Vikram Pinto's Blog, page 2
March 11, 2015
Prison Violence
Prison's inhabitants are overwhelmingly the unemployed, the underemployed, and other denizens of the lower classes. The reality reflects the underlying fact that imprisonment is fundamentally geared to imposing retribution and deterrence on those who flout norms of property and order, or who otherwise translate the pressures of social marginality and material deprivation into violent or otherwise unacceptable behaviors.
The importance of violence to the punitive function of the prison has actually increased over the last several decades, in response to a deterioration of the conditions of lower class life wrought by structural changes including the demise of the manufacturing sector, the decline of organized labor, the onset of chronic fiscal crisis and the retrenchment of the welfare state. As these changes have consigned the poor ever more thoroughly to a world of deprivation and insecurity, they have placed a greater premium on the punitive function of violence in prison. Thus, the prerequisites of prison violence, as well as the root impediment to its eradication, may be located, not simply in failings of law and policy, but in the political economy of contemporary capitalism.
One argument is that punishments in prison must necessarily be worse than their typical conditions of life in the free world. Otherwise prison might lose it's punitive effect. It might then become a refuge from the deprivations and uncertainties of law-abiding life, sought after by the poor. Or more likely, it might lose its ability to deter or otherwise sanction the pursuit of criminality as a life course or as a reaction to debased life conditions.
Importantly, the fact that the kind of violence is illegal does not refute its relevance to the logic of less eligibility. To the contrary: that such violence is so thoroughly unlawful allows it to serve the state as a mode of punishment without the state ever confessing the true extent of its resort to such barbarity and without thereby surrendering much in the way of its legal and political legitimacy. Indeed, by deeming prison violence illegal, the state in its various manifestations can actually condemn the phenomenon, while yet relying on it as part of regime of control.
The criminal justice system focuses on the poor and the degree to which this focus reflects not only a quest for public order and safety but an agenda of control and class domination.
The importance of violence to the punitive function of the prison has actually increased over the last several decades, in response to a deterioration of the conditions of lower class life wrought by structural changes including the demise of the manufacturing sector, the decline of organized labor, the onset of chronic fiscal crisis and the retrenchment of the welfare state. As these changes have consigned the poor ever more thoroughly to a world of deprivation and insecurity, they have placed a greater premium on the punitive function of violence in prison. Thus, the prerequisites of prison violence, as well as the root impediment to its eradication, may be located, not simply in failings of law and policy, but in the political economy of contemporary capitalism.
One argument is that punishments in prison must necessarily be worse than their typical conditions of life in the free world. Otherwise prison might lose it's punitive effect. It might then become a refuge from the deprivations and uncertainties of law-abiding life, sought after by the poor. Or more likely, it might lose its ability to deter or otherwise sanction the pursuit of criminality as a life course or as a reaction to debased life conditions.
Importantly, the fact that the kind of violence is illegal does not refute its relevance to the logic of less eligibility. To the contrary: that such violence is so thoroughly unlawful allows it to serve the state as a mode of punishment without the state ever confessing the true extent of its resort to such barbarity and without thereby surrendering much in the way of its legal and political legitimacy. Indeed, by deeming prison violence illegal, the state in its various manifestations can actually condemn the phenomenon, while yet relying on it as part of regime of control.
The criminal justice system focuses on the poor and the degree to which this focus reflects not only a quest for public order and safety but an agenda of control and class domination.
March 10, 2015
Derivatives
In the field of chemistry, a derivative is "a substance that can be made from another substance." In finance, derivatives work on the same principle. These financial instruments promise payoffs that are derived from the value of something else, which is called the "underlying." The underlying is often a financial asset or rate, but it does not have to be. Derivatives are financial weapons of mass destruction, carrying dangers that, while now latent, are potentially lethal. Should we fear derivatives? Most of us choose to fly an airplane even though they sometimes crash. But we also insist that planes are made safe as it makes economic sense for them to be. The same logic should apply to derivatives.
Derivatives come in flavors from plain vanilla to mint-chocolate chip. The plain vanilla include contracts to buy or sell something for future delivery - contracts involving an option to buy or sell something at a fixed price in the future and contracts to exchange one cash flow for another along with simple combinations of forward, futures and options contracts. At the mint chocolate chip end of the spectrum however, the sky is the limit.
