Matthew Johns is an outright scumbag for what he did to that 19 year old New Zealand woman viz a viz group sex with multiple males and allowing other men to stand around masturbating and watching. Regardless of whether the woman involved actually consented to more than just Johns and one other player having sex with her, the act was a disgusting one to perpetuate on a 19 year old. We have laws about paedophilia because age is a factor in whether there is consent in sexual activity. Age doesn’t make discrete jumps so we are forced to make arbitrary decisions about at what age consent for sex can legally be given. But age is a matter of degree; a 19 year old is only slightly more in control of her sexuality than a 15 year old.
Multiple male sexuality with a woman involved is usually always a sublimation of homosexual desire. I used to be a male prostitute for mostly males but also for the occasional husband and wife. It was my experience that the women seemed to have the experience forced on them through coercion from their husbands, and that the husband would be more focussed on me than their wives. One time I had a husband deliberately thrust his legs and genitalia on my legs and genitalia as I had vaginal sex with the wife while he had anal sex with her. I’ve had a male friend who had a crush on me but was in denial about his homosexuality continually suggest a threesome with a woman. I declined because I didn’t want to be a part of that kind of sublimation.
Most heterosexual porn is focussed on the penis more than the vagina. Not much hetero porn contains material where there is no penile penetration of an orifice. A lot of hetero porn has multiple male sexual activity. Hetero porn where a woman gives oral sex to a man or where there are men standing around ejaculating on a woman’s face is very phallocentric. This suggests to me that a lot of hetero porn viewing involves sublimation of gay male energy. Also, in a penis-vagina sexual act, the man cannot ignore his own penis. This suggests that all penis-vagina penetrative activity involves some sort of homosexual energy. Everyone has both heterosexuality and homosexuality in them to some degree. The only men who this doesn’t apply to are ascetics and men who only participate in sexual acts that don’t involve penises.
Annabel Crabb has written an excellent article in the SMH pointing out the homosexuality involved in the Matthew Johns incident. She says:
“If you want to get together and celebrate your oiled, toned bodies in the celebrated Greek tradition, then go ahead.
Just leave the ladies out of it, will you, and do us all a favour?”
My experience has been that male team sport fosters gay energy. The team spirit involved, the constant exposure to other naked male bodies in prime condition, and the inevitable constant contact with all parts of other male bodies is homoerotic. NRL (rugby league) is especially conducive to homosexuality because of the exaggerated masculinity of the bodies involved and the extremely high level of physical contact with other players’ bodies. There have been other NRL homoerotic incidents like the Johns one that have been revealed in the press, and probably many more that haven’t been reported. It will go on forever as long as the public are willing to continue to pour adulation on rugby league players. Society itself is gay if it celebrates prime male physical conditions and skills the way it does.
Pru Goward is right in saying that Johns should reveal who the other players were. But she should pull her head in when betrays her disdain for women who consent to group sex by saying:
“If there is a young woman in Australia who does not now know that having sex with one or two men at once is not risky sexual behaviour she perhaps needs to go back and look at a bit more television…Risky sexual behaviour ... does not lead to a white wedding.”
That’s an appalling implicit levelling of partial culpability on the part of the women involved.
14 May 2009
7 May 2009
Malcolm Turnbull’s Analogy Between Government and Individual Debt
In his address to the National Press Club yesterday, Malcolm Turnbull drew an analogy between the finances of an individual and that of the Government:
“If you knew your financial situation was going to deteriorate, if you know your income was going to be reduced, would you go to the bank, borrow a fortune and spend it? You know you wouldn't.”
This is a faulty analogy. The Government is, in a democracy, owned by the people. So the Government going into fiscal deficit through increased spending is the same as an entity borrowing to pump money into itself - not to spend externally. The exceptions are that money is transferred from some parts of the economy to other parts and there is some leakage when money is spent on imports.
A more appropriate analogy would be like this: A family has several income earners who pool their finances together. Some of them get sick and stop working and earning. (This is a recession.) They will not get better unless they take some medicine that they can’t afford due to the family’s drop in income. So the family takes out a loan to pay for the medicine. (This is the Government going into budget deficit.) The sick family members get better, go back to work and earn money again. (This is an economic recovery.) The family is in debt and it will take some time to pay the debt off. But they are able to do so due to their restored income levels.
“If you knew your financial situation was going to deteriorate, if you know your income was going to be reduced, would you go to the bank, borrow a fortune and spend it? You know you wouldn't.”
