvard as a grad student during the same time as Barack Ob... How The Stupid Took Over the World
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/4/2011
The Stupid, the Retarded, and the Moronic are everywhere: among the working classes, of course, but increasingly you can find them displacing the erstwhile elites, spawning hordes of mindless politicians, idiot business tycoons, narcissistic media personalities, vacuous celebrities, illiterate bestselling authors, athletes with far more brawn than brain, repetitious pop singers, and even ignorant academics. Richard Hofstadter—America’s iconic Marxist historian
Ellis Washington, J.D. - 6/1/2011
I join [the Communist Party USA] without enthusiasm, but with a sense of obligation.... My fundamental reason for joining is that I don't like capitalism and want to get rid of it. To Believe or Not to Believe
Ron Coody - 5/26/2011
Stephen Hawking, the world-renowned physicist tells us there's no heaven. This is hardly an original thought. The Buddhists and Hindus and other religions have opted out of having a coherent theology of heaven since the beginning. The ancient Jews didn't really have a clear idea either, and the Jewish sect of religious leaders called The Sadducee didn't believe in the resurrection. The ICANN- gTLD Myth: It will hurt big trademark owners
Naseem Javed - 5/24/2011
When a good name identity is super glazed with a good trademark protection plan there is no reason why it would be hurt by ICANN's gTLD. For example, great names like Google, Sony, Panasonic, Rolex, Microsoft or CNN are not losing their sleep over GTLD while other mega corporations of the world, with names like United, National, Star, Total, Union, Monster, Metro or General are all scrambling and find refuge in declaring gTLD a new major threat. June 2021: Ten Predictions for the Coming Decade
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/24/2011
1. Italy, the euro, and the US dollar
On November 24, 2010, I published (in Global Politician and elsewhere) an article titled “Italy will Kill the Euro”. Six months later, credit rating agencies have downgraded Italy’s outlook from “stable” to “negative”. Italy is in worse shape than most members of the European Union (EU): at 6% of GDP, it has an ostensibly sustainable budget deficit, but its external debt (now close to 120% of GDP) is higher than that of the most egregious wastrels in the bloc, Greece and Ireland included. Italy's banking sector is over-exposed to borrowers in Ce... The Evolution of Revolution
Fathi El-Shihibi - 5/24/2011
"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." Narcissists and Hotel Maids: The Strauss-Kahn Affair and Beyond
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/20/2011
Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the scandal-ridden former head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. But, if he did try to rape the hotel maid in New-York in May 2011, his behavior would conform to the type of misconduct common among malignant narcissists. Bin-Laden’s glorification: An insult to Islam
Tanveer Jafri - 5/17/2011
Osama Bin Laden, the face of the global terrorism spread in the name of Islam and the killer of thousands of innocent people, was ultimately killed by the American forces earlier this month in Abbottabad, near Pakistani capital Islamabad. Of Heaven and Hell
Ron Coody - 5/17/2011
Two books have caught my attention lately. From the title of this article you may be able to guess which two. Conditions for a Successful Relationship between Diaspora and State
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/15/2011
Conditions for a Successful Relationship between Diaspora and State Power Play of Name Evaluation
Naseem Javed - 5/12/2011
There was a time, when businesses names were simply picked out of a hat, literally, and at times very successfully. Later, the complexity of the marketplace boosted the name lists to such huge quantities that they had to use larger drums, truly. Of Revolts and Reforms
G. Murphy Donovan - 5/7/2011
“Revolution is a transfer of power; reform is the correction of abuses.” – Lytton The Story in Metal
Ron Coody - 5/5/2011
With Easter just past many folks have paused to think about the story of the Passion of Jesus. The story says that a first century Jew from the northern Palestine province of Galilee became a folk hero through his moral and spiritual teaching, purported miracle-working, unjust death on a Roman cross and alleged resurrection three days later. Corporate Face: The Five Masks
Naseem Javed - 5/2/2011
Every corporation has a face, as imagery, shine and style is inter-layered into a skin appearing as a mask with uplift captured by its distinct name identity and poised to reach the upper stratosphere of stardom. Corporate masks are just like real people, some are exciting and some boring, some you remember and some you forget, some you like and some you simply don’t. Fundamental Structures of Buddhism: The Law of Change and the Principle of Self-Reliance
Dr. Ravindra Kumar - 5/2/2011
Buddhism is one of the foremost religious-spiritual, social, and indeed, political philosophies of the world. As is well-known, Gautama Buddha, the Light of Asia, not only brought about a revolution in religious-spiritual thinking, but also divulged the reality of existence for all forms of life on this planet. Reclaiming Time
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/1/2011
The commoditization and commercialization of Time are recent phenomena. Until the advent of the Industrial Revolution, man’s time was at the mercy of Nature and the seasons or surrendered to superiors and masters to be allocated at their will. Serfs and servants, vassals, and clergy were mere cogs in social machines which dictated what they did and, as importantly, when they did it, in accordance with strict long-predetermined schedules. This is Your Freedom
Ron Coody - 4/29/2011
For five years I lived in southern Kazakstan, walking some of the same places where Alexander Solzhenitsyn lived during his days of exile in the Soviet Gulag Archipelago. The Soviets had a decisive way of dealing with dissidents, they either killed them or locked them up and threw away the key. Having grown up in the height of the Cold War, I well remember the threat of the Soviet Union. Once I got to Kazakstan in 1993 to work with a non-profit environmental company, I could see the threat had not been imaginary. Soviet era factories and massive housing complexes came equipped with gas ma... Effects on Emerging Economies of Downgrading of US Credit Rating
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/29/2011
Standard and Poore’s have changed the outlook for the credit rating of American Federal obligations (including Treasuries) from “stable” to “negative”. This means that the rating agency believes that the current fiscal haemorrhage (budget deficit) of the USA is not sustainable. The value of American debt is bound to be eroded either by defaulting on it (unthinkable hitherto) or, much more likely, by soaring inflation. Simultaneously, S&P downgraded debt instruments issued by US municipalities (“munis”) whose proceeds were used to pay for previous issues. The West, state multiculturalism and its failure
Abid Mustafa - 4/26/2011
Earlier this year, David Cameron launched a devastating tirade against 30 years of multiculturalism in Britain. He warned that multiculturalism was incubating extremist ideology and directly contributing to home-grown Islamic terrorism. He said,” We have failed to provide a vision of society [to young Muslims] to which they feel they want to belong. We have even tolerated segregated communities behaving in ways that run counter to our values. All this leaves some young Muslims feeling rootless. And the search for something to belong to and believe in can lead them to extremist ideology." Book Review: Working
Dr. Tony Donaldson - 4/15/2011
Review of Working, edited by Ahmad Zakii Anwar, Jalaini Abu Hassan, Adeline Ooi and Beverly Yong, with photography by Tara Sosrowardoyo. Published by Rogue Art, Kuala Lumpur [2010] MYR120 [US $40] Global Peace Movement and Relevance of Gandhian View
Dr. Ravindra Kumar - 4/13/2011
“Mahatma Gandhi embodied in his life certain universal principles that are inherent in the moral structure of the universe, and these principles are as inescapable as the law of gravitation.” –Martin Luther King Junior Revolution in the Air
Ron Coody - 4/8/2011
This spring brings not only budding trees but budding revolutions sweeping across North Africa and the Middle East. The latest to join the revolutionary movement are the countries of Ivory Coast and Syria. The pattern has repeated again and again in the past weeks. Countries dominated by an entrenched dictator have seen mass crowds of ordinary citizens pouring into the highways and byways with their cell phones and laptops heating up from constant communication directing the groundswell of dissatisfaction and demand for change. The people seem genuinely fed-up with the rule of one strongma... Forms, Pattern, and Substance
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/5/2011
We cannot conceive of any process of production without the dubious aid of the Watchmaker’s Metaphor: an artisan; a plan, or program, or procedure; raw materials, or inputs; and the finished product – all four elements distinct from one another. Yet, in nature, this division of labor is rarely true: in the vast majority of cases the raw materials and the program are one and the same and the artisan is missing altogether. The Qualities of a Good Politician in a Democratic Society
Adewale T Akande - 4/4/2011
The first principles of unalienable rights recognises that everyone is naturaly endowed by their Creator with certain rights that cannot be infringed or given away. Amongst these rights are life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. From Kwame Nkrumah to Mark Zuckerberg
Gustavo Envela - 3/30/2011
"The United States of America, Under the Measured and Deliberative leadership of President Barack Obama Must Be Clear, Precise, Concise and Consistent in its AFRICAN FOREIGN POLICY, as it is with other regions of the world because the 'African Continent and Africans Matter with the natural resources, but especially with the untapped Human Intellectual Resources which, in short, is PRICELESS'" Fearing the Worst: How Crises in Middle East and Japan Threaten a Second Great Recession
Prof. Peter Morici - 3/22/2011
Crises in the Middle East and Japan threaten to thrust the U.S. and global economies into a second recession. Agonies of a Global Villager
Prof. Dr Anthony A Kila - 3/21/2011
It is now virtually impossible for most people to finish a day without using or coming across the concept of global village. Some cite it directly whilst most refer to it. As one can imagine, these allusions come in different spices and each one of us will use it or come across it in our own way and in our own world. When faced with a situation, those with analytic minds and keen on comparison will point out that elsewhere or before now, things are done differently. Those that live by identification will camouflage and say “we” when referring to faraway football squads such as Manchester Unite... Migration creates efficiency gains
Bhuwan Thapaliya - 3/18/2011
Throughout history migration has been an important social and economic safety valve for most nations especially the underdeveloped ones. Considering so, there has been a sharp increase in labor mobility allowing the laborers to relocate to foreign soils. Today remittances have become the biggest source of foreign earnings for innumerable developing countries. Supporting Democracy in Middle East and North Africa Means Standing by the People
Nima Sharif - 3/11/2011
While, the Iranian post-election unrest back in 2009 did not come to a favourable conclusion, it had a considerable influence on people in North Africa and Middle East encouraging them to stand up for their desires of freedom. Multifarious faces of Islam
Bhuwan Thapaliya - 3/10/2011
During the Cold War, people in the West asked two questions about communism. Was it reformable? And could we live with it? Without equating Islam and Communism, the West should perhaps be asking the same question about radical Islam. Political Profile of Irrational Voters
Prof. Dr Anthony A Kila - 3/5/2011
There are roughly two categories of people involved in any electoral process. In the first category we have the very few that actively seek office and each one works to get as much vote as he or she can get; these are the candidates. By the way, the word candidate comes from candidātus (in Latin dressed in white) because in ancient Rome, those seeking office were dressed in white togas. The second category is made of the very many who have to vote for the very few in the first category, they are the voters and each voter has only one vote to manage. Dancing as an Evolutionary Strategy
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/3/2011
Dances are thinly disguised simulations of sex acts. But there’s more to dancing than bawdy ribaldry. The sweaty proximity allows the partners to exchange an enormous amount of information about their respective bodies: from joint suppleness, through spatial orientation and coordination, and down to the fine details of their immunological systems (such as the major histocompatibility complex MHC) carried by their body odours. In this sense, dancing aids and abets the forces of natural selection and eugenic breeding. Indeed, in many 16th and 17th century textbooks dancing is grouped with hunting, fighting, wrestling, and running. Striking a Balance: Unions and the Public Interest
Prof. Peter Morici - 3/1/2011
The drama playing out in Wisconsin and public reaction illustrates why unions have America’s governors and legislatures hog tied and states teetering on insolvency. Book Review: Allah Is Dead: Why Islam is not a Religion
Siavosh Rajizadeh - 2/25/2011
Books on Islam is a saturated market, an editor friend of mine told a few months ago. At the time I though she might be right. I had only recently read a couple of works that, for want of a better description, read like second rate Bruce Bawers. Maudlin and self-absorbed, these books (which shall remain nameless) tell us more about the authors than they do about radical Islam. Former boyfriends, Holland in the Springtime, and hints that the Pulitzer Prize went to the wrong author, are punctuated with references to female genital mutilation, terrorist acts, and hook-handed radical preachers. Food inflation: Back into the driver’s seat
Bhuwan Thapaliya - 2/25/2011
How do you sell poverty? Very simple – inflate the food prices. And unfortunately, this is happening. Much to the dismay of the poor – the global food inflation has raised its murky head yet again, and rising food prices is making life a misery for millions of people all around the globe. Writing that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN
Alexander Maistrovoy - 2/17/2011
In the middle of the 15th century the waters of Lausanne lakes were flooded with bloodsuckers that afflicted the population of the city. To stop this misfortune, rich citizens asked for assistance from famous Heidelberg ecclesiastics. A criminal case was initiated against the contemptible creatures. Some of them were brought to court to listen to the judgment. They were demanded to leave the lakes within three days. Ecclesiastics performed spells and rituals after which bloodsuckers, as annals say, shamefully retired. The Second Middle Ages
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/14/2011
The fourth quarter of the twentieth century and the first decade of the twenty-first herald a period akin, in some respects, to certain stretches of the Middle Ages. The High Middle Ages – especially after the conquest of Spain by the Arabs (Moors) - was characterized by rapid technological and scientific progress. The very organizing principles, the foundations of society were revolutionized by advances in commerce, travel, and scholarship. It was a post-ideological, pragmatic, and materialistic age concerned with money, power, and, yes, sex. Yet, these superficial similarities rested on shift at the state and individual levels: Patricide: How Young Leaders Mistreat Their Predecessors
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/14/2010
By definition, leaders are authority figures and, as such, stand in for one’s father, especially in patriarchal and traditionalist societies. Old-school psychoanalysts would tell you that such substitution is bound to provoke one’s latent Oedipal complex and proclivity for patricide, whether actual (in the form of an assassination) or symbolic (in the form of dissent and disdainful criticism). Young, emerging leaders more often than not treat their predecessors this way: as hated parent-figures. This is especially true when the new or young leader’s childhood has been marked by the traumas wrought on by an absent, or an abusive father. Corporate and Product Brands as Stereotypes
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/16/2010
Brands can be viewed as reputation-based stereotypes which are the emergent outcomes of mass opinions and judgements (mainly communicated via word-of-mouth); public perceptions and misperceptions; cognitive and emotional elements and deficits; and new data. Brands are impermanent and amenable to constant revision. There are negative brands (negative brand equity) as well as positive brands. Brands imply a promise, a contract between the firm and its various stakeholders (investors, management, employees, customers, suppliers). Brands signal information about the firm and its products to competitors and the media. Why Do Christians Remain Silent About the Persecution of Christians in Muslim-Majority Societies?
Prof. Barry Rubin - 11/11/2010
Christians in Iraq have been, and not for the first time, deliberately targeted in a major terrorist attack. Indeed, from Indonesia to Pakistan to Iraq, from the Gaza Strip to Egypt to Sudan to Nigeria, Christians are being assaulted, intimidated, and murdered by militant Muslims. Names of Collectives (Sets) versus Names of Individuals
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/9/2010
Individuals are members of classes or sets (hereinafter referred to as “collectives”). Names of collectives are fundamentally different to names of individuals: Dark Corners of Cosmology
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/21/2010
When we look out to the Cosmos, we survey an inventory of all the objects – stars, galaxies, and, now, planets – that had ever existed. Owing to the limited speed of light, our telescopes peer not only out to space but back in time as well. There is no way of knowing whether what we see still exists. Example: light from the binary star Alpha-Centaury requires 4.4 years to reach us. Thus, at any given moment we can ascertain that it had existed 4.4 years ago. Had it exploded 1 year ago, we would still count it as among the living for the next 3.4 years. Thus, the disciplines of cosmology and as... Monopolizing the Field of Vision: From AND Screens to OR Screens
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/8/2010
1. Screens that Include Reality vs. Screens that Exclude It REVIEW Pears Cyclopedia 2010-2011
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/28/2010
The 2010-2011 edition of Pears Cyclopedia offers no new topics, but adds considerable heft to the "Britain Today", "Literary Companion", and "Medical Matters" sections. The "Life and Leisure" chapter has been expanded to comprise the "The World of Dance" and "The Great Outdoors" on top of the delectable "World of Wine".
The Cyclopedia is kept astoundingly up to date by a dedicated team of 30 or so scholar-contributors. I spotted hundreds of updates even in a curosory sweep. The computers section now includes sub-chapters about encryption, phishing, and cloud computing. The entry for... Economic Trust and Mistrust Numercal Index
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/26/2010
I suggest a simple index of economic trust with the following variables, all of which are scored on a scale of 1 to 10: Britannica's Reference Galaxy 2011
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/20/2010
The Encyclopedia Britannica has long been much more than a venerable print reference work. A decade ago it pioneered a freemium website (some content free, other content behind a pay wall). This has now flourished into a comprehensive walled garden of knowledge. Additionally, the Britannica publishes books and CD-ROMs about specific topics and issues. These are the best primers and introductions available to a host of fields and areas, from history to science. Basel III and the Safety of Banks
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/14/2010
In the wake of the Great Recession (2007-8) - a crisis largely of the financial system - the multinational Basel Committee and the Group of Central Bank Governors and Heads of Supervision, comprised of central bankers, banking supervisors, and regulators more than doubled the amount of equity (Tier 1) capital banks must have to 4.5%. The Film "Inception" and its Errors
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/14/2010
In the film "Inception", Dom Cobb, is an "extractor": he steals confidential information by hacking into a subject's brain during a dream and conning the victim into disclosing his secrets. This intellectually-challenging and visually-captivating film makes a series of assumptions, none of which withstands close scrutiny: The Psychology of Spree Shooters
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/4/2010
Most spree shooters are loners. They are either schizoid (with deficient interpersonal skills) or paranoid and even paranoid-schizophrenic (psychotic, delusional). Their dysfunction is all-pervasive: their family life, career, romantic relationships, professional and material accomplishments are all adversely affected by their mental mayhem. They feel excluded and shunned and are profoundly ashamed of and frustrated with their inadequacies and with their sadistic, self-destructive, suicidal, and self-defeating "inner judge" (inner, introjected "voices" or narrative). This frustration builds up... The Agent-Principal Problem in Politics
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/30/2010
The agent-principal problem is rife in politics. In the narrative that is the modern state, politicians are supposed to generate higher returns to citizens by increasing the value of the state's assets and, therefore, of the state. In the context of politics, assets are both of the economic and of the geopolitical varieties. Politicians who fail to do so, goes the morality play, are booted out mercilessly. Envy as the Foundation of Capitalism
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/17/2010
In the 18th century, the political philosopher and novelist Jean-Jacques Rousseau made a distinction between amour de soi and amour propre. The former involved striking a balance between regard for one's own welfare and well-being and the empathy that one owed and felt towards others. It was another phrase for self-love, self-regard, and self-awareness. The latter - amour proper - was all about grandiose and malignant narcissism, an unseemly conflation of self-gratification and conceited haughtiness, and the insatiable need to be reflected in the gaze of others as the only path to self-knowled... Print Books (p-books) and Electronic Books (e-books): Different Packaging or Revolution?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/15/2010
The first-ever print runs were tiny by our standards and costly by any standard. Gutenberg produced fewer than 200 copies of his eponymous and awe-inspiring Bible and died a broken and insolvent man. Other printers followed suit when they failed to predict demand (by readers) and supply (by authors who acted as their own publishers, pirates, underground printers, and compilers of unauthorized, wild editions of works). Public Intellectuals: The Rise of the Librarians and the Decline of the Author
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/14/2010
There are two flavours of public intellectual: librarians and authors. Deflation in the USA and its Effects on Consumption and Investment
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/11/2010
Interview granted to Bankrate.com, August 2010
Q. Why would deflation happen in the United States?
A. For deflation to happen in the USA, an unlikely confluence of economic developments and policy errors must occur. Unemployment must resurge and reach levels of well above 15% on a prolonged and sustained basis; consumption and, consequently, capital investment must collapse; asset prices - especially equity and residential real-estate - must crumble; the banking system must suffer a substantial contraction; the government must cut its budget deficit considerably and abruptly; and... Deflation and the Value of Cash
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/2/2010
I. Deflation
Traditional economics claims that deflation actually increases the value of cash to its holder by enhancing its purchasing power in an environment of declining prices (negative growth in the average price level). Though highly intuitive, this is wrong. It is true that in a deflationary cycle, consumers are likely to delay consumption in order to enjoy lower prices later. But this precisely is what makes most asset classes – including cash – precarious and unprofitable.
Deflationary expectations (let alone actual deflation) lead to liquidity traps and zero interest-rates.... Sexsomnia and the Immaculate Conception of Jesus Christ
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/16/2010
"I am with child” – says Mariam, her eyes downcast. In the murk he could not tell if her cheeks are flushed, but the tremor in her voice and her posture are signs enough. They are betrothed, he having paid the mohar to her family two moons ago with witnesses aplenty. She was a virgin then: the elders of both families made sure and vouched for her. At 14 years of age she was no beauty, but her plainness and the goodness of her heart appealed to him. She was supple and lithe and a hard worker. He liked her natural scents and she often laughed, a bell-like tintinnabulation that he grew fond of as... Order and the Universe
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/14/2010
Earth is a complex, orderly, and open system. If it were an intelligent being, we would have been compelled to say that it had "chosen" to preserve and locally increase form (structure), order and complexity. The Hitler File: Prologue
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/3/2010
Based on hundreds of newly-discovered documents in archives the world over – now … Aliens ‘R Us: The Ten Errors of Science Fiction
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/27/2010
In all works of science fiction, there are ten hidden assumptions regarding alien races. None of these assumptions is a necessity. None of them makes immanent or inevitable sense. Yet, when we read a sci-fi novel or watch a sci-fi movie we tend to accept all of them as inescapable. They amount to a frame of reference and to a language without which we seem to be unable to relate to all manner of exobiology. We evidently believe that life on Earth is a representative sample and that we can extrapolate its properties and mechanisms of action wide and far across the Universe. The principles of sy... Why Do People Pay Taxes?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/3/2010
It is commonly - albeit erroneously and counterfactually - thought that taxpayers are intimidated into the fulfilment of their fiscal obligations and that tax collection is mainly about coercion. The truth is different. The Wikipedia Cult