A "forward" contract obligates one party to buy the underlying at a fixed price at a certain future fate (called the maturity) from a counter party who is obligated to sell the underlying at that fixed price.
"Hedging" consists of taking a financial position to reduce exposure to risk.
Options: A "call option" on a stock gives its holder the right to buy a fixed number of shares at a given price by some future date, while a "put option" gives it's holder the right to sell a fixed number of shares on the same terms.
A "swap" is a contract to exchange cash flows over a specific period. The principal used to compute the flows is the "notional amount."
Some of the earliest derivatives were linked to tulip bulbs in Holland and to rice in Japan in the 17th century. But derivatives markets were small until the 1970s, when economic conditions, along with advances in the pricing of derivatives, led to spectacular growth. In that decade, the volatility of interest rates and currency exchange rates increased sharply, making it imperative to find efficient ways to hedge related risks. In 1972, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange started trading futures contracts on currencies, the Chicago Board Options Exchange, where stock options are traded, was founded in 1973. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the swaps market took off. Exotic derivatives took off a few years later.
Derivatives are priced by constructing a hypothetical replicating portfolio. First, individuals and non-financial firms face much higher trading costs than financial institutions. Derivatives make it possible to hedge risks that otherwise would not be possible to hedge. A second important benefit is that derivatives can make underlying markets more efficient.
Derivatives that trade in liquid markets can always be bought or sold at the market price, so mathematical models are not required to value them. Valuation is much more problematic when trading is illiquid. In these cases, models have to be brought to bear to value derivatives - a procedure called "marking them to market," sometimes degenerating into "marking them to myth." Derivative trading does not require much cash. Swaps, for example, have no value at initiation, so a firm with a good credit can build a big portfolio of them without writing checks. As a result derivative trading can look very profitable when its revenue is compared to the cash investment.
Derivatives come in flavors from plain vanilla to mint-chocolate chip. The plain vanilla include contracts to buy or sell something for future delivery - contracts involving an option to buy or sell something at a fixed price in the future and contracts to exchange one cash flow for another along with simple combinations of forward, futures and options contracts. At the mint chocolate chip end of the spectrum however, the sky is the limit.
A "forward" contract obligates one party to buy the underlying at a fixed price at a certain future fate (called the maturity) from a counter party who is obligated to sell the underlying at that fixed price.
"Hedging" consists of taking a financial position to reduce exposure to risk.
Options: A "call option" on a stock gives its holder the right to buy a fixed number of shares at a given price by some future date, while a "put option" gives it's holder the right to sell a fixed number of shares on the same terms.
A "swap" is a contract to exchange cash flows over a specific period. The principal used to compute the flows is the "notional amount."
Some of the earliest derivatives were linked to tulip bulbs in Holland and to rice in Japan in the 17th century. But derivatives markets were small until the 1970s, when economic conditions, along with advances in the pricing of derivatives, led to spectacular growth. In that decade, the volatility of interest rates and currency exchange rates increased sharply, making it imperative to find efficient ways to hedge related risks. In 1972, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange started trading futures contracts on currencies, the Chicago Board Options Exchange, where stock options are traded, was founded in 1973. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the swaps market took off. Exotic derivatives took off a few years later.
Derivatives are priced by constructing a hypothetical replicating portfolio. First, individuals and non-financial firms face much higher trading costs than financial institutions. Derivatives make it possible to hedge risks that otherwise would not be possible to hedge. A second important benefit is that derivatives can make underlying markets more efficient.
Derivatives that trade in liquid markets can always be bought or sold at the market price, so mathematical models are not required to value them. Valuation is much more problematic when trading is illiquid. In these cases, models have to be brought to bear to value derivatives - a procedure called "marking them to market," sometimes degenerating into "marking them to myth." Derivative trading does not require much cash. Swaps, for example, have no value at initiation, so a firm with a good credit can build a big portfolio of them without writing checks. As a result derivative trading can look very profitable when its revenue is compared to the cash investment.
March 4, 2015
Import/Export
To exporters, any sale is a gift until payment is received. To importers, any payment is a donation until the goods are received. Therefore, the importer wants to receive the goods as soon as possible, but to delay the payment as long as possible, preferably until after the goods are resold to generate enough income to make payment to the exporter. Due to the intense competition for export markets, foreign buyers often press exporters for open account terms since the extension of credit by the seller to the buyer is more common abroad. Wire transfers and credit cards are the most commonly used cash-in-advance options available to the exporters. Cash in advance, especially a wire transfer, is the most secure and favorable method of international trading for exporters and consequently the least secure and attractive option for importers. Letters of Credit (LCs) are among the most secure instruments available to international traders.
