More on Souls

A fascinating proposition lending itself to those who believe in souls is does every person have one? More than a valid question considering the complexities of life. Is it possible some of us are but actors? I’d say so.

The concept of soul leads straight to four possibilities: either everyone has one, some do and some don’t, only I have a soul, or the actors are indeed souls themselves. Personally, I’m partial to the last one but let’s review all four.

The idea that everyone has a soul implies a similar circumstance that lives within everybody. This assumption, brought forth by the holy Catholic Church, was initially believed by everyone but today it no longer makes sense. There is no way everybody on this planet has a soul. No doubt in my mind many of us are simply acting.

Dates a Person Should Know

If you’re one of those students who enjoy timelines for learning, here is your assistant to understanding Western Civilization. In general, Antiquity runs from 500 BC to the fall of Western Rome in 476 — and mostly focuses on the Greeks. The Middle Ages run the next thousand years, of which the first 500 are considered Dark. The Renaissance then occurs in the 1500s. It was a period of renewed interest in art, literature, science, and humanism in Europe, leading to significant advancements and a rediscovery of classical Greek and Roman ideals.

The Age of Enlightenment, also founded in Europe, started in the mid-1600s. It was an intellectual and philosophical movement that emphasized reason, skepticism, and the pursuit of knowledge, challenging traditional authority and promoting progress and individual freedoms. This period was followed by Romanticism, a cultural and artistic movement that emphasized emotion, imagination, individualism, and a fascination with nature, rejecting the rationality and conventions of the preceding Enlightenment era.

400 BC Plato – Known philosophical writing dates back to circa 400 BC and from these many authors, Plato was dominant. Not only did he bring us the concept of soul and a better world above, he co-founded Christianity. And because this eventual belief system brought forth the current systems of the world, let’s rank him first.

400 BC Aristotle – A student of Plato, Aristotle agreed with the concept of another world and the conclusion of soul, but was much more practical in his views. His style was to make the best of this planet. Not only called the father of science, he wrote 17 manuals (treatises) on how to run a society. From politics to ethics, Aristotle was organized in his detailed thoughts. Unfortunately, much of his writings didn’t survive — and what did was lost to the Romans and Christianity until 1100, when Tomas Aquinas reinstated it. During the 800s, he was discovered by the Arab Empire and translated from Greek into Arabic. Aquinas then had him transcribed from Arabic into Latin approx. 300 years later. (The language of Rome and the Church.)

400BC Buddha and Confucius – Buddha inspired many religions, namely Hinduism; and Confucianism was practiced by millions over thousands of years. Both dealt with the reality of living within this world; and neither gave shape to an imminent creator like the gods of the Greeks and Romans (or many others).

146 BC Rome conquers Greece – and adopts much of its culture. Along with white columns influencing Roman architecture, the Romans incorporated Greek characteristics in art, music, drama, and dance. They also adopted the concepts of individual freedoms and democracy, and the Greek system of religion — copying their gods, one for one (Zeus became Jupiter, Aphrodite became Venus, Eros became Cupid, etc.). 

100 BC Judaism is recognized – Created circa 1800 BC, Judaism wasn’t respected until around the time of Christ. Prior to, this faith was one of many circulating in an unorganized world. People lived in small tribes and communication systems hadn’t been invented. So though Rome may claim a state religion, implementing it was quite a different story. Convincing the ignorant into changing their belief system doesn’t happen overnight. It takes generations. Anyway, Jews in every community started to get noticed and they became regarded as successful. Roman intellectuals then began associating their belief system with output. Not just economic but socially Jews worked hard, studied, saved their money, and stayed out of trouble. Model citizens of the day. (Kinda like today’s Asians.)

325 AD Counsel of Nicaea – Rome decides it needs a new religion. This belief in multiple gods isn’t working. Too confusing for the people. Jewish monotheism (one god) seems better. Also appears people like knowing who their god is — want to know more about his personality. And while we’re at it, let’s incorporate Plato and other Greek thoughts. Religion should have some philosophy to it. Plus, this Christ preaching about a loving god and “love thy neighbour” still seems mighty powerful. Followers are willing to die for it.

Obviously, this project took time. Along the way, Rome granted Christians the right to practice their religion in 313, ending years of persecution, and Emperor Constantine himself converted. In 380, the Empire adopted Judeo-Christianity as its state religion.

476 AD The Fall of Western Rome – The Eastern Empire, administered from Constantinople, continued until 1453, when it fell to the Ottoman Turks. The West, meaning most of modern-day Europe, became a mess. The ensuing period is known as the Dark Ages. It was a time of small kingdoms warring against nomadic tribes and other small kingdoms. And without centralized control being provided by Rome, the only thing keeping it together was the Church. After the fall, literacy took a nosedive and violence erupted everywhere. Why? Because without law and order people take matters into their own hands. Us modern folk complain about the role of government but without a police department, registries for property, some sort of centralized military, and departments for things like taxation, societies tend to fall apart.

700 AD The Arab Empire – Spirituality aside, Muhammad made desert people see something larger than themselves. Saudi was a land of nomads constantly fighting among tribes. So the region was going nowhere. Then he created a belief system, not much different than Judaism or Christianity, and it unified a nation. Power then turned this natural belligerence into a caliphate that spread eastward to India and as far west as Spain. Over time they brought forward many achievements. The scientific knowledge of Greece was translated into Arabic and numbers were imported from India. They enhanced trigonometry, devised decimal fractions and square roots, created pi to 16 decimal positions, and invented algebra. They also bettered astronomy, medicine, and geography. So thanks go to Mecca.