This is a faulty analogy. The Government is, in a democracy, owned by the people. So the Government going into fiscal deficit through increased spending is the same as an entity borrowing to pump money into itself - not to spend externally. The exceptions are that money is transferred from some parts of the economy to other parts and there is some leakage when money is spent on imports.
A more appropriate analogy would be like this: A family has several income earners who pool their finances together. Some of them get sick and stop working and earning. (This is a recession.) They will not get better unless they take some medicine that they can’t afford due to the family’s drop in income. So the family takes out a loan to pay for the medicine. (This is the Government going into budget deficit.) The sick family members get better, go back to work and earn money again. (This is an economic recovery.) The family is in debt and it will take some time to pay the debt off. But they are able to do so due to their restored income levels.
6 May 2009
Consciousness Chauvinism
A neologism: “Consciousness Chauvinism”. It means the inability, through lack of imagination or empathy, to imagine different modes of consciousness; both actually imagining specific alternative modes and imagining the possibility of alternative modes.
Mental illness, psychedelic drug use and the higher levels of meditative accomplishment afford ways to overcome this deficiency.
The preponderance of Consciousness Chauvinism amongst humankind is the reason we are a priori incapable of finding intelligent alien life. Aliens, if they exist, would almost certainly not have the same type of consciousness that humans enjoy through our very especial type of central nervous system based on our particular type of vertebrate skeletal structure.
Intelligent Design (Creationism) theory is a mistake made through Consciousness Chauvinism. People who advocate it are blinkered and lack meta-thought. They can’t conceive that immensely complex systems such as organisms could come into being through any means other than the same way humans design things. The classic “if you found a functioning clock in the middle of nowhere you would be irrational to think it wasn’t designed and constructed by a human” argument is a case in point.
Animals, plants, cells and even stones may have consciousness; it’s just that we are a priori incapable of knowing whether they do - at least in normal states of consciousness. This is a problem brought about by the current strict Western scientific dictate that if a concept can’t be falsified through empirical investigation then it can’t be a theory.
People who are blessed with meta-thought shouldn’t be harsh to those who are not,including advocates of Intelligent Design / Creationism. Creationism is an interesting phenomenon because it derives from the idea that the ultimate cause of existence is thought. But, contra Descartes’ “cogito ergo sum” philosophy, there is no reason why thought needs to be attached to an entity that does the thinking. Through this analysis, Creationism can actually dovetail somewhat with some Eastern philosophy/religion and the newly created philosophies that have emerged in the past century or so as a result of the overturning of Newtonian physics through Einstein’s relativity theory and the formulation of quantum physics.
Equally, we shouldn’t be harsh on people who still believe in Newtonian mechanistic science and haven’t integrated the past century of discoveries in physics into their real life everyday thinking. Hardly anyone actually understands quantum physics let alone the metaphysical implications involved. It’s been said that only several people on the planet can truly visualise the mathematics involved in quantum physics in their head. (That is not to say that many other physicists don’t understand quantum physics and the mathematics involved - they do, but they just can’t picture it in their heads.)
For those who know they will never even begin to understand quantum physics there remains the path of experiential understanding of the fact that consciousness pervades all matter. This experiential understanding can be gained through various religious practices like certain types of yoga and meditation, various types of “mental illness” including schizophrenia and manic psychosis, or through high doses of psychedelic drugs.
Experiential understanding is ineffable. Language represents an obstacle to overcoming Consciousness Chauvinism. Built into language are confusions including semantic structures inherent in all languages that constrict people’s thought to that which is goal-driven, teleological, and tending to over-use of personification. There are probably other constrictions in language not identified here.
For elucidation (unfortunately through language!) the following books are recommended:
1. The Mind of God: Science and the Search For Ultimate Meaning by Paul Davies. Davies (a widely-respected physicist and popular science writer) explains how mathematics is the only system of thought that can prove it is a religion (through Goedel’s Theorem) itself. He explains in laypeople’s language the developments of the past century in physics. He concludes that “a rational explanation for the world in the sense of a closed and complete system of logical truths is almost certainly impossible” and that “mystical experience”, which he hasn’t actually had himself, is probably the only way to overcome the paradoxes created by 20th century physics.
2. The Holographic Universe by Michael Talbot. This is another popular science book. Talbot explains how 20th century physics, the theories of physicist and metaphysician David Bohm (a collaborator with Einstein), developments in 20th century psychology, the theories of neurophysiologist and metaphysician Karl Pribram, all point towards a conception of the Universe as consisting of matter that is simultaneously consciousness.