To extend open account terms in the global market, the exporter who lacks sufficient liquidity needs to export working capital financing that covers the entire cash cycle from purchase of raw materials through the ultimate collection of the sales proceeds. Export working capital facilities can be provided to support export sales in the form of a loan or revolving line of credit.
Export Working Capital Financial extended by commercial banks can provide a means for exporters who luck sufficient internal liquidity to process and acquire goods and services to fulfill export orders and extend open account terms to their foreign buyers. EWC funds are commonly used to finance three different areas (1) materials (2) labor (3) inventory. But they can also be used to finance receivables generated from export sales and/or standby letters of credit used as performance bonds or payment guarantees to foreign buyers. An unexpected large export order or many incremental export orders can often place challenging demands on working capital.
Export factoring is a complete financial package that combines export working capital financing, credit protection, foreign accounts receivable, bookkeeping and collection services.
To extend open account terms in the global market, the exporter who lacks sufficient liquidity needs to export working capital financing that covers the entire cash cycle from purchase of raw materials through the ultimate collection of the sales proceeds. Export working capital facilities can be provided to support export sales in the form of a loan or revolving line of credit.
Export Working Capital Financial extended by commercial banks can provide a means for exporters who luck sufficient internal liquidity to process and acquire goods and services to fulfill export orders and extend open account terms to their foreign buyers. EWC funds are commonly used to finance three different areas (1) materials (2) labor (3) inventory. But they can also be used to finance receivables generated from export sales and/or standby letters of credit used as performance bonds or payment guarantees to foreign buyers. An unexpected large export order or many incremental export orders can often place challenging demands on working capital.
Export factoring is a complete financial package that combines export working capital financing, credit protection, foreign accounts receivable, bookkeeping and collection services.
February 20, 2015
Network Tourism
Network integrated relational tourism seems a new way to generate touristic flows with great growth perspective, though remaining a niche. This type of tourism expands and diversifies the present touristic demand aquiring a global dimension, since it refers to networks that know no boundaries. It is created primarily from the virtual sphere and does not need large capital investments, but ideas - which on one hand may be easy to imitate since they are inexpensive and not particularly risky, on the other hand these ideas cannot be reproduced, since they are related to the cultural and environmental context where they are created. As a matter of fact, in tourism, innovation does not produce a new tangible product, but a new activity that changes the method of resource fruition and the service offered.
From the demand point of view, network integrated relational tourism can be defined as affordable. In fact, the destination welcomes tourists in the community without large infrastructures, in a friendly manner, so that environmental costs supported by the local community can be minimized. This peculiarity is certainly a positive factor for the territory since tourism as started off can become a dynamic economic sector and as such does not change in time in terms of profitability for the entire economic system. From a social standpoint, a negative aspect would be the strengthening of the elite, especially in developing countries. The elite that belong to the network, by managing resources and network tourism, tend to keep away the remaining part of the local population.
With a growing tendency towards free independent travellers, who create their itenararies as they move informally around the country, their dependency on transport becomes more complex and subtle. When a tourist sees innovation as a new tourist product and finds it useful also for the uniqueness and irreproducibility, he or she would be willing to pay a higher price.
From the demand point of view, network integrated relational tourism can be defined as affordable. In fact, the destination welcomes tourists in the community without large infrastructures, in a friendly manner, so that environmental costs supported by the local community can be minimized. This peculiarity is certainly a positive factor for the territory since tourism as started off can become a dynamic economic sector and as such does not change in time in terms of profitability for the entire economic system. From a social standpoint, a negative aspect would be the strengthening of the elite, especially in developing countries. The elite that belong to the network, by managing resources and network tourism, tend to keep away the remaining part of the local population.
With a growing tendency towards free independent travellers, who create their itenararies as they move informally around the country, their dependency on transport becomes more complex and subtle. When a tourist sees innovation as a new tourist product and finds it useful also for the uniqueness and irreproducibility, he or she would be willing to pay a higher price.
