Halloween has become the 2nd biggest holiday of the year. The question is why?
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kitonlove
03/12/11
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veachbum
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BJ Jones
04/15/11
November 01, 2012
"I'm trying to lose weight but I love cheesecake."
Paradigms slugging it out, fighting for dominance in your consciousness—keeping you from fulfillment.
And sometimes, cheesecake.
You’ll be happy to know there’s a universal name for what you have: cognitive dissonance.
(Or maybe you're also unhappy to know since you don’t like being labeled.)
Cognitive dissonance again.
Now, the cognition part is simply an impressive name for bits of facts roaming around up there. Most of the time, cognitive irrelevance best describes cognitions. Since they have nothing to do with each other.
But when you have opposing attitudes on the same subject pulling you in different directions, that's where dissonance comes in.
This theory was first explored by social psychologist Leon Festinger, who appeared to have it, when he said this:
“Two opinions, or beliefs, or items of knowledge are dissonant with each other if they do not fit together; that is, if they are inconsistent, or if, considering only the particular two items, one does not follow from the other.”
What's good about knowing you have it, according to the experts, is that dissonance, being unpleasant, motivates you to do something about it.
At the risk of oversimplification, you either rationalize away one of the conflicting attitudes that's bothering you. Or, my current favorite—you introduce so many new cognitions you overwhelm the cognitions you have.
For example, "I took the steps instead of the elevator to my office, I just had a bag of potato chips for lunch, I didn't get enough calcium and cheesecake has calcium." Ergo: bring on the cheesecake.
Conflict resolved. Cheesecake consumed. You can now go on and feel wretched about something else until you tilt the cognitions in the directions you want.
How do I feel about all this?
Well, on the one hand, I think we might be more productive if we didn't have this little war in our brains.
Then again, our old friend Leonardo DaVinci advised people who want to be more creative to embrace paradox, which is the old fashioned name for the confusion that we now label cognitive dissonance.
But what was he really talking about? Diverse philosophies? Art vs. science? Or his version of cheesecake— a torrone, an ancient concoction made from honey, well-whipped egg whites, vanilla and almonds.
As you can see, I need your help in this matter.
So...how much dissonance do you have, cognitive wise in your life? Or are all your cognitions in agreement?
still thinking about today...
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DHeberle
03/27/11
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03/05/11
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tom watson
03/15/11
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aryckman
04/03/11
This reminds me of Thomas Jefferson's writing about the heart and the head. . . or was it the heart and the mind. What his heart wanted to do, his mind said no, and what the mind said, the heart said no. Hence, a very unhappy life. . . Making those around happy by doing what is expected, while dying inside a little every day because dreams are left unfulfilled, while knowing the said dream could be a mistake. But living with the knowledge if the said dream were to be done, the nuclear fallout would be never ending. Often I have thought of the circus elephant, chained to his stake, doing and performing for everyone, regardless of what his heart wants to do.. . .making everyone happy by his own heartache.
To keep us entertained on long car journeys, we used to play "I wanted to be a ........ but ......"
eg: I wanted to be a baker but I didn't have to dough.
Best I remember was my little brother offering : "I wanted to be a goatherd, BUTT!"
Any news on our CHEFD??????????????????? I just sent her all my phone numbers. Hopefully she will be able to post soon. If you hear from her, please let me know.
Bebe- She may be saving her pwer if she lives in lower Manhattan. Most of 34th St and most places south of 34 are still without power. Computers are everyone's lifelines as cell phones are alos down in some areas. In other ares, like whre I live, we have reduced electricity. Can't complain about that. Depending on if and where she had to evacuate to, she may be out of touch. Some shelters were evacuated and some hospitals also had to evacuate. Considering hte amount of damage the city has been doing a great job trying to get back to normal.
Lazel that is funny!
I want to read Peterman's Eye but I have eighteen different things I have to get done before going on that business trip next week...
I finally tilted this dissonance the way my heart wanted it, and here I am, back after almost 3 months of so-called real life bombarding me with far too much to do.
I do hope that our friends here at the Eye are all right, and will be back with us once their power gets restored.
Thankfully, in my part of Ohio on the very edge of Sandy's effect on the weather, we just had a lot of cold, miserable misty rain, with some sleet and snow mixed in on Tuesday, and lots of gusting winds from Monday night through mid-day Wednesday. Of course the town set "Beggar's Night" for Tuesday evening, and wouldn't shift it even though it was still raining and we were concerned about wind gusts--especially after a branch fell out of our maple tree! It wasn't very large, but if it had hit a child, it would have been awful all the way around! :-P We did get trick or treaters, but nowhere as many as usual. I still have half of a large stock pot full of Halloween candy that didn't get distributed, and I'm thinking about bagging it up in individual zipper bags and taking it to the Food Pantry this weekend for them to distribute.