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/28/2010
Interview granted to Daniel Tynan, May 2010
Q. When did the cult start?
A. I was involved with both the Wikipedia and its predecessor, the Nupedia. When the Nupedia was shelved and the Wikipedia launched, the first clusters of contributors regarded themselves as knowledge-aficionados, akin to an open-source movement. The Wikipedia did not possess the penetration and clout that it now enjoys. It was a club of gifted amateurs, to use the British expression. But as the Wikipedia expanded and attained its current status and prowess, power-hungry, narcissistic bullies leverag... A Classification of Lies and Confabulations
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/28/2010
A statement constitutes a lie only if at least one of the interlocutors knows it to be untrue, yet insists or assumes that it is true. If all the parties involved in the exchange know that the statement is false or if none of them know whether it is false or true, then it is fiction or an act of faith. Dow-Jones: I Told You So 14 Months Ago
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/2/2010
In February 2009 (when the Dow-Jones was hurtling towards 6500) I made a startling prediction: Symbol and Essence
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/24/2010
Aborigines in Australia believe that the entire universe is regenerated whenever they chant their songlines (Yiri). This is reminiscent of the Copenhagen interpretation of Quantum Mechanics, which postulates that particles – and, really, the entire world – are the outcomes of choices made by observers (the “collapse of the wave function”). The ancient Hebrews – and many orthodox Jews to this very day – swear by the miraculous power of their alphabet and its numerical equivalent (gimatria). The real name of God is so potent that it is never to be uttered lest in wreaks havoc and calamity on the... Why is Mathematics so Successful?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/16/2010
In earlier epochs, people used myths and religious narratives to encode all knowledge, even of a scientific and technological character. Words and sentences are still widely deployed in many branches of the Humanities, the encroachment of mathematical modeling and statistics notwithstanding. Yet, mathematics reigns supreme and unchallenged in the natural sciences. Why is that? What has catapulted mathematics (as distinct from traditional logic) to this august position within three centuries? PCL-R (Psychopathy Checklist Revised) Test: What's Wrong with Psychological Tests
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/12/2010
The second edition of the PCL-R test, originally designed by the controversial maverick Canadian criminologist Robert Hare in 1980 and again in 1991, contains 20 items designed to rate symptoms which are common among psychopaths in forensic populations (such as prison inmates or child molesters). It is designed to cover the major psychopathic traits and behaviours: callous, selfish, remorseless use of others (Factor 1), chronically unstable and antisocial lifestyle (Factor 2), interpersonal and affective deficits, an impulsive lifestyle and antisocial behaviour. REVIEW: The Britannica Guide to Climate Change
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/12/2010
Climate change and its cause, global warming, are concepts that are far less controversial today than they were a mere five years ago. Yet, both still generate heated debates online and off the Net and not only among ignorant laymen: scientists and politicians butt heads and shower insults on their opponents when it come to this most contentious of latter day apocalypses. Palestinians Celebrate Those Who Turned Christianity's Holiest Shrine into a Military Bunker
Prof. Barry Rubin - 4/11/2010
The Obama Administration doesn't understand this but it is signaling the Palestinian Authority (PA) that it can get away with anything, thus further dooming any hope for serious negotiations and perhaps leading to a restart of large-scale violence. Europe's Torture Exports
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/22/2010
A report published in March 2010 by Amnesty International and the Omega Research Foundation and titled “From Words to Deeds” accused European companies of manufacturing and selling “tools of torture”. Among these were fixed wall restraints, metal "thumb-cuffs", and electroshock "sleeves" and "cuffs" that deliver 50,000V shocks. Why Narcissists Cheat on their Spouses, Commit Adultery and have Extramarital Affairs and Liaisons
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/12/2010
Narcissists cheat on their spouses, commit adultery and have extramarital affairs and liaisons for a variety of reasons which reflect disparate psychodynamic processes: Christians' and Muslim' Image Problems
Shirin Taber - 3/11/2010
Christians and Muslims in America have an image problem. The rest of the world sees us as intolerant, belligerent, prideful, nationalistic, and extremist. As the daughter of Christian and Muslim parents, I feel like a kid stuck in a bad marriage, trying to salvage my parent’s reputation and begging them to get along. As a child I remember feeling conflicted in a home that followed two religions and suffering shame after the 1979 hostage crisis. Today I encounter this drama played in our country. Paradigm-Shifting vs. Paradigm-sustaining Science
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/7/2010
It is interesting to note that paradigm-shifting work is often produced by non-specialist outsiders, gifted amateurs, and laymen (such as Da Vinci, Steno, Mandel, Freud, and, to some extent, Einstein). As Thomas Kuhn noted, run of the mill scientists are vested and invested in the status quo and normally generate paradigm-sustaining theories and discoveries. Immature, Rogue, and Failed States
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/7/2010
An immature state is a polity whose elites are dysfunctional, venal, and narcissistic; whose economy is not viable, frequently dependent on handouts; and whose coherence is threatened by a lack of social consensus. Immature states typically lack political traditions, change agents, goal-oriented bureaucracies, and institutional memory. Consequently, the denizens of immature states are often xenophobic and insular. Transformations of Aggression
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 2/6/2010
Prone to magical thinking, the narcissist is deeply convinced of the transcendental meaning of his life. He fervently believes in his own uniqueness and "mission". He constantly searches for clues regarding the hidden - though inevitable - meaning of his personal life. The narcissist is forever a "public persona", even when alone, in the confines of his bedroom. His every move, his every act, his every decision and every scribbling is of momentous consequence. The narcissist often documents his life with vigil, for the benefit of future biographers. His every utterance and shred of correspondence are carefully orchestrated as befitting a historical figure of import. The Age of Stupid
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 2/6/2010
We live in a civilization that glorifies and elevates stupid people. The heroes of the previous centuries were all philosophers, scientists, and authors. Our role models are muscle-bound footballers, empty-headed pop stars, and rapacious, narcissistic businessmen. This dumbing down of Mankind is the culmination of several trends. The Great Recession: Plus ca change ...
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/26/2010
Two years later, many of the problems and imbalances that gave rise to the Great Recession are still with us and, owing to the might of special interest groups and Wall Street, are unlikely to be effectively tackled. This - coupled with the rampant mismanagement of public finances - virtually guarantee a second leg of this financial crisis in 2010.
Here is a partial list:
Synthetic collateralized debt obligations (structures of credit default swaps that yield streams of income identical to payments from pools of profile-specific mortgages) have not been banned or limited to... Positioning the Encyclopedia Britannica
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/24/2010
In the age of the Wikipedia, nearly-accurate information is ubiquitous. Granted, the data are riddled with errors and do not amount to structured knowledge. Still, Wikipedia-like online efforts are more than adequate for the needs of the vast majority of users. When in search of fault-free, in-depth, and articulate wisdom, students and academics revert to textbooks and scholarly magazines. Thus, the Encyclopedia Britannica falls between the cracks: it is too detailed, costly, and thorough to cater to the wants of the occasional peruser, yet it is not sufficiently authoritative to serve as a bibliographic source in a textbook or doctoral thesis. Ten New Global Trends 2010
Naseem Javed - 1/21/2010
Miniaturization
Every business process will go through intense compression and digitalization so when it comes out on the other side of the tunnel, it will have already considerably reduced its operational costs. This will enable the process to function effectively, more powerfully, and be highly replicatable, with a lower cost structure like a proverbial silver bullet. Will this now shrink entire office floors into cubicles, and cubicles into little icons on websites? Who would need to come to the offices anyway; managers, to put their feet on desks, water cooler crowds, elevator pitc... Are commercial partnerships between science and industry the best way to reduce GHG emissions?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/21/2010
If the reduction of GHG (Greenhouse Gases) is a public good, it should be provided mainly by the government (or by NGOs), possibly - but not necessarily - in conjunction with industry. If cutting emissions is essentially a commercial or private good, it is best left to market forces (firms, exchanges) with science merely providing guidance and input to agents and players. The Body as a Torture Chamber
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/15/2010
There is one place in which one's privacy, intimacy, integrity and inviolability are guaranteed: one's body, a unique temple and a familiar territory of sensa and personal history. The process of chronic disease invades, defiles and desecrates this shrine. It does so publicly, enhancing the sufferer's sense of helplessness and utter humiliation. Hence the all-pervasive, long-lasting, and, frequently, irreversible effects and outcomes of long-term, intractable illness. Why Free Trade Is Failing America
Prof. Peter Morici - 1/14/2010
No economic policy could better serve Americans than genuine free trade, but open trade policies are failing Americans. Free trade is a compelling idea to capitalists standing at conferences in front of their banner stands for trade shows. Let each nation do more of what it does best, and specialization will raise productivity and incomes. Americans are not sharing in those benefits because President Obama, like President Bush, permits China and others to cheat on the rules, unchallenged, to the detriment of the U.S. interests he was elected to champion. The Invention of Telling the Truth
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/14/2010
The extent of confusion that reigns when we discuss the concept of truth is evident in the film "The Invention of Lying". The movie takes place in a world where people are genetically unable to lie. When one of them, presumably an aberrant mutant (his son inherits his newfound ability), stumbles across the art of confabulation, his life is transformed overnight: he becomes rich, a celebrity, and marries the girl of his dreams (who scorned him before). The Negative Survival Value of Taboos
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/10/2010
Most taboos - especially those appertaining to sex and food - have clear survival value: coprophagia and cannibalism may be fatal and pedophilia and incest can have a deleterious effect on the quality of the gene pool. But taboos are creatures of their time. Their longevity and resistance to rational reappraisal are counter-productive as far as the human species and individuals are concerned. Right vs Left
Ted Belman - 12/31/2009
The comments in the last few days attempted to distinguish “real leftism” from “fascist or faux leftism”. This brings up the question of how do you define the former. Secondly, any definition must yield to history. What has been done in the name of the left to date? It should be judged by results. Can We Be Pleased with the Progress We Made on Climate Change Mitigation?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/20/2009
The response to climate change has hitherto been characterized either by dewy-eyed romanticism or by malignant optimism ("if we only recognize the magnitude and nature of the problem and throw money and new technologies at it, all will be well"). These twin fallacies (really, psychological defense mechanisms) have led to the adoption of implementation of measures and technologies that ranged from the futile (ethanol in gas) to the harmful (biofuels). In lieu of devising effective strategies to cope with this potential threat, leaders and civil society (NGOs, multilateral organizations) engaged... Vanity Publishing will Rescue the Print Media
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/22/2009
The circulation of print magazines has declined precipitously in the last few years. This dissolution of subscriber bases has accelerated dramatically as economic recession set in. But a diminishing wealth effect is only partly to blame. The managements of printed periodicals - from dailies to quarterlies - failed miserably to grasp the Internet's potential and potential threat. They were fooled by the lack of friendly and cheap e-reading devices into believing that old habits die hard. They do - but magazine reading is not habit forming. Readers' loyalties are fickle and shift according to co... Dissociative Identity Disorder and the Cycle of Violence
Marina Mazur, Ph.D. candidate - 11/20/2009
Dissociative Identity Disorder, formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder, is one of the most controversial mental disorders. The questions of its etiology and epidemiology are omnipresent in the psychological community. Research concerning the disorder’s connection to aggressive and violent behaviors in society is only in its infantile stages. However, if dissociative identity disorder is accepted as a valid form of mental illness and its causes and treatments are understood, then some types of interpersonal violence and self-destructive behaviors can be recognized, alleviated and eventually cured. Swine Flu as a Conspiracy
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/12/2009
The Internet has rendered global gossip that in previous epochs would have remained local. It also allowed rumour-mongers to leverage traditional and trusted means of communication - texts and images - to lend credence to the most outlandish claims. Some bloggers and posters have not flinched from doctoring photos and video clips. Still, the most efficient method of disseminating disinformation and tall tales in the wild is via text. Seven Concepts in Derivatives
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/3/2009
The implosion of the markets in some complex derivatives in 2007-9 drew attention to this obscure corner of the financial realm. Derivatives are nothing new. They consist of the transfer of risk to third parties and the creation of a strong correlation or linkage between the prices of one or more underlying assets and the derivative contract or instrument itself. Thus, whenever guarantors sign on a loan or credit agreement, they, in effect, are creating a derivative contract. Similarly, insurance policies can be construed as derivatives as well as options, futures, and forward contracts. Dow-Jones: On the Way to 4800
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/3/2009
A prediction I made in February 2009 (when the Dow-Jones was hurtling towards 6500) came true. In an article dated February 22, 2009 and titled "The Next 18 Months: Recession, False Recovery, Depression", I wrote: Cyber-celebrity vs. "Real" World Fame
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/31/2009
I know at least ten people whose personal Websites attract as many unique visitors a year as the number of copies sold of Dan Brown's books. Yet, Dan Brown is a global celebrity and they remain largely anonymous. Why is that? Fame is defined as the number of people who have heard about you. If the same number of people learns of your existence online as has heard of Dan Brown, why is it that he is in all the prime time TV talk shows and you are not? What is the difference between cyber-fame and the "real world" variety? Isn't the Internet an integral part of our reality? Pears Cyclopedia The World in Your Hand
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/29/2009
"Affection" and "attachment" are terms rarely used in a review of a reference title - but, they are the ones that come to my mind as I contemplate the new (2009-2010) edition of Pears Cyclopedia, one of many editions I possess. I confess to my addiction proudly: control freak that I am, I like holding the Universe of Knowledge in the palm of my hand, in manageable, pocket-sized form. Global Warming and Climate Change as Opportunities
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/18/2009
How must society adapt to rapid climate change to minimise severe upheaval? The Incorporeal World of "Surrogates"
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/18/2009
In the futuristic sci-fi film "Surrogates" (2009), people stay at home, their nervous system wired to allow them to remote control a robot, their surrogate. The robot and its operator, the human being, are an ontological unity: both share identical, objective experiences. There is one exception: when something bad happens to the robot, its owner is shielded from the consequences by some kind of "firewall", or in-built defense. The Dethroning of Man in the Western Worldview
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/14/2009
Whatever its faults, religion is anthropocentric while science isn't (though, for public relations considerations, it claims to be). Thus, when the Copernican revolution dethroned Earth and Man as the twin centers of God's Universe it also dispensed with the individual as an organizing principle and exegetic lens. This was only the first step in a long march and it was followed by similar developments in a variety of fields of human knowledge and endeavor. Carbon-neutral Transport Systems: Are We Doing Enough?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/14/2009
Are we doing enough to ensure a rapid and smooth transition to carbon neutral transport systems this century? Founding Fathers and The Character of States
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/11/2009
Even mega-states are typically founded by a small nucleus of pioneers, visionaries, and activists. The United States is a relatively recent example. The character of the collective of Founding Fathers has a profound effect on the nature of the polity that they create: nations spawned by warriors tend to be belligerent and to nurture and cherish military might throughout their history (e.g., Rome); When traders and businessman establish a country, it is likely to cultivate capitalistic values and thrive on commerce and shipping (e.g., Netherlands); The denizens of countries formed by lawyers are likely to be litigious. Adolescent Cultures
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/11/2009
The tripling of the world's population in the last century or so fostered a rift between the majority of industrial nations (with the exception of the United States) and all the developing and less developing countries (the "third world"). The populace in places like Western Europe and Japan (and even Russia) is ageing and dwindling. These are middle-aged, sedate, cultures with a middle-class, mature outlook on life. They are mostly liberal, consensual, pragmatic, inert, and compassionate. The Britannica 2010 Victorious?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/7/2009
With the demise of Microsoft's Encarta (it has been discontinued) and the tribulations of the Wikipedia (its rules have been revamped to resemble a traditional encyclopedia, alienating its contributors in the process), the Encyclopedia Britannica 2010 (established in 1768) may have won the battle of reference. The Misanthrope's Manifesto
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/1/2009
The Misanthrope's Manifesto
1. The unbridled growth of human populations leads to:
I. Resource depletion;
II. Environmental negative externalities;
III. A surge in violence;
IV. Reactive xenophobia (owing to migration, both legal and illegal);
V. A general dumbing-down of culture (as the absolute number of the less than bright rises); and
VI. Ochlocracy (as the mob leverages democracy to its advantage and creates anarchy followed by populist authoritarianism).
2. The continued survival of the species demands that:
I. We match m... Should Communities be Allowed to Generate Their Own Power?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/25/2009
Until well into the 1930s local communities in the West produced their own energy, drilled their own water and hauled it, and, in general, were self-sufficient as far as the consumption of utilities was concerned. The New Deal and the Depression brought this to a halt: governments monopolized both the generation and distribution of electrical power and water (as well as other public utilities, education, health, telecommunications, and transportation). This shift had its positive sides in that it encouraged economies of scale and firmly established the public goods nature of energy and water. The Concepts of Boundary and Trace
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/23/2009
The concepts of boundary and trace are intimately intertwined and are both fuzzy. Physical boundaries are often the measurable manifestations of the operation of boundary conditions. They, therefore, have to do with discernible change which, in turn, is inextricably linked to memory: a changed state or entity are always compared to some things (states or entities) that preceded them or that are coterminous and co-spatial with them but different to them. We deduce change by remembering what went before. Gmail not Safe, Google not Comprehensive
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/23/2009
I. Gmail Not Safe
Gmail has a gaping security hole, hitherto ignored by pundits, users, and Google (the company that owns and operates Gmail) itself.
The login page of Gmail sports an SSL "lock". This means that all the information exchanged with Gmail's servers - the user's name and password - is encrypted. A hacker who intercepted the communicated data would find it difficult and time-consuming to decrypt them.
Yet, once past the login page, Gmail reverts to plain text, non-encrypted pages. These can easily be tapped into by hackers, especially when such data travels ove... Social Values and the Health System
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/4/2009
There are as many health systems and models as there are countries. This is because healthcare is a public good and, thus, reflects the social and cultural values of the societies that design and adopt them. Using Data from Nazi Medical Experiments
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/2/2009
"Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." Does the Bible Promote Violence to Fight Injustice?”
Ron Coody - 7/27/2009
Zecharias Butros lives with a high price on his head. This gray-bearded, sagely Coptic priest from Egypt has dared to become one of the most outspoken experts on the subject of Islam. Because he speaks and reads Arabic, he can study Islamic documents in their original language, giving him an advantage over others, including hundreds of millions of Muslims who cannot understand Arabic. The reason he has a high price on his head, is because like his secular counterpart Salmon Rushdie, he has dared to question and dissent. Ensuring a Sustainable Future for Generations to Come
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/19/2009
What can we do to ensure that generations to come have a sustainable future? Self-defeating Environmentalism: The Case of Nuclear Energy Technologies
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/31/2009
More than 70% of contracts for new nuclear power plants were cancelled between 1970 and 1990. Nuclear energy has proven to be by far too expensive, partly the outcome of meager investment in research and development. But why didn't this promising industry seek efficiency and productivity gains? Why didn't it increase its capacity to remove production bottlenecks (for instance of containment vessels)? Why did the entire civilian nuclear sector capitulate even in the face of volatile oil prices which should have rendered it more of an attractive energy option? The short answer is: the malignantly romantic (not to mention highly lucrative) cult known as "environmentalism". Alternative Energies and Other Fairy Tales
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/25/2009
The quest for alternative, non-fossil fuel, energy sources is driven by two misconceptions: (1) The mistaken belief in "peak oil" (that we are nearing the complete depletion and exhaustion of economically extractable oil reserves) and (2) That market mechanisms cannot be trusted to provide adequate and timely responses to energy needs (in other words that markets are prone to failure). Theodicy: The Problem of Evil
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/22/2009
''There is nothing that an omnipotent God could not do.' 'No.' 'Then, can God do evil?' 'No.' 'So that evil is nothing, since that is what He cannot do who can do anything.' Narcissistic Injury, Narcissistic Wound, and Narcissistic Scar
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/11/2009
Narcissistic Injury
An occasional or circumstantial threat (real or imagined) to the narcissist's grandiose and fantastic self-perception (False Self) as perfect, omnipotent, omniscient, and entitled to special treatment and recognition, regardless of his actual accomplishments (or lack thereof).
Narcissistic Wound
A repeated or recurrent identical or similar threat (real or imagined) to the narcissist's grandiose and fantastic self-perception (False Self) as perfect, omnipotent, omniscient, and entitled to special treatment and recognition, regardless of his actual accomp... God, the Fine-tuned Universe and the Emergence of Life
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/11/2009
"The more I examine the universe, and the details of its architecture, the more evidence I find that the Universe in some sense must have known we were coming." — Freeman Dyson Is God Necessary?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/4/2009
Could God have failed to exist (especially considering His omnipotence)? Could He have been a contingent being rather than a necessary one? Would the World have existed without Him and, more importantly, would it have existed in the same way? For instance: would it have allowed for the existence of human beings? The Pros and Cons of Corruption
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/1/2009
Corruption runs against the grain of meritocratic capitalism. It skews the level playing-field; it guarantees extra returns where none should have been had; it encourages the misallocation of economic resources; and it subverts the proper functioning of institutions. It is, in other words, without a single redeeming feature, a scourge. Classification of Abusive Behaviors
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/28/2009
Abusive conduct is not a uniform, homogeneous phenomenon. It stems and emanates from multiples sources and manifests in a myriad ways. Following are a few useful distinctions which pertain to abuse and could serve as organizing, taxonomical principles (dimensional typologies) in a kind of matrix. Political Codependence and Cults of Personality
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/28/2009
Political personality cults rely on the codependence of their adherents to foster a bond that is hard to sever between the Leader and his followers. It is, therefore, crucial to understand this psychological attachment disorder. Is Energy Security Desirable?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/11/2009
The pursuit of "energy security" has brought us to the brink. It is directly responsible for numerous wars, big and small; for unprecedented environmental degradation; for global financial imbalances and meltdowns; for growing income disparities; and for ubiquitous unsustainable development. Twitter: Narcissism or Age-old Communication?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/26/2009
It has become fashionable to castigate Twitter - the microblogging service - as an expression of rampant narcissism. Yet, narcissists are verbose and they do not take kindly to limitations imposed on them by third parties. They feel entitled to special treatment and are rebellious. They are enamored with their own voice. Thus, rather than gratify the average narcissist and provide him or her with narcissistic supply (attention, adulation, affirmation), Twitter is actually liable to cause narcissistic injury. How Michael Hart Revolutionized the Internet
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/17/2009
In the annus mirabilis of 1971, Michael Hart conceived of electronic books (e-books), open sourcing, and of user-generated content in one stroke of genius. Dissecting Biology and Theology
Ron Coody - 3/10/2009
In the eighties at High School I had to take biology along with all other sophomores. One day we got to the chapter in the textbook on evolution. My teacher simply stated that she didn’t believe in evolution, that God created everything, but that we could read the chapter if we wanted. At that time it was legal in Louisiana to give equal time to both perspectives about the origin of the species. That short discussion is one of the very few things I clearly remember from tenth grade. The Hazards of Biofuels
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 2/25/2009
Technologies that appear at first blush and in the lab to be both benign and efficacious often turn out, upon widespread implementation, to be counter-productive or even detrimental. We have yet to accurately capture and model the complexity of reality. Emergent phenomena, unintended consequences, unexpected and undesirable by-products, ungovernable economic and other processes all conspire to adversely affect the trajectories of even the most thoroughly studied inventions. Democracy as a universal value
Nickolas Hoog - 2/23/2009
Democracy while it lasts is more bloody than either aristocracy or monarchy. Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There is never a democracy that did not commit suicide.
John Adams, the second President of the United States, and one of the founding fathers of our contemporary capitalist democracy. The Map as the New Media Metaphor
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 2/22/2009
Moving images used to be hostages to screens, both large (cinema) and small (television). But, the advent of broadband and the Internet has rendered visuals such as video chat, independent of specific hardware and, therefore, portable. One can watch video on a bewildering array of devices, wired and wireless, and then e-mail the images, embed them in blogs, upload and download them, store them online ("cloud computing") or offline, and, in general, use them as raw material in mashups or other creative endeavours. The Decline of Text and the Re-emergence of the Visual
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/26/2009
YouTube has already replaced Yahoo and will shortly overtake Google as the primary Web search destination among children and teenagers. Its repository of videos - hitherto mere entertainment - is now beginning to also serve as a reference library and a news source. This development seals the fate of text. It is being dethroned as the main vehicle for the delivery of information, insight, and opinion. Strong Men and Political Theatres - The "Being There" Syndrome
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/19/2009
"I came here to see a country, but what I find is a theater ... In appearances, everything happens as it does everywhere else. There is no difference except in the very foundation of things." True Prophets are Bad Team-players
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/7/2008
Prophets and prognosticators of social, political, and economic trends are often shunned, outcast, mocked, or outright punished. Even when their predictions come true during their own lifetime, they are rarely acknowledged or compensated for the abuse and mistreatment meted out to them throughout their "years in the desert". In stark contradistinction, the originators of scientific theories attain fame and a slew of pecuniary rewards once their theories prevail. Why Do We Love Sports?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/4/2008
The love of - nay, addiction to - competitive and solitary sports cuts across all social-economic strata and throughout all the demographics. Whether as a passive consumer (spectator), a fan, or as a participant and practitioner, everyone enjoys one form of sport or another. Not only did athletes and coaches began to make more, but we've even seen a rise in personal trainer salary. Wherefrom this universal propensity? Liberal Fascism and the End of Freedom
Ted Belman - 11/26/2008
onah Goldberg recently wrote the book “Liberal Fascism”. He was interviewed by Glen Beck and the interviews can be seen on YouTube.. There are six parts to watch. The Shifting Sands of Finance Lingo
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/15/2008
In 1976, the word "subprime" used to mean: a loan offered to desirable, creditworthy clients with its interest rate set below the prime rate. Within less than 15 years it came to be defined by this arbiter of proper usage, the Oxford English Dictionary, as: "Of or designating a loan, typically having relatively unfavorable terms, made to a borrower who does not qualify for other loans because of a poor credit history. " Why Do We Love Pets?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/10/2008
The presence of pets activates in us two primitive psychological defense mechanisms: projection and narcissism. It is Europe's and Asia's Turn Now
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/13/2008
The crisis in the United States has little to do with its real economy. Last quarter, GDP there grew by an impressive 3.3%. IBM's profits are up 22% year on year. American commercial banks, though in need of re-capitalization, are sound. Its investment banks - the sources of the current crisis - are gone. The Dow Jones is unlikely to drop below 7100. The end of the crisis is near. The Treasury will semi-nationalize some banks (take equity positions against an injection of capital), buy some toxic debts and that's it. Within 12 to 18 months, the USA will emerge from this crisis, strengthened and Wall Street will be back at 10,000. Why Apartment Rental Prices in Developing Countries are So High?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/26/2008
In most developed countries, the renting of residential property (apartments) provides the owner with an annual income equal to 2-3% of the value of his or her real estate. In developing countries, owners make 6-7%. An apartment selling for 100,000 euros will often rent for 7000 euros a year. One pays the same to rent an apartment in Skopje, Macedonia and in Berlin, Germany even though, in Berlin, apartments are three to five times more expensive to buy. World Peace?
