Really, this post is about science.

[jackshoegazer]

I was getting a strange yellow burn on the lower edge of my laptop screen, so I took it in to the Apple store. They replaced the screen, so I was without my computer for like a whole 24 hours. It was sort of hellish. Thank the CPU-gods for my iTouch so I could at least check my email while I waited. Not having my computer was like not having an arm.

Yeah, yeah, that's a first-world problem for sure. But hear me out:

Scientists have discovered that cognition has ranges. If you monitor your brain while someone slowly moving an object toward you, there is a part of your brain that lights up when that object gets within arms reach. Let's call that the affect-range. It's the range of the world you can affect. So, if someone gives you a stick, suddenly that affect-range doesn't end at the tips of your fingers. That part of your brain lights up when an object enters the range of your arm, plus the range of the stick. Your affect-range gets bigger.

Now, give someone a computer connected to the internet. Think about the size of your affect-range. In theory, you can alter events all over the planet. You have a somewhat limited, but still global affect-range. Now take that computer away. Your world shrinks.

Think about it.

In other news, I sort of learned how to brew beer on Saturday. I basically watched while some friends made beer, or to be specific, while Spencer taught Sam to make beer. I definitely think I want to give it a whirl myself. It's not as difficult as I thought it would be and mostly it requires a lot of patience since so much of it is waiting. I've got it in my head to brew a Belgian Tripel. I would call it Jack's Tripel Threat.

Booyah.

Comments

[mysterysquid.livejournal.com]

Interesting observation. :D

[dakini-grl.livejournal.com]

I didn't know that about cognition and ranges, I like the way you illustrate it. I have to agree.

Love the smell of brewing beer. Yum.

Affect range

[trixibelle-net.livejournal.com]

I like it

Re: Affect range

[jackshoegazer.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[branded-irony.livejournal.com]

thank you for scientifically justifying my disturbing addiction to the internet.

[jackshoegazer.livejournal.com]

I can probably justify anything if I tried hard enough :D

[branded-irony.livejournal.com]

the Tea Party movement.
aaaand go!

[jackshoegazer.livejournal.com]

The Tea Party movement is a perfectly valid political movement. These are concerned citizens who are very upset because the lower classes are getting screwed. The middle class is vanishing. The disparity between the richest and the poorest is getting bigger all the time. Thirty years ago, a single wage-earner could provide a home and send his kids to college. Now, that's just not possible anymore.

Of course, they're completely ignorant as to the causes of the problems they're so pissed about.

[branded-irony.livejournal.com]

[enodia.livejournal.com]

That is a very interesting tidbit! I wonder what part of the brain controls that function? It reminds me of the awareness that a snake has of its striking distance and I wonder if there is any link between the so called reptilian mind and this awareness of affect range. If so it may only apply to direct physical awareness alla fight or flight rather than the type of influence one would have via the internet. Still, I'll admit that the global range that we are gifted with through these little machines is wondrous, even if I think I'd be happier swinging through the trees with a mango in my mouth most of the time.