In any case, I'm back--at least for the moment--and I'm glad to see familiar names in the comments once more.
So, is that like saying " I wanted to be a mortician but business was dead."?
Spring - You are I never thought of the pardox of circus elephants.
Ryshelle: Check with your local food pantry first before donating candy. Some will only accept donarions of healthy food. If that's the case then consider donating to a nursing home. They will ration it out and probably appreciate having treats as Bingo prizes.
Julia, our Food Pantry does accept candy at Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas time as treats for the kids who accompany their parents to the pantry. But I'll add the local nursing home to my list as well. There's certainly enough in the pot!
Miss Bebe - Her part of the coast is without power and will be for a few days. A lot of rain and wind, not too severe. She should be fine. I am sure her pantry is well stocked. If not hers, then whose? I would guess, the downed power lines are her nemesis now.
Spring Rain~ I've thought that Mr. Jefferson's cheesecake aka dissonant resonance was Ms. Hemings which he did overcome on six occasions that we know of. Rhyselle~ Its good to see you back among us us!
Rhyselle - Good thing the big branch missed you and family...One fell in the winds here in Atlanta and hit a 2 yr. old boy who is still in the hospital. Falling branches, loose power lines, and broken gas mains are side effects of windy storms that people often forget about. Hope ChefDeb and hers are in a safe, dry place with generators. We have gotten the chill and wind, but not bad.
SpringRain - Your example sounds like most of us in the dilemma of going to work....We hate the routine and the drudgery, but we know we need the pay! Are we not elephants chained to a stake? I know I felt that way for most of the 30 yrs. I showed up to teach at 7:45 am and stayed til after 5:00. Oh, sure, you like some of your co-workers and some of the students, but the long hours, more hours of home paper-grading/lesson planning, and the routine of hall duty, meetings, and administrative demands gets very trying. Ambivalence.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSKG38nwh4s
I spoke to in-laws in SE Pennsylvania who were in Sandy's path, but they are in a state park, and only lost power 6 hrs. when a tree came down on their road...They had a generator to keep the refrigerator, coffee pot, and TV going, so were ok.
Ambivalence = "cognitive dissonance" occurs all the time....I don't want to drive 17 miles to the gym to exercise, but I know I need to....sometimes I talk myself out of it, and sometimes I go.
My Chairwoman at our last TT Board Meeting with my old longobard ready to be waxed, taught me what Hemingway stated and what I suspect may be a cause of that 'brain noise' in our heads "A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not." Felines teach us like George Will sez- the phrase "domestic cat" is an oxymoron. The paradox is their aloofness makes you like them more.http://www.petermanseye.com/photos/617581
Mooseloop: No, this was not about work. Work is okay. George: If memory is correct, the Heart/Head essay by Jefferson was not in reference to Sally Hemmings. It was about a Countess he had met on a European trip. I could be wrong.Interestingly, Sally Hemmings was related to Jefferson's wife. . . I believe her father or grandfather was Jefferson's father in law. I read a book about this situation a few years ago, and misplaced the book, so I cannot be sure of these sentences.
Is everybody avoiding politics to keep things civil? Cognative dissonance seems to be rife in every corner. I don't want to be responsible for starting any tirades, so let's not and say we did? Or is ignoring this elephant (or donkey) in the room a practice in willful cognative dissonance? Is it over yet?
As a former New Orleanian, I can say, keep your heads up and push through on the east coast. Stay safe, boil that water, and eat the perishables first (perishable foods that is)! No zombies.
SAJJohnson - Some of us have already voted, so the outcome is in others' hands.
I say to hell with all the dissonance and bring on the cheesecake! Life is far too short to be arguing with two sides of one's brain. More important things should be on our minds now and God bless the people of New York and give them the strength and courage to persevere.
I sent in my absentee vote last week... I hope it gets there in time! I don't live in Ohio, though... nobody courted me.
I like to shop at general stores, but they don't let me buy anything specific. I think Steven Wright is cognitively dissonant. For my part, I have been told that I suffer from cognitive assonance. Most assuredly, I am all alone assessed so. My guess is that those who told me so had something other in mind.
Interesting topic & posts today, keeping sane by relishing the peace that terminating my land line phone in my Ohio house has given me....no "robocalls" is a wonderful thing. I'll say a few silent prayers for those of us & those of whom that we care about that are distressed by the ravages of the Big Storm.
I wanna eat some cheesecake...
Screw Politics !!! I have been inspired to make Cheesecake, and the Krewe is delirious !!! They shall have sat in the Walk-In just long enough by Sundown tomorrow to make a marvelous capper for the Sabbath Meal .......
I have to make three, you see ... because just one would never be enough around here ...
White Chocolate Cheesecake with pulverized OREO Crust, and Brandied Black Raspberry Compote for a Topper .......