1054 AD East separates from West in the Catholic Church – After the schism, East no longer recognizes the pope in Rome. This is the beginning of Eastern Orthodox (e.g., Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox) and the expression Roman Catholic.

1066 AD William the Conqueror – William of Normandy, a region in France, defeating the existing king of England at the Battle of Hastings. He declared himself (and any future monarch) as the sole holder of land, but introduced a feudal system whereby certain subjects were bestowed nobility (through the title of baron) and granted rental use of land to profit from. He then sought the advice of barons, along with the clergy, before making laws.

1215 AD Magna Carta – A group of rebel barons forced King John to sign the Magna Carta (Latin for “the great charter”), granting them some rights. It was the first time an English monarch had ever agreed to share power. In theory, this baron group became the first parliament. Some monarchs respected Magna Carta, others didn’t—so early parliaments were primarily seen as advisory committees.

1642-1651 AD The English Civil War – This war was fought between the Parliamentarians (“Roundheads”) and the Royalists of King Charles I (called “Cavaliers”). The Parliamentarians won, executing King Charles and replacing him with a stronger parliament headed by Oliver Cromwell. This parliament lasted 10 years before people lost confidence and supported a counter-revolution, won by King Charles’s son, Charles II. Charles II eventually died and was succeeded by his brother, King James II.

1651 AD Thomas Hobbes publishes Leviathan – a significant work in political philosophy, in which Hobbes argues that in the state of nature, life is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. In such a condition, humans are driven by self-interest and the pursuit of personal desires, leading to conflict and insecurity. To escape the perils of the state of nature, Hobbes proposes the establishment of a social contract. This contract involves individuals surrendering some of their rights and freedoms to a sovereign authority in exchange for protection, stability, and the preservation of their lives. Hobbes argues for the necessity of a strong, absolute sovereign to maintain order and prevent the chaos inherent in the state of nature. The book’s title refers to the authority as a metaphorical “leviathan” or a giant sea monster. The sovereign, according to Hobbes, has absolute power over the state and is responsible for maintaining law and order, ensuring peace and security, and resolving conflicts within society. The book has had a significant influence on subsequent political and social thought, shaping the understanding of the role of government.

1688 AD The Glorious Revolution – In 1688, parliamentarians assisted by the Dutch and William of Orange, defeated King James II in the Glorious Revolution. Never again would an English monarch rule with absolute power. This victory, along with the British Bill of Rights of 1689, established the basic tenet that parliament was supreme. The monarchy continued to exist but it became a constitutional monarchy (as opposed to an absolute monarchy) where its powers were defined and limited by law. As an expression of gratitude, William of Orange and his wife, Mary, were inaugurated as the very first king and queen under this new system. They are commonly known as William and Mary.

1776 Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations – Some think the US Declaration of Independence was the pinnacle event of this year but a declaration is just that — you still have to win the war. (Which in this case didn’t happen for another 5-7 years.) What was significant was Adam Smith’s textbook on economics. The first educational attempt at describing the modern era of providing goods and services, thus paving the way for economics to became a recognized discipline.

Life Coach

Have you ever noticed how schools teach all about the body but never mention the mind? Sure, it’s great to know the workings of body but isn’t mental health just as important? I think so. Let’s ask psychologist Marvin Roth what individuals should understand about well-being.

Rule #1

Having held a long and varied practice that includes a writing a book and teaching university, Dr. Roth insists readers know the difference between a life coach and various mental health professionals. Coaches are similar to personal trainers you find at a gym—they get you in shape. But everyone knows they’re not nurses or doctors. So if you have a real body problem, seek out the help of a professional. Same goes for the mind. If you have a mental health condition, it’s vital to find someone qualified. Advice coming from a friend isn’t always sufficient. That being said, what is it we need to know about mental health in general? Namely, what’s a good exercise for the mind?

Life plan

Much like bodies, minds require alignment to navigate through life. This alignment involves getting organized and periodically adjusting our mental state to ensure a clear direction. For once we have a well-defined plan, executing it becomes easy.

The purpose of a life coach is to get you on track. They explain big picture ideas and assist with exercises until this understanding goes deep inside. Let’s use an example. 

Everyone’s first criteria is to spend effort on survival, both physical and emotional. Physical is food, shelter, and safety as per Maslow’s Hierarchy. Emotional includes relationships with family and friends as well as how you see yourself. Once doing well inside, move on to responsibilities you bear as a member of society, also called purpose. Everyone plays a part in keeping this planet alive. So pick up a piece, whether it be occupation or otherwise, and set aside energy for giving.

Lastly, it is equally important to have a good time. Life is for living. Go out and experience the world’s cool stuff. Emotions and friends, animals and good cooking. It’s great to be alive. And when responsibilities align with fun, such as finding fulfillment through athleticism or one’s occupation, the whole experience becomes better.

Philosophy

Underneath everything then lies a philosophy. To serve as a foundation to walk on. And again, this shouldn’t be hard. Maybe it includes a god, perhaps just a creator. Either way, holding a belief system is essential for attaining happiness. And isn’t that what we all want?

