Book Review: THINKING FOR RESULTS

'THINKING FOR RESULTS' by CHRISTIAN LARSON discusses the major parameters of a distinct human trade-thought.

To think, the book says, according to the laws of growth and with a definite purpose—to laythe foundation of scientific thinking-four essentials are needed.
The first is to carry on thinking, always in the attitude of right mental states.  The way we think will directly determine the results that are to be attained.
The second is to think only such thoughts as will push your work and that will constantly promote your present purpose in life. That is, all thinking should move toward the greater, the larger and the superior.
The third is to employ only such creative processes in the mind as will tend directly to produce the larger, the better and the superior. Think that which is inherently true.
And the fourth is to think only the real truth about all things; that is, to fashion all thought according to the most perfect mental conception that can be formed of the real in everything of which we may think. The guiding principle being, to think that there is more in everything than what appears on the surface.
https://www.forgottenbooks.com

Why is human society never at peace?

 

Why is human society never at peace? Either external disturbances or internal scuffles, are always there, to keep a society in a state of flux. This was (even now is) the question that prompted me to start many of my books and most of my ‘hubs'. While exploring a particular case of upheaval, whatever reason I could find within the lingering discontent in the society was further examined in those writings. The most potent conclusion one could derive from this was this - the perennial discontent of human race, is a leftover from the post-mating trauma of the animal world.

Is that it? Why is that we are not able to realize the presence of something as natural as that? How exactly does it manifest while giving rise to such disturbances? Won’t there be some additions to our life, both external and internal, that is causing this? If so, what are those?

The answer, I thought, lies in the ways we put our faculties to use. In my search for an answer, I happen to recollect Peter’s Principle. That, managers tend to rise to the level of their incompetence. And, eventually, all positions in an organization will come to be held by individuals who are incapable of fulfilling their roles. But, I think this has a more inclusive, rather universal, significance.

Let us examine the way we put our faculties to use and, how adequately each one meets its intended end. Take, for example, the way we take care of our children. We love them so greatly that they hardly get an opportunity to use their own faculties, even for essential things like standing up and walking. And our children have been growing up in this manner, to an age at which it is impossible for others to help them, in all other dimensions of life, as well. Either because we don’t happen to see, or because none of us want to acknowledge, the fact that newly born human offspring is totally incapable of looking after itself, escaped our attention. (I think to make sure that none of us will ever think on those, we even perpetuate a scientific reason – human children show, greater dependency.)

Though we say humans are intelligent, that is only a possibility, that too only when we assess some of our prepared actions or responses like our exploits in science and technology. On all other matters, we make it a point to choose the most irrational of the possibilities, often with a great excuse – these things are beyond the comprehension of man. The way we put our intelligence to use is a good example; maximum use is towards finding fail-safe techniques of destroying ourselves!

Assume that man has a desire to choose the irrational. Since it is impossible to continue living, if one is to go irrational on matters that are within the realm of the material, one grudgingly chooses to identify oneself as a rational being. (At present we won’t have a memory of this, having happened generations back!) This regularly leads to conflict. A bunch of eventualities then follow with each one of those offering a fresh opportunity for observation, consideration, and reflection. The repercussions of this activity by the learned, when percolated down to the masses, result in a society which is in constant churning, giving rise to instances of unrest and violence.

Then this is nothing else, but Peter’s Principle appropriated for life. As long as it was competent enough to face the travails of living one's life, each and every species continued to evolve, giving rise to newer and newer forms of life, each having a new or improved set of faculties. 
With man, all the faculties of life are reaching its level of incompetence, where any one of these can contribute immensely to the destruction of the species. Unlike all other species, humans can't afford the unrestrained use of its own faculties. A lingering discontent, notable by its absence in all other forms of life, thus came to be a staple part of all humans.  (This discontent, and how it leads us to choose the irrational, has been discussed in my book, The Unsure Male.)

Another proof could be noticed if we are to compare the way we appreciate the present and the way we understand the past. A difference in approach can be easily noticed. We quite realistic and progressive in our actions, when it comes to anything to do with the present, but, our appreciation of the past does not seem to have a clear direction. In some cases, we take sensible, quite rational steps in finding the roots of the problem, and in many cases, we blindly accept certain obscure, hazy ideas. Why this dichotomy? Isn’t it arising out of the dormant discontent?

Book Review: The Arcane Formulas of Mental Alchemy

The Arcane Formulas of Mental Alchemy by William Walker Atkinson is a guide for teaching arcane topics. The book begins with a discussion on Egohood, as ‘the state of Realization of the Ego, the Perception and Realization of the I AM.’ It is followed by a discussion on ‘freeing oneself from the restrictions imposed by the illusory identification of the Self or Ego with the physical body’. This is followed by a discussion on the aspects of will, ‘a part of the normal consciousness of each one of you, yet neither a part of sensation nor emotion, but, on the contrary, capable of dominating both.’  Other essentials in mental alchemy, namely, Mastering the Opposites, Mastery of Rhythm, Cyclicity and Balance, are described next, followed by a discussion on how, will causes a man in his immediate vicinity to become charged with the positive power, radiating and vibrating with intense energy. And the book clarifies, ‘Mental Alchemy, under whatever name it may masquerade, may be found to consist, at the last ,of simply, the power to create strong, clear Mental Images, and to project them into the outer world by means of the concentrated Will.’