3. Beyond the Brain: Birth Death and Transcendence in Psychotherapy by Stanislav Grof. Grof is a former Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University of Medicine. This is an academic book. Grof proceeds from the work of Bohm and Pribram. He integrates his own work with the past century of developments in psychiatry (especially psychoanalysis). His work includes thousands of LSD psychotherapy sessions (before LSD was put under prohibition around the world circa 1970) and subsequent “holotropic therapy” sessions involving, among other techniques, breath work that creates a psychedelic state of mind within minutes. He concludes that individuals must integrate a stable dual sense of being both matter and consciousness simultaneously through experiential understanding to attain psychological health. He also concludes that the fate of civilisation depends on humans realising that Newtonian physics is over and that all matter is also consciousness at the same time.
Mental illness, psychedelic drug use and the higher levels of meditative accomplishment afford ways to overcome this deficiency.
The preponderance of Consciousness Chauvinism amongst humankind is the reason we are a priori incapable of finding intelligent alien life. Aliens, if they exist, would almost certainly not have the same type of consciousness that humans enjoy through our very especial type of central nervous system based on our particular type of vertebrate skeletal structure.
Intelligent Design (Creationism) theory is a mistake made through Consciousness Chauvinism. People who advocate it are blinkered and lack meta-thought. They can’t conceive that immensely complex systems such as organisms could come into being through any means other than the same way humans design things. The classic “if you found a functioning clock in the middle of nowhere you would be irrational to think it wasn’t designed and constructed by a human” argument is a case in point.
Animals, plants, cells and even stones may have consciousness; it’s just that we are a priori incapable of knowing whether they do - at least in normal states of consciousness. This is a problem brought about by the current strict Western scientific dictate that if a concept can’t be falsified through empirical investigation then it can’t be a theory.
People who are blessed with meta-thought shouldn’t be harsh to those who are not,including advocates of Intelligent Design / Creationism. Creationism is an interesting phenomenon because it derives from the idea that the ultimate cause of existence is thought. But, contra Descartes’ “cogito ergo sum” philosophy, there is no reason why thought needs to be attached to an entity that does the thinking. Through this analysis, Creationism can actually dovetail somewhat with some Eastern philosophy/religion and the newly created philosophies that have emerged in the past century or so as a result of the overturning of Newtonian physics through Einstein’s relativity theory and the formulation of quantum physics.
Equally, we shouldn’t be harsh on people who still believe in Newtonian mechanistic science and haven’t integrated the past century of discoveries in physics into their real life everyday thinking. Hardly anyone actually understands quantum physics let alone the metaphysical implications involved. It’s been said that only several people on the planet can truly visualise the mathematics involved in quantum physics in their head. (That is not to say that many other physicists don’t understand quantum physics and the mathematics involved - they do, but they just can’t picture it in their heads.)
For those who know they will never even begin to understand quantum physics there remains the path of experiential understanding of the fact that consciousness pervades all matter. This experiential understanding can be gained through various religious practices like certain types of yoga and meditation, various types of “mental illness” including schizophrenia and manic psychosis, or through high doses of psychedelic drugs.
Experiential understanding is ineffable. Language represents an obstacle to overcoming Consciousness Chauvinism. Built into language are confusions including semantic structures inherent in all languages that constrict people’s thought to that which is goal-driven, teleological, and tending to over-use of personification. There are probably other constrictions in language not identified here.
For elucidation (unfortunately through language!) the following books are recommended:
1. The Mind of God: Science and the Search For Ultimate Meaning by Paul Davies. Davies (a widely-respected physicist and popular science writer) explains how mathematics is the only system of thought that can prove it is a religion (through Goedel’s Theorem) itself. He explains in laypeople’s language the developments of the past century in physics. He concludes that “a rational explanation for the world in the sense of a closed and complete system of logical truths is almost certainly impossible” and that “mystical experience”, which he hasn’t actually had himself, is probably the only way to overcome the paradoxes created by 20th century physics.
2. The Holographic Universe by Michael Talbot. This is another popular science book. Talbot explains how 20th century physics, the theories of physicist and metaphysician David Bohm (a collaborator with Einstein), developments in 20th century psychology, the theories of neurophysiologist and metaphysician Karl Pribram, all point towards a conception of the Universe as consisting of matter that is simultaneously consciousness.