Survival has always been the foremost priority for humanity. You can’t change that. For some, the majority of their day revolves around surviving. However, for the rest of us, there is ample time to always do a good job and keep an eye out for others. Then enjoy yourself. Life has a lot to offer.

And there exists a natural overlap between all three. Just like Olympic rings or a Venn diagram, fulfillment is available through survival and purpose, and purpose itself can be derived from survival. With this realization you have the opportunity to live a rich and rewarding life.

They say true fulfillment is pleasure that touches the soul—a deeper pleasure than seeking happiness. It comes from doing something good. Frankl said purpose is responsibility directed toward others and to life itself. This is why we don’t litter a highway or pour battery acid into a lake. And this energy is for the planet, not some god you were taught. He also says true responsibility involves quality. So again, do a good job.

To summarize, if you have a real mental health issue seek out professional help. And if you just want to keep in shape, remember the above.

Getting to One

Let’s talk about intelligence. Everyone knows their occupation—just look at the time we put in. And we know all about hobbies. But what of general knowledge? How do we score on something like this? Using the scale of one-to-ten, assign yourself a grade on the following subjects? Can you deliver a 30-minute lecture on any of these? If not, our mission is getting you to one.

Attaining the first level doesn’t make you an expert on anything, it simply gets you in the game. Allowing you to follow the conversation without feeling lost. Listen to any intellectual and they’ll assume you know the basics. What happened in WWII, who were these Romans, and what’s with this Magna Carta? But where would this information have come from and how did it pop into our heads? In general, doctors and businesspeople needn’t memorize every battle or a vast number of quotes, what they need is the gist. For it’s gist that takes us to the next level. So acquiring knowledge is like playing a video game. Knowing the basics is getting to one. Then you move up from there.

Cross disciplines

Why is this notion beneficial? In the beginning, when people hung around devising knowledge, they came up with everything we knew up to that point. Then, after the expansion of information, Aristotle decided subjects needed to be split. So rather than have everyone act as generalists, we began to specialize. And sure, there are benefits coming from specialization but we also lost something because certain subjects require breadth.

Second, all teaching was initially rooted in philosophy. Before the field of economics was devised, Adam Smith lectured in the department of ethics. That’s why he knew capitalism required a soul. Same goes for science. Yes, it’s great that we’ve made so many things practical but old-time educators always left room for the mystics (the unexplained). And this practice should remain.

Learning paths

It’s natural not to know things. Not knowing doesn’t make you a dummy. Spilling ketchup on your pants while dancing with a sandwich makes you a dummy. Our question is, how do I become proficient? Like someone who’s lost in a forest you need a path. High schools use curriculums but adults don’t have time for drawn-out lectures and tests. We prefer paths that take us straight to the heart. That’s our method of learning and More Letters does just this. It’s 90 Days to brilliance and you’ll be a genius in no time. Then if you wish, read on.

What You Don’t Know

Ever heard the expression “all I know,” as in “all I know is this.” All too often statements like these represent the proclaimer’s true position. Instead of always assuming we hold sufficient amounts of information, maybe it’s time to recognize the true structure behind knowledge and humble ourselves just a bit.

In general, knowledge can be broken into four categories: core understanding around the topic, bits and pieces you find lying around (say, in a newspaper), details you gain through a deep dive, and that which isn’t available or can’t be known. Recognizing these four areas is essential for any adult conversation.

The problem with social issues is few approach the table with basic understandings, even less do a deep dive, and almost no one acknowledges the world we don’t know. As a result, we mostly fly with bits and pieces, which isn’t much for knowledge.

So why don’t we respect these complexities and act like we do in business? My guess is we’re so desperate for opinions in an overloaded world that we’ll grab onto anything just to close a few loops. That, and most people aren’t used to dealing with reams of information.

50 questions

When faced with an issue that requires serious amounts of consideration, researchers often tackle the question by asking 50 more. For example, should we open a plant in Buffalo? In business, the initial response is to determine what you need to know. Veterans do this by asking 50 or so questions before analyzing any results.

What are rents like in Buffalo? Is plant or warehouse space available? What about staffing? How much do people earn in and around the area? What’s the cost of living? How about the market? Are customers being underserved or over? And how good is the competition? These sorts of queries are just the beginning. So it goes without saying that business investment insists upon serious analysis and even in personal life consumers put more time into buying a home than a shirt.

Summary

The problem isn’t that people aren’t smart. Everyone learns in their own way. What makes so many issues complicated is the knowledge and understanding they require. And with so many surrounding us on a daily basis we naturally wish to simplify just to maintain sanity. As a result, we often come to poorly researched conclusions.

The next time you’re faced with selecting a stance over politics or what to do in the stock market ask yourself this: do I have a basic education around the topic, have I done a deep dive, and am I realistically taking into account all that I don’t know. Because in life, it’s usually about more than just bits and pieces.

Passports

Funny how few of us can still do elementary school math. Don’t believe me? How about a test? Let’s assume the province of Alberta would like to make this covid thing disappear. Pretty good objective. But how would they do it? Probably involves using some math. Let’s start with assumptions.