February 17, 2015
Sustainability
The off-the-shelf price of a building component represents only the manufacturing and transportation costs, not the social or environmental costs. A material is only considered a sustainable resource if it can be grown at a rate that meets or exceeds the rate of human consumption. The embodied energy of a material refers to the total energy required to produce that material, including collection of raw materials. When low-embodied-energy natural materials are incorporated into building products, the products become more sustainable. Materials that are easily installed with common tools also reduce overall waste from trimming and fitting. The key consideration is the material´s appropriateness for the intended function.
A cradle to grave analysis of building products from the gathering of raw materials to their ultimate disposal, provides a better understanding of the long term costs of the materials. The material´s life cycle can be organized into three phases: pre building, building and post-building.
The Pre-Building Phase describes the production and delivery process of a material up to, but not including, the point of installation. The Building Phase refers to a building material´s useful life. This phase begins at the point of the material´s assembly into a structure, includes the maintenance and repair of the material, and extends throughout the life of the material within or as a part of the building. The Post Building Phase refers to the building materials when their usefulness in a building has been expired. At this point, a material may be used in its entirety, have its components recycled back into other products or be discarded. Limestone is perhaps the most prevalent building material obtained through mining. It is used as a cladding material and plays an important role in the production of a wide range of building products. Limestone which is primarily calcium carbonate is coverted into quicklime or calcium oxide through prolonged exposure to high heat. The quicklime is then crushed and screened and before it can be used in plaster or cement, it must be mixed with water and then dried.
Steel requires the mining of iron ore, limestone, magnesium and other trace elements. Steel is produced by controlling the amount of carbon through smelting. Limestone and magnesium are added to remove oxygen and make the steel stronger. A maximum carbon content of 2% is desired.
Aluminum should be used only where its light weight and anti-corrosion characteristics cannot be matched by another material. It can be recycled for 10-20% of the energy required to transform raw ore into finished goods. Aluminum, derived from bauxite ore, requires a large amount of raw material to produce a small amount of final product. Bauxite is generally strip mined in tropical rainforests, a process that requires removing vegetation and top soil from large areas of land.
Jute is a renewable crop material, with very little energy required in the growth and manufacturing process. It bio degrades upon disposal and can be recycled. The material has a higher density and longer life than comparable synthetics.
The building industry is highly dependent on materials derived from petroleum and natural gas. These are used in a wide range of products including plastics, adhesives for plywood, particleboard, laminated countertops, insulation, carpeting and paints.
A cradle to grave analysis of building products from the gathering of raw materials to their ultimate disposal, provides a better understanding of the long term costs of the materials. The material´s life cycle can be organized into three phases: pre building, building and post-building.
The Pre-Building Phase describes the production and delivery process of a material up to, but not including, the point of installation. The Building Phase refers to a building material´s useful life. This phase begins at the point of the material´s assembly into a structure, includes the maintenance and repair of the material, and extends throughout the life of the material within or as a part of the building. The Post Building Phase refers to the building materials when their usefulness in a building has been expired. At this point, a material may be used in its entirety, have its components recycled back into other products or be discarded. Limestone is perhaps the most prevalent building material obtained through mining. It is used as a cladding material and plays an important role in the production of a wide range of building products. Limestone which is primarily calcium carbonate is coverted into quicklime or calcium oxide through prolonged exposure to high heat. The quicklime is then crushed and screened and before it can be used in plaster or cement, it must be mixed with water and then dried.
Steel requires the mining of iron ore, limestone, magnesium and other trace elements. Steel is produced by controlling the amount of carbon through smelting. Limestone and magnesium are added to remove oxygen and make the steel stronger. A maximum carbon content of 2% is desired.
Aluminum should be used only where its light weight and anti-corrosion characteristics cannot be matched by another material. It can be recycled for 10-20% of the energy required to transform raw ore into finished goods. Aluminum, derived from bauxite ore, requires a large amount of raw material to produce a small amount of final product. Bauxite is generally strip mined in tropical rainforests, a process that requires removing vegetation and top soil from large areas of land.
Jute is a renewable crop material, with very little energy required in the growth and manufacturing process. It bio degrades upon disposal and can be recycled. The material has a higher density and longer life than comparable synthetics.
The building industry is highly dependent on materials derived from petroleum and natural gas. These are used in a wide range of products including plastics, adhesives for plywood, particleboard, laminated countertops, insulation, carpeting and paints.
February 13, 2015
On Libraries
It is the nature of libraries to grow. Predicting the rate of growth is not an easy task. One solution is the construction of storage libraries which are cheaper to construct than regular libraries and can also make more effective use of environmental controls than buildings which are heavily used daily.
