williams@kirk.DEC (John Williams 223-3402) (10/31/84)
> For that, it's enough that I be a creature of habit. > Yours for clearer concepts, --Jay Rosenberg As I read your article, it occurred to me to wonder whether you are in the habit of breaking habits. True, there seems to be a certain amount of things we do that are unconcious to us, that is, almost automatic, where it is easy to see a repetitive method that has been practiced and perfected, but this does not seem to address the higher level decisions that we make based on little or no expertise. Do you feel that as one grows older and more experienced, one becomes more predictable due to the fact that one is more likely to act in an accepted manner? This poses an interesting question: What is acceptable? I have the feeling that what is acceptable is the resistance of immediate gratification. I also feel this is what makes life so difficult at times. I believe this is an intrinsic aspect of our personality, we tend to disapprove of those seeking immediate gratification, especially from us, even at a very early age. It can also be proposed that it is this quality that caused the evolution of intelligence of our species socially by granting favor to the furthest sighted individuals. The leader should normally be open to attack from a pure greed aspect, yet often was not. It is possible that they saw through to an ultimate gratification that was not apparent to other participants. AND if so, wouldn't it mean that that leader's actions appeared unpredictable? Of his own free will? When you consider this, you should consider the history of political evolution, and the great men who lead it. ----{ john williams }---- (DEC E-NET) KIRK::WILLIAMS (UUCP) {decvax, ucbvax, allegra}!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-kirk!williams (ARPA) williams%kirk.DEC@decwrl.ARPA williams%kirk.DEC@Purdue-Merlin.ARPA