  • Alberta has a population of 4.5 million
  • Herd immunity, the point where the virus stops travelling, is 75%
  • Natural (unbridled) contagion rate is 40% per year
  • Total population infected as of May, 2021 is 12%
  • 5 actual cases = 1 recorded case
  • 7,500 actual cases (non-vaccinated) = 12 people in ICU
  • 7,500 actual cases (vaccinated) = 1 person in ICU
  • 70% double-vaccination rate

That’s all you need to know to figure this out. Population is easy because it’s on Wikipedia. Herd immunity was told to us at the start. The 40% contagion rate can be found by looking at the US (33% as of May 2021, with some lockdowns). Canada’s May, 2021 rate was provided by Jason Kenney on Twitter, May 12th (and makes sense considering we locked down much more than the States). 5 cases to 1 regarding actual to recorded was provided by Alberta antibody tests back in June, 2020. (It’s been adjusted based on who and how many get tested.) ICU rates for vaccinated and non-vaccinated have been provided by a reliable source and can be proven by a look at the data. And the 70% double-vax rate is found on the Alberta website. So these are the parameters. What’s a province to do?

Math

First we must calculate how many people have already had it:

4.5M X (12% + 4% to bring us to Sept 1st) = 720,000

Then figure out how many more to arrive at herd immunity:

(4.5M X 75%) – 720,000 = 2,655,000

If we let this virus run wild, how long will it take to reach the above number:

(2,6M X 40% = 1.1M the first year) + (1.5M X 35% = 525,000 the second year) + (1M X 30% = 300,000 the third year) + (700,000 X 25% = 175,000 the fourth year) = 2.1M. So we’re short 500,000 after 4 more years.

Number of ICU beds required for the first year:

(1.1M X 70% X 1 in 7,500 = 102) + (1.1M X 30% X 12 in 7500 = 528) = 630 ICU beds

Number of ICU beds required for the first year if everyone was vaccinated:

(1.1M X 100% X 1 in 7,500 = 146 ICU beds

In terms of ICU, Alberta has only 200 beds. That’s all we staff and the amount that’s usually good. This quantity can rise to 250 in special situations but the system is designed for 200. ICU is used for accidents, real life emergencies, and people coming out of surgery. Accommodating the extra 500 for those who remain unvaccinated puts an obvious strain on the system, especially when they come in waves (e.g., 90 in the past two weeks). Overloading ICU then forces government into lockdowns or some other restrictive measure. And you know, people are getting sick of it.

If missing the shot, the odds of an infected person requiring ICU is 12 in 7500. That’s pretty slim. But once you consider that almost everyone will be getting this, and we have to let it run wild at a rate of 100,000 per month, it’s not unreasonable for healthcare professionals to be pushing the vax. As of today, if every person had the dose this drama would be over.

Without sufficient vaccination rates, covid will be with us another four years, and I don’t know many who can handle the opening and closing much longer. It’s bonkers. If you watch US news, you know the fight over freedom. My body, my choice. But those particular states have way more ICU capacity than us. For example, adjusting Texas population to Alberta, we would have over 1,000 units. And if Alberta had that many spaces, we wouldn’t be talking. That’s why the US has been letting this run wild for a long time. As of now, they’re 40-45% through. More than half way. But in Alberta we have only 200 beds.

Summary

Health officials know exactly what they’re doing. It’s their job. Casualties created by virus are not the responsibility of government but maintaining a dependable healthcare system is. And they need you to understand that combatting this crisis isn’t about deaths, it’s about ICU.

Officials have already determined that herd immunity must be achieved whether by vaccine or anti-bodies. Yes, vaccines all but eliminate the damage but they don’t stop the spread. So it’s really up to you. The RCMP won’t be coming to your door to force you into a clinic but if we don’t get sufficient numbers vaccinated, this event could drag on for years. That’s why they’re implementing passports. Big rulers want this over. (And so do you.)

Bottom line: getting the vaccine in Canada isn’t about emotions or freedom, it’s about practicality. Americans have their own fight.

Note: Obviously figures presented are rough estimates but hopefully you get the point. Individual chances for the unvaccinated are remote but cumulatively they’re clogging the system. Modern governments won’t leave our sick waiting in the parking lot, whether it’s another covid patient or a 10-year-old with asthma. So we’ll continue opening and closing around hospital capacity, which cannot be changed.

First Nations

When it comes to knowing your nation’s history, Canadians surely rank last on the planet. Why? Because it’s never been taught. Yet for those willing to take a peek into the past, our formation is an example for the world. (Yes, for the world.)

Canada is the amalgamation of ancient hunter gatherers with the moderns of England and France. Not an easy combination considering these two systems are miles apart. But managing a merger without much for violence is an accomplishment claimed by no other. So let’s get started.

Tribalism

When societies first began forming, activities were centered around food. You see, Krog had to eat. So hunting and gathering in the form of vegetation and berries was happening everywhere–not just in North America. You could easily say, from a cultural perspective, that nowhere in the world was any different. Sure, some folks ate more fish but what’s the difference–we needed to survive. And this meant living in tribes.

Residing alongside nature, a few thousand inhabitants would cuddle together and separate chores. But constant exposure to the elements came with brutalities. Not just in terms of physical conditions, like too hot and too cold, intellectually there wasn’t much for schools. Not only could people not read or write, they didn’t know math. Why would you? There wasn’t anything to calculate. And neighbours weren’t exactly friends. Hatred flourished as tribes competed for scarce resources. Yes, people still got married and everyone loved their kids, but murder, enslavement, and torture were commonplace (occurring much more often than we care to admit). Scholars of the day famously referred to those living under such conditions as barbarians or savage. (And remember, everyone did it.)