Charles Jalkh - 8/18/2008
At a time when planet Earth is facing its most cataclysmic ecological destruction, humanity remains marred in a dark age of conflicts and upheavals. Wars of identity, wars of liberation, wars to preserve “unions”, wars to “liberate” the oppressed and usher freedoms, wars to uphold the right of self determination and independence, religious wars, hegemonic wars, geopolitical wars, energy wars, on and on, the idiotic history of this retarded specie named humanity proceeds at a time when the destruction of this planet and our habitat is reaching a critical point of no-return. Democracy and Prosperity Don't Always Go Together
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/8/2008
Many nations have chosen prosperity over democracy. As they see it, yes, they can't speak their mind or protest or criticize or even joke lest they be arrested or worse - but, in exchange for giving up these freedoms, they have safer streets, food on the table, they are fully employed, they receive ample health care and proper education, they save and spend to their hearts' content. In return for all these worldly goods, they forgo the right to vote once every four years. Many insist that they have struck a good bargain - not a Faustian one. Landlocked Countries and Growth
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/3/2008
Macedonia has consistently ranked lowest in Europe in a variety of economic dimensions: from FDI to productivity. Its endemic poverty is the inevitable outcome of multiple factors: its corrupt and incompetent political elite; rent-seeking businessmen; primitive banking system; bankrupt education system, and so on. But, one important factor usually goes unmentioned: Macedonia is landlocked, it lacks access to the sea. Can power shift to powerless nations?
Reza Hossein Borr - 7/28/2008
Do the powerless remain powerless forever? Do the helpless remain helpless forever? Do the nations who do not have their own governments will remain stateless forever? Do the powerful remain powerful what so ever? Do the strong remain strong forever? If this is the case, what has happened to the Persian Empire? What happened to the Pharaohs of Egypt? What happened to the Roman Empire? What happened to Islamic Empire? What happened to Mongolian Empire? What happened to the Ottoman Empire? What happened to the British Empire? What happened to the Austrian Empire? What happened to the German Empire? What happened to the Soviet Union? What happened to Yugoslavia? Weapons and waste are on rise as food crisis deepens
Iqbal Latif - 7/16/2008
An estimated $1.2 trillion was spent on weapons in 2006 while aid to agriculture fell by more than half, from $8bn in 1984 to $3.4bn in 2004. The FAO is calling for $1.7bn of emergency funding to tackle the shortage in production The recent crisis is believed to have pushed 100 million people into hunger worldwide. Poorer countries are faced with a 40% increase in their food imports bill this year, and experts say some countries' food bills have doubled in the past year. No Foreign Banks - A Curse or a Blessing?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/7/2008
The Austrian Erste Bank has just published a report about the state of the banking system in Central and Eastern Europe. Macedonia is not even mentioned. The banking sectors of Bulgaria, Romania, Russia and Ukraine are poised to grow the fastest, as these countries catch up with the West. The Law of Global Development of human civilization - development of civilization as solution of an engineering problem
Oleg Kropivnitskiy - 7/6/2008
In the offered article, already the third one in succession, we will continue considering the theme on the Law of global development of human civilization. But this time this attempt will be made with applying of methods of the sciences that are exacter, than the humanities are. We will address to the principles of engineering sciences where more exact concepts and the accurate criteria not admitting double interpretation operate. Awaken The Sleeping Giants & Slay The Dragons
Naseem Javed - 6/27/2008
Behind every effort and every move of any company of any size lies a very simple and a powerful fact. That is, the outside world responds to the Name identity of a company before they part money. Customers are influenced by the personality of the Name identity, what it says, connotes, projects and what kind of secret or hidden messages it has embedded in its alpha-structure. When the media turns into evil
Sunita Paul - 6/8/2008
Media can play important role in up building a nation, while the same media, being influenced by evil forces or vested interest, could turn into devastating element for any nation. Take the example of Bangladesh's leading media group named Transcom Media, which owns a vernacular daily newspaper named Prothom Alo, an English language daily named The Daily Star, two periodicals named Shaptahik 2000 and Anandadhara. Recently the group has acquired ownership of an FM radio station named 'Aina Broadcasting Corporation' (ABC). The group is rather known as 'Daily Star Group' in Bangladesh, because of... Problems before Society and Nation and Obligation of Intelligentsia
Dr. Ravindra Kumar - 6/8/2008
It is natural that problems crop up in day-to-day human dealings. This is not a matter of worry or anxiety. It is, however, necessary that problems must be solved per apt thought. Apt thought is necessary so as to avoid facing these problems soon again. It is expected in human world from a being. These problems again appear soon when a person solves them while keeping selfishness at top and does not prune them with apt thought. They are more serious when they appear a 2nd time. Resultantly, human life paces towards a difficult future. Others also come under its effect. A thing in relation... Problems before Society and Nation and Obligation of Intelligentsia
Dr. Ravindra Kumar - 6/7/2008
It is natural that problems crop up in day-to-day human dealings. This is not a matter of worry or anxiety. It is, however, necessary that problems must be solved per apt thought. Apt thought is necessary so as to avoid facing these problems soon again. It is expected in human world from a being. These problems again appear soon when a person solves them while keeping selfishness at top and does not prune them with apt thought. They are more serious when they appear a 2nd time. Resultantly, human life paces towards a difficult future. Others also come under its effect. A thing in relation... The Right Road Lost: A Contemporary Inferno
Jennifer L. Jackson - 6/5/2008
While the rise of globalization has led to the merging of markets and cultures, it has also magnified the issues that threaten the sustainability of the globe's inhabitants. 21st Century problems cannot be contained within political boundaries or geographic regions, and cannot be solved without the will of humanity overcoming the flaws of human beings. The seven deadly sins, as identified by the Christians and immortalized by Dante, suggest an unfortunate demise for the international community. The New 'Superclass' – Hype -vs- Reality
Iqbal Latif - 6/1/2008
David Rothkopf’s book, Superclass: The Global Power Elite and The World They Are Making, is an interesting read but contains much that I disagree with the author about. Crisis and Response – Part II
Bertil Lintner - 6/1/2008
Burma has at long last agreed to allow foreign medical workers into the country to help the victims of the devastating cyclone that hit the Irrawaddy Delta region and the main city of Rangoon on 2 May – but with a catch. Setting conditions that fall short of what the international community, including the United Nations and its various agencies, had requested, the ruling military junta insists that the foreign medics and other aid workers come from neighboring countries. What is Overpopulation?
Bernard Gilland - 6/1/2008
Many believe that overpopulation is related to a high population density, but this is obviously false. The Republic of Singapore has 6400 inhabitants per square kilometer, 130 times the world average density, but no one holds that Singapore is overpopulated. The only defensible definition of overpopulation is in relation to a country's ability to feed its inhabitants. If a country's agriculture and fisheries, together with its food and feed imports, are insufficient to provide the population with a satisfactory average diet, the country in question should be considered as overpopulated. Proof of Existence of God
Dr. Temur Z. Kalanov - 6/1/2008
The work is devoted to the 21st century’s most urgent problem – the problem of existence of God. The theoretical proof of the existence and of the uniqueness of God, based on the correct method of knowledge – unity of formal logic and of rational dialectics, – is proposed. This proof represents a theoretical model of God: a system of axioms from which the principle of existence and of uniqueness of God is deduced. The principle runs as follows: God exists as the Absolute, the Creator, the Governor of the essence (information) and of the phenomenon (material manifestation of information). The t... The Museums of Branding
Naseem Javed - 6/1/2008
All over the world, with so many different meanings and perceptions of the word "branding", it appears that it has lost its true meaning; the terminology is more like a walk through a museum with a glorious past. Loose words like "economy" carry different meanings that speak differently to different people. To some, economy may refer to money, while to others, it means jobs, whereas for some, it's the thing causing climate change. Hold it right there. Branding gets even more adventurous. To many it's about having a business card with psychedelic logo, all the way to the polishing of doorknobs ... Parenting as a Moral Obligation
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/21/2008
Do we have a moral obligation to become parents? Some would say: yes. There are three types of arguments to support such a contention: Crisis and Response
Ramesh Thakur - 5/20/2008
The “responsibility to protect,” or R2P, endorsed by world leaders at the United Nations in 2005, is a call to action – not the opening lines of a Socratic dialogue by diplomats. Its origins lie in our collective failure to prevent or halt mass killings and ethnic cleansing in Rwanda, the Balkans and East Timor in the 1990s. The Inversion of Colonial Roles
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/15/2008
The traditional mercantilist roles of colonizer and colonies were inverted over the last few decades. For millennia, colonial Superclass and the Inequity of Globalization
David J. Rothkopf - 5/14/2008
Like nature, power also abhors a vacuum. On the global stage this has meant that thanks to weak or underdeveloped international institutions and a general lack of consensus as to how to manage this integrated and interdependent world, a superclass of elites is stepping in to fill the void. They pursue their agendas often unchecked by institutions representing the will of the people at large, operating with a freedom typically impossible in nation-states where the checks and balances of governance have evolved to help counteract the over-concentration of power in the hands of the few. What is m... Interview with Ray Power, main shareholder and General Manager of iDevelop, Macedonia and Chairman of the British Business Group
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/12/2008
1. Can you briefly describe your product, your market niche, and marketing strategy? RP: In brief, it is a solution that allows companies to monitor their website traffic in real time and initiate chats with those visitors without any downloads etc. Our primary market is the SME (Small to Medium Enterprises) segment and we are finding a lot of success with realtors, travel agencies, hotels and car dealerships. The Threat of Global Food Shortages
Mira Kamdar - 5/11/2008
Last month, the wheat fields in the Indian state of Punjab stretched in amber-tinged waves as far as the eye could see, promising bountiful harvests. Nothing hinted at the grave crisis that has gripped the state, driving farmers to suicide and unemployed youth to the comforts of heroin. Dubbed “the breadbasket of India,” Punjab is in the throws of a serious crisis, one that bodes ill for the future of agriculture at a time when the world faces an acute food crisis. Primary Technology, Consumer Technology, and World Peace
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/3/2008
Paradigm shifts in science and revolutionary leaps in technology are frequently coterminous with political and military upheavals. The dust usually requires three centuries to settle. Such seismic waves and tectonic shifts occurred between the 12th and 14th centuries AD, again starting with the 15th and ending in the 17th century AD, and, most recently, commencing in the 19th century and still very much unfolding. Who Owns the Past?
James Cuno - 4/29/2008
Unprecedented global travel and cultural exchange help make the world a smaller place but, ironically, they also stir national pride. Nationalism, combined with business calculation, now threaten to segregate antiquity that belongs to all of the humanity. Global Food Crisis: The Tickling Bomb
Bhuwan Thapaliya - 4/29/2008
The poor world, it is said, is being torn apart by a food crisis. Parts are. Those nations not affected by empty tomato cages and meat grinders are speculative because they aren't safe either as food prices have been rising all over the world. According to "Rising Food Prices: Policy Options and World Bank Response," increases in global wheat prices reached 181 percent over the 36 months leading up to February 2008, and overall global food prices increased by 83 percent. A war between RIGHT and WRONG
Sunita Paul - 4/14/2008
United States is the only country in the world, which not only hold absolute trust in God, but also announces such position proudly, while many of the nations in the world are rather shy in expressing their beliefs in God. One of the mightiest currencies in the world, US Dollar bears a very clear slogan saying "In God we trust". And, who knows, such trust in God is always helping United States in achieving prosperity and strength almost every hour. But, we really witness almost an opposite in the minds of less developed and undeveloped countries in the world, especially in Asian Continent, who... IT Workers on the Move With Globalization
Prof. Anthony P. D’Costa - 4/11/2008
With economic globalization, talented professionals are on the move. One visible group is the information technology (IT) workers. They hail from select developing countries such as India, China, the Philippines and Eastern Europe who move to the OECD economies. The motivations for moving are mainly economic, seeking better jobs and higher income, although interlocking social factors such as family unions also influence the pattern of mobility. Human Productivity
Iqbal Latif - 4/11/2008
For any nation to grow 'free mind' is a must. Gun running culture, famine and implosion are mass characteristics of a failed nation. Any governance system would fail when human cooperation turns into 'bigotry' and hatred, productivity flourishes on tolerance and co-existence. Dictators and Beauties
Sunita Paul - 4/5/2008
Many of my readers must have read novels on the hidden episodes of Wahabi dictators in Saudi Arabia or those Oil Sheikhs in Arab countries. In at least dozens of stories written about those Arab harems, I was astonished to learn that, beauties in many cases, become so influential that they become much stronger than those wives of the Arab kings and sheikhs as well as they start dictating in state policies of the country. If we haven't yet forgotten Saddam Hussein or his sons. The former dictator and his sons were surrounded by beauties, both locals and 'imported', who were in some cases, much powerful than any of the ministers in the cabinet. 'The Black Swan'' and 'Capital Ideas'
Iqbal Latif - 4/3/2008
Two books two different view points. I have highlighted book reviews by great critics, back to back reading of the two books yield two different view points and highlight the two facets of the debate, and I find them very educational, I would like to share the gist of the critics review with the community, for detailed dialogue do go to the links and study the reviews in detail, the links are highlighted below as 1 and 2. The critics have helped understand and appreciate the two positions far much better. Christ has Truly Risen and we are Witnesses to His Resurrection
Elias Bejjani - 3/23/2008
But what does it say? The word is with you, in your mouth, and in your heart; that is, the word of faith, which we preach: that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says; whoever believes in him will not be disappointed. (Romans 10: 8 -11) Context, Background, Meaning
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/16/2008
I. The Meaning-Egg and the Context-chicken Did the Laws of Nature precede Nature or were they created with it, in the Big Bang? In other words, did they provide Nature with the context in which it unfolded? Some, like Max Tegmark, an MIT cosmologist, go as far as to say that mathematics is not merely the language which we use to describe the Universe - it is the Universe itself. The world is an amalgam of mathematical structures, according to him. The context is the meaning is the context ad infinitum. The Fundamentals of Civilization
Dr. Ravindra Kumar - 3/13/2008
Hundreds of thousands of years have passed since man has lived along with the creatures of different shape, size and kind. It is generally acknowledged that every being has a soul. What is a Soul? Where does it live in a body? What is its form? I leave these entire questions to you. You may decide to answer them according to your belief. But I can specifically say that even though the soul is embodied in everyone, the word civilized, the derivative of which is civilization, is used for man only not for any other creature. Common Problems with Psychological Laboratory Tests
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/5/2008
Psychological laboratory tests suffer from a series of common philosophical, methodological, and design problems. A Leftist Childhood Stories, Wrongly Named Persepolis
Marjane Satrapi - 3/4/2008
Persepolis[1] was written and published in Paris in two volumes in 2000 and 2001. Therefore, the book can be called comic and caricaturing memoirs of Satrapi from her childhood limited to the Islamic revolution era and regime. In the separate sections, Satrapi tells the story of the major events of Islamic Revolution before and after its victory from a childish point of view heavily influenced by her parents’ political inclinations. The chosen name for book, Persepolis , is a clever advertisement choice and has nothing to do with the content of Satrapi’s work other than identifying itself with... Overwhelmed
Major Dennis W. Lid - 3/3/2008
We have arrived! We have reached the point of no return. I first noticed it about twenty years ago while on an international airline flight from Tokyo to Chicago. The stewardess couldn’t make change for a ten dollar bill for the purchase of an item. She couldn’t find the correct change, so I wasn’t able to buy the item. That’s when the real problem dawned on me. Systems and the people working and living within those systems are beginning to break down and are becoming overwhelmed to the point of being unable to resolve the issues confronting them. This inability to solve the problem has numero... Globalization of Soccer Kicks Local Fans
Kanishk Tharoor - 2/26/2008
Thousands of years ago, the Chinese, Greeks and Vikings all played games kicking balls about. But the modern game of soccer was born in England and the popularity of that particular sport has taken over the world. Thanks to satellite television, British soccer teams have hundreds of millions of fans all over the world and sport executives look to expand their audiences to more lucrative markets. But the local fans could not care less. They’re not part of an anti-globalization movement, and simply want favorite teams to stay close to home. Such fans loudly and successfully protested a plan by t... The Gospel of "No!"
Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D. - 2/21/2008
If you ask people what comes to mind when they think of Christians, you might be shocked at the results. Here's some of what I suspect you may hear. Why 'Low human development and inequality' is associated with deeply religious societies
Iqbal Latif - 2/18/2008
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a comparative measure of life expectancy, literacy, education, and standards of living for countries worldwide. It is used to distinguish whether the country is a developed, a developing, or an under-developed country, and also to measure the impact of economic policies on quality of life. The index was developed in 1990 by Pakistani economist Mahbub ul Haq and Indian economist Amartya Sen.) Why 'Low human development and inequality' is associated with deeply religious societies
Iqbal Latif - 1/30/2008
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a comparative measure of life expectancy, literacy, education, and standards of living for countries worldwide. It is used to distinguish whether the country is a developed, a developing, or an under-developed country, and also to measure the impact of economic policies on quality of life. The index was developed in 1990 by Pakistani economist Mahbub ul Haq and Indian economist Amartya Sen. Geography of Assassination and Politics of Death
Saberi Roy - 1/21/2008
Benazir Bhutto’s assassination has once again highlighted the spectre of death that accompanies every step of the political roadmap. A political leader stands on flimsy grounds of existence, his survival merely a matter of fate. From Julius Caesar to Gandhi, political leaders seem to be born with death following them like their own shadow. Although Gandhi lived up to 78, many others like Martin Luther King, John F Kennedy died too young and could have contributed a lot more to humanity. Politics remains as one of the most visible professions and politicians bask in the limelight of continued a... Food Habit and the Earth
Bhuwan Thapaliya - 1/21/2008
People all over the world now are aware of various socio- environmental issues. Today, environmental problems transcend national boundaries, they are not regarded as a local issue but rather a global issue and awareness among them is increasing. Youth and Nation Building
Dr. Ravindra Kumar - 1/21/2008
A nation will add a feather to its cap and process of its development will continue if its ambitious, agile and strong youths are guided on the right direction. The Balancing Acts of National Image
Naseem Javed - 1/21/2008
Who are the new champion nations on the global stage delivering the finest performances and altering the course of branded imagery of goods and services? Where are the old traditional nations and what’s happening to them today? The global shifts on image repositioning are causing minor quakes throughout various continents as brand new landscapes are erupting, while previously cherished perceptions are being swept away. The art of detection of these seismic tremors in advance, to pursue the balancing act for creating new imagery and brand positioning has now become a serious science. War, Peace and Religion
Dr. Ravindra Kumar - 1/13/2008
It was indeed a matter of pleasure to receive an invitation in 1999 from my Danish friend Niels Thomassen to speak before teachers, students and researchers of the South Denmark University on 'War and Peace in Relation to Religion'. I was keen to discuss the topic in some detail. But Niels mentioned the words 'little' and 'short' in the invitation. It was his loving restriction imposed upon me. I would not have cared for it much, had I received his invitation a month earlier. But I got it only a week before my departure to Denmark. Therefore, I was not in a position to dwell at length on the t... The Economic And Legal Analysis Of Dumping
Shruti Ojha - 1/10/2008
One of the main reasons behind distortion of international trade and fair competition is that though increasing returns in a monopolistic market promote international trade this situation ignores many of the detrimental effects that can arise due to imperfect competition, such as a disparity in the prices a firm charges for its goods that are exported and the ones that are sold in their respective domestic markets, constituting price discrimination. The most common form of price discrimination is dumping, defined as a situation where, “the price of a product when sold in the importing country is less than the price of that product in the market of the exporting country.”1 The Necessity of Religion
Dr. Ravindra Kumar - 1/10/2008
I vividly remember that day of August, 1998 when Maothong asked me, "What is the necessity of religion?" i.e. "Can't we live without religion?" Although Maothong's pertinent question urged me to give a prompt reply there only, but I thought it would be inappropriate at the moment to do so. That's why I told her," I will answer your question on my forthcoming visit to the campus. Please wait until then." And it was after 10 months during my next visit to the Campus of the PSU, Pattani, Thailand when I got an opportunity to answer the question of Maothong in brief by citing a real example. I als... The Big Green Paint Job
Naseem Javed - 1/10/2008
Suddenly, away from the hundreds of available colors, there is a rush all over the world to paint almost everything green; green paint, green ribbons, green wrappings and green fabrics becoming the top choice, causing shortages of the material, while green logos, green billboards and almost politically-correct green ties and attires are becoming the most fashionable and trendy statements. Which Sin Will Win in 2008?
Albert Brenner - 1/8/2008
Having promised humanity Universal Happiness once we've overcome our 'inevitable' dystopic future - global chaos caused by man-made global warming – Al Gore and his evilness index, the Carbon Footprint, must surely be the best candidate for Sin Detector of the Year 2008. No longer will we be able to simply board a plane to Tahiti for holiday because we will then, effectively, be 'sinning' because of the aircraft's CO2 emissions. And the more more of us sin, the more we'll 'make war against all existence'. The Top Inventions Of 2008
Michael Hart - 1/3/2008
What will be the top inventions in 2008?
1. Inexpensive Terabytes and USB 3.0
The advent of USB 3.0 will combine with inexpensive terabyte drives to create systems in which no one needs to ever delete anything AND backups will become so feasible that someone should write something like "Backups For Dummies" or "Backups For Idiots."
