h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I don't reckon you can create your personality all by yourself. Even those rare reports of abused children indicate that they attempt to pattern on something, even the pet dog.

All creatures do this. Kittens watch all the cats in their pride to learn about stuff, so that some of them try to bury their food dish when they've had enough, some drink with a foot in the water, and so forth. But that leads to thinking of personality as composed only of observable behaviors.

But if that's all there is, how is it that I make decisions about what behaviors are natural to me and which I should reject? I'm not talking about morality, about a sense of right and wrong, like deciding that crime isn't worthwhile as a path of action. I mean, if it's all patterning from outside, wouldn't we be a lot more homogenous than we are?

"You also know that others are individuals"

*Technically* you don't know that at all...

It's much too hot for me to even think, let alone post something intelligent. It is soooooooo hot and sooooooooo dry here that we're positively miserable. 19 of the last 20 days have been in triple digits with no rain. The high today is supposed to be 107ºF with 110 (43C) possible for tomorrow. And no relief in sight for at least another 8 days when it is supposed to drop down to 99.

Aha, a solipsist!

Bertrand Russell had a good anecdote about that. He met a woman at some do who told him she was a solipsist and she was surprised that everyone else wasn't a solipsist too. "Coming from a solipsist," observed Russell, "This surprise surprised me."



nb: solipsism - a philosophical belief system based on the notion that you are the only thing that exists and that everything and everyone else is a construct of your mind. Not thought to be a system with long-term stability.

Hyp, what's the humidity? I find the heat much harder to bear when it's also humid. We desert rats have been having a very hard time, some days.

It's only 35% today. So it could be worse. That adds about 5-6º to the heat index.

I know just enough about philosphy that I can smile and nod along with ... bits of the conversation. Didn't Hope everything turns out all right for mini, either way.

It's turned rainy and cool over here. Bit of a relief after the heat we've been getting. Not the first time this has happened, of course ...

I completely did a at the sociology above. If it can be taken as agreeing with mini's feelings for the topic, I am completely happy with that!

Received a, ermmm, official appointment letter whatchamacallit that I can now legally sign & generally act on my Mother's behalf. Not that she can't herself - she's not declared unfit for anything. But financially, especially, it's been deemed that her funds needs more taking care of than she is able to - so I now have that obligation along with a semi-official system that makes sure I don't run away with everything.

Probably the first time it's really easier being an only child

Next step willbe finding and "arranging" a protected home at a care center (again, these are state/region run; not private). Lately, we've had several cases of her being on the streets late evenings/early nights and frequently she's firmly under the idea that she really lives at a previous address. To the point where she's actually turned up at one of them, suitcase in hand

So she really needs to be under some care before she gets into a situation that may cause her harm. If you ask, not 10 wild horses can drag her - so we are contemplating with the official consultants what kind of benign subterfuge we can put into play. This really is means to an end even if it sounds dodgy putting it into words...

We seem to have some parents "trouble" around. I do tend to put some empasis into remembering good times and the simple fact that they're the entire reason for my being

[Bagpuss]

[GDZ]

Not even the explanations helped with those essay questions. My head hurt.

Post 314 regarding the Lincoln shooting has been reinstated.

Well done. I thought you weren't going to appeal it. I wonder what happened

Santra, "I do tend to put some empasis into remembering good times and the simple fact that they're the entire reason for my being"

Well put, and something I could have reflected on usefully a few years ago...thanks!

*stays on the other side of the salon to avoid ricochets from the sociology discussion*

It seems to be a spontaneous reinstatement. I can add the following facts to the story: the late cowboy had done prison time, and it's thought he in fact committed "suicide by cop". His widow is not in mourning.

As to why he had been in prison, all I can say without attracting the attention of the quivering maidens is that his name was one of several published yearly on a list of a certain kind of offender.

[]

Thinking of Mini and her Mum.

for the little and you too Santra. It's not easy dealing with these situations.

[Haragai]
* trying to scare off the flying sociololologies by snoring *

Well I have copy/pasted all the info about mum to my journal and will be updating there.

Also I'm working on Essay 2 just now, so trying to find info on social constructionist theory, social psychological perspectives of attribution and sociological perspectives of attribution. or at least i think that is what I'm looking for.

Hoping to go visit mum on Saturday.

having the concentration span of a nematode worm isn't helping much at the moment. nor is the niggling headache.

meh

mini

Morning all.