Anyway, no better or worse than anywhere else, before British or French explorers existed, native Canadians resided in tribes. Generation after generation undertook the very same practices for thousands of years, until one day they saw a boat.

1600-1800

Samuel Champlain arrived on the shores of Quebec in 1608–one year after Britain had established its first colony in America. And natives loved him. Why not? Sammy and others like him brought practical goods that improved everyday living. Exchanging items like pots and pans for a beaver pelt was more than a great deal for everyone. Traders opened up stores and every time a new shipment arrived it was like the dickie-dee ice cream guy coming down a summer street.

Crack any book on history and you’ll see the years 1608-1830 were considered good. The general relationship between Natives and Europeans (Brits and French) was purely business and customer-vendors became friends. Why wouldn’t they? Natives helped the voyageurs explore the land inward and goodies kept coming. Over time, the fur trade delivered items made from steel (like tools and knives), fabrics including wool, sugar from the Caribbean, and guns that could be used for hunting. All of which were great. Yes, the times were good but those home improvements didn’t fall from the sky. They were a consequence of the Western European system.

Agrarian / industrial society

This may sound surprising but Europeans were previously hunter gatherers too. They just switched to another style. One that involved staying stationary and the theory of individualism. The agrarian introduction of farming allowed one family to produce bushels of potatoes to trade for everything they needed. It was amazing and a gigantic step in economics. And not only could we feed ourselves, excess capacity through the market system created unlimited possibilities. Add to this top-notch institutions for learning and you see the mother of big-time science and engineering.

Hunter gatherers could never build a massive ship to transport goods. Tribal infighting would never allow it. Let alone trade all over a country or the world. That’s why characterizations of chiefs yelling “get off our land” are misleading. Senior leaders hardly disagreed. But don’t kid yourself, Europeans didn’t make this transition in a lifetime. Unifying small tribes into a nation; adding legal and financial systems so individuals could do business with complete strangers; implementing organized religion to pound hard work and discipline into everybody’s head; and figuring out things like private property took hundreds of years.

Treaties and agreements

The fuss you hear over government and First Nations comes by way of the 1800s. The French had ceded their parts of Canada (New France) to the British in 1763 (through the Treaty of Paris), then the damn Americans broke away 20 years later. So after the British-American war of 1812, Britain decided to get serious about forming a country to keep what they had.

Former agreements were renegotiated to allow immigration to settle the West and a railroad was planned to be built. A misconception is that native leaders fought these reforms but that was hardly the case. Everyone knew Americans were mounting pressure from the south and the fur trade was dying. Leaders were just looking for their slice. So since reforms were inevitable, and in contrast to Americans who went to war with their tribes, people said, “Hey, we’ve been working together for 200 years. Let’s make a few deals.” Of course, the most controversial of these was residential schools.

Residential schools

Modeled after a similar program in America, Sir John A authorized the establishment of residential schools in 1883 with a clear and defined purpose: to ensure aboriginal children could read and write in English or French, and learn the standard curriculum including mathematics. At the time, native languages totaled over 60, and this system was central to the government’s model of assimilation. Upon Macdonald’s insistence, these schools were initially “optional” and operated this way for the first 37 years. They didn’t become mandatory until 1920. The system was then slated for closure in the early 1950s and dismantling soon began. As of 1979, 28 schools remained. The last one closed in 1996. At max, there were 80 in 1931.

I don’t have to tell you about the abuses reported at these institutions but given the circumstances, they had to be residential. And remember back then, many shipped their kids off to boarding schools voluntarily, including the parents of Winston Churchill (who hated it). In those days, even the wealthy considered family separation over education acceptable. And for the sake of information, Boy Scouts of America recently settled with 92,000 claimants over sexual abuse. No one is saying any of this was right, but it was a different time and money wasn’t plentiful. And I have a hard time believing Macdonald, Sir Wilfred Laurier, William Lyon Mackenzie King, and Pierre Trudeau (or his minister for Indian Affairs, Jean Chretien) believed they were subscribing to something evil. That being said, audits and commissions over these same years found native children to be in overtly poor health and poverty was a circumstance of reservations along with native living in general.

Summary

Canada is and always has been a great nation. Shameable only by ignorance. Don’t blame schools for not teaching history. What nine-year-old needs to hear about murder, torture, and enslavement. Topics like these should be left for those who study as adults. But I think kids should know about the assembly of this nation. Natives, French, British, and immigrants, all pieced together in a reasonably amical way. That’s why Canada is a test case for the world. We might yell at each other from time to time, but generally we keep the peace.

Americans surely know their history better than we do ours, but memorizing battles and generals isn’t it. Looking at the past means measuring progress and determining how advancements came to be. In our case, it’s by negotiating and renegotiating until tiny steps moved us forward. Yes, there was definite stubbornness towards the policy of assimilation because natives were afraid of losing their culture. They were okay with abandoning the economic part. It was nothing new and had been around for thousands of years. But folks were afraid of losing their home. You see, when an Italian immigrant jumps into the melting pot, they retain a motherland across the ocean. Somewhere they can return to. But in the case of North American Indians, this is the motherland. And once you wipe out their ways, they have nowhere to go.