Yeah .......Screw Politics ... there are sybaritic yearnings to be answered .......
I never knew food pantries only accepted healthy foods. good grief. Needy people need to smile now and then too, don't they? Let the Obama family eat their vegitables, but me and my food panty friends, we're going to eat cake - and candy, all that we want. Good works used to be kind of fun, but then, lots of things used to be lots of fun, until the DARK DAYS came and settled down upon us...(circa 2008 - present).
And yes, SAJJohnson, they are avoiding politics but not to maintain civility -- rather because they are short on nerve. It's accutely anemic around here, as a result. Although I noted that one person thought the posts 'interesting.' Like I said, anemic.
DARK DAYS!!!! WHOOOoooo Hehehehehehe! I love it! Or, better yet, how about the Dark Ages?
I for one could go for a piece of Ivan's sybaritic cheesecake!!! SAJohnson......you're playing with dynamite there......Park--I agree, a lot of things used to be fun....Dark Days, indeed....
Battling Paradigms? Or as I like to call it, my life. Nothing to see here except the two headed lady who argues with herself.
Oh. The national news is terrible. The people of New York, Staten Island are suffering so after this storm. One dear elderly lady was crying because she wanted to go to her home, but she does not have a home left. It is gone. She was sifting through rubble, and found the only wedding photo of her mother. So very sad.
Ivan- the term sybaritic yearnings has made my day. ***Our house is a year round celebration like that Stevie Wonder song and I indulge like Dionysus and a drunken sailor combo meal (Super-sized)*** Why wasn't Gary Johnson allowed in the debates? He's the only one who can use the terms Gay Rights and Gun Rights in the same sentence. Harry Browne spent his last few years near Nashville. While I did not follow all of his views, his opinions and writings stirred me to come to the realization that I am an American and will not be owned by any political party.
hello bebe and Park4 don't get me started....
Send lawyers, guns and money. The shit has hit the fan.
TT~ it was the lawyers guns and money that caused the shit to hit the fan
Yes, Dark Days that began about 2008....and will end about Jan. 2013, I hope! The crazed non-American will be outed and the sane people will again prevail....I am praying! Do not let the Electoral College steal the result ...again!!
The deaths of our folks in Libya must not be swept under the WH rug! The imposter must be demoted back to Chicago! Let the taxpayers have some kind of victory! Stop trying to imitate California and give away all our goodies until the whole nation is bankrupt! Giving food and housing to illegals!? Trillions in debt?? What kind of stewardship is that!!! Let's have some responsible leadership for a change!! (Can you tell how I voted?? Wink!)
Park4 and SAJJohnson --How do you like them apples for controversy!!? No ambivalence here.
Mooseloop, YES!!!! and YES!!! again. I had grown tired of politics, and neither one I think is worthy to lead us; however, I read what a friend wrote, "No vote is a vote for evil." That shook me out of apathy and ambivalence. I will cast the vote for the one who is NOT the other one, even though I do not like him either.
RY- You make a point. I'll drink to that. And to the zipper. I have a few pairs of those button fly trousers and find that a barfly struggles with such contraptions.
...and the old Dowager called her faithful manservant,Jeeves, and said "Jeeves....remove my dress...now remove my slip,...and now my bra, and ...knickers".... . at this point, the faithful manservant Jeeves was shaking,sweating, and very worried as to what would come next.....he didn't have to wait long, as she said . "Jeeves, if I ever catch youwearing my clothes again, you're fired!"
Funny Roadie and why I can't run for public office.
You mean those trickle down trousers ain't all they cracked up to be?
Harumph!!!
It is but a moral obligation to plow through all the dissonance until we reach autonomy, be that personal, political, or social.
Harumph!!!
Dark ages indeed! The President puts his campaign on hold as he takes advantage of all the photo opportunities with the victims of the storm and tying up officials and the folks with real jobs that are responsible with the real work of getting the disaster area taken care of.
If he really believed that 'the election would take care of itself', he would have signed the orders and got out of the way. I guess all the talk shows were booked up.
I would have liked to see both candidates lead by exampke by donating whatever has not been spent of their campaign war chests to the relief effort. Now that would be something to behold!
if he did donate, he wouldn't tell. Scripture.
Moose, I like your point of view. actually, it's the only point of view that makes sense to me, too. good on you, to borrow an Ivan-ism. and dear PL: it just about killed him to stay off the stump for what? 3 days, and now that he's baa-aack, what good did his showing up do the people of N.J. (shame on Chris Christy, he sold his soul for nothing; whoring is a lousy business - and I am usually in his corner, but enough already Chris) - I remember during the love in with Christy a couple of days ago, Himself said "Just call me, call the White House, and whatever you need, you'll get." How about a gallon of gas? How about some food? How about some warmth, and water? The White House isn't answering............By now that should surprise no one. Four more days.