Many system vendors now make a great point of ways in which their systems link to other databases and services. However, it is therefore becoming difficult to draw the lines among library, departmental, and personal budget expenditures.
If a considerable part of time is used in walking to and from the library with no apparent return, then the time is wasted. Here electronic systems can play a part in developing higher returns on user time. Online catalog searching can also be linked to interlibrary loan or to document delivery. The goal is to refine collection and reduce lost user time.
There are three classes of asset with which librarians are concerned: facilities, collections (or more broadly, access to information and equipment) Each building can be thought of as a series of "systems," such as foundations and walls; roof and windows; electrical, plumbing, HVAC; floor and wall coverings; and so on.
Collections such as literature and language do not deteriorate so quickly. These collections do not need to be refreshed by adding current publications, but the whole collection remains useful and may even grow in value over time.
Many system vendors now make a great point of ways in which their systems link to other databases and services. However, it is therefore becoming difficult to draw the lines among library, departmental, and personal budget expenditures.
If a considerable part of time is used in walking to and from the library with no apparent return, then the time is wasted. Here electronic systems can play a part in developing higher returns on user time. Online catalog searching can also be linked to interlibrary loan or to document delivery. The goal is to refine collection and reduce lost user time.
There are three classes of asset with which librarians are concerned: facilities, collections (or more broadly, access to information and equipment) Each building can be thought of as a series of "systems," such as foundations and walls; roof and windows; electrical, plumbing, HVAC; floor and wall coverings; and so on.
Collections such as literature and language do not deteriorate so quickly. These collections do not need to be refreshed by adding current publications, but the whole collection remains useful and may even grow in value over time.
February 12, 2015
Retail
The Indian Retail Sector is the 5th largest in the world and accounts for 14-15% of the country's GDP. The industry size is expected to double from US $450 billion to US 1.3 trillion in 2020. In developed countries, the organized retail industry accounts for almost 80% of the total retail trade, whereas in India it hovers around 8%
Factors driving growth of Indian retail sector
1. Emergence of nuclear families
2. Growing trend of double income households.
3. Increase in expenditure on high value and luxury items.
4. Expanding working population
5. Growing liberalization of India's foreign direct investment (FDI) policy and entry of global brands.
6. Increase in brand consciousness
India is the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world but, due to inadequate supply chain and logistics infrastructure and management, two thirds of the produce (worth US $65 billion in revenue is wasted or lost in transit each year)
Many retailers still equate logistics with transportation and overlook the importance of other activities such as warehousing, inventory management, courier operations, client servicing, B2C deliveries and value added services such as packaging.
Dynamic operations are a loose-knit group of networks (design, sourcing, manufacturing, distribution, commercialization, etc.)
Adaptable Structure: Creating products, processes and systems that are easily modified in response to changing conditions. The best and clearest example may be flexible manufacturing: the ability to respond quickly to currency fluctuations, supply disruptions and sudden demand shifts by altering manufacturing volumes, mixes and venues.
Factors driving growth of Indian retail sector
1. Emergence of nuclear families
2. Growing trend of double income households.
3. Increase in expenditure on high value and luxury items.
4. Expanding working population
5. Growing liberalization of India's foreign direct investment (FDI) policy and entry of global brands.
6. Increase in brand consciousness
India is the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world but, due to inadequate supply chain and logistics infrastructure and management, two thirds of the produce (worth US $65 billion in revenue is wasted or lost in transit each year)
Many retailers still equate logistics with transportation and overlook the importance of other activities such as warehousing, inventory management, courier operations, client servicing, B2C deliveries and value added services such as packaging.
Dynamic operations are a loose-knit group of networks (design, sourcing, manufacturing, distribution, commercialization, etc.)
Adaptable Structure: Creating products, processes and systems that are easily modified in response to changing conditions. The best and clearest example may be flexible manufacturing: the ability to respond quickly to currency fluctuations, supply disruptions and sudden demand shifts by altering manufacturing volumes, mixes and venues.