The majority of complaints against assimilation were, and still are, social. Leaders don’t desire the entire European package. They find it too money-oriented, always focused on attaining more, and it doesn’t allot enough time for The Creator. So we’ve arrived at a hybrid. Today, 56% of First Nations live off-reserve and many who live on, pop off to work. 600,000 Canadians describe themselves as Metis, meaning of mixed blood. And though few solutions have been found to support communal economics, 60-70 reservations now operate under self rule. In non-indigenous Canada, aboriginals are recognized often and best efforts are employed to preserve elements of native culture. Perhaps godless capitalists will one day see a piece of the puzzle lies right beneath their feet.

Note: I went easy on the government over residential schools. That’s because the first rule of history is to view everything in context. The current messaging suggests we’ve developed genetically over the past 100 years. We have not. There was savagery in the British system as well, and it still exists today. The only path forward is through decent economic conditions, education, and encouraged civility in everyday life.

Fraud?

When I went to school they used to make you take tests. Universal ones so the ministry could see how kids were doing. They’d give you a pencil along with a quiz sheet, and it was your job to fill in the correct circle. And these tests were given by subject. So when I was in grade 8, my rating for math was mid-year grade 11. Top of the class. Then when I actually got to grade 11, I earned top marks on my year-end report card. But in grade 12, I only got 50%. 

There were 38 students in a classroom built for 37, so I spent every morning in the cafeteria eating donuts. I basically skipped the entire first term. Then when the midterm came along, I wrote it from memory. Well, I guess the whole group did poorly because this teacher gave us a scolding. He said, “Guys, this test was pretty easy, one boy got 50 without coming to class.” 

Bottom line, I was good at grade eleven math. 

So was this election unethical? It’s not that difficult to say. Ask any Italian politician and they’ll tell you there are three ways to fix a vote. You either rig the count, screw with the software, or add fraudulent votes—what we call adding cream to the soup. Number one is out. US elections are conducted better than in any other country, and theirs is the only system that employs an elected official to certify the count. Thousands of people are involved and many have been doing this for years. So no matter what happens, all votes get properly recorded. Number one is out.

How about the software? Isn’t everything possible with technology? No, not really. There are so many manual checks and balances that it would be impossible to hyper-jack this result. So in this particular case, there was only one way to put in the fix and that was by adding fraudulence to the cream in the soup. And when you add too many inconspicuous ballots, it shows up mathematically. Wanna know why? Because Trump got too many votes. 

So it doesn’t matter how many scrutineers were observing or what time voters actually came in. It doesn’t even matter about the type II stupefy great all-purpose ballots. What matters is the final end figures. Because the more cream you add, the more it becomes obvious—somebody was cheating. This whole challenge will come down to judging by everyday people, using grade 11 math. 

Now if there was a little bit of cheating, you wouldn’t notice. But if the discrepancies are egregious, somebody is going to jail. For example, in the last election 135M people voted and this time it looks like 149. Anything odd about those additional millions? Let’s look at Michigan. They went from 4.5M in 2016 to 5.5M today. An increase of 22% when the nation is up only 10. Were these extras cast only in Detroit and the surrounding area? This will be the analysis used to establish anything odd.

So that’s the challenge and it will probably take weeks. In the meantime, let’s employ a comedic version of mystery crime writer, Dan Brown, to give us an imaginary foreglimpse into the courtroom.

  • Bailiff: Do you swear to tell the truth, the sorta truth, or at least a kernel of the truth. So help you atheist or believer in God?
  • Witness: I do.
  • Prosecutor: Please state your name loudly into the microphone.
  • Witness: DANNY ANGELO BIGIONI. 
  • Prosecutor: Hey, are you the kid who’s really good at math?
  • Witness: Yes sir, at the grade eleven level.
  • Prosecutor: Okay then, tell us your story.
  • Witness: Well, I got home around 7:00 to watch the election. First I loaded the computer with the appropriate displays then turned on the telly. 
  • Prosecutor: That’s preposterous. Why wouldn’t you just watch it on TV?
  • Witness: Because US news is crooked sir. You see, all data comes from the very same place. CNN doesn’t have their own information and neither does Fox. All agencies get their data from one original source–the Associated Press. And it has two sites. One of its own and another only accessible from C-SPAN. The difference with C-SPAN is that it shows total presidential vote.
  • Prosecutor: Well, everyone knows the American media is corrupt. What did they do this time?
  • Witness: They didn’t report information as it happened. They gave Texas to Trump an hour or two after the announcement but gave Biden everything right away. This way, it looks like the Democrats are always winning. So if people go to bed with the Democrats and wake up with the Democrats, it’s probably over. That’s how they create an illusion. 
  • Prosecutor: An illusion? What an illusion? Doesn’t the real winner win? 
  • Witness: It depends sir. In a regular scammed election, while people are sleeping, you add cream to the soup. At 11:47 PM MST, I knew Trump was mathematically uncatchable. So in case something happened, I emailed 40 people with the message MARK DOWN THIS TIME. This way I’d always have proof. 
  • Prosecutor: Doesn’t Google automatically timestamp everything? Why did you ask friends to write down the time?
  • Witness: Because I suspected big tech was in on it sir. And what’s really great is that these people are in Canada so they’re very impartial. Validation by these 40 witnesses will be trusted by everyone. Just fly them in and you’ll have your absolute proof.
  • Judge: Very well, mister grade 11. We’ll fly in the witnesses. Let’s have them here by tomorrow because I want to lock up these crooks. But I have one more question for you. Do you think Donald Trump is a solid and ethical person?
  • Witness: Yes sir, I do. Along with Jack Nicklaus, Bobby Orr, Herschel Walker, Toby Keith, 50 Cent, and the President of Japan. I feel he’s very much an ethical person. Donald doesn’t always talk nice but look at what he’s faced. Every morning 100 unethical journalists start talking down to him. So it’s not always easy to speak like a gentleman. I know an awful lot of people didn’t like him, but armed with only a cellphone and 72 million voters (which broke Obama’s record) he saved democracy for the world. And I don’t think any man can do better than that.
  • You see, not only am I a stout mathematician, I’ve studied deeply in economics. And in my opinion, every policy passed was for the benefit of the American people. And it is my belief that given a second term, he would have addressed the corruption on Wall Street. 
  • He’s represented people who were widely forgotten. From fighting in Vietnam to Iraq, there’s been no end to these unjustified wars. Plus folks have been compromised financially through the crash of ‘08 and full globalization that didn’t need to happen. This man, your honour, took up a cause for everyday people and God bless him for that. So for all of these unpassionate reasons, I DANNY ANGELO BIGIONI hereby certify that Donald Trump was one hell of a president. And I stake my personal reputation on it.