The result will be far fewer stories of accidentally lost files for the future than in the past, even though there will be ever so many more file to possibly lose. Of course, there still be will the one person here and there who refuses to bu... Passive-Aggressive Bureaucracies
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/27/2007
Collectives - especially bureaucracies, such as for-profit universities, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), the army, and government - tend to behave passive-aggressively and to frustrate their constituencies. This misconduct is often aimed at releasing tensions and stress that the individuals comprising these organizations accumulate in their daily contact with members of the public. The Politician As A Public Relations Case Study
Uche Nworah - 12/19/2007
Recently in a Public Relations class I teach, it was Marie’s turn to discuss contemporary public relations and marketing communications issues from around the globe. The students usually trawl various publications and websites in their search for the week’s breaking news in marketing communications, and have in the past found brandrepublic.com, mediaguardian.co.uk, campaign, pr week, and brandchannel.com very useful. The Role of Religion In Life
Dr. Ravindra Kumar - 12/15/2007
What a childishness those people display who try to subdue or deny the role of religion in human life, or even brand religion as unnecessary. Throughout the world, I myself have come across many such people who deny the role of religion in human life saying that it is unnecessary. A young friend of mine from Odense city in Denmark even wrote a letter to me on this subject and quoted the sayings of Karl Marx. Folie a Plusieurs
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/3/2007
By design, both agents were shrouded in darkness. I could see their silhouettes, the army-like crew cut, the wire-rimmed glasses, the more senior agent's hearing aid. Their hands rested, lifeless and stolid, on the plain wooden conference table that separated us. They were waiting for my response, immobile, patient, pent up aggression in check, heads slightly bowed. The overhead neon lights crackled and fizzled ominously but otherwise the room was soundproof and windowless. I was led there via a bank of elevators and a series of elaborate Escher-like staircases. By now, I was utterly disoriented. Welcome To The Click Society: The 2008 Mega Trends
Naseem Javed - 11/30/2007
We are simply not alone any longer, anywhere or anytime... not even in the most private rooms and quiet spaces that we so dearly cherish. All that beautiful décor and openness that we think is filled with fresh air is actually jam packed with zillions of invisible wireless messages, electronic signals, streaming videos and all kinds of pulses that are fast forwarding our cyber-society of today. Religion and Caste
Dr. Ravindra Kumar - 11/30/2007
It is an irony that we try to intermingle caste system with religion. It is also regrettable that we affix seal of religion on caste system and thereby we intentionally keep ourselves away from true religion. The truth happens to be that religion can never be, in any way, a helping hand to a system like caste system that is identified, as a factor of disintegration in society. Not only this, the aims and objects of any religious community are as distant from the caste system as the earth is away from the sun. Another Milestone on the Way to Globalization
Dr. Ravindra Kumar - 11/25/2007
First there was Dalip Singh Saund, the first Indian-American elected to the US Congress from California in 1956; he was followed fifty-one years later by Bobby Jindal, a 36 year-old Republican elected this year to the post of Governor of Louisiana, a conservative American state. Now it is 52 year-old Renu Khator to reach the top position of President of Houston University on November 5, 2007. This, in my opinion, is another milestone on the way to true globalization. It is a great event worthy of special attention as it is recognition by American academia of the services of an immigrant Indian. A Dialog on Elites Between By Sam Vaknin and Roberto Calvo Macias Between By Sam Vaknin and Roberto Calvo Macias - Part III
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/11/2007
SV: I think that yours is an outdated definition of elite. For instance: in the USA, the White folks constitute the elite. They are better educated, richer and so on. But, of course, they far outnumber the blacks. The case was even clearer during the apartheid days. It is wrong to confuse "elite" and "minority". An elite is a group which is coherent and cohesive, on the one hand and which controls the bulk of the resources of the nation (or the planet, or any other frame of reference), on the other hand. If the majority has a number of common denominators sufficient to identify it as a group -... A Dialog on Elites Between By Sam Vaknin and Roberto Calvo Macias - Part IV
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/11/2007
SV: Mankind spent the last 300 years trying to refute these two hidden assumptions. Liberal philosophers disputed the purported identifiable talent for political leadership. Think about people like Truman in the USA or Hitler until 1919. Could you have guessed that they will become great leaders? Has a quality of "leadership" been identifiable in them? What about the adolescent Einstein (later, a scientific leader)? A Dialog on Elites Between By Sam Vaknin and Roberto Calvo Macias - Part II
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/11/2007
Roberto, This is always the first phase of noblesse. All ancient lineages start as robbers and sackers. Actual hackers do the same. They steal what they need. A Dialog on Elites Between By Sam Vaknin and Roberto Calvo Macias - Part I
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/11/2007
Roberto, "No bird soars too high, if it soars with its own wings"
Proverbs of Hell
William Blake Elite. A terrible world. A select minority, that assumes leadership. All elites have been hated in all epochs, or so claimed "well -informed historians". A Dialog on Elites Between By Sam Vaknin and Roberto Calvo Macias - Part V
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/11/2007
SV: In my view you use some weak criteria when you mention haughtiness. Let me explain myself. Either you define elite as "any group of people in power" (you have rejected this definition when I proposed it earlier) - or you define it as "a group of WORTHY people, who exercise power to improve the present and the future of humanity (in accordance with their own mores and values, of course)". The Nazi SS and the Stalinist Bolsheviks qualify as elites under the first definition - but NOT under the second. The SS were haughty, contemptuous, convinced of their hereditary (Aryan) destiny to lead an... New Atheism
Ron Coody - 11/9/2007
A rash of bestseller books and international debates has brought several atheists into public prominence. They argue that we now know for certain that God does not exist because natural processes can explain everything from lightening to life, from the origin of the universe to the origin of your ability to read this article. Richard Dawkins, leader of the pack, admits that cosmology still holds many mysteries as to why the cosmos appears highly fined tuned for life, but he has faith---oops, I mean, hope--that eventually cosmology will have a breakthrough similar to the one Darwin gave biology. The Path of Democracy Gimmick
Prakash Bom - 11/8/2007
The diplomacy based on the policy 'the path of democracy is different for the different society' advocated by the feudal lords, religious fundamentalists and dictators of the traditionally religious nations had once convinced the most of the democratic nations is now turning into a mere publicity stunt. These nations had learned such notion from the politics of the twentieth century's totalitarian regimes. South Asian nations such as Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, Pakistan and Maldives are the living example of such view and practice that has succeeded to seek international supports for their autocratic rulers. Jesus Christ, Narcissist
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/20/2007
Note: Though most of the quotes in this essay are from the Gospel of Saint Matthew, I was careful to compare them with the texts of the other three canonical gospels. Where the gospels disagree, I avoided using the quote altogether. Is Mankind Facing New Kind Of 'Malthusian Constraints'?
Iqbal Latif - 10/16/2007
We are facing 'Malthusian constraints' not as a result of geometric progression of population but as a result of too many demanding a middle class consumption level emerging from the lowest level of poverty. Non inflationary growth in the global economy is the key solution to impending problems of debt/liquidity when they arise. Leaderships in the growing countries should realize that: If the economy grows at least a fast as the debt grows, and inflation is low tax receipts shall grow in tandem with the growth of the debt. The Adrenaline Junkie
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/15/2007
Narcissistic Supply is exciting. When it is available, the narcissist feels elated, omnipotent, omniscient, handsome, sexy, adventurous, invincible, and irresistible. When it is missing, the narcissist first enters a manic phase of trying to replenish his supply and, if he fails, the narcissist shrivels, withdraws and is reduced to a zombie-like state of numbness. Why Real Democracies Succeed
Prof. Barry Rubin - 10/11/2007
Working on new material for the seventh edition of the Israel-Arab Reader, a documentary work that I edit along with Walter Laqueur, reminds me that there is nothing like examining old material as a way to gain new insights. Narcissism and Addiction
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/3/2007
In our attempt to decipher the human psyche (in itself a mere construct, not an ontological entity), we have come up with two answers: No place for gloom and doom - 'It's productivity, stupid.'
Iqbal Latif - 10/2/2007
I religiously follow ‘Steve’ he is one of the most outstanding ‘skeptical optimist’ on the net. He weighs evidence before and after deciding an issue and continues to cobble together new pieces of evidence that further strengthens his eternal optimism. Judging truly from the lessons of history he believes that humans are on net balance builders and not destroyers. Some nations have missed their grand opportunity of embracing a new renaissance; they rather missed all chances of reawakening and enlightenment. Future growth and better living standards belong to only those who will not only work h... We Almost Know What The Voice Of Money Sounds Like
Angelique van Engelen - 9/21/2007
Walking around in Amsterdam recently, I bought a mars bar for the astortionate price of one euro. McDonalds next door to the candy store offered burgers for one euro too. The difference between the calorie intake of a mars bar and a burger wasn't what concerned me all that much. (seohertfordshire.org But it was a numbers game that made me think about my choice until long after. Understanding everyday concepts – Space and Time
Saberi Roy - 9/16/2007
The nature of space and time has been controversial since the Greek philosophical traditions or even earlier in the eastern mystical tradition. Whereas the Eastern mystics considered space as an immutable platform of the universe in which things ‘arise’, the Greeks including Plato and Aristotle used the concept of ‘space’ synonymous with ‘place’. In the Timeaus, Plato wrote of space as a ‘receptacle’ of anything material. Space, according to Aristotle was a limit of a piece of matter and motion is simply a change of place. The nature of time was also equally problematic because although ‘space... Gautama Buddha: Human Religion and Peace
Dr. Ravindra Kumar - 9/16/2007
A consideration has been continuing since utmost early stage of human life. The consideration is regarding controlling others. A person wants to keep him or herself in a higher position in comparison to others. This factor has been responsible for disintegration of society. Many nations faced degradation on this accord. A person forgets that he cannot be master of others. He is master of self only. Sooner or later, we shall have to admit and adopt the concept of equality and it indicates friendliness. Lord Gautama Buddha preached this in times past: Dr. Watson and Mr. Hastings
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/15/2007
"Who's the fairest of them all?" – asks the Bad Queen in the fairy tale. Having provided the wrong answer, the mirror is smashed to smithereens. Not a bad allegory for how the narcissist treats his "friends". The Madness of Playing Games
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/13/2007
If a lone, unkempt, person, standing on a soapbox were to say that he should become the Prime Minister, he would have been diagnosed by a passing psychiatrist as suffering from this or that mental disturbance. But were the same psychiatrist to frequent the same spot and see a crowd of millions saluting the same lonely, shabby figure - what would have his diagnosis been? Surely, different (perhaps of a more political hue). Threat To Democracy
Kamala Sarup - 9/13/2007
In the U.S. in the 19th century, democracy worked to the excessive advantage of a privileged group, but gradually it was reformed so that the people at the bottom gained some share in wealth. The key to the reform of democracy is the education of the masses and a anti poverty program. If the education is allowed to teach its investigative reports and those of its academics to show what is actually happening and if the population is literate enough, then corrupt legislators will be found out and removed in the following elections. The Interrupted Self
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/13/2007
In a series of experiments described in articles published in Science in mid 2007, British and Swiss researchers concluded that "their experiments reinforce the idea that the 'self' is closely tied to a 'within-body' position, which is dependent on information from the senses. 'We look at 'self' with regard to spatial characteristics, and maybe they form the basis upon which self-consciousness has evolved'", one of them told the New Scientist ("Out-of-body experiences are 'all in the mind'", NewScientist.com news service, 23 August 2007). Women and Literacy
Kamala Sarup - 9/13/2007
On 8 September, every year, we celebrate International Literacy Day. According to recent estimates, there are approximately 862 million illiterate people in the world. More than 100 million children lack access to education. Nearly two-thirds of whom are girls. Our beautiful world of limitless talent and opportunities
Iqbal Latif - 9/13/2007
I don't know about anyone else, the underlying link at the end of the article leads you to a really very touching performance; raw talent is a God gifted quality, the interconnected world today is discovering hidden talent at an unprecedented speed. We are every second becoming nations with richer and deeper cultures. In this world of ours from ‘environment to economy’ from ‘global warming to sub-prime woes; ‘pessimists’ reign supreme. Terror and Peace
Ajay Nath - 9/11/2007
The American President's recent statement on terrorism was the strongest so far against the enemies of freedom and human civilization. He just does not believe in any form of compromise. Terrorists are terrorists and they must be dealt with severely, wherever they are, whoever they are. Their atrocities and barbaric display of Pol Pot-like behaviour are beyond human imagination and tolerance. The British Prime Minister has come down equally heavily on terrorists. The British government is, in fact, coming out with a special law on terrorism that empowers it even to expel suspected terrorists f... Addiction to Fame and Celebrity
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/10/2007
Question: Are Narcissists addicted to being famous? Answer: You bet. This, by far, is their predominant drive. Being famous encompasses a few important functions: it endows the narcissist with power, provides him with a constant Source of Narcissistic Supply (admiration, adoration, approval, awe), and fulfils important Ego functions. Intelligence Emulation
Bart Lasater - 9/9/2007
Since the advent of the programmable machine, there have been philosophical debates regarding the concept of machine intelligence as it relates to human intelligence. Among the questions that arise are the following: Can a machine understand a language as we do? Can it formulate decisions as we do? Does the presence of a program written by an intelligent person mean that the machine possesses intelligence? Zoroastrianism: Prosperity and Peace
Dr. Ravindra Kumar - 9/9/2007
“Only one Ahura Mazda there is. He is Lord of life and knowledge…He is Supreme and is, epitome of ultimate peace. He is one and only one. Consciousness, Truth, Justice, Reality, Love and Compassion emerge only as per His being. Man should worship Him and may peace be unto man.” Gandhi and Peace Education
Dr. Ravindra Kumar - 9/7/2007
Gandhism, in quite simple and clear words, is an amalgam of Mahatma Gandhi’s views and practices. In other words, it consists of the ideas which Mahatma Gandhi put before the world, and side by side, to the maximum possible extent, treated his individual life in accordance with these ideas. Those who hold merely his theory to be the Gandhism, they are not correct, because simply his theory cannot be accepted as Gandhism. Religion, Science and Social Progress
Saberi Roy - 9/6/2007
Social progress in modern society seems to be completely based on two platforms – science and technological advancement which includes everything from our sense of gravity to the internet to space travel; and religion which has largely shaped modern political and social systems and formed a broader cultural ethos. Even though many countries separate religion from the state and that is necessary at this time, we cannot deny that religions continue to remain the very basis of all political thought. In fact a close analysis of major religious texts of the world shows that all religious texts prop... The Society of the Spectacle
Aleksandar Dimishkovski - 9/2/2007
"In societies dominated by modern conditions of production, life is presented as an immense accumulation of spectacles. Everything that was directly lived has receded into a representation." – Guy Debord Information Technology at a Crossroads: Interview with Joe Santana and Jim Donovan
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/1/2007
In the wake of the brutal burst of the dotcom bubble, the corporate role of information technology and its purveyors has been at the heart of a heated debate. "Manage IT" is a just-published guide for IT managers, authored by Joe Santana and Jim Donovan. Morality: A Fundamental Of Civilization?
Dr. Ravindra Kumar - 8/27/2007
A review of thousands of years of human history, in which various civilizations raised their flags in different parts of the globe, from time to time, confirms the fact that morality always remained established in human society in both forms, direct as well as indirect. Morality, as one of the strong supplementary value of non-violence, not only existed, rather it functioned as a guide remaining active and dynamic in daily chores of man; and ultimately it called for all-round human welfare and inspired man for this purpose. Dynamics Of Religious Fundamentalist Revival
Jonathan Spyer, Ph.D. - 8/26/2007
In a recent article in the British Guardian newspaper, Ed Husain, a former member of the radical Islamist Hizb ut Tahrir organization [which aims to bring about a worldwide Muslim state], sought to draw a parallel between Zionism and radical Islam. The movements were, Husain claimed, "both political perversions of ancient Abrahamic faiths of Judaism and Islam." Husain's simplistic claim was made possible by his near-total lack of knowledge of Zionism, the issue of Jewish peoplehood, the vexed issue of secular and religious Jewish identity, and so on. However, the claim is an interesting one, a... Escaping the Malthusian Trap
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/26/2007
In his book, "A Farewell to Alms" (Princeton University Press, 2007), Gregory Clark, an economic historian at the University of California, Davis, suggests that downward social mobility in England caused the Industrial Revolution in the early years of the 19th century. As the offspring of peasants died off of hunger and disease, the numerous and cosseted descendants of the British upper middle classes took over their jobs. Philosophy of Hiinayaana Buddhism In Practice Today
Dr. Ravindra Kumar - 8/26/2007
To make human life worthy, prosperous and peaceful, different philosophies and thoughts have been propounded through the ages, of which Buddhism occupies a prominent place. It is well evident from the fact that approximately five hundred million people all over the world carry out their day-to-day activities on the basis of Buddhist doctrines. The Buddhist Religious-Community has fourth place amongst the major religious-communities of the world. The Politics And Philosophy Of Harry Potter
Prof. Barry Rubin - 8/25/2007
Since the Harry Potter series is so wildly and universally popular it is surprising that there has not been more examination of its sociology and cultural politics. It is rather out of step with the unfortunate times through which we are now passing. All the better for Harry Potter and his friends; all the worse for us. Non-Violence: A Natural, Dynamic Value
Dr. Ravindra Kumar - 8/20/2007
Non-violence, that is Ahimsa, is not a rough thing, nor is it an inactive thought or a value established by man. Non-violence is a natural, dynamic, active or live value. Because of its permanent existence in human nature, its being dynamic and active non-violence is an essential condition for existence, development and the ultimate goal, and for this very reason it is the first and absolutely necessary base of civilization. Divining the Future
Angelique van Engelen - 8/12/2007
To some degree it is possible to divine the future. Professional riskmanagers’ calculations involving probability and chance are more or less becoming standard part of almost any modern theory. The Esthetic Prosthetic
Aleksandar Dimishkovski - 8/7/2007
The process of transition created several easily recognizable patterns for the malfunctioning of these countries' official institutions. Although mainly mid-term, these malfunctions did severe damage to the further development of the countries in transition. This is especially true because in most cases these countries' institutions are now a reason for the inefficiency that transmitted even to the private sector, through the unwritten rule of the "path of less resistance". Environmentalism and Post-modernism as Ideas of Progress
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/6/2007
By definition, most reactionary ideas of progress hark back to an often illusory past, either distant or recent. There, in the mists of time, the proponents of these social movements search for answers and remedies to the perceived ills of their present. These contemporary deficiencies and faults are presented as the inevitable outcomes of decadent modernity. By using a romanticized past cast as ideal, perfect, and unblemished to heal a dystopian and corrupt present, these thinkers, artists, and activists seek to bring about a utopian and revitalized future. Renaissance and Nazism as Ideas of Progress
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/5/2007
The Renaissance ("rebirth" c. 1348-1648) evolved around a modernist and, therefore, reactionary idea of progress. This statement is not as nonsensical as it sounds. As Roger Griffin observed in his essay "Springtime for Hitler" (The New Humanist, Volume 122 Issue 4 July/August 2007): International Investments: Is Policy Pendulum Swinging Back?
Kavaljit Singh - 8/2/2007
In the last five decades, there have been dramatic swings in the policy pendulum governing foreign investments at various levels in response to changing global political context. In the 1960s and 70s, the dominant thinking was foreign investments should be restricted as it interferes in the domestic economic policy making besides posing a threat to national sovereignty. The 1980s and 90s witnessed major swings in the investment policy pendulum towards greater liberalization of the regulatory framework at the national level. The swing was more pronounced in developing countries, particularly in... Globalization and Inequality
Prof. Peter Morici - 7/31/2007
Globalization is an ancient process. Since fire and the wheel, people have been finding better ways to make products and transport them more cheaply. Commerce has widened, wealth has increased, and winners and losers have patterned the competitive landscape. How well a nation and its citizens do depends on how skillfully leaders manage the process. A Conflict of Visions, by Thomas Sowell
Stephen W. Browne - 7/29/2007
Dr. Thomas Sowell is one of those authors whose laundry lists I'd read. Reading A Conflict of Visions was one of the "Ah-ha!" moments of my life. Sowell is an economist, newspaper columnist and Fellow at the Hoover Institution. He is a prolific writer on economics, public policy, history, culture and the politics of race. His opinions are often controversial and he has strong detractors and supporters. Agree or disagree, he is an opinion leader of considerable influence in our society today. Exclusionary Ideas of Progress
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/25/2007
Communism, Fascism, Nazism, and Religious Fundamentalism are as utopian as the classical Idea of Progress, which is most strongly reified by Western science and liberal democracy. All four illiberal ideologies firmly espouse a linear view of history: Man progresses by accumulating knowledge and wealth and by constructing ever-improving polities. Similarly, the classical, all-encompassing, idea of progress is perceived to be a "Law of Nature" with human jurisprudence and institutions as both its manifestations and descriptions. Thus, all ideas of progress are pseudo-scientific. Geography For Development
Kamala Sarup - 7/23/2007
Geography is important in determining whether a country has any prospects of becoming developed. Countries that have poor transportation facilities must devote much of the acquired technology to improving it. This was done in the formative years in the U.S. Otherwise, supplies cannot reach producers and products cannot reach customers cheaply enough to be bought by those with modest incomes. Mountainous countries and those without access to navigable rivers and oceans are especially disadvantaged in their quest for wealth, since the capital and technologies to "move mountains" and "tame water" are prohibitively expensive. Leiken's Willing Audience: Response To Elliott Aron Green
Prof. Barry Rubin - 7/16/2007
Barry, I think that a greater problem is that Leiken was invited to address an audience at the State Dept on the desirability of making nice with Hassan al-Banna's spiritual offspring. How do we explain the State Dept's willingness to be addressed on such a serious subject, as you point out, by someone who is an ignoramus on that topic, which you also point out? Dear Mr. Green: Ignorant people chattering on about the Middle East and being taken seriously is, alas, not at all uncommon. There seems to be a feeling that reading some newspapers and talking to a few people--perhaps a two-week trip to the region- -is sufficient to grasp all the intricacies of the issues. Who Rules Over Human Destiny?
Iqbal Latif - 7/16/2007
Alone I stand in the autumn cold
On the tip of Orange Island,
I see a thousand hills crimsoned through
By their serried woods deep-dyed,
And a hundred barges vying
Over crystal blue waters.
Eagles cleave the air,
Fish glide under the shallow water;
Under freezing skies a million creatures contend in freedom.
Brooding over this immensity,
I ask, on this bondless land
Who rules over human destiny?
- Mao Zedong (1925)
If Mao would have asked this question from his grave today the answer he would get be China! Exactly the way he wanted. However the pa... Radical Chic Is In Style This Year
Stephen W. Browne - 7/13/2007
Attorney Lynne Stewart got 28 months for relaying instructions from her client, the "Blind Sheik" to his followers. That's a lot less than corporate executives routinely get for financial malfeasance. And it's a hell of a lot less than she'd have gotten if her client had been merely a mobster rather than a terrorist. The Cult of the Amateur, Part 2
Michael Hart - 7/7/2007
When it comes to science names such as Einstein, Newton, Galileo, stand out above all the rest when it comes to understanding those scientific aspects of the universe around us. However, the world did not accept these as scientists at the time when they focused their imagination on things the rest of world's experts would sooner have left unexplored. The Cult of the Amateur - Part 1
Michael Hart - 7/6/2007
The Titanics of world media crashed, full speed ahead, into these new media options years ago. These people STILL don't realize that half of the world population that will ever buy cell phones already have done so; nor are their realizations of the world view in touch with the effects of such a change from one-way media to two-way media, but are still in shock that the Internet provided media coverage to bloggers that toppled "The Great and Powerful Oz" in the form of Dan Rather, while their news reports tried and failed, to make a fake story about toppling the statue of Saddam Hussein. Reality Sleeves: Dressing Countries In Their Sunday Best
Michael Hart - 7/3/2007
First Lady Laura Bush's visit to Mali is a perfect example for modern times of what sociologists call a "Reality Sleeve." All that Mrs. Bush will see at the Nelson Mandela School could be said to be an illusion, other than the concrete walls. The mud has been covered with imported gravel, but only portions a visiting dignitary would be allowed to see were covered. That being so Mrs. Bush won't slip on the mud, at least officially. Bob Leiken Folly
Prof. Barry Rubin - 6/30/2007
Bob Leiken, phony Islam expert, has written a poem about me which he is sending around. For those who don’t know, Leiken is a Latin American expert turned immigration expert turned Islamism expert. He hasn’t read the sources and knows nothing about the subject, of course. He makes the most basic errors. I wrote a satire making fun of him. You can also read my article on Muslim Brotherhoods at http://meria.idc.ac.il/journal/2007/issue2/jv11no2a8.html--which Leiken himself read and disregarded before launching himself on his latest career as the Muslim Brotherhood's apologist. Lenin called such people "useful idiots." Rule of Law, Discrimination, and Morality
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/29/2007
In an article titled "Places Far Away, Places Very near - Mauthausen, the Camps of the Shoah, and the Bystanders" (published in Michael Berenbaum and Abraham J. Peck (eds.) - The Holocaust and History: The Known, the Unknown, the Disputed, and the Reexamined - Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1998), the author, Gordon J. Horwitz, describes how the denizens of the picturesque towns surrounding the infaous death camp were drawn into its economic and immoral ambit. Globalization - Liberalism's Disastrous Gamble
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/25/2007
From Venezuela to Thailand, democratic regimes are being toppled by authoritarian substitutes: the military, charismatic left-wingers, or mere populists. Even in the USA, the bastion of constitutional rule, civil and human rights are being alarmingly eroded (though not without precedent in wartime). The prominent ideologues of liberal democracy have committed a grave error by linking themselves inextricably with the doctrine of freemarketry and the emerging new order of globalization. As Thomas Friedman correctly observes in "The Lexus and the Olive Tree", both strains of thought are strongly identified with the United States of America (USA). Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) - Pros and Cons
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/20/2007
The role of foreign direct investment (FDI) in promoting growth and sustainable development has never been substantiated. There isn't even an agreed definition of the beast. In most developing countries, other capital flows - such as remittances - are larger and more predictable than FDI and ODA (Official Development Assistance). Who Really Owns Your Brand?