February 11, 2015
Logistics
It goes without saying that the logistics sector shares a common interest with society in advancing trade and accelerating job creation, increased opportunities for business growth throughout market connectivity and wealth creation for billions of consumers worldwide. A successful supply chain is one that shares data between multiple parties - manufacturers, customs departments, logistics providers and retailers. All cities are concerned with flows: of people, vehicles, goods, services, waste, energy and even data. Larger cities, with ever-greater complexity, will require increased levels of control to coordinate freight flows, and possibly eliminate extraneous vehicle movements. The situation today in many cities is sub-optimal with, on average, trucks plying less than half full and many businesses receiving numerous deliveries over the day, when one or two full truckloads would suffice.
Consolidation centers store goods bound for the same location and can be aggregated and stored until the optimum time for delivery, often during off-peak periods. DHL's Smart Truck allows fright deliveries not only to be tracked but planned and updated in a real time environment. The global penetration of smartphones offers new possibilities of logistics solutions customized for individual citizens. Shipping is increasingly reliant on IT - from navigation to propulsion, from freight management to traffic control.
Post harvest losses manifest themselves at any point between harvest and consumption. Causes: poor harvesting and handling practices, inadequate techniques for drying and monitoring moisture levels; lack of appropriate storage leading to bio-deterioration or pest-attack; and inefficient transportation. Other factors include poor marketing and distribution policies and inadequate financial infrastructure that affects, for instance, the ability of producers to get payments for their goods or to finance their activity.
In the case of India, one of the core reasons behind the persistently high level of wastage is the extreme level of fragmentation involved in both production and food supply chains as a whole - all the way from harvesting to handling, threshing, drying, storing, transporting, performing quality control, processing, packaging, marketing and distribution to final consumption. Agricultural production is often dominated by small farmers who have limited access to technologies and financial resources. They do no possess, for instance, the equipment required to ensure proper temperature at storage and there is lack of understanding of how to efficiently handle produce. On top of this transport systems and warehousing are often underdeveloped. As a result of which transport costs are particularly high in rural areas. The World Bank estimates that transport costs per ton-kilometer from farm to primary markets are 3-5 times higher than those from secondary to wholesale markets in capital cities.
Consolidation centers store goods bound for the same location and can be aggregated and stored until the optimum time for delivery, often during off-peak periods. DHL's Smart Truck allows fright deliveries not only to be tracked but planned and updated in a real time environment. The global penetration of smartphones offers new possibilities of logistics solutions customized for individual citizens. Shipping is increasingly reliant on IT - from navigation to propulsion, from freight management to traffic control.
Post harvest losses manifest themselves at any point between harvest and consumption. Causes: poor harvesting and handling practices, inadequate techniques for drying and monitoring moisture levels; lack of appropriate storage leading to bio-deterioration or pest-attack; and inefficient transportation. Other factors include poor marketing and distribution policies and inadequate financial infrastructure that affects, for instance, the ability of producers to get payments for their goods or to finance their activity.
In the case of India, one of the core reasons behind the persistently high level of wastage is the extreme level of fragmentation involved in both production and food supply chains as a whole - all the way from harvesting to handling, threshing, drying, storing, transporting, performing quality control, processing, packaging, marketing and distribution to final consumption. Agricultural production is often dominated by small farmers who have limited access to technologies and financial resources. They do no possess, for instance, the equipment required to ensure proper temperature at storage and there is lack of understanding of how to efficiently handle produce. On top of this transport systems and warehousing are often underdeveloped. As a result of which transport costs are particularly high in rural areas. The World Bank estimates that transport costs per ton-kilometer from farm to primary markets are 3-5 times higher than those from secondary to wholesale markets in capital cities.
May 18, 2014
Critical Thinking
How can humans create within their own minds such an inconsistent amalgam of the rational and the irrational? The answer is self-deception. In fact, perhaps the most accurate and most useful definition of humans is that of "the self-deceiving animal." Deception, duplicity, sophistry, delusion and hypocrisy are foundational products of human nature in its "natural" untutored state. Rather than reducing these tendencies, most schooling and social influences redirect them, rendering them more sophisticated, more artful and more obscure.
To exacerbate this problem, not only are humans instinctively self-deceptive, they are naturally socio-centric as well. Every culture and society sees itself as special and as justified in all it's basic beliefs and practices, in all it's values and taboos.
Unfortunately there are an unlimited number of maneuvers one can make in camouflaging poor reasoning, making bad thinking look good and obscuring what is really going on in a situation. Furthermore, most people are hesitant to recognizing poor reasoning when it supports what they intensely believe. It is as if people subconsciously accept the premise, "all is fair in the scramble for power, wealth and status." Any argument, any consideration, any mental maneuver or construction that validates emotionally charged beliefs seems to the believe to be justified. The more intense the belief, the less likely that reason and evidence can dislodge it.
