American Politics: Beasts, Ghosts, and Demons

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Awhile ago I posted on how the famous six realms of Tibetian Buddhism could also indicate psychological states, and how that made me rethink my late dog’s life. I’d like to focus more on those six realms, and what they mean for American politics.

To review, the six realms one can be incarnated in (or that one can experience, if your take the psychological viewpoint) are:

  • Gods (Devas) – A realm of pleasure, but the pleasure distances one, and even gods die.  Think of this as pleasurable and peak experiences.
  • Asuras – A realm of ambition and striving godlike beings, who suffer paranoia and envy.  Think of this as a state of “drive.”
  • Humans – Our realm, a real of desire, doubt, and some confusion but also balance so we may achieve Enlightenment, and where we may develop important compassion that lets us do so.
  • Animals – The realm of instinct, ignorance carnality – and fear and opposition to change.  Think of this as functioning in basic fear-response.
  • Hungry Ghosts – The realm of mournful, craving spirits.  Think of this as being in a state of addiction and sheer need.
  • Hell Realm – The realm of anger, hate, and fear.  Think of this as being in a state of terror and rage.

You can see how these realms can easily represent different human sates from peak experiences to unbridled rage, with honest humanity in the middle. Now let’s turn to American politics using this psychological model.

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Why We’re Bad At Networking #2: The Basics and Incoherence

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Last week thanks to a Twitter conversation, I decided to wade into a subject near and dear to my heart; why a lot of us aren’t that great at Networking.

This is not to saw I’m awesome, of course. I think I’m pretty good at it, though my goodness level is a bit erratic as it were; I think I could improve in several areas. But I do feel I do it well enough to be able to analyze it and give advice – if only because everyone else is bloody well asking me questions about it.

Last week I noted we got tired of being told to network and told how to network, drowned in hearing about it constantly, lost in details or generalities, lost in BS. We were overwhelmed with being told about it, and we tune it out – rather understandably.

Networking got buzzworded badly.

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$68 Bucks Makes A Man Who Never Existed Internet Famous

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Kevin Ashton worked some internet Necromancy to create Santiago Swallow.  Generated names, photoshopped face, Twitter followers, etc.  All for no one.

So a few questions for you:

  • How many other people have done this – and how many did it for themselves versus fake people?
  • How much can we actually trust a lot of what covers “fame” on the Internet?
  • How do we cut through the B.S. for ourselves?

– Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers athttp://www.fantopro.com/, nerd and geek culture at http://www.nerdcaliber.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at https://www.stevensavage.com/.