Naseem Javed - 6/15/2007
You may think that you have an absolute, 100% ownership for your brand, yet if your name identity is shared with hundreds of others, then you clearly lack 100% ownership. What's the point of brand-building if you are simply brand-sharing? Global icons like Sony, Rolex or PlayStation are completely unique around the world, there is no dispute concerning who owns these brands whatsoever. I've Been Thinking...
Michael Hart - 6/15/2007
I was thinking about how a status symbol of today is those cell phones that everyone has clipped onto their belt or purse. I can't afford one, so, I'm wearing my garage door opener. You know, I spent a fortune on deodorant before I realized that people who avoided me just didn't like me. Is 99.9% of Human Genome The Same?
Iqbal Latif - 6/13/2007
Poverty and human sufffering was a common theme in Harvard University class of 2007. Former president Bill Clinton urged Harvard University's graduating seniors yesterday to serve others in an age of uncertainty. "For all the opportunity, there's a lot of inequality," he told an estimated crowd of 20,000 gathered on one of Harvard's main yards during yesterday's Class Day ceremony. "The world is awash today with political, psychological conflicts, which require us to divide up and demean people." "The world is awash today in political, religious, almost psychological conflicts, which require u... The evil that men do lives after them
Iqbal Latif - 6/2/2007
Columbus known as great discoverer but deserves nomination as a scoundrel of highest order, scold blooded killer of the vanquished nations of conquered America and a true proponent of might is right. If conquering Greeks, Romans, Sassanians or Arabs would have treated their conquered nations with such treachery Middle East would have diapered as cradle of civilisation and culture. 1.Columbus remains a mysterious and controversial figure who has been variously described as one of the greatest mariners in history, a visionary genius, a mystic, a national hero, a failed administrator, a naive entrepreneur, and a ruthless and greedy imperialist. An Analysis of Conflicts Around The World
Saberi Roy - 6/1/2007
If we try to provide an analysis of conflicts around the world, two patterns emerge. One relates to ethnicity, and the other relates to religion. Religion still forms the basis of major conflicts worldwide as in Israel-Palestine, although in case of India-Pakistan and Russia-Chechnya, the religious roots of such conflicts tend to have a close association with Islamic separatism. A clash of religious ideologies seems to be a common factor in such conflicts. But even if these ‘inter-religious’ conflicts have worldwide impact, ‘intra-religious’ conflicts as was seen in Northern Ireland or even Ir... The Improving State of the World
Iqbal Latif - 5/31/2007
"This optimistic view of the impact of economic growth and technological change on human welfare is an antidote to the prophecies of an imminent age of gloom and doom."
–Robert W. Fogel, Nobel Laureate in Economics "There is much to commend this book. For those interested in countering the pessimism that infects public media, or who wish to understand the different strategies available to tackle climate change, this is an important work."
–London Book Review Many people believe that globalization and its key components have made matters worse for humanity and the environment. Special... Growing Abuse of Transfer Pricing by Transnational Corporations
Kavaljit Singh - 5/30/2007
The large-scale tax avoidance practices used by transnational corporations (TNCs) came into public notice recently when the giant drug TNC, GlaxoSmithKline, agreed to pay the US government $3.4 billion to settle a long-running dispute over its tax dealings between the UK parent company and its American subsidiary. This was the largest settlement of a tax dispute in the US . The investigations carried out by Internal Revenue Service found that the American subsidiary of GlaxoSmithKline overpaid its UK parent company for drug supplies during 1989-2005 period, mainly its blockbuster drug, Zantac.... History Of Power From The Gutenberg Revolution To The Computer Revolution
Michael Hart - 5/27/2007
This piece is a result of conversations with a number of knowledgeable people who do not seem to be as aware of the history of power as I expected, with an emphasis on the kind of power used in The Industrial Revolution through today which I am hopefully labeling as The Neo-Industrial Revolution. Nationalization – A Plan for World Domination
David J. Jonsson - 5/25/2007
"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act."
-George Orwell We are witnessing how nation states are increasing using nationalization as a tool for world control of energy production, energy transportation, basic products and financial assets for control. It appears that the actions of Russia and China combined with pawns the Islamist states and the Leftist governments in Latin America are coordinated in their actions. Initially the nationalizations were occurring within the countries, and recently these actions have extended into the EU and the U.S. On The Great Taboo - Sex
Iqbal Latif - 5/18/2007
Sex is the most fragile and perceptive obsession of man. This is a taboo, all and sundry want but no one really wants to talk about it, it remains hidden within our inner being, trapped like a volcano spewing to burst. The need is to indulge into education and knowledge of sex as an integral requirement of our organization and prepare our lives living with the authenticity of sex as essential as food, education and environment. Regular sex drains stresses according to recent studies, where sex is taken as a taboo we find societies restricted with free will and thinking. Sexual abuse becomes ra... The Cult of Science and Fire-Worship
Dimitri Kolb - 5/17/2007
For those who lived under communist rule, like the author of this piece, it is obvious that science played the central role in their ideology. Starting form Marx, communists claimed that their ideology was based completely on the rational scientific calculation, as opposed to traditional faith. They claimed that science can explain not only material world, but also the world of ideas and social behavior. That explains why communists always paid great attention to economics and sociology. The failure of those pseudo-scientific disciplines cold itself be a topic for a paper. However, here I only discuss one interesting feature of the scientific cult - its close relation to fire-worship. Effects of Communism on Public Preferences
Matthew Davis - 5/11/2007
After being reunited with West Germany, most East Germans have retained a decidedly Communist view of what the government should do in terms of providing a social safety net and redistributing wealth from rich to poor. While the common view in the West is that most Europeans who lived under Communism were happy to trade state-run economies for free-market capitalism, it turns out that their Marxist indoctrination may have more staying power than previously thought. In Goodbye Lenin (or Not?): The Effects of Communism on People's Preference (NBER Working Paper No. 11700), co-authors Alberto Ale... Victim reaction to Abuse by Narcissists and Psychopaths
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/23/2007
Personality disorders are not only all-pervasive, but also diffuse and shape-shifting. It is taxing and emotionally harrowing to watch how a loved one is consumed by these pernicious and largely incurable conditions. Victims adopt varying stances and react in different ways to the inevitable abuse involved in relationships with personality disordered patients. Empathy and Personality Disorders
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/21/2007
What is Empathy? Normal people use a variety of abstract concepts and psychological constructs to relate to other persons. Emotions are such modes of inter-relatedness. Narcissists and psychopaths are different. Their "equipment" is lacking. They understand only one language: self-interest. Their inner dialog and private language revolve around the constant measurement of utility. They regard others as mere objects, instruments of gratification, and representations of functions. Chakma-Hajong Refugees and Their Rights
Chunnu Prasad - 4/19/2007
The problem of Chakma and Hajong refugees are not very new in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. It is also true that the migration is a human phenomenon and it has to accept by all the human beings throughout the universe. The problem of refugee in this universe is one of the most painful activities which happened particularly after the Second World War. Nobody wants in this universe to recognize him or her as refugee or synonym to this. The Chakma and Hajong refugees’ problem is one of the most critical but contemporary problem in the region which created lots of tension between the people who ... Chronicle Of A New Wave Of Narrow-mindedness and Fanaticism
Iqbal Latif - 4/19/2007
During the fall of Rome there were attacks made at different times from different places all around the border of ancient Rome. There were many barbarian invaders such as the Vandals, the Visigoths, and the Huns. They settled in many different places along the border. The Roman way of life collapsed quickly. The Western Roman Empire was invaded by barbarians and then it collapsed. The Nature of Reality - Part VII
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/5/2007
An Epistolary Dialogue Between Roberto Calvo Macias and Sam Vaknin Dear Roberto, What is the essence of the Turing Test that you so often refer to? It is about the ultimate or potential indistinguishability of reality from its imitation or simulation. If "artificial" intelligence were to become indistinguishable from "real" or "natural" intelligence than it would be as "real" and "natural" as the original. Indeed, the death of the original in an age of industrial replication has been announced a long time ago. Which of the the Andy Warhol "Marilyn"s is the original and which are the copies... The Nature of Reality - Part VI
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/4/2007
An Epistolary Dialogue Between Roberto Calvo Macias and Sam Vaknin Dear Roberto, I wish I could hide behind established physics. Unfortunately, the ideas presented in my previous letter to you are all mine and borrowed from my Ph.D. thesis. They have nothing to do with current trends in physics. But I seemed to have been too vague or obscure because I failed to convey to you my message. I wanted to make you privy to the mental process that led me to the conclusion that time is NOt a simulation or a language element but an INTERACTION between bodies, probably carried by a particle. As such... The Nature of Reality - Part V
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/3/2007
An Epistolary Dialogue Between Roberto Calvo Macias and Sam Vaknin Dear RCM, As letters go, I will try and make this one my last excursion into theory (though I cannot promise not to pepper my next ones with more). I will deal with fractals in the "practical" group of letters. Today I will write to you about time. Refugees and Human Rights
Chunnu Prasad - 4/2/2007
In the years after the Second World War, the world has witnessed a large number of political upheavals in many countries. The European and Third world countries are the most effected. Reason for such disturbances range from simple political rivalry, regional conflicts of a country, ethnic issues and unequal distribution of natural resources and development projects to simple persecution of people of minorities by one country to those of another due to racial discrimination. All these caused to create refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP’s). Because of fear of international repe... The Nature of Reality - Part IV
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/2/2007
Between Roberto Calvo Macias and Sam Vaknin Dear RCM, Questions as all-encompassing as the ones you presented in your last letter call for a period of gestation. The same Hofstadter reviled by you posed the following question: The Nature of Reality - Part III
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/24/2007
An Epistolary Dialogue Between Roberto Calvo Macias and Sam Vaknin Dear Roberto, I learned to like your vehement and passionate responses. To my mind, they are the hallmarks of a true intellectual. To me, the impassioned intellectual is an oxymoron. Curiosity is such an urgent drive, truth such a pressing need that the true intellectual is impatient which what is manifestly false and threatens to drive him off course. The Nature of Reality - Part II
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/23/2007
An Epistolary Dialogue Between Roberto Calvo Macias and Sam Vaknin Dear RCM, As usual, your letter is a feast of erudition disguised as ignorance dipped in provocation. I ask you to trust me. That is, to close your eyes and to follow me, holding my virtual hand. In this letter, I will pose two questions. On first blush, they may seem all but irrelevant. They may provoke your ire. You may be tempted to end our epistolary (ad)venture here and now. But, please don't. A clear answer to either of them - or even the attempt to obtain such an answer- will carry us a long way into the territory we... The Nature of Reality - Part I
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/22/2007
An Epistolary Dialogue Between Roberto Calvo Macias and Sam Vaknin My dear Roberto, I suggest the following map of the terrain we are going to explore together. It is by no means terra incognita. It has been visited before. But a long time has passed and new features have emerged. In short: it should, definitely, be revisited. As for myself, I prefer to be a cartographer and a taxonomist rather than a philosopher. I feel awed and midgeted by the giants in this territory, chilled to the bones by Kant's shadow and by strangled by Descartes' inescapable logic. No, I prefer to be the casual tourist. A Gala Tribute to Global Copycats
Naseem Javed - 3/21/2007
Over the decade, the art of copying and stealing other people's content and ideas has settled comfortably in the mainstream across the globe. What formerly would constitute an act of piracy is now a commonplace, everyday occurrence. Isn't it time to give these 'borrowers' a tribute, host a gala dinner and hand out awards? Book Review: "Morals for the 21st Century" by John Baines
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/20/2007
Texts written by (often) megalomaniac, self-appointed "teachers", invariably display the same sad attributes. Most blatantly, they contain false pretensions to knowledge. "John Baines" (the pseudonym of a Chilean "contemporary philosopher") pretends to know physics, psychoanalysis, and philosophy, to mention but three disciplines - yet, he doesn't. The "science" in "Morals for the 21st Century" is the most pernicious kind of pseudo-science: replete with citations (usually from speculative pulp pop tomes), honourable sounding Ph.D.s, and inane concoctions, such as "biophotons" and "destructive ... Globalization and Child Labor: The Cause Can Also be a Cure
Prof. Susan Ariel Aaronson - 3/15/2007
Pressure of globalization has led to child trafficking and forced labor. Similar global pressure from public opinion can also put an end to the practice. Five years ago, reports emerged about small groups of children being trafficked and forced to pick cacao beans – the main ingredient for chocolate – in West African plantations. Outraged US officials, industry groups and activists organized the Cocoa Protocol to stop the practice and debated a label that would certify chocolate products as being free of child labor. Major chocolate firms and non-governmental organizations set out to provide e... Parsimony – The Fourth Substance
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/14/2007
Occasionalism is a variation upon Cartesian metaphysics. The latter is the most notorious case of dualism (mind and body, for instance). The mind is a "mental substance". The body – a "material substance". What permits the complex interactions which happen between these two disparate "substances"? The "unextended mind" and the "extended body" surely cannot interact without a mediating agency, God. The appearance is that of direct interaction but this is an illusion maintained by Him. He moves the body when the mind is willing and places ideas in the mind when the body comes across other bodies... The Partiality of Wholeness
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/13/2007
Religious people believe in the existence of a supreme being. It has many attributes but two of the most striking are that it seems to both encompass and to pervade everything. Judaic sources are in the habit of saying that we all have a "share of the upper divine soul". Put more formally, we can say that we are both part of a whole and yet permeated by it. The Politics of Forgiveness and Democratization
Anssi Kullberg - 3/5/2007
Chapter 1. The consequences of human action are both difficult to predict and impossible to reverse. This causes many problems for people to solve since human language records social memory that attaches actions into the identities of individuals, families, generations and societies. At the same time man seeks justice and morals in his actions, which would be improbable unless there is an idea that actions somehow result in “what one deserves”, whether in earthly or at least in the transcendental life. Good acts are those that produce good. Evil acts are those that result in evil. The existence of justice is a necessity for any laws and rules to have a normative effect. Legitimizing Final Causes
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/5/2007
In his book, Global Brain: The Evolution of Mass Mind from the Big Bang to the 21st Century, published in 2002, Howard Bloom suggests that all the organisms on the planet contribute to a pool of knowledge and, thus, constitute a "global brain". He further says that different life-forms "strike deals" to modify their "behavior" and traits and thus be of use to each other. The Manifold of Sense - Part II
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/3/2007
Sense data are entities cyclically defined. Their existence depends upon being sensed by a sensor equipped with senses. Yet, they define the senses to a large extent (imagine trying to define the sense of vision without visuals). Ostensibly, they are entities, though subjective. Allegedly, they possess the properties that we perceive in an external object (if it is there), as it appears to have them. In other words, though the external object is perceived, what we really get in touch with directly, what we apprehend without mediation – are the subjective sensa. What is (probably) perceived is ... Parapsychology and the Paranormal
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/1/2007
I. Introduction The words "supernatural", "paranormal", and "parapsychology" are prime examples of oxymorons. Nature, by its extended definition, is all-inclusive and all-pervasive. Nothing is outside its orbit and everything that is logically and physically possible is within its purview. If something exists and occurs then, ipso facto, it is normal (or abnormal, but never para or "beyond" the normal). Psychology is the science of human cognition, emotion, and behavior. No human phenomenon evades its remit. The Manifold of Sense - Part I
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 2/25/2007
"Anthropologists report enormous differences in the ways that different cultures categorize emotions. Some languages, in fact, do not even have a word for emotion. Other languages differ in the number of words they have to name emotions. While English has over 2,000 words to describe emotional categories, there are only 750 such descriptive words in Taiwanese Chinese. One tribal language has only 7 words that could be translated into categories of emotion… the words used to name or describe an emotion can influence what emotion is experienced. For example, Tahitians do not have a word directly... Affiliation and Morality
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 2/22/2007
The Anglo-Saxon members of the motley "Coalition of the Willing" were proud of their aircraft's and missiles' "surgical" precision. The legal (and moral) imperative to spare the lives of innocent civilians was well observed, they bragged. "Collateral damage" was minimized. They were lucky to have confronted a dilapidated enemy. Precision bombing is expensive, in terms of lives - of fighter pilots. Military planners are well aware that there is a hushed trade-off between civilian and combatant casualties. Narcissist vs. Psychopath
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 2/21/2007
We all heard the terms "psychopath" or "sociopath". These are the old names for a patient with the Antisocial Personality Disorder (AsPD). It is hard to distinguish narcissists from psychopaths. The latter may simply be a less inhibited and less grandiose form of the former. Indeed, the DSM V Committee is considering to abolish this distinction altogether. Globalization Forces a Health-Check of US Auto Industry
Susan Froetschel - 2/21/2007
Of the top six automobile-manufacturing countries in the world, the US and China are the only ones that lack universal government-backed health care. US workers expect employers like Ford, General Motors and Chrysler to provide cradle-to-grave health coverage, a significant cost burden not shared by competitors. The problem is exacerbated by health plans for retired employees – every plant closure and cut in production raises the health-care costs per vehicle. As a result, the American auto industry is in danger of losing its global dominance. Still, US firms do not demand a universal health c... Nature, Aesthetics, Pleasure, and Ethics
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 2/19/2007
The distinction often made between emotions and judgements gives rise to a host of conflicting accounts of morality. Yet, in the same way that the distinction "observer-observed" is false, so is the distinction between emotions and judgements. Emotions contain judgements and judgements are formed by both emotions and the ratio. Emotions are responses to sensa (see "The Manifold of Sense") and inevitably incorporate judgements (and beliefs) about those sensa. Some of these judgements are inherent (the outcome of biological evolution), others cultural, some unconscious, others conscious, and the... The World's Largest Office
Naseem Javed - 2/5/2007
As the free-floating, nonrestrictive nature of streamlined internet access and efficiency continue to grow, the internet community will slowly render the traditional functionality of the office obsolete. Bye-bye cubicles and bye-bye water coolers. India: Poverty Retreats with Globalization’s Advance
Prof. Baldev Raj Nayar - 2/5/2007
As globalization gained speed during the latter part of the 20th century, so too did India’s integration with the world economy. Baldev Raj Nayar, emeritus professor of political science at McGill University, counters critics who suggest that globalization has increased instability or poverty. By opening the door to multinational firms, India strengthened and diversified the country’s economy. He admits that poverty is still a fact of life in India and that most benefits of globalization have gone to the top 20 percent of the population. Still, the unabashed pursuit of global connections – thr... Casino Gaming in Developing Countries - A Mistake or a Blessing?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/31/2007
154,000,000. According to fansbobet, this is the number of Americans who visited the gambling institutions in the USA in 1995. Another 177,000,000 participated in other forms of gambling: car races, horse races, other sports tournaments. They have spent well over 44 BILLION USD on gambling. On average, they lost 20% of the money that they invested - and this, approximately, is the profit of this industry in the US. The industry's annual growth rate is 11% which is an excellent figure for an industry which commenced its operations in 1940 in a desert in the S... Global Image Re-Positioning 2007
Naseem Javed - 1/29/2007
Suddenly, there is a new global tidal wave of change all over the Asian region, the obvious signs are people on the move, new developments and properties popping up all over the region and a nouvo-consumerism is appearing at every corner, customers are buying shiny and wonderful things with beautiful packaging and companies are addressing their hunger with massive blitzes. Unseen by the masses but clearly visible to global circumnavigators, a new storm is building, wiser and well seasoned, like homing pigeons, immigrants are returning to their homelands… soon it will cut a clear path. Music Marches to Globalization’s Drum
Richard Boursy - 1/25/2007
Music is an integral part of human history and culture, and it’s no surprise that cultural globalization has shaped the evolution of music. Neither is this phenomenon new: For centuries, musicians have sought to evoke distant and exotic locales and adapted musical instruments and notes from afar. European colonialists entertained themselves with adaptations of music from Africa and Asia and the Americas. Non-European peoples, for their part, sought to safeguard their cultural independence with music that mirrored their newfound nationalism. Now, in the post-colonial era, musical styles are converging into an international fusion – and, one may hope, a harmony that transcends the music. The Public Sector in Economies in Transition
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/2/2007
In the previous article ("The Public Sector - An Uncertain Future"), we described the various methods developed in the West to cope with the ever-burgeoning public sector. Deeply Unequal World
Sam Pizzigati - 12/26/2006
Some people, at year's end, like to spread holiday cheer. The world might do better, suggests a landmark new report from the United Nations University in Helsinki, to start spreading wealth. Spirit of Christmas: Past and Future
Ian Williams - 12/26/2006
For centuries, rum has been a warming folk remedy for colds, flu—and indeed cold itself. As the winter solstice approaches in its various festival forms, one worldwide constant is the need for rum to bring a little tropical warmth into the winter. In places like the Caribbean, India, and Australia a solid rum-drinking tradition ensures that the amber nectar is savored year-around, but in colder climes, rum in eggnogs, Christmas cakes and puddings, mince pies and of course just rum in tots, are traditional accoutrements for the holiday season. Capitalism Triumphs in Asia
Bhuwan Thapaliya - 12/20/2006
Karl Marx, the 19th century German political philosopher, predicted that the advanced capitalist societies would together progress toward communism. But the great man, had he been alive today, would have to his utmost dismay, seen the trend going just the opposite way instead. Corruption and Transparency - Part II
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/20/2006
We can classify corrupt and venal behaviors according to their outcomes: a. Income Supplement - Corrupt actions whose sole outcome is the supplementing of the income of the provider without affecting the "real world" in any manner. Corruption and Transparency - Part I
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/19/2006
I. The Facts
Just days before a much-awaited donor conference, the influential International Crisis Group (ICG) recommended to place all funds pledged to Macedonia under the oversight of a "corruption advisor" appointed by the European Commission. The donors ignored this and other recommendations. To appease the critics, the affable Attorney General of Macedonia charged a former Minister of Defense with abuse of duty for allegedly having channeled millions of DM to his relatives during the recent civil war. Macedonia has belatedly passed an anti-money laundering law recently - but faile... The Demise of the Dinosaur PTTs
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/16/2006
Telecommunications is the most important physical infrastructure in the modern world. It is more important than roads because it can replace them. It is more important than office buildings because it allows for the formation of virtual offices. It is more crucial than legal and institutional systems because it surpasses national borders and undermines and subverts fossilized political structures. Capitalism: One Size Does Not Suit All
Prof. Pranab Bardhan - 12/13/2006
BERKELEY: A little over a decade ago the American model of capitalism was triumphant: The Soviet Union had recently collapsed, recession took the shine off the vaunted Japanese model of the 1980’s, the social-democratic models of northern and western Europe languished in high unemployment and low growth, and the so-called East Asian miracle was soon to be engulfed in the Asian financial crisis. For the many developing and transition economies in search of a model, there was only one prescription: Liberalize and privatize, and copy the Anglo-American institutions of legal, financial and corporate governance. Employee and Management Owned Firms
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/12/2006
Margaret Thatcher started a world trend during her tenure as Prime Minister on Downing Street. It is called: Privatization. It consisted of the transfer of control of a state-owned enterprise to the Private Sector. This was done by selling the shares of the company. At times, the control itself was maintained by the state - but the economic benefits emanating from the ownership of shares was partly sold to privates. Such economic benefits are comprised of the dividend yield of the shares plus the appreciation in their value (due to the involvement of the private sector) known as capital gains. The Agenda of Trade
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/11/2006
Formation:Asom Sanjukta Mukti Morcha or the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) was formed on April 7, 1979 by Bhimakanta Buragohain, Rajiv Rajkonwar alias Arabinda Rajkhowa, Golap Baruah alias Anup Chetia, Samiran Gogoi alias Pradip Gogoi, Bhadreshwar Gohain and Paresh Baruah at the Rang Ghar in Sibsagar to establish a "sovereign socialist Assam" through an armed struggle. Battles that changed the course of history - Differing views
Iqbal Latif - 12/5/2006
History is a bounded slave of Eurocentric version of mankind's evolution. Unless proper effort is made to understand historical events in their proper context the gap between civilizations cannot be filed, the bridges can only be made if efforts are made to understand the vents that led to present confrontation between radicals and the moderates of the world. Anger and Society - Part II
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/27/2006
Anger in healthy persons is diminished through action. It is an aversive, unpleasant emotion. It is intended to generate action in order to eradicate this uncomfortable sensation. It is coupled with physiological arousal. But it is not clear whether action diminishes anger or anger is used up in action. Similarly, it is not clear whether the consciousness of anger is dependent on a stream of cognition expressed in words? Do we become angry because we say that we are angry (=we identify the anger and capture it) – or do we say that we are angry because we are angry to start with? Globalization and God – Part I
Pratap Bhanu Mehta - 11/27/2006
The politics of religious respect has become more complex in recent years as the magnifying glass of the secular West focuses on Islam – and religion in general. This two-part series examines the globalization of religion and its influence on international politics. The judgmental quality of any moral system instigates conflict with others who do not believe. Policy analyst Pratap Bhanu Mehta points out that global politics would be better off if every sect extended mutual respect to counterparts from other religions. But such respect is a lofty, maybe impossible goal, with Mehta pointing out ... Anger and Society - Part I
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/26/2006
Anger is a compounded phenomenon. It has dispositional properties, expressive and motivational components, situational and individual variations, cognitive and excitatory interdependent manifestations and psychophysiological (especially neuroendocrine) aspects. From the psychobiological point of view, it probably had its survival utility in early evolution, but it seems to have lost a lot of it in modern societies. Actually, in most cases it is counterproductive, even dangerous. Dysfunctional anger is known to have pathogenic effects (mostly cardiovascular). The Inferno of the Finance Director
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/24/2006
Sometimes, I harbour a suspicion that Dante was a Finance Director. His famous work, "The Inferno", is an accurate description of the job. Liquidity or Liquidation
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/21/2006
Large parts of the world today suffer from a severe liquidity crisis. The famed globalization of the capital markets seems to confine itself, ever more, to the richer parts, the more liquid exchanges, the more affluent geopolitical neighbourhoods. The fad of "emerging economies" has all but died out. Try telling the Macedonians about global capital markets: last year, the whole world invested less than 30 million USD net in their poor country. Breadwinners earn 150 euros (c. 200 US dollars) a month on average. Officially, in excess of one third of the workforce is unemployed. Small wonder that... Small Businesses - Big Obstacles
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/20/2006
Everyone is talking about small businesses. In 1993, when it was allowed in Macedonia, more than 90,000 new firms were registered by individuals. Now, less than three years later, official figures show that only 40,000 of them still pay their dues and present annual financial statements. These firms are called "active" - but this is a misrepresentation. Only a very small fraction really does business and produces income. The Definition of Definitions
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/16/2006
The sentence "all cats are black" is evidently untrue even if only one cat in the whole universe were to be white. Thus, the property "being black" cannot form a part of the definition of a cat. The lesson to be learnt is that definitions must be universal. They must apply to all the members of a defined set (the set of "all cats" in our example). The Dance of Jael
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/15/2006
"Envy is forever looking upwards. It does not look sideways. In 'Facial Justice' Hartley (1960) describes a life after a catastrophic war. A Dictator has decreed that envy is so destructive that it has to be eliminated. The citizens are coerced to be as alike each other as possible. The worst crime is not envy itself but to excite envy. 'Equality and Envy - the two E's were...the positive and negative poles on which the New State rotated '(p.12). In order to exterminate envy everything that was enviable has been destroyed. Of course that in itself is the very essence of envy. Neither envy nor ... China/Dubai Model or the Taliban/Hamas model? The choice is all yours!