The human mind is often myopic, inflexible and conformist, while at the same time, highly skilled in self-deception and rationalization. People are by nature highly egocentric, highly socio-centric and wantonly self interested. Their goal is not truth but advantage. They have not acquired their beliefs through a rational process. They are highly resistant to rational critique.
Blind faith, fear, prejudice and self interest are primary organizers of much human thinking. Self delusion, in conjunction with lack of self command, characterize much human thinking. A highly compromised integrity is the result. If you point out a mistake in thinking to most persons, you may silence them momentarily. But most, like rubber bands that have momentarily been stretched and let go, will soon revert back to whatever it was they believed in the first place. It is for this reason that cultivation of intellectual virtues is so crucial to human development. Without long term transformation of the mind, little can be done to produce deeply honest thought. When challenged, the human mind operates from it's most primitive intellectual instincts.
Critical thinking enables us to take command of the abstractions we create in our own minds, the generalizations we make about the world and therefore, ultimately the quality of our reasoning.
There is a small group of people who, though intellectually skilled do not want to manipulate or control others. These are people who combine critical thought, fair mindedness, self-insight and a genuine desire to serve public good. They are sophisticated enough to recognize how self-serving people use their knowledge of human nature and command of rhetoric to pursue selfish ends. They are acutely aware of the phenomenon of mass society and of the machinery of mass persuasion and social control. Consequently, they are too insightful to be manipulated and to ethical to enjoy manipulating others. They have a vision of a better, more ethical world, which includes a realistic knowledge of how far we are from that world. They are practical in their effort to encourage movement from "what is" to "what might be." They gain insight by struggling with their own egocentric nature and coming to see, in deeper and deeper ways, their own involvement in irrational processes.
To exacerbate this problem, not only are humans instinctively self-deceptive, they are naturally socio-centric as well. Every culture and society sees itself as special and as justified in all it's basic beliefs and practices, in all it's values and taboos.
Unfortunately there are an unlimited number of maneuvers one can make in camouflaging poor reasoning, making bad thinking look good and obscuring what is really going on in a situation. Furthermore, most people are hesitant to recognizing poor reasoning when it supports what they intensely believe. It is as if people subconsciously accept the premise, "all is fair in the scramble for power, wealth and status." Any argument, any consideration, any mental maneuver or construction that validates emotionally charged beliefs seems to the believe to be justified. The more intense the belief, the less likely that reason and evidence can dislodge it.
The human mind is often myopic, inflexible and conformist, while at the same time, highly skilled in self-deception and rationalization. People are by nature highly egocentric, highly socio-centric and wantonly self interested. Their goal is not truth but advantage. They have not acquired their beliefs through a rational process. They are highly resistant to rational critique.
Blind faith, fear, prejudice and self interest are primary organizers of much human thinking. Self delusion, in conjunction with lack of self command, characterize much human thinking. A highly compromised integrity is the result. If you point out a mistake in thinking to most persons, you may silence them momentarily. But most, like rubber bands that have momentarily been stretched and let go, will soon revert back to whatever it was they believed in the first place. It is for this reason that cultivation of intellectual virtues is so crucial to human development. Without long term transformation of the mind, little can be done to produce deeply honest thought. When challenged, the human mind operates from it's most primitive intellectual instincts.
Critical thinking enables us to take command of the abstractions we create in our own minds, the generalizations we make about the world and therefore, ultimately the quality of our reasoning.
There is a small group of people who, though intellectually skilled do not want to manipulate or control others. These are people who combine critical thought, fair mindedness, self-insight and a genuine desire to serve public good. They are sophisticated enough to recognize how self-serving people use their knowledge of human nature and command of rhetoric to pursue selfish ends. They are acutely aware of the phenomenon of mass society and of the machinery of mass persuasion and social control. Consequently, they are too insightful to be manipulated and to ethical to enjoy manipulating others. They have a vision of a better, more ethical world, which includes a realistic knowledge of how far we are from that world. They are practical in their effort to encourage movement from "what is" to "what might be." They gain insight by struggling with their own egocentric nature and coming to see, in deeper and deeper ways, their own involvement in irrational processes.
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