In the Dan Brown version, Trump gets to handcuff the culprits with an apologetic media applauding all around. Donald then declares a personal donation towards Canadian mental health. Democracy is restored and the world sleeps in peace. In the real-life version, it comes down to mathematics and discrepancies must be egregious. 

‘Cause most of us can live with “just close enough.”

Lessons

On the eve of this US election it would be good to look back on what we’ve just witnessed. It’s certainly been a tumultuous 4-5 years that requires closure. But let’s not waste time rehashing all the standard stuff. People know what the pundits have said. Instead, let’s look at America in general and what we have learned about human nature. Here is where the lessons lie. 

This is my top seven list.

  • Canadians know zilch about US politics 
  • Modern American journalism is loaded with bias
  • Most people know nothing about psychology
  • We’re emotional beings motivated by ethics and can easily be stoked into hatred
  • The current Democrat Party is dirty (just like the Republicans)
  • There really is a deep state (and every country has one)
  • Corruption and incompetence mostly affects the working class

During the Republican nomination process of 2015, Chris Christie, who’s generally regarded as a nice guy, stood up and said, “What nobody is talking about is entitlements. We have to start lowering entitlements.” For the former lawyer turned prosecutor, the answer to debt caused by the financial crisis of ‘08 was to cut people’s pensions. That’s what a former governor of New Jersey loudly said. So the crisis caused by government incompetence and corporate greed that cost over 10 trillion dollars must be repaid by the average schmuck. 

Up here, thanks to $142 oil and the benevolence of Alberta, most Canadians never knew a crisis existed. We ended 2015 with a $2B surplus and everybody had work. But the years 2008 – 2016 had not been kind to America. People lost homes along with their jobs during a very hard crash, and the recovery was slow. Needless to say, many were miffed.

War

In 1991, the former Soviet Union fell and modern day Russia met bankruptcy. Outsiders gladly appeared with loans and assistance for their former rivals, but this event also marked a unique moment in history. The US was now the world’s only superpower. As a result, a strategy emerged within the Defense Department to clean up the world, starting in the Middle East.

With communism no longer a threat the foreign focus shifted. We needed to stabilize the world’s oil reserves by initiating an occupation in Iraq. “Shouldn’t take much effort and we’ll be home in a short while.” But as you know, modern warfare is nothing like in the past. One side has all the weapons while the other holds great will. 

It’s not the 4,600 deaths or the 37,000 casualties US soldiers had to suffer, it’s watching a 9 year-old get blown up that really gets to you. You see, uncivilized nations don’t know how to fight fair. As a result, most everyone in middle America knows somebody who’s been affected (rich people don’t send their kids). And if not in Iraq, then Afghanistan, Syria, or Hillary’s invasion of Libya during the Arab Spring—which left over 6.6 million living inside a failed state. In short: Americans have spent a very long time at war and many are fed up. Canadians mostly watch it on TV.

Jobs

During the 1980s, world leaders from the G-Special nations decided globalization was a good plan. We’ll civilize other countries by giving them work. And yes, everything started out fine. But when millions of good jobs became exported this philosophy got out of hand. Loads of average workers went from making $32 an hour to only $8.50, and plenty of towns and small cities got decimated. So again, thanks to government incompetence and corporate greed, this policy became “that’s the way it is.” And every politician turned to the public and lied (except for Bernie).

On a world scale, globalization can easily be viewed as a great idea. One could argue that. But there were certainly consequences. Ones felt by a specific class. Low-skilled, physical workers who don’t have the option of joining Microsoft. In Canada, we saw this too. But in a huge land filled with resources, the pain was hardly felt.

Summary

Now let’s put these pieces together. The financial crisis of ‘08, the war in Iraq (plus others like it), and unfettered globalization. Do you think some people got pissed off? Surprise! They did. So while you were feeling stunned by the results of 2016, they were not. And nobody up here knew anything about this (including me).