Iqbal Latif - 11/15/2006
It is basically connectivity to the world. Two clear models of economic prosperity have emerged, one a 'China/ Dubai Model' that encourages economic pluralism and ensures prosperity of its people. Careful cohabitation with counter ideologies and eschews cultural alienation in name of orthodoxy other is the old self-destruct Taliben/Hamas model that believes in uninterrupted struggle against hegemony, incessant hostilities of belief named heavenly battles being fought on this bastardly earth.Pauperism today is all about state of mind of a nation! Bestowed Existence
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/7/2006
Knives and forks are objects external to us. They have an objective - or at least an intersubjective - existence. Presumably, they will be there even if no one watches or uses them ever again. We can safely call them "Objective Entities". Metaphors of the Mind
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/1/2006
The brain (and, by implication, the mind) have been compared to the latest technological innovation in every generation. The computer metaphor is now in vogue. Computer hardware metaphors were replaced by software metaphors and, lately, by (neuronal) network metaphors. The Perils of Globeerization
Chris OBrien - 10/30/2006
The world's cup runneth over with living beer traditions. But this vast repository of cultural brewing capital is under attack by global corporations. The top five brewing companies, all of which are American- or European-owned, control 41% of the world market. Perversely, economists and politicians calculate the conquest by industrial breweries as economic growth while the value of small-scale traditional brewing goes uncounted. Much will be lost if this global “beerodiversity” is lost to the forces of corporate-led homogenization. Gender Bias in Diagnosing Personality Disorders
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/17/2006
Ever since Freud, more women than men sought therapy. Consequently, terms like "hysteria' are intimately connected to female physiology and alleged female psychology. The DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, the bible of the psychiatric profession) expressly professes gender bias: personality disorders such as Borderline and Histrionic are supposed to be more common among women. but the DSM is rather even-handed: other personality disorders (e.g., the Narcissistic and Antisocial as well as the Schizotypal, Obsessive-Compulsive, Schizoid, and Paranoid) are more prevalent among men. Made in China: Wal-Mart Unions
Anita Chan - 10/12/2006
Global labor leaders had long considered China's unions as an arm of the government and not worthy of much respect. But that was before All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) took on Wal-Mart managers in China and quickly set up union branches at more than 20 stores. (See more info about business administration jobs in China). The move requiring grassroots organization that's not been seen in China for more than 50 years - could signal more regulation over foreign firms operating in China or discontent among labor groups who question work co... Migration and Brain Drain
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/9/2006
Human trafficking and people smuggling are multi-billion dollar industries. At least 50% of the 150 million immigrants the world over are illegal aliens. There are 80 million migrant workers found in virtually every country. They flee war, urban terrorism, crippling poverty, corruption, authoritarianism, nepotism, cronyism, and unemployment. Their main destinations are the EU and the USA - but many end up in lesser countries in Asia or Africa. Man and His Endangered Home: Our pursuit of growth and luxury may leave us homeless
Bo Ekman - 9/29/2006
In their single-minded pursuit of economic growth and wealth, human beings could be collectively working themselves out of a home. Human activities systematically degrade the water, air and other surroundings that sustain life. The problem is not with pending shortages of resources, argues systems analyst and philanthropist Bo Ekman, but a rapidly growing population and new generations that expect ever higher standards of living, with more products and space. Climate change alone will impose severe weather patterns, shortages of freshwater and displacement of entire communities. Humans complic... The Basic Dilemma of the Artist
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/15/2006
"I know of no 'new programme'. Only that art is forever manifesting itself in new forms, since there are forever new personalities-its essence can never alter, I believe. Perhaps I am wrong. But speaking for myself, I know that I have no programme, only the unaccountable longing to grasp what I see and feel, and to find the purest means of _expression for it."
- Karl Schmidt-Rottluff Defense Mechanisms in Politics - Part III
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/10/2006
Projection is unconscious. People are rarely aware that they are projecting onto others their own ego-dystonic and unpleasant characteristics and feelings. But, sometimes, the projected content is retained in the subject's awareness. This creates a conflict. On the one hand, the patient cannot admit that the emotions, traits, reactions, and behaviors that he so condemns in others are really his. On the other hand, he can't help but being self-aware. He fails to erase from his consciousness the painful realization that he is merely projecting. Defense Mechanisms in Politics - Part II
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/9/2006
Fantasy Everyone fantasizes now and then. It helps to fend off the dreariness and drabness of everyday life and to plan for an uncertain future. But when fantasy becomes a central feature of grappling with conflict, it is pathological. Seeking gratification - the satisfaction of drives or desires - mainly by fantasizing is an unhealthy defense. Narcissists, for instance, often indulge in grandiose fantasies which are incommensurate with their accomplishments and abilities. Such fantasy life retards personal growth and development because it substitutes for true coping. Defense Mechanisms in Politics - Part I
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/8/2006
According to Freud and his followers, our psyche is a battlefield between instinctual urges and drives (the id), the constraints imposed by reality on the gratification of these impulses (the ego), and the norms of society (the superego). This constant infighting generates what Freud called "neurotic anxiety" (fear of losing control) and "moral anxiety" (guilt and shame). Globalization Tames the Left in Brazil
Thomas I. Palley - 9/8/2006
Brazil elected a progressive president, yet failed to tackle a long legacy of economic injustice. Instead, President Lula da Silva, a trade union activist workers ranging from city works to green coffee bean extract farm employees, was timid with economic policies: Playing it safe, Brazil embraced its traditional role of exporting resources abroad and allowing other countries to manufacture and innovate. For example, the nation's trade patterns with China entail steady exports of soybean and imports of manufactured goods. South America's leading power has immense... Economic Patriotism – Blind Alley in a Globalized World?
Patricia Wruuck - 8/9/2006
The successful takeover of Europe’s biggest steel company, Arcelor, by Mittal Steel, whose owner was born in India, is a setback for economic nationalists and protectionists. Shareholders, who saw monetary and strategic worth in the Mittal-Arcelor merger, bucked a board of directors that resented any hint of foreign control. Such resistance is not limited to non-European partners. Cross-border mergers and takeovers remain controversial even within Europe, writes economist Patricia Wruuck, and politicans find such business decisions a tempting target for rallying workers who worry about a loss ... The Exclusionary Conscience
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/8/2006
The self-identity of most nation-states is exclusionary and oppositional: to generate solidarity, a sense of shared community, and consensus, an ill-defined "we" is unfavorably contrasted with a fuzzy "they". While hate speech has been largely outlawed the world over, these often counterfactual dichotomies between "us" and "them" still reign supreme. Development Vs. Free Trade
Prof. Bernard K. Gordon - 7/24/2006
The meeting this week in Geneva may be the last chance to complete the Doha Development Round of talks launched by the World Trade Organization in 2001. While many observers anticipate that the round could be rescued, the stalemate highlights the structural weaknesses of a trade organization taking on a development agenda. The aim of the WTO is to lower trade barriers in the pursuit of expanding global trade, a goal overshadowed of late by developing nations banding together to make economic development the key issue. These countries, led by India and Brazil, account for less than 1 percent of... Trends for a Not-so-new Millennium
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/14/2006
We construct maps of the world around us, using cognitive models, organizational principles, and narratives that we acquire in the process of socialization. These are augmented by an incessant bombardment of conceptual, ideational, and ideological frameworks emanating from the media, from peers and role models, from authority figures, and from the state. We take our universe for granted, an immutable and inevitable entity. It is anything but. Only change and transformation are guaranteed constants - the rest of it is an elaborate and anxiety-reducing illusion. The Social Impact of Psychopaths and Antisocials
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/13/2006
Is the psychopath, sociopath, and someone with the Antisocial Personality Disorder one and the same? The DSM says "yes". Scholars such as Robert Hare and Theodore Millon beg to differ. The psychopath has antisocial traits for sure but they are coupled with and enhanced by callousness, ruthlessness, extreme lack of empathy, deficient impulse control, deceitfulness, and sadism. The History of Personality Disorders
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/11/2006
Well into the eighteenth century, the only types of mental illness - then collectively known as "delirium" or "mania" - were depression (melancholy), psychoses, and delusions. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the French psychiatrist Pinel coined the phrase "manie sans delire" (insanity without delusions). He described patients who lacked impulse control, often raged when frustrated, and were prone to outbursts of violence. He noted that such patients were not subject to delusions. He was referring, of course, to psychopaths (subjects with the Antisocial Personality Disorder). Across the ocean, in the United States, Benjamin Rush made similar observations. Whose Brain Is It Anyway?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/7/2006
In "Being John Malkovich", a quintessential loser, an out-of-job puppeteer, is hired by a firm, whose offices are ensconced in a half floor (literally. The ceiling is about a metre high, reminiscent of Taniel's hallucinatory Alice in Wonderland illustrations). By sheer accident, he discovers a tunnel (a "portal", in Internet-age parlance), which sucks its visitors into the mind of the celebrated actor, John Malkovich. The movie is a tongue in cheek discourse of identity, gender and passion in an age of languid promiscuity. It poses all the right metaphysical riddles and presses the viewers' intellectual stimulation buttons. The Law of Global Development of Human Civilization - The First Consequence
Oleg Kropivnitskiy - 7/6/2006
A human as an intelligent and organized structure has to be familiar with three especially important Elements of Knowledge. The first one is the Knowledge of oneself, of the human. The Second one is the Knowledge of the immediate surroundings of this structure where it carries out its activity. For the human this constitutes the Knowledge of human civilization. The Third one is the Knowledge of the remote surroundings – the Space and the Universe. We have strong grounds to call these important Elements of Knowledge “The Three Great Elements of Knowledge.” Are we, the people, familiar with them... What is Intuition?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/28/2006
I. The Three Intuitions IA. Eidetic Intuitions Intuition is supposed to be a form of direct access. Yet, direct access to what? Does it access directly "intuitions" (abstract objects, akin to numbers or properties - see "Bestowed Existence")? Are intuitions the objects of the mental act of Intuition? Perhaps intuition is the mind's way of interacting directly with Platonic ideals or Phenomenological "essences"? By "directly" I mean without the intellectual mediation of a manipulated symbol system, and without the benefits of inference, observation, experience, or reason. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) - Pros and Cons
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/23/2006
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, fourth edition, text revision [American Psychiatric Association. DSM-IV-TR, Washington, 2000] - or the DSM-IV-TR for short - describes Axis II personality disorders as "deeply ingrained, maladaptive, lifelong behavior patterns". But the classificatory model the DSM has been using since 1952 is harshly criticized as woefully inadequate by many scholars and practitioners. The Construct of Normal Personality
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/22/2006
Personality disorders are dysfunctions of our whole identity, tears in the fabric of who we are. They are all-pervasive because our personality is ubiquitous and permeates each and every one of our mental cells. I just published the first article in this topic titled "What is Personality?". Read it to understand the subtle differences between "personality", "character", and "temperament". The Cultural Narcissist - Part IV: Lasch in an Age of Diminishing Expectations
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/21/2006
Lasch was a fanatic religious man. He would have rejected this title with vehemence. But he was the worst type: unable to commit himself to the practice while advocating its employment by others. If you asked him why was religion good, he would have waxed on concerning its good result. He said nothing about the inherent nature of religion, its tenets, its view of Mankind's destiny, or anything else of substance. Lasch was a social engineer of the derided Marxist type: if it works, if it molds the masses, if it keeps them "in limits", subservient - use it. Religion worked wonders in this respec... The Cultural Narcissist - Part III: Lasch in an Age of Diminishing Expectations
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/20/2006
Lasch just ingeniously reversed the argument. The same characteristics, he said, are to be found in today's elites, "those who control the international flow of money and information, preside over philanthropic foundations and institutions of higher learning, manage the instruments of cultural production and thus set the terms of public debate". But they are self appointed, they represent none but themselves. The lower middle classes were much more conservative and stable than their "self appointed spokesmen and would-be liberators". They know the limits and that there are limits, they have sound political instincts: The Cultural Narcissist - Part II: Lasch in an Age of Diminishing Expectations
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/19/2006
Lasch envisioned a communitarian society, one where men are self made and the State is gradually made redundant. This is a worthy vision and a vision worthy of some other era. Lasch never woke up to the realities of the late 20th century: mass populations concentrated in sprawling metropolitan areas, market failures in the provision of public goods, the gigantic tasks of introducing literacy and good health to vast swathes of the planet, an ever increasing demand for evermore goods and services. Small, self-help communities are not efficient enough to survive - though the ethical aspect is praiseworthy: The Cultural Narcissist - Part I: Lasch in an Age of Diminishing Expectations
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/18/2006
"The new narcissist is haunted not by guilt but by anxiety. He seeks not to inflict his own certainties on others but to find a meaning in life. Liberated from the superstitions of the past, he doubts even the reality of his own existence. Superficially relaxed and tolerant, he finds little use for dogmas of racial and ethnic purity but at the same time forfeits the security of group loyalties and regards everyone as a rival for the favors conferred by a paternalistic state. His sexual attitudes are permissive rather than puritanical, even though his emancipation from ancient taboos brings him... Global Economy: Surfing the Third Wave
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/17/2006
Five thousand years ago, people were still roaming the earth as nomads. They carried along their few precious possessions in their hands and on their backs. They hunted and gathered food at random. The Chinese Room Revisited
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/14/2006
Whole forests have been wasted in the effort to refute the Chinese Room Thought Experiment proposed by Searle in 1980 and refined (really derived from axioms) in 1990. The experiment envisages a room in which an English speaker sits, equipped with a book of instructions in English. Through one window messages in Chinese are passed on to him (in the original experiment, two types of messages). He is supposed to follow the instructions and correlate the messages received with other pieces of paper, already in the room, also in Chinese. This collage he passes on to the outside through yet another... Trading in Sovereign Promises
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/12/2006
Martin Schubert and his investment boutique, European Inter-American Finance, in joint venture with Merrill Lynch and Aetna, pioneered the private trading of sovereign obligations of emerging market economies, including those in default. In conjunction with private merchant banks, such as Singer Friedlander in the United Kingdom, he conjured up liquidity where there was none and captured the imagination of businesses on both sides of the Atlantic. G-8 Hype At The End Of An Age
Jan Allen - 6/12/2006
The article 'G-8 Ministers Tout Strong Global Economy' by Alex Nicholson, AP Business Writer, dated 6-10-2006, communicates economic hype from the international financial leaders. (Source: click here). Infrastructure and Prosperity
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/6/2006
In the past, if you were to mention the word "infrastructure", the only mental association would have been: "physical". Infrastructure comprised roads, telephone lines, ports, airports and other very tangible country spanning things. Many items were added to this category as time went by, but they all preserved the "tangibility requirement" - even electricity and means of communication were measured by their physical manifestations: lines, poles, distances. The Misanthropic Altruist
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/31/2006
Some narcissists are ostentatiously generous - they donate to charity, lavish gifts on their closest, abundantly provide for their nearest and dearest, and, in general, are open-handed and unstintingly benevolent. How can this be reconciled with the pronounced lack of empathy and with the pernicious self-preoccupation that is so typical of narcissists? The Pathological Charmer
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/30/2006
The narcissist is confident that people find him irresistible. His unfailing charm is part of his self-imputed omnipotence. This inane conviction is what makes the narcissist a "pathological charmer". The somatic narcissist and the histrionic flaunt their sex appeal, virility or femininity, sexual prowess, musculature, physique, training, or athletic achievements. Globalization's Watchdogs
Mark Engler - 5/29/2006
When Bolivian President Evo Morales announced plans to nationalize his country's oil and natural gas resources in early May, he did more than lay out a promising path for development. He also provided an ideal opportunity to illustrate how large segments of the U.S. and British press have adopted roles as watchdogs for corporate globalization. Since Bolivia's energy exports go to Brazil and Argentina rather than the United States, and since the nationalization is unlikely to significantly alter the price of natural gas on international markets, the direct impact on our country is minimal. Yet in the weeks since Morales took action, we have been treated to a wealth of hysterical commentary. Live and Let Live, Nature's Message
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/29/2006
Both now-discarded Lamarckism (the supposed inheritance of acquired characteristics) and Evolution Theory postulate that function determines form. Natural selection rewards those forms best suited to carry out the function of survival ("survival of the fittest") in each and every habitat (through the mechanism of adaptive radiation). Surpassing Man - Part IX
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/27/2006
Dear Sam, Your last letter is so condensed, so finely drawn, that I have almost nothing to say. That's the way I see the short-term future. All your prognoses, either pertaining to genetics, or to robots and culture seem to be quite correct. They are - if we can put it this way - the most probable ones. Just several brief notes addressed to the individual. Surpassing Man - Part VIII
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/27/2006
Dear Sam, I liked your prognosis, it is quite correct :-). By the way, I do not know if I share Aurobindo's ideas. I just intended to demonstrate how different "surpassings" can be seen from different side of world. Yours is that of the West, technological, utopic, fantastic and titanic. Human Rights Hypocrisy?
