Born believers: How your brain creates God - science-in-society - 04 February 2009 - New Scientist: "WHILE many institutions collapsed during the Great Depression that began in 1929, one kind did rather well. During this leanest of times, the strictest, most authoritarian churches saw a surge in attendance.
This anomaly was documented in the early 1970s, but only now is science beginning to tell us why. It turns out that human beings have a natural inclination for religious belief, especially during hard times. Our brains effortlessly conjure up an imaginary world of spirits, gods and monsters, and the more insecure we feel, the harder it is to resist the pull of this supernatural world. It seems that our minds are finely tuned to believe in gods."
Thursday, February 5, 2009
How to control a herd of humans - science-in-society - 04 February 2009 - New Scientist
How to control a herd of humans - science-in-society - 04 February 2009 - New Scientist: "HITLER and Mussolini both had the ability to bend millions of people to their fascist will. Now evidence from psychology and neurology is emerging to explain how tactics like organised marching and propaganda can work to exert mass mind control.
Scott Wiltermuth of Stanford University in California and colleagues have found that activities performed in unison, such as marching or dancing, increase loyalty to the group. 'It makes us feel as though we're part of a larger entity, so we see the group's welfare as being as important as our own,' he says."
Scott Wiltermuth of Stanford University in California and colleagues have found that activities performed in unison, such as marching or dancing, increase loyalty to the group. 'It makes us feel as though we're part of a larger entity, so we see the group's welfare as being as important as our own,' he says."
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Obama's moves on Gitmo
We expected this to happen. President Obama's bold first moves on Guantánamo Bay and military commissions have been met by brazen campaigns of misinformation from those who want to retain disastrous Bush administration policies.
Fox News (the ultimate slime-news) is raising the specter of terrorists living in people's "backyards." Senators are saying that bringing detainees to the U.S. "will endanger American lives." Rush Limbaugh is spreading the totally unsupported claim that 61 already-released detainees have "returned to the battlefield." And, naysayers continue to make claims that our criminal justice system is incapable of prosecuting terrorism suspects.
Fox News (the ultimate slime-news) is raising the specter of terrorists living in people's "backyards." Senators are saying that bringing detainees to the U.S. "will endanger American lives." Rush Limbaugh is spreading the totally unsupported claim that 61 already-released detainees have "returned to the battlefield." And, naysayers continue to make claims that our criminal justice system is incapable of prosecuting terrorism suspects.
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