Obama himself reacted by admitting many Americans felt forgotten and acknowledged this well overdue gripe. Late night’s Seth Meyers did the same thing. This general position held through the entire transition. For months the above mentioned class were no longer deplorables, they became people. No more losers, but everyday citizens. Then on day two after the inauguration, the Steele dossier was presented and this whole cluster show started. And it’s been ugly.

Without a doubt, most Canadians would have voted for Hillary. Our nation has long found the Dems to be best. But for many in the States both parties are the same. Globalization and ’08 weren’t one team’s position and wars have to be sanctioned by both sides. Plus, working class people don’t look to politics for identity and purpose. They just want others to do a good job. And in my opinion, they made the right choice.  

Donald Trump could very much lose this election. A lot of institutions don’t like him and I’ve never seen such an effort to kick out a pres. And if such a thing really does happen, a lot of people will be broken-hearted. He really was their hero. That’s why they showed up by the thousands. And when you think about it, what did they have to lose? 

Condoleezza Rice said populism is when the electorate loses faith in their institutions. That’s what happened in ’16. No one is fooling anyone by claiming the system before was just fine. This country has many problems that never seem to get addressed. So when you start singing, “Hail, Hail, The witch is dead” as Donald Trump gets defeated, try to remember this.

Canadians know zilch about American politics.

Middle People

Former mayor of New York, Ed Koch, used to say “If you agree with me 9 out of 12 times, vote for me. If you agree with me 12 out of 12 times, see a psychiatrist.” Good advice that still applies today. Granted this came from a time when politics was sorta fun and nobody knew everything, but the part about mental illness is quite telling.

Back in the day, few of us were politically motivated. Citizens were chill about governance and only a smattering read the news. We trusted leaders. Sure they lied to us, but that was understandable since no simple commoner could relate to smarter people’s thoughts? But things have changed. Now we have big opinions based on small amounts of knowledge and a style of propaganda that really sells. 

Before getting to mass media and psychological warfare, let’s start with how things used to work: 

Middle people

Grab any bell curve and you’ll see 68%, or two-thirds of us, land smack dab in the middle. That’s where regular people fit and it makes sense. How could any society operate without some form of consensus? Of course, we still had the staunch but they were just nerds in need of personalities. No cool person would ever waste time associating with civics. 

And back then parties worked together. It wasn’t like one was extra mean or confused. Everybody knew where we were headed. Growth and efficiency provided the cash, and governments spent it—affording everyone a better standard of living. Then when education jarred us away from older day thoughts, governments granted us more freedoms. It worked.

Plus we had far-people to push the conversation. Many social and economic issues needed to be addressed and outlier voices were respected. Why not? Didn’t we want a better society? Many of the policies you enjoy today started on the fringes. But advocates and voters always knew their place. The far-minded were never intended to rule because single purpose warriors aren’t equipped to govern. Anyway, things have gone sideways.

Flattening the curve

Commerce cougars like myself blame MBAs for ruining the business world. Doling out credit to folks who can’t afford it is one of many dishonourable ideas invented in the name of results. This stupidity has encountered the voter. The first rule of political strategy is now to flatten the curve. Yes, move middle people into the category of staunch so you can always count on their vote. And sure, it’s okay to market for only one side but the dinks who run these campaigns have started a new style. One that attacks people’s minds. 

Jonathan Haidt breaks it down to good versus bad. He claims propaganda artists now sell us into believing their product is of the good. And what’s better than that? You’re a superhero, donning his or her cape to join the noble quest. Sounds fine, except politics was designed to be adversarial. Viewpoints are supposed to be argued over. It’s the way forward. 

Gabor Maté, a world expert on addictions, says it gets worse. He claims voters have become addicted to ideology. Not because of identity but for the sake of purpose (as per Frankl). Finding meaning in life fills a natural void inside us. Previously found in raising a family and doing a good job, purpose now includes which party you vote for. So yelling, “I hate Jason Kenney” is better than being a fan of the Oilers. Anyone can cheer for hockey. Only “the good” hate opposition politicians. And actions like these go beyond mere identity–they’re deeper. These attacks make me an honourable member of society. They say I have ethics. (Weird.)

Political marketers know exactly who they’re dealing with. People. People who may be skilled in certain areas but haven’t put much effort into poli sci. People who crave belonging (as per Maslow), while requiring a purpose-based identity. And people who needn’t study before exclaiming a strong remark (as per Kahneman). The dinks are making fun of us. It’s psychological warfare and we are the pawns.

Summary

So here we sit. Since humans require identity and purpose, political followers now believe that half of us are bad. Years ago, when everyone was chill, we were all pretty good. But today it’s only 50%. Why? Because I need to be good. So much so that I’m ideologically bound and will wither without social confirmation. So if you put forth a notion contrary to my unethically biased publication that barely scratches the surface–without considering anything from the other side–then due to my innate laziness, I see only one path forward. You bad! 

Let’s end with a secret. Nice people don’t hate and they never punch people in the face. More so, they don’t revel in negative vibrations or enjoy feeling this way. Nice people also don’t question a neighbour’s ethics for favouring a different position. They may ask why but never judge. And nice people put time into strong positions. Plato said life is a constant battle between inner animal and reason—and reason must win. In the end, either everyone is nice or it’s none. Because we’re basically the same. Ordinary, everyday, middle people.

Note: This is the last in a series of articles on this topic. Others are God is Dead?, Fake News, Tribalism, and Hate.