3. Beyond the Brain: Birth Death and Transcendence in Psychotherapy by Stanislav Grof. Grof is a former Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University of Medicine. This is an academic book. Grof proceeds from the work of Bohm and Pribram. He integrates his own work with the past century of developments in psychiatry (especially psychoanalysis). His work includes thousands of LSD psychotherapy sessions (before LSD was put under prohibition around the world circa 1970) and subsequent “holotropic therapy” sessions involving, among other techniques, breath work that creates a psychedelic state of mind within minutes. He concludes that individuals must integrate a stable dual sense of being both matter and consciousness simultaneously through experiential understanding to attain psychological health. He also concludes that the fate of civilisation depends on humans realising that Newtonian physics is over and that all matter is also consciousness at the same time.
5 May 2009
Magda Szubanski: Corporate Sellout
Magda Szubanski has for a long time ranked as one of the most beloved and/or trusted Australian celebrities according to research conducted on behalf of television networks, PR and marketing companies. This year she ranked sixth.
She has sold her celebrity clout in the past to Jetstar and now to Jenny Craig. Jetstar is a low-fare off-shoot of Qantas, who wanted to fill a gap in the market without damaging its brand and cherished safety record. Jenny Craig is a weight loss program company. Both are distasteful entities. Szubanski has abused her fame.
She has sold her celebrity clout in the past to Jetstar and now to Jenny Craig. Jetstar is a low-fare off-shoot of Qantas, who wanted to fill a gap in the market without damaging its brand and cherished safety record. Jenny Craig is a weight loss program company. Both are distasteful entities. Szubanski has abused her fame.
Australia’s Carbon Emissions Trading Scheme, Economic Protectionism and Double Dissolution Elections
Penny Wong’s and Kevin Rudd’s Emissions Trading Scheme has a woefully inadequate carbon emission reduction target of 5%, in contrast with Britain which has unilaterally committed to a 24% reduction on 2000 levels. Australia’s scheme inexcusably and irrationally provides for exemptions. Exemptions will distort the market, resulting in a movement of these externalities from non-exempt industries to exempt industries. Exempt industries will actually be encouraged to emit more to profit from this distortion in the market. Rudd wants to position himself as a moderate on the issue, balancing the interests of big Australian polluters with those of the community who are interested in combating global warming. The Government has obviously been closely collaborating with business groups and the ACTU to get their endorsement for their policy. Shame on the ACTU.
Of course Australia is a small player in terms of proportion of global carbon emissions. But Australia is an extremely influential player in terms of shaping global opinion and policy. Rudd has done a lot to rehabilitate Australia’s standing in the world which was diminished by the former Howard government’s multifarious detrimental actions. He should use Australia’s influence to set an example for the rest of the world.
An inadequate ETS is a form of economic protectionism. Malcolm Turnbull’s objection to the ETS is a form of advocacy for protectionism. Protectionism contributed to the severity of the Great Depression and has been rightly cautioned against worldwide in the current Global Economic Crisis. Australia has opened its markets in the past without the rest of the world reciprocating to the same extent and has benefited enormously economically. The same should happen in this case.
A few months ago it looked like a double dissolution on some hypothetical issue would have delivered the Government control of both Houses. Now it looks probable that the ETS issue as an election trigger would give the Greens an increase in Senate representation and possible balance of power. Australians feel strongly about this issue and, further, the revelation of Treasury predictions of an extended fiscal deficit to 2015 will erode the ALP’s vote. The Rudd Government should be wary of a double dissolution election on this issue.
Of course Australia is a small player in terms of proportion of global carbon emissions. But Australia is an extremely influential player in terms of shaping global opinion and policy. Rudd has done a lot to rehabilitate Australia’s standing in the world which was diminished by the former Howard government’s multifarious detrimental actions. He should use Australia’s influence to set an example for the rest of the world.
An inadequate ETS is a form of economic protectionism. Malcolm Turnbull’s objection to the ETS is a form of advocacy for protectionism. Protectionism contributed to the severity of the Great Depression and has been rightly cautioned against worldwide in the current Global Economic Crisis. Australia has opened its markets in the past without the rest of the world reciprocating to the same extent and has benefited enormously economically. The same should happen in this case.
A few months ago it looked like a double dissolution on some hypothetical issue would have delivered the Government control of both Houses. Now it looks probable that the ETS issue as an election trigger would give the Greens an increase in Senate representation and possible balance of power. Australians feel strongly about this issue and, further, the revelation of Treasury predictions of an extended fiscal deficit to 2015 will erode the ALP’s vote. The Rudd Government should be wary of a double dissolution election on this issue.
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