Bhuwan Thapaliya - 5/26/2006
"We set this nation up to make men free, and we did not confine our conception and purpose to America," proclaimed President Woodrow Wilson in 1919. As the new century rose, the Wilsonian idea that it is America's mission to promote freedom abroad retains a powerful grip in his country. Yet, for the boldness of Mr Wilson's words; American policy on human rights is in mess after the Sep 11. Surpassing Man - Part VII
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/26/2006
Dear Roberto, Here is a more prosaic vision, devoid of spirits and Divine Beings - but, I think, a more natural progression from our current point of departure. Surpassing Man - Part VI
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/25/2006
Dear Sam, I almost agree with your arguments. The trouble lies, as ever, in that we are both the observer and the observed. This, at least, is what defines "humans". This strange property of observing and the communication of our observations to others - language- is what sets us apart. Surpassing Man - Part V
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/24/2006
Dear RCM, Long time no heard. I was busy publishing my latest graphomania ("After the Rain - How the West Lost the East"). The big flaw in the arguments of philosopher-anthropolgists (from Montaigne to Nietzsche) - whether prescriptive or descriptive - is that they didn't seem to have asked themselves what was it that they were studying. I am not referring to a phenomenology of humans (their physiology, their social organization, their behavioural codes). There is a veritable mountain ridge of material composed based on evidence collected from observations of homo sapiens. But what IS homo sapiens? WHAT is being observed? The paradox of multi-ethnicity
Bhuwan Thapaliya - 5/24/2006
When the definitions of nationhood, are suddenly put up for grabs, the goal of multi – ethnicity is even harder to attain according to most analysts. According to them, under despotism or colonialism, it did not matter much, whether frontiers reflected the true ethnic reality. But now, it’s a different ball game. As today, in sudden liberty, it is easy to persuade people to care about these things a lot. Freed from a common yoke, peoples fight for a prime position. No one wants to wind up a surrounding minority. On such logic cleansing begin. Surpassing Man - Part IV
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/23/2006
Hi Sam, I enjoyed your letter. As far as I know your summary of Nietsche's philosophy is the best one I've seen - it should be taught is such way in high schools. I would like to add just a small commentary. There can be no question that the Nazis would have been a real object of Nietzsche's hate (Himmler, with his bourguoise attitued is the best example) . Moreover, I am sure that had Nietzsche lived in the 1930s, he would have written some kind of choleric evangelium to take the Nazis out of the world. The Nazis were the summary of all that Nietzsche hated the most: plebeian manners, thei... Truth About Interventionalism and Globalization
Navraj Goyal - 5/22/2006
History is a test of ideas. In the economic sphere, the history of 20th century has tested the two ideas of socialism and its cousin interventionism to their fullest extent. The failure of socialist idea was so complete where it was tested in all its grandeur- the erstwhile Soviet Union that it needs no further elaboration. Whereas socialism was put in practice in some well defined geographical areas, interventionism which has been much more widespread in varying degrees in all parts of the world. Some doubts still prevail over its fallouts which call for a closer examination. Why Are Politicians Corrupt?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/22/2006
Most politicians bend the laws of the land and steal money or solicit bribes because they need the funds to support networks of patronage. Others do it in order to reward their nearest and dearest or to maintain a lavish lifestyle when their political lives are over. Surpassing Man - Part III
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/21/2006
Dear Roberto, In your opening gambit you most definitely asked the pertinent question - to ask what will replace Man is to ask WHAT is Man. There is an interesting infinite regression here, a recursiveness which is the result of a unique trait of intelligence: introspection. Humans are BOTH the subject of the definition and those defining. It is Man who defines Man. Changing the definition of Man will inevitably change the way Man is defined and the resulting definition of Man. So, it is a conceptual perpetuum mobile, Munchausen pulling himself by his own hair, bootstrapping. With this caveat in mind, we can revert to history. The New Dark Ages
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/20/2006
When I was growing up in a slum in Israel, I devoutly believed that knowledge and education will set me free and catapult me from my miserable circumstances into a glamorous world of happy learning. But now, as an adult, I find myself in an alien universe where functional literacy is non-existent even in developed countries, where "culture" means merely sports and music, where science is decried as evil and feared by increasingly hostile and aggressive masses, and where irrationality in all its forms (religiosity, the occult, conspiracy theories) flourishes. Surpassing Man - Part II
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/19/2006
Dear Roberto, This letter is an opening salvo. I will save the heavy amunition (mainly Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Fichte, Hegel, Weber, others) to later. Mankind is at an unprecedented technological crossroads. The confluence of telecommunications, mass transport, global computer networks and the mass media is unique in the annals of human ingenuity. That Maknind is about to be transformed is beyond dispute. The question is: "What will succeed Man, what will follow humanity?". Is it merely a matter of an adaptive reaction in the form of a new culture (as I have suggested in our previous dia... Surpassing Man - Part I - An Epistolary Dialogue Between Roberto Calvo Macias and Sam Vaknin
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/11/2006
I have not been asked, as I should have been asked, what the name Zarathustra means in precisely my mouth, in the mouth of the first immoralist: for what constitutes the tremendous uniqueness of that Persian in history is precisely the opposite of this. Zarathustra was the first to see in the struggle between good and evil the actual wheel in the working of things: the translation of morality into the realm of metaphysics, as force, cause, end-in-itself, is his work. But this question is itself at bottom its own answer. Zarathustra created this most fateful of errors, morality: consequently he... The Technology of Law and The Law of Technology - Part XII
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/10/2006
Hi Sam, I am not worried at all about being in full agreement with you - it is you who should be worried indeed. But, I think we are not dealing with the same question. I am presenting this question in absolute terms. Though all those considerations about cultures are interesting indeed, it is not my intention at all to come with another page of the "futurology of technology" or to try to make a new version of techno-waves, futures shocks and versions of culture wars of Toffler's, Huntington's and all the rest (E. J. said enough in 1931). Concerning this special issue I will elaborate i... The Technology of Law and The Law of Technology - Part XI
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/8/2006
A culture can be described by using a few axes: Distinguishing versus Consuming Cultures Some cultures give weight and presence (though not necessarily equal) to each of their constituent elements (the individual and social structures). Each such element is idiosyncratic and unique. Such cultures would accentuate attention to details, private enterprise, initiative, innovation, entrepreneurship, inventiveness, youth, status symbols, consumption, money, creativity, art, science and technology. The Technology of Law and The Law of Technology - Part X
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/6/2006
Sam, I must say that your "apparent" disgressions on linguistic problems and concerning life-after-death are no disgression at all but very pertinent questions (all my analyses are, in fact, based solely upon life and death). These two are, in my opinion, the only pair of words that remain clear. Indeed, your disgression on linguistics provides us with a beautiful example of the contradictions and tensions implied in the couplet "identity and velocity". It would seem that the Law (as does Art) has its own rules of "tempo" and "weight". Indeed, your digression offers a great example of what ... The Technology of Law and The Law of Technology - Part IX
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/5/2006
Now we can try to define "definition" itself: "Definition" – A statement which captures the meaning, the use, the function and the essence (the identity) of a term or a concept. Let us go one level higher. Let us define ABSENCE rather than PRESENCE, nothing rather than something, inaction rather than action. In other words, let us try to define death. The Technology of Law and The Law of Technology - Part VIII
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/4/2006
I fully share your view that both the Law and Technology (as I told you, I regard them as two manifestations of one and the same thing) - are concerned with the preservation and propagation of identity. The Law (religious and secular alike) is chiefly concerned with the protection of what IS, of the prevailing social and economic order, with the maintenance of social structure and of social function (or, at the least, of their appearance). Put differently, the Law - a mechanism of social control - is designed mainly to preserve and conserve an ideal of structural immutability coupled with f... The Technology of Law and The Law of Technology - Part VII
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/3/2006
Dear Sam,
It is always my intention to offer our readers not only speculative ideas but also "pragmatic" lessons. But before descending to terrestrial considerations, I would like to briefly comment on some of your, as usual, interesting opinions.
I will maintain your order:
Alphabet and ideograms:
You talk about elites losing power, this is, to me, a prejudice. whether with ideograms, or with alphabet there will always be elites.
Machines and secret alphabet:
This is the nightmare of post modern man. The machine as dictator. To me machines are no...
The Technology of Law and The Law of Technology - Part VI
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/2/2006
Or consider Turing's universal computers (machines): In 1936 an American (Alonzo Church) and a Briton (Alan M. Turing) published independently (as is often the coincidence in science) the basics of a new branch in Mathematics (and logic): computability or recursive functions (later to be developed into Automata Theory). The Technology of Law and The Law of Technology - Part V
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/1/2006
Informal law system will win, there is no question in mind. Not only because they constitute a better organizational model but because they are more adept at processing the raw material of the next millennium, information. Thus, they are better positioned to guarantee the survival of our race. The Technology of Law and The Law of Technology - Part IV
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/24/2006
Dear RCM, It is always such a gift to receive your letters. They provoke in me uncontrollable floods of thoughts which I can rarely capture by putting pen to paper (yes, I blush in admitting to such retro devices... The Technology of Law and The Law of Technology - Part III
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/23/2006
Hi, Sam Fortunately recovered from my technological injuries (computer´s malaise) and its blind laws and we can go on with our dialogue. By the way, I have to say that interactive work is one of the best achievements of technology. Your exposition of "the quasi-identity of law and technology" cleared a blind spot in my vision. I was so focused on the contradictions that I couldn't see the similarities. And so it is. This is evident in warfare, for instance, where each new weapon (the Huns' step and powder are great examples) induces new rules of war (where is the Clausewitz of the nuclear chessboard?! The Technology of Law and The Law of Technology - Part II
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/20/2006
An Epistolary Dialogue Between Roberto Calvo Macias and Sam Vaknin The Technology of Law and The Law of Technology - Part I
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/19/2006
"The juvenile sea squirt wanders through the sea searching for a suitable rock or hunk of coral to cling to and make it its home for life. For this task, it has a rudimentary nervous system. When it finds its spot and takes root, it doesn't need its brain anymore, so it eats it. (its rather like getting tenure)." Daniel Dennet - Quoted in Paul Thagard's Mind - An Introduction to Cognitive Science The Complusive Giver
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/18/2006
To all appearances, the compulsive giver is an altruistic, empathic, and caring person. Actually, he or she is a people-pleaser and a codependent. The compulsive giver is trapped in a narrative of his own confabulation: how his nearest and dearest need him because they are poor, young, inexperienced, lacking in intelligence or good looks, and are otherwise inferior to him. Compulsive giving, therefore, involves pathological narcissism. The Secret Art of Power - Part VII
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/18/2006
Dear Sam, Well, nothing more to add to the letter. Your letter has shown us our modern world and put us just on the line to confront the great questions (by the way, your comment on the PlayStation is very perspicacious. You should see the film "eXistenZ" (directed by David Cronenberg) which explores the all-encompassing coupling (or should we better say marriage) between humans and machines (through the interfaces you have mentioned in your former letters: organic machines/mechanic organisms), but we will get back to this. The Secret Art of Power - Part VI
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/17/2006
Dear Sam, It far from my intention to deny the possibilities of non-linear systems and all that. Multiplicity of info-lines, a wide variety of articulations, the velocity of communication... all those things are good news (I have studied them in my book Chaos AD, using complexity and chaos theories). Interconnectedness and mixing are always good things (let's have in mind Brazilian women:-) The Secret Art of Power - Part V
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/11/2006
Dear Roberto, Allow me to deviate from my usual behaviour by extensively quoting an article published in "The Economist" dated October 30th, 1999. The article is titled "Politics and Silicone Valley - Liberty.com": Why do We Celebrate Birthdays
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/10/2006
Why do we celebrate birthdays? What is it that we are toasting? Is it the fact that we have survived another year against many odds? Are we marking the progress we have made, our cumulative achievements and possessions? Is a birthday the _expression of hope sprung eternal to live another year? The Secret Art of Power - Part IV
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/10/2006
Dear Sam, Your letter broaches some of the great problems of the (post)-modern world. Though I am not sure whether your conclusions are right. My lack of knowledge of economics hinders my argumentation, but, I would like you to explain to our readers (and to me) the relationship between Market and State. It seems that you consider the market to be FREE of the state. But, is it not precisely the state which guarantees that your copyright will be respected? Who is going to close the factory which is copying your products without your permission? You, perhaps? Your private police?:-). Market is... The Secret Art of Power - Part III
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/8/2006
RCM, Codes can be classified according to any number of taxonomies. But I would like to concentrate in this letter on the spatial versus the temporal cyphers. The Secret Art of Power - Part II
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/7/2006
Dear Roberto, I enjoyed your letter greatly. You finally provided me with an insight as to why we feel so ambivalent about technology. But in this letter I would like to attempt a phenomenology of knowledge and the power it exercises or is associated with. The Secret Art of Power - Part I
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/4/2006
An Epistolary Dialogue Between Roberto Calvo Macias and Sam Vaknin, author of "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited". Dear RCM, I liked the epistolary format. If you agree - shall we continue at least one more dialogue this way? I want to suggest the title (heavily borrowed from you): THE SECRET ART OF POWER. What sayeth you? Observing the Apocalypse
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/6/2006
I. The New Politics Politics, in all its forms, is bankrupt. The notion that we can safely and successfully hand over the management of our daily lives and the setting of priorities to a political class or elite is thoroughly discredited. Politicians cannot be trusted, regardless of the system in which they operate. No set of constraints, checks, and balances, is proved to work and mitigate their unconscionable acts and the pernicious effects these have on our welfare and longevity. The Economics of Outsourcing: How Should Policy Respond?
Dr. Thomas Palley - 3/3/2006
Outsourcing is a central element of economic globalization, representing a new form of competition. (* Philippines outsourcing.) Responding to outsourcing calls for policies that enhance national competitiveness and establish rules ensuring acceptable forms of competition. Viewing outsourcing through the lens of competition connects with early 20 th century American institutional economics. The policy challenge is to construct institutions that ensure stable, robust flows of demand and income, thereby addressing the Keynesian problem while preserv... Convergence of Religions: An Inter-faith Perspective on Globalisation
Kamran Mofid, PhD - 2/26/2006
Looking at our TV screens, reading newspapers and listening to news on the radios, fills us with anxiety and despair about the role of religion in the age of globalisation, as well as the relationship between East and West. In these turbulent times, it seems that the term "religion" is so often hijacked by the proponents of it's very antithesis-namely, conflict and strife. Come Fly With Me On 'Air Google'
Naseem Javed - 2/1/2006
Air Google makes it possible to inspect vacation destinations, conduct market research, spy, carry out competitive surveillance, hunt for a job, trade property, study ecologies, jog trails and fish streams, among at least a million other things - virtually. Almost Independent: The Conclave of Exclaves
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/31/2006
Cabinda is a member of the Hague based UNPO - the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization. Among the dozens of other members are Abkhazia, the Albanians in Macedonia, Bashkortostan, Gaguzia, and Iraqi Kurdistan. Some erstwhile members became independent states - including Estonia, East Timor, Armenia, Georgia, and Latvia. The Cabindese Government in Exile (in charge of a little more than a poorly designed Web site and a few badly trained guerillas) thinks it is a good omen and a portent of things to come. Manners of Speech
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/30/2006
Scholars like J. L. Austin and H. P. Grice have suggested novel taxonomies of speech acts and linguistic constructs. The prevailing trend is to classify speech according to nits functions - indicative, interrogative, imperative, expressive, performative, etc. The Narcissism of Differences Big and Small
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/27/2006
Freud coined the phrase "narcissism of small differences" in a paper titled "The Taboo of Virginity" that he published in 1917. Referring to earlier work by British anthropologist Ernest Crawley, he said that we reserve our most virulent emotions – aggression, hatred, envy – towards those who resemble us the most. We feel threatened not by the Other with whom we have little in common – but by the "nearly-we", who mirror and reflect us. Narcissism at a Glance
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/26/2006
Primary Narcissism, in psychology is a defense mechanism, common in the formative years (6 months to 6 years old). It is intended to shield the infant and toddler from the inevitable hurt and fears involved in the individuation-separation phase of personal development. The Benefits of Oligopolies
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/24/2006
The Wall Street Journal has recently published an elegiac list: "Twenty years ago, cable television was dominated by a patchwork of thousands of tiny, family-operated companies. Today, a pending deal would leave three companies in control of nearly two-thirds of the market. In 1990, three big publishers of college textbooks accounted for 35% of industry sales. Today they have 62% ... Five titans dominate the (defense) industry, and one of them, Northrop Grumman ... made a surprise (successful) $5.9 billion bid for (another) TRW ... In 1996, when Congress deregulated telecommunications, there... The Delicate Art of Balancing the Budget
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 1/23/2006
Government budgets represent between 25% and 50% of he Gross Domestic Product (GDP), depending on the country. The members of the European Union (Germany, France) and the Scandinavian countries represent the apex of this encroachment upon the national resources. Other countries (Great Britain, to name one) fare better. But even the more developed countries in South East Asia do not clear the 25% hurdle. Who Are The Dumbest People in the World?
Naseem Javed - 1/22/2006
The corporate teams that are overdependent on research averages often see their marketing fail at a spectacular rate. Their new product introductions seem caught in a revolving door -- what's in and what's out based on "researched" hypotheses that have little to do with actual market behavior. E-Commerce Branding: The Big Challenge of 2006
Naseem Javed - 1/17/2006
"Cheap" is losing its power as now "free" is in. Global competition is so fierce and the labor-cost disparity is so wide that most bargain pricing is no longer effective, as there is always some other supplier to offer a product for far less - or even for free. New Year Sees Delay in CAFTA Implementation
Todd Tucker - 1/12/2006
A key argument used by U.S. transnationals and the Bush administration to pass the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA)—that Central American countries themselves needed and wanted the agreement—has broken down on the eve of implementation of the controversial pact. Here Comes Circular Marketing
Naseem Javed - 1/1/2006
When the earth becomes almost like a digitally formatted platform for the net and e-commerce savvy to skate on, then its time for marketing to become circular. Marketing is now what a wrapper should be around a chocolate bar. Yummy. Where, all aspects of marketing are being delivered to the customers at their destination of choice, simultaneously competitive, homogeneously synchronized, interactively managed in Technicolor with real touch & feel along with extensive support and services available round the clock. Totally wrapped around. Creating chain of events leading to circumstances, antici... The Caveman and the Alien
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/19/2005
When Chancellor Kohl's party and Edith Cresson are suspected of gross corruption - these are labelled "aberrations" in an otherwise honest West. When NASA in collaboration with its UK counterpart blow a 130 million US dollars spacecraft to smithereens having confused the metric system for its pound/feet archaic predecessor - people nod their head in disapproval: "accidents happen". When President Clinton appoints his wife to suggest an overhaul of the multi-hundred billion dollars US health system - no one thinks it odd. And when the (talented) son of the police investigated, rumoured to be hy... Deciphering the Language of Globalization
Laura Carlsen - 12/17/2005
The Hong Kong meeting of the WTO has amply illustrated how difficult it is to arrive at a consensus about the rules of free trade. The fact that none of the major players has been willing to budge—to offer what in negotiating parlance is known as “deliverables”—is just one of the problems. Government and Corruption
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/17/2005
Izetbegovic, the late nominal president of the nominal Bosnian state, the darling of the gullible western media, denied that he and his cronies and his cronies' cronies stole 40% of all civilian aid targeted at Bosnia - a minor matter of 1 billion US dollars and change, in less than 4 years. The tribes of the Balkans stop bleeding each other to death only when they gang up to bleed another. In this, there are no races and no traces - everyone is equal under the sign of the dollar. Serbs, Bosnians and Croats divided the loot with the loftiest of egalitarian instincts. Honour among thieves trans... The Cult of the Narcissist
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/14/2005
The narcissist is the guru at the centre of a cult. Like other gurus, he demands complete obedience from his flock: his spouse, his offspring, other family members, friends, and colleagues. He feels entitled to adulation and special treatment by his followers. He punishes the wayward and the straying lambs. He enforces discipline, adherence to his teachings, and common goals. The less accomplished he is in reality – the more stringent his mastery and the more pervasive the brainwashing. Lies People Tell
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/13/2005
All people lie some of the time. They use words to convey their lies while their body language usually gives them away. This is curious. Why did evolution prefer this self defeating strategy? The answer lies in the causes of the phenomenon. Public Procurement and Very Private Benefits
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/12/2005
In every national budget, there is a part called "Public Procurement". This is the portion of the budget allocated to purchasing services and goods for the various ministries, authorities and other arms of the executive branch. It was the famous management consultant, Parkinson, who once wrote that government officials are likely to approve a multi-billion dollar nuclear power plant much more speedily that they are likely to authorize a hundred dollar expenditure on a bicycle parking device. This is because everyone came across 100 dollar situations in real life - but precious few had the fortune to expend with billions of USD. How to Write a Business Plan
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/9/2005
There are many types of symbols. Money from investors, banks or financial organisations is one such kind of symbols. A successful Business Plan (=a successful manipulation of symbols) is one which brings in its wake the receipt of credits (money, another kind of symbol). What are the rules of manipulating symbols? In our example, what are the properties of a successful Business Plan? The Importance of Human Life
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/9/2005
The preservation of human life is the ultimate value, a pillar of ethics and the foundation of all morality. This held true in most cultures and societies throughout history. The Complexity of Simplicity
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/7/2005
"Everything is simpler than you think and at the same time more complex than you imagine." The Law of global development of human civilization
Oleg Kropivnitskiy - 12/2/2005
Following the introduction of the title of this article to the reader, I would like to give the explanations to the first and most probably expected question of the reader – What do you mean by “New Vision”? So, let us give a short explanation with regard to the content and sense of the idea discussed by this article. The new vision of history of our civilization consists in abandoning the most widely known model of human civilization development and adoption of a new classification: Firstly – there was no primitive communal system, slave-owning system, feudal system, capitalism, and socialism... Is Psychology a Science?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/2/2005
All theories - scientific or not - start with a problem. They aim to solve it by proving that what appears to be "problematic" is not. They re-state the conundrum, or introduce new data, new variables, a new classification, or new organizing principles. They incorporate the problem in a larger body of knowledge, or in a conjecture ("solution"). They explain why we thought we had an issue on our hands - and how it can be avoided, vitiated, or resolved. The Science of Superstitions
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/1/2005
"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science." Nature vs. Mankind
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 12/1/2005
The Second Law of Thermodynamics predicts the gradual energetic decay of physical closed systems ("entropy"). Arguably, the Universe as a whole is precisely such a system. The Pathology of Love
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/29/2005
Recebts studies buttress the unpalatable truth that falling in love is, in some ways, indistinguishable from a severe pathology. Behavior changes are reminiscent of psychosis and, biochemically speaking, passionate love closely imitates substance abuse. Appearing in the BBC series Body Hits on December 4, Dr. John Marsden, the head of the British National Addiction Center, said that love is addictive, akin to cocaine and speed. Sex is a "booby trap", intended to bind the partners long enough to bond. The Good Enough Family
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/29/2005
The families of the not too distant past were orientated along four axes. These axes were not mutually exclusive. Some overlapped, all of them enhanced each other. The Habit of Identity
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/28/2005
In a famous experiment, students were asked to take a lemon home and to get used to it. Three days later, they were able to single out "their" lemon from a pile of rather similar ones. They seemed to have bonded. Is this the true meaning of love, bonding, coupling? Do we simply get used to other human beings, pets, or objects? Narcissism and Evil
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/11/2005
In his bestselling "People of the Lie", Scott Peck claims that narcissists are evil. Are they? On Empathy
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/11/2005
The Encyclopaedia Britannica (1999 edition) defines empathy as: "The ability to imagine oneself in anther's place and understand the other's feelings, desires, ideas, and actions. It is a term coined in the early 20th century, equivalent to the German Einfühlung and modelled on "sympathy." The term is used with special (but not exclusive) reference to aesthetic experience. The most obvious example, perhaps, is that of the actor or singer who genuinely feels the part he is performing. With other works of art, a spectator may, by a kind of introjection, feel himself involved in what he observes ... Globalization Is Good
John Mangun - 11/11/2005
The on-going riot across France has many roots but one cause is the response of the European nations to globalization. It may seem strange to someone sitting in a ‘third world’ country and hear that it is the ‘first world’ that will ultimately pay a large price for the process of globalization and that nations like the Philippines will be the beneficiaries. The conventional and ignorance based ‘wisdom’, particularly from those who consider themselves pro-poor, is that globalization is a vast conspiracy to economically re-colonize the world. In fact, it is just the opposite. Winners, Losers of Corporate Image 2005
Naseem Javed - 11/11/2005
Corporations that develop clear messages and clearly communicate their stories to both the internal organizations and the external forces are the real players. The rest are either still discovering who they are or just making stories as they go along or periodically falling flat on their faces. Life, Politics and The Madness of Playing Games
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/10/2005
If a lone, unkempt, person, standing on a soapbox were to say that he should become the Prime Minister, he would have been diagnosed by a passing psychiatrist as suffering from this or that mental disturbance. But were the same psychiatrist to frequent the same spot and see a crowd of millions saluting the same lonely, shabby figure - what would have his diagnosis been? Surely, different (perhaps of a more political hue). Anarchy as an Organizing Principle
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/6/2005
The recent spate of accounting fraud scandals signals the end of an era. Disillusionment and disenchantment with American capitalism may yet lead to a tectonic ideological shift from laissez faire and self regulation to state intervention and regulation. This would be the reversal of a trend dating back to Thatcher in Britain and Reagan in the USA. It would also cast some fundamental - and way more ancient - tenets of free-marketry in grave doubt. Nation Branding and Place Marketing - Marketing Implementation, Evaluation, and Control
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/1/2005
How can a country (region, state, city, municipality, or other polity) judge the efficacy of its attempts to brand or re-brand itself and, consequently, to attract customers (investors, tourism operators, bankers, traders, and so on)? Nation Branding and Place Marketing - VIII. The Psychology and Demographics of the Consumer
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 11/1/2005
The country's "customers" are its investors, tourists, traders, market intermediaries, NGOs, and office-holders in other countries and in multilateral institutions. Understanding their psychology and demographics is crucial. Their interactions with one another take place in a complex environment, affected by governments, social forces, cultural factors, and markets. The Green-Eyed Capitalist
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/31/2005
Conservative sociologists self-servingly marvel at the peaceful proximity of abject poverty and ostentatious affluence in American - or, for that matter, Western - cities. Devastating riots do erupt, but these are reactions either to perceived social injustice (Los Angeles 1965) or to political oppression (Paris 1968). The French Revolution may have been the last time the urban sans-culotte raised a fuss against the economically enfranchised. The Varieties of Corruption
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/28/2005
To do the fashionable thing and to hold the moral high ground is rare. Yet, denouncing corruption and fighting it satisfies both conditions. Yet, corruption is not a monolithic practice. Nor are its outcomes universally deplorable or damaging. One would do best to adopt a utilitarian approach to it. The advent of moral relativism has taught us that "right" and "wrong" are flexible, context dependent and culture-sensitive yardsticks. What amounts to venality in one culture is considered no more than gregariousness or hospitality in another. The Winners and Losers of the Internet Break-Up
Naseem Javed - 10/20/2005
Why should Internet break and how ridiculous is this issue? Imagine if a few printers around the globe got together and jointly decided to replace all our current currencies and their value and choose brand new colors, designs and new values all own their own. Economy? What economy? When TV Surrenders to Web
Naseem Javed - 10/20/2005
As long as the flow of information shifts from the old model of "from one to many" to "from many to one," the current TV and print model will crumble. And it will keep on sliding, fast. It is happening right now. Media executives, mostly in denial, are shunning the subject. Smart ones are coming up with well-branded 24/7 Web-based news sites and general broadcasts. This is a brand-new revolution, and the entire model is about to be changed.Here are the issues: Nation Branding: Bankrolling You and Me
Angelique van Engelen - 10/3/2005
Why do we take so badly to manipulation by people around us, but are totally ignorant of similar communication tactics when they are unleashed on us by way bigger, impersonal, forces also claiming our mental space? Human-made Monsters
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/21/2005
Humans made monsters by inhuman treatment abound in literature. In "The Man Who Laughs", published in 1869, the French author, Victor Hugo (1802-1885), described the comprachicos thus: Nation Branding and Place Marketing - 6. The Sales Force and Marketing Implementation Oversight
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/18/2005
How should a country translate its intangible assets into dollars and cents (or euros)? The Discovery of Personal Hygiene
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/15/2005
Personal hygiene was rediscovered only in the late 19th century, having been popular in ancient Greece and Rome almost two thousand years before. Decision Support Systems
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/14/2005
Many companies in developing countries have a very detailed reporting system going down to the level of a single product, a single supplier, a single day. However, these reports – which are normally provided to the General Manager - should not, in my view, be used by them at all. They are too detailed and, thus, tend to obscure the true picture. A General Manager must have a bird's eye view of his company. He must be alerted to unusual happenings, disturbing financial data and other irregularities. History of Calendars
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/9/2005
Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7. Their "old new year" is a week later, on January 14. It is all Julius Caesar's fault ... Traumas as Social Interactions
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/7/2005
We react to serious mishaps, life altering setbacks, disasters, abuse, and death by going through the phases of grieving. Traumas are the complex outcomes of psychodynamic and biochemical processes. But the particulars of traumas depend heavily on the interaction between the victim and his social milieu. The Professions of the Narcissist
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/1/2005
The narcissist naturally gravitates towards those professions which guarantee the abundant and uninterrupted provision of Narcissistic Supply. He seeks to interact with people from a position of authority, advantage, or superiority. He thus elicits their automatic admiration, adulation, and affirmation – or, failing that, their fear and obedience. On Earthquakes and Tsunamis
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 9/1/2005
Tsunami - a seismic sea wave - means in Japanese "harbor-wave". It is also misleadingly called "tidal wave". It is an ocean wave caused by an earthquake of magnitude 6.5 on the Richter scale (or greater) that occurs less than 50 kilometers beneath the seafloor. Tsunamis can also be caused by volcanic eruptions and by landslides. Suicide - The Murder of Oneself
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/29/2005
Those who believe in the finality of death (i.e., that there is no after-life) – they are the ones who advocate suicide and regard it as a matter of personal choice. On the other hand, those who firmly believe in some form of existence after corporeal death – they condemn suicide and judge it to be a major sin. Yet, rationally, the situation should have been reversed: it should have been easier for someone who believed in continuity after death to terminate this phase of existence on the way to the next. Those who faced void, finality, non-existence, vanishing – should have been greatly deterr... The Metaphorically Correct Artist and other Romanticist Mutations
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/13/2005
Every type of human activity has a malignant equivalent. The pursuit of happiness, the accumulation of wealth, the exercise of power, the love of one's self are all tools in the struggle to survive and, as such, are commendable. They do, however, have malignant counterparts: pursuing pleasures (hedonism), greed and avarice as manifested in criminal activities, murderous authoritarian regimes and narcissism. Nation Branding and Place Marketing: Part 5 - Promotion, Sales, Public Relations, Marketing, and Advertising
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 8/11/2005
Advantages have to be communicated to potential customers if they are not to remain unrealized potentials. Moreover, communication alone - the exchange of information - is not enough. Clients have to be influenced and motivated to visit a country, invest in it, or trade with it. A Final Word on Branding
Naseem Javed - 7/29/2005
Pregnant mothers are being pooled to place ads on their round, shiny stomachs as part of "tummy branding." Some argue that this is how news is created. To some, this is "desperate branding" in action. Welcome to "guaranteed-to-fail branding," a process that ensures a top spot on the list of branding failures. These projects are sometimes called "reality branding." There is no limit to these weird processes. When Will The Internet Be Divided Among Nations?