The book concentrates more on the importance of projecting Mental Images for better perception of reality and discounts popular concepts like Thought-Force, or Mind-Waves, while emphasizing the importance of will. It exhorts each one to ‘forget all about theory, for the time being, and then proceed to get down to actual world, the great plane surface upon which you wish to throw or project your Mental Images that they may materialize objectively’. In fact, rather than some esoteric descriptions of hazy nature, I found this book quite logical, straight and simple in its approach to the subject.  The book’s ending makes this plain. Consider Will as the Light, Mental Image as the picture Slide, the world as the screen on which the Picture is projected, picture thrown on the screen is the Idea each one will have.

Random Smiles

Ice-Breakers

A little girl asked her mother, "How did the human race appear?" The mother answered, "God made Adam and Eve and they had children and so was all mankind made." Two days later the girl asked her father the same question. The father answered, "Many years ago there were monkeys from which the human race evolved." The confused girl returned to her mother and said, "Mom, how is it possible that you told me the human race was created by God, and Dad said they developed from monkeys?" The mother answered, "Well, dear, it is very simple: I told you about my side of the family and your father told you about his."

A young lady came home from a date, rather sad. She explained to her mother, “Anthony proposed to me an hour ago.” “Then why are you so sad?” her mother asked. “Because he also told me he is an atheist. Mom, he doesn't even believe there's a Hell!”

Her mother replied, “Marry him anyway. Between the two of us, we'll show him how wrong he is.”

Never laugh at your wife's choices... you're one of them.

There are two sides to every question: my side and the wrong side.

Success always occurs in private and failure in full view.

God must love the common people, he made so many of them

Budget: A method for going broke methodically

Everyone is entitled to my opinion.

Every man/woman should marry – After all, happiness is not the only thing in life.

Alcohol doesn’t solve any problems…but then again, neither does milk.

Anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.

Hard work never killed anybody, but why take a chance?

When wearing a bikini, women reveal 90 % of their body... men are so polite they only look at the covered parts.

Team work is greatly desirable; you can always put the blame on someone else.

I work to buy a car to go to work.

Remember, everyone seems normal until you get to know them...

Any married man should forget his mistakes, there's no use in two people remembering the same thing.

Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

The only thing I hate more than having a dirty house is cleaning.

Death need not concern us because when we exist death does not, and when death exists we do not.

Indecision is the key to flexibility.

I don't suffer from insanity. I enjoy every minute of it.

How to differentiate between countries fast:

In an underdeveloped country, don't drink the water; in a developed country, don't breathe the air.

In capitalist country man exploits man; communist one is the exact opposite.

Is Marxism-Leninism scientific? No, surely not.  It is yet to be tested on animals.

Who is more foolish, the child afraid of the dark or the man afraid of the light?

Take my advice — I'm not using it.

All lunatics, but he who is able to analyze his delusions is called a philosopher.

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are on a camping trip.

In the middle of the night, Holmes nudges Watson awake, and says, "Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see."

"I see millions of stars, my dear Holmes."

"And what do you infer from these stars?"

"Well, a number of things," he says, lighting his pipe:

Astronomically, I observe that there are millions of galaxies and billions of stars and planets.

Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is in Leo.

Horologically, I deduce that the time is approximately a quarter past three.

Meteorologically, I expect that the weather will be fine and clear.

Theologically, I see that God is all-powerful, and man, his creation, small and insignificant.

What about you, Holmes?"

"Watson, you fool. Someone has stolen our tent!"

Why people demand freedom of speech?

As a compensation for the freedom of thought which they might have to use, otherwise.

Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else.

Demonetization: an oblique view

The first was when Rs1,000, Rs5,000, and Rs10,000 notes were taken out of circulation in January 1946, a year and a half before the country won independence from the British. The Rs10,000 notes were the largest currency denomination ever printed by the Reserve Bank of India, introduced for the first time in 1938. All three notes were reintroduced in 1954.

There are differing views about the present demonetization, as far as black money goes. That’s because, with people, black money need not be in cash, rather in a more convenient form - as undisclosed accounts in Swiss Banks. In short, the demonetization need not affect the biggest fish. And I am sure, those in positions are aware of this. If so, what could have led to this decision?

Is it poll-dictated sensationalism? Or is it a ‘wise’ suggestion from someone who wanted to pacify a big man? Or is it due to certain manufacturing errors in some of the notes in circulation, as suggested in a few sites?

Whatever it may be, let me think of the after effects. There is nothing without some benefits to each and everyone, just as there is nothing that has no harm to anyone. The popular feeling, I think, is that this will affect the huge hoarding of black money and make our economy stronger. And we all can expect reduced interest rates, increased production, rise in pay, bonus etc. Will the popular view prevail? Time will tell soon.

A Brainwave?

I know it isn’t very welcome to blow my own trumpet, but I can’t help it, especially after the US election result. The theory, I have put forward through my book (The Unsure Male), that man will always take the most irrational of the available courses, is once again proved right. Will it happen, will time prove me right again; is this going to be the most rational of all US presidencies?