Naseem Javed - 7/25/2005
The desired goal of most of the other countries other than US is to end up with their own local language suffixes, own local language domain names, basically their own Internet, with its own domain registration policies -- in a nutshell, a very big and a very complex global mess, indeed. The Pettifogger Procurators
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/24/2005
Four years ago, the most unusual event has gone unnoticed in the international press. A former minister of finance has accused the more prominent members of the diplomatic corps in his country of corruption. He insisted that these paragons of indignant righteousness and hectoring morality have tried to blackmail him into paying them hefty commissions from money allotted to exigent humanitarian aid. This was immediately and from afar - and, therefore, without proper investigation - denied by their superiors in no uncertain terms. The Happiness of Others
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/19/2005
Is there any necessary connection between our actions and the happiness of others? Disregarding for a moment the murkiness of the definitions of "actions" in philosophical literature - two types of answers were hitherto provided. The Last Family
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/17/2005
There is no word for it in Russian. Platon Karatayev, the typical "Russian soul" in Tolstoy's "War and Peace", extolls, for pages at a time, the virtues of communality and disparages the individual - this otherwise useless part of the greater whole. In Macedonia the words "private" or "privacy" pertain to matters economic. The word "intimacy" is used instead to designate the state of being free of prying, intrusive eyes and acts of meddling. Throughout Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), the rise of "individualism" did not give birth to its corollary: "privacy". After decades (and, in most cases, centuries) of cramped, multi-generational shared accommodation, it is no wonder. The Matrix Revisited
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/15/2005
It is easy to confuse the concepts of "virtual reality" and a "computerized model of reality (simulation)". The former is a self-contained Universe, replete with its "laws of physics" and "logic". It can bear resemblance to the real world or not. It can be consistent or not. It can interact with the real world or not. In short, it is an arbitrary environment. In contrast, a model of reality must have a direct and strong relationship to the world. It must obey the rules of physics and of logic. The absence of such a relationship renders it meaningless. A flight simulator is not much good in a w... The Encroachment of the Public
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/13/2005
As Aristotle and John Stuart Mill observed, the private sphere sets limits, both normative and empirical, to the rights, powers, and obligations of others. The myriad forms of undue invasion of the private sphere - such as rape, burglary, or eavesdropping - are all crimes. Even the state - this monopolist of legal violence - respects these boundaries. When it fails to honor the distinction between public and private - when it is authoritarian or totalitarian - it loses its legitimacy. Knowledge and Power
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/13/2005
"Knowledge is Power" goes the old German adage. But power, as any schoolboy knows, always has negative and positive sides to it. Information exhibits the same duality: properly provided, it is a positive power of unequalled strength. Improperly disseminated and presented, it is nothing short of destructive. The management of the structure, content, provision and dissemination of information is, therefore, of paramount importance to a nation, especially if it is in its infancy (as an independent state). The Internet in the Countries in Transition
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 7/7/2005
Though the countries in transition are far from being an homogeneous lot, there are a few denominators common to their Internet experience hitherto: Entertaining the Masses in Transition
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/30/2005
A June 2005 IREX report, quoted by the Southeast Europe Times (SE Times), analyzes the media in countries in transition from Communism by measuring parameters like free speech, professional standards of quality, plurality of news sources, business sustainability and supporting institutions. It concludes that "most transition countries in Southeast Europe have made progress in the development of professional independent media". The Media Sustainability Index (MSI) for 2004 begs to differ: "...(F)ully sustainable media have yet to be achieved in any of the countries. Narcissists in Positions of Authority
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/26/2005
"He knows not how to rule a kingdom, that cannot manage a province; nor can he wield a province, that cannot order a city; nor he order a city, that knows not how to regulate a village; nor he a village, that cannot guide a family; nor can that man govern well a family that knows not how to govern himself; neither can any govern himself unless his reason be lord, will and appetite her vassals; nor can reason rule unless herself be ruled by God, and be obedient to Him."
- Hugo Grotius What Makes a Leader?
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/26/2005
How does a leader become a leader?
In this article, we are not interested in the historical process but in the answer to the twin questions: what qualifies one to be a leader and why do people elect someone specific to be a leader.
The immediately evident response would be that the leader addresses or is judged by his voters to be capable of addressing their needs. These could be economic needs, psychological needs, or moral needs. In all these cases, if left unfulfilled, these unrequited needs are judged to be capable of jeopardizing "acceptable (modes of) existence". Except in ... Nation Branding and Place Marketing - IV. The Place
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/21/2005
Some countries are geographically disadvantaged. Recent studies have demonstrated how being landlocked or having a tropical climate carry a hefty price tag in terms of reduced economic growth. These unfavorable circumstances can be described as "natural discounts" to a country's price. Anarchism for a Post-modern Age
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/20/2005
"The thin and precarious crust of decency is all that separates any civilization, however impressive, from the hell of anarchy or systematic tyranny which lie in wait beneath the surface."
- Aldous Leonard Huxley (1894-1963), British writer Book Review: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Philosophy
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/19/2005
Stevenson, Jay, P.D. - The Complete Idiot's Guide to Philosophy - Alpha Books, 2005 Philosophy is the attempt to enhance the traits we deem desirable and suppress the traits we deem unwanted (a matter of judgment) by getting better acquainted with the world around us (a matter of reality). An improvement in the world around us inevitably follows. Is Your Global Brand Worth Billions?
Naseem Javed - 6/17/2005
Is your brand valuation worth a billion dollars today? Maybe yes or maybe no, but it surely is worth something pretty big. At the end of the day, all the work you have put in pushing your name identity and your range of products and services in your marketplace adds up in an abstract space of the consumer's mind, where it acquires some great value. This equity can be measured as a real, soft asset. It can have a monetary value like that of a certain type of goodwill or particular reputation. Brand identity is something you might not use to pay the bills but can surely use to negotiate a better price in an M&A or sale of the company. Hawala, or the Bank that Never Was
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/15/2005
In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the USA that effected airlines from major American companies like United to companies around the world such as Indonesia's Citilink airline. Attention has been drawn to the age-old, secretive, and globe-spanning banking system developed in Asia and known as "Hawala" (to change, in Arabic). It is based on a short term, discountable, negotiable, promissory note (or bill of exchange) called "Hundi". While not limited to Moslems, it has come to be identified with "Islamic Banking". Book Review: "Dreamworld and Catastrophe" by Susan Buck-Morss
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/13/2005
Title of Book: Dreamland and Catastrophe – The Passing of Mass Utopia in East and West
Author: Susan Buck-Morss
Publisher: The MIT Press
Month, Year of publication: June 2000
Number of pages: xvi+368 "Hell hath no fury like an intellectual spurned."
William Shakespeare, very liberally paraphrased Still A Cannibal In Our Midst
Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye - 6/10/2005
In June 2002, I published an essay in a number of Nigerian newspapers entitled: "The 17 Billion Poison House In Ibadan." The piece was my own way of pouring out my disgust and indignation due to reports in the media earlier in April that the Nigerian Government under Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo had celebratorily granted permission to a so-called "leading cigarette company", British America Tobacco (BAT), to invest a "whopping $150 million (about 17 billion naira)" in the construction of a tobacco factory in Ibadan, "the biggest and most modern" of its kind in Africa. The prominent attraction of the... In Defense of Psychoanalysis - Introduction
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/8/2005
No social theory has been more influential and, later, more reviled than psychoanalysis. It burst upon the scene of modern thought, a fresh breath of revolutionary and daring imagination, a Herculean feat of model-construction, and a challenge to established morals and manners. It is now widely considered nothing better than a confabulation, a baseless narrative, a snapshot of Freud's tormented psyche and thwarted 19th century Mitteleuropa middle class prejudices. The Revolution of Psychoanalysis
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/7/2005
Towards the end of the 19th century, the new discipline of psychology became entrenched in both Europe and America. The study of the human mind, hitherto a preserve of philosophers and theologians, became a legitimate subject of scientific (some would say, pseudo-scientific) scrutiny. Ethical Relativism and Absolute Taboos
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/3/2005
Taboos: Taboos regulate our sexual conduct, race relations, political institutions, and economic mechanisms - virtually every realm of our life. According to the 2002 edition of the "Encyclopedia Britannica", taboos are "the prohibition of an action or the use of an object based on ritualistic distinctions of them either as being sacred and consecrated or as being dangerous, unclean, and accursed". Age of Abundance Demands Innovation
Naseem Javed - 6/2/2005
headhunting - You might have the best team with the best of innovation, but there are these overly diluted markets out there, glutted with look-alike brands and identical services. The challenge is to fine-tune a marketing process that will not only re-energize the production but produce a shaper edge in design, quality and value, and build a unique iconic identity. The Rights of Animals
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 6/1/2005
According to MSNBC, in a May 2005 Senate hearing, John Lewis, the FBI's deputy assistant director for counterterrorism, asserted that "environmental and animal rights extremists who have turned to arson and explosives are the nation's top domestic terrorism threat ... Groups such as the Animal Liberation Front, the Earth Liberation Front and the Britain-based SHAC, or Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty, are 'way out in front' in terms of damage and number of crimes ...". Lewis averred that " ... (t)here is nothing else going on in this country over the last several years that is racking up the high number of violent crimes and terrorist actions". Economic Management in a State of War
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/31/2005
Countries with a non-convertible currency and a developing economy more and more often face low intensity and prolonged guerilla warfare which leads to a gradually worsening economic situation. The Narcissist, God, and Social Institutions
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/27/2005
"1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always lear... Cannibalism and Human Sacrifice
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/21/2005
"I believe that when man evolves a civilization higher than the mechanized but still primitive one he has now, the eating of human flesh will be sanctioned. For then man will have thrown off all of his superstitions and irrational taboos."
- Diego Rivera "One calls 'barbarism' whatever he is not accustomed to."
- Montaigne, On Cannibalism. "Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed."
- New Testament, John 6:53-55) Classification of Cultures
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/18/2005
Culture is a hot topic. Scholars (Fukoyama, Huntington, to mention but two) disagree about whether this is the end of history or the beginning of a particularly nasty chapter of it. What makes cultures tick and why some of them tick discernibly better than others - is the main bone of contention. Anarchy (IV) - The Public Choice Idea
Angelique van Engelen - 5/11/2005
Governments -even the most progressive ones- often tend to keep reform minded individuals on the sidelines. Yet reformists can rely on staunch scientific backing, which is not necessarily very much in the public's eye. The Possibility for Anarchy (III): The Libertarian Alternative
Angelique van Engelen - 5/10/2005
In Moscow, cars are driving around with bumper stickers saying "Thou shalt not steal! The government doesn't like competitors". The thought is likely to speak more to Russians than to most others, but around the globe there are multitudes of people who also believe their governments take their possessions unrightfully. Ancient Slavic Democracy Amounted To Some Magnificent Drama
Angelique van Engelen - 5/9/2005
Visible remnants of one of the world's eldest democracies can be seen in a town in the Carantania region in what is now Austria, where during the early Middle Ages, the tribal society of a Slav people managed to live for over 100 years without being invaded and out of sheer happiness invented a democratic system. They did not call it a democracy, but the word invented later was taken directly from their example. Maskirovka: Communists' Map Lies
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/5/2005
In the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, maps lied. Whole towns were placed incorrectly, omitted altogether, minimized, exaggerated, or distorted. The confluence of rivers, the forking of roads, the damp darkness of tunnels were all subjected to the vagaries of official paranoia. No two maps were alike. Biblically, the mountains were made to dance. Moscow's maps were the most fictional, leading the innocents abroad down the garden paths to blind alleys and dead ends. Such maps were intended to misdirect foreigners and citizens alike and had a most Kafkaesque effect on daily life. Healthcare Legislation in Countries in Transition
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/3/2005
Healthcare legislation in countries in transition should permit a structural reform of the sector, including its partial privatization.(Click here to learn more.) Private health insurance plans - including franchises of overseas insurance plans - should be allowed. Such competition is bound to shake the inefficient and corrupt state Health Fund and reshape it. If a private company wants to fund, say, garcinia cambogia capsules to attract more clients, it will only benefit these nations. Technical and Fundamental Analyses of Financial Assets
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/3/2005
The authors of a paper published by NBER on March 2000 and titled "The Foundations of Technical Analysis" - Andrew Lo, Harry Mamaysky, and Jiang Wang - claim that: "Technical analysis, also known as 'charting', has been part of financial practice for many decades, but this discipline has not received the same level of academic scrutiny and acceptance as more traditional approaches such as fundamental analysis. One of the main obstacles is the highly subjective nature of technical analysis - the presence of geometric shapes in historical price charts is often in the eyes of the beholder. In... Nation Branding and Place Marketing - III. The Price
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/2/2005
A product's price reflects the shifting balance between supply and demand (scarcity) as well as the value of inputs, the product's quality, and its image as conveyed and fostered by marketing and advertising campaigns (positioning). Price is, therefore, a packet of compressed information exchanged between prospective buyers and interested sellers. Nation Branding and Place Marketing - II. The Product
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 5/1/2005
What products do countries offer and market and how are they tailored to the needs of specific market segments? In a marketing mix, the first and foremost element is the product. No amount of savvy promotion and blitz advertising can disguise the shortcomings of an inferior offering. Seven New Laws of Global Marketing
Naseem Javed - 4/30/2005
Every month there are new changes to our old ways of thinking about traditional marketing rules. A free credit score report is one of many things one now needs to start a legitimate online business. While we are all very deep into e-commerce, we must be aware of whether we are either already very successful or still learning the processes. Here are some cutting-edge rules to ensure good returns on e-commerce and Internet marketing. The Possibilities for Anarchy (Part II)
Angelique van Engelen - 4/29/2005
Any chances for a country to be ruled by alternative rule will always be zero because -as many economists, philosophers and scientists show us- the way the various parts reality consist of interrelate is dominated by forces we won't in a billion years have any chance of controling. An anarchist with aspirations to help build organizational structures not based on governing from above's best bet is to get a clear picture of those areas of science that are leading the way in terms of future progress. Economics of Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG)
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/27/2005
Games and role-playing are as ancient as Mankind. Rome's state-sponsored lethal public games may have accounted for up to one fifth of its GDP. They often lasted for months. Historical re-enactments, sports events, chess tournaments, are all manifestations of Man's insatiable desire to be someone else, somewhere else - and to learn from the experience. The Possibilities for Anarchy (Part I)
Angelique van Engelen - 4/27/2005
When organising a country or a group of people in need of structuring, people tend to automatically sidestep ideologies that do not take authority imposed from above for granted. Anarchists and other proponents of alternative rule almost by definition are seen as destructive elements in a society. Yet old time and modern thinkers on the subject might have some viable and decent ideas for future state organisation. Workaholism, Leisure and Pleasure
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/22/2005
The official working week in France has being reduced to 35 hours a week (though the French are tinkering with it). In most countries in the world, it is limited to 45 hours a week. The trend during the last century seems to be unequivocal: less work, more play. Yet, what may be true for blue collar workers or state employees - is not necessarily so for white collar members of the liberal professions. It is not rare for these people - lawyers, accountants, consultants, managers, academics - to put in 80 hour weeks. The phenomenon is so widespread ... Elders of Zion and Other Global Domination Theories
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/21/2005
I was shown the same book in Yugoslavia, in Macedonia and in Bulgaria - "The World Conspiracy" - a shabby tome written by an ageing "scholar". The main, unabashedly anti-Semitic, hypothesis (presented as undisputed fact) is that the Jews rule the world supreme - always have, probably always will. Lists of prominent Jews in the world of international finance reprinted with lists of influential Jews in the Soviet communist regime. And it all amounts to a well organized secretive machinery of illicit power, claims the author with all the persuasion of a paranoid. In here, trash magazines dwell endlessly on these and similar themes. Nation Branding and Place Marketing - The Marketing Plan
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/20/2005
In the decades since World War II, economics prowess replaced military power as the crucial geopolitical determinant. The resilience of a country is measured by its inflows of foreign investment and by the balance of its current account - not by the number of its tanks and brigades. Althusser - Competing Interpellations and the Third Text
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/15/2005
With the exception of Nietzsche, no other madman has contributed so much to human sanity as has Louis Althusser. He is mentioned twice in the Encyclopaedia Britannica as someone's teacher. There could be no greater lapse: for two important decades (the 60s and the 70s), Althusser was at the eye of all the important cultural storms. He fathered quite a few of them. Narcissistic Leaders
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/7/2005
The narcissistic leader is the culmination and reification of his period, culture, and civilization. He is likely to rise to prominence in narcissistic societies. Democratic Ideal and New Colonialism
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 4/7/2005
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful concerned individuals can precipitate change in the world ... indeed, it is the only thing that ever has"
(Margaret Mead) "Democracy" is not the rule of the people. It is government by periodically vetted representatives of the people. Democracy is not tantamount to a continuous expression of the popular will as it pertains to a range of issues. Functioning and fair democracy is representative and not participatory. Participatory "people power" is mob rule, not democracy. Communism and Feudalism
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/30/2005
The core countries of Central Europe (the Czech Republic, Hungary and, to a lesser extent, Poland) experienced industrial capitalism in the inter-war period. But the countries comprising the vast expanses of the New Independent States, Russia and the Balkan had no real acquaintance with it. To them its zealous introduction is nothing but another ideological experiment and not a very rewarding one at that. It is often said that there is no precedent to the extant fortean transition from totalitarian communism to liberal capitalism. This might well be true. Yet, nascent capitalism is not without... The Economics of Conspiracy Theories
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/20/2005
Barry Chamish is convinced that Shimon Peres, Israel's wily old statesman, ordered the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, back in 1995, in collaboration with the French. He points to apparent tampering with evidence. The blood-stained song sheet in Mr. Rabin's pocket lost its bullet hole between the night of the murder and the present. The murderer, Yigal Amir, should have been immediately recognized by Rabin's bodyguards. He has publicly attacked his query before. Israel's fierce and fearsome internal security service, the Shabak, had moles and agents provocateurs among the plotters. Chamish pub... Collective Narcissism - Narcissism, Culture, and Society
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/18/2005
In their book "Personality Disorders in Modern Life", Theodore Millon and Roger Davis state, as a matter of fact, that pathological narcissism was the preserve of "the royal and the wealthy" and that it "seems to have gained prominence only in the late twentieth century". Narcissism, according to them, may be associated with "higher levels of Maslow's hierarchy of needs ... Individuals in less advantaged nations .. are too busy trying (to survive) ... to be arrogant and grandiose". Fascism - The Tensile Permanence
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/18/2005
Nazism - and, by extension, fascism (though the two are by no means identical) - amounted to permanent revolutionary civil wars. Fascist movements were founded, inter alia, on negations and on the militarization of politics. Their raison d'etre and vigor were derived from their rabid opposition to liberalism, communism, conservatism, rationalism, and individualism and from exclusionary racism. It was a symbiotic relationship - self-definition and continued survival by opposition. Herzl's Butlers: Battle of Nationalists and Internationalists
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 3/8/2005
James Cook misled the British government back home by neglecting to report about the aborigines he spotted on the beaches of New Holland. This convenient omission allowed him to claim the territory for the crown. In the subsequent waves of colonization, the aborigines perished. Modern Australia stands awash in their blood, constructed on their graves, thriving on their confiscated lands. The belated efforts to redress these wrongs meet with hostility and the atavistic fears of the dispossessor. Community Policing and Wealth Building
John Mangun - 3/1/2005
I am a product of the First World. By education and experience, I exemplify all that the First World created in the last half century. And I am its prodigal son who gladly left to spend that inheritance somewhere else. I am a citizen of the Third World. For nearly half my life as its adopted child and as both an observer and active participant, countries like the Bahamas, Fiji, Morocco, the Philippines are my home. Third World Libs and Neo-Cons
John Mangun - 2/12/2005
Liberal. Neo-Conservative. These terms are American in nature and probably not accurate, based on the historical roots, to describe the political philosophies that they have come to represent. Even so, the intellectual images they conjure up are clear, if not always and completely consistent. They have come to dominate the way many world governments formulate and conduct their policies. Tsunami and the Left's Disdain for Human Life
Luis Figueroa - 1/28/2005
In a bathroom at a restaurant in Antigua, Guatemala, [1] there is a graffiti that says: "All capitalists should burn to death!"; in the bottom, someone else added: "So much for socialist compassion". Years ago I read that the organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), whose purpose is to protect animals and their rights, threatens with acts of intimidation and terrorism restaurants, laboratories and activities that they consider harmful to their protégés. [2]
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