Eat, Pray, Float: A Humorous Take on Drowning Prevention

[sock puppet]

Yet we have witnessed the Afore, on occasion, to act irrationally despite his high intellect.

I am still baffled by his Mormon stories interview where he talked about dowsing and the efficacy of it. It does however explain why he has no problem with seer stones, angels, remote viewing and communication with a reanimated supreme primate.

Those are just stepping stones towards unicorns and there being a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. DCP--you gotta believe!!!

[Moksha]

The Brethren are exercising their combined power in protecting Utah against floods from the Pacific Tsunami by cancelling lingering prayers for moisture.

[Gadianton]

Yet we have witnessed the Afore, on occasion, to act irrationally despite his high intellect.

I'm curious what examples you have in mind.

In the pop sci sense of the word, sure, his life is a monument to defending the irrational. But there's lots of opportunity in that space, and so in the sense of the word more aligned with social sciences, psychology or economics, defending the irrational might be quite lucrative and therefore, rational to do. The Templeton prize -- an award given to academics willing to burn their credibility as scientists to serve Big Religion -- pays more than the Nobel Prize and requires no talent or real achievement. Not that this number even comes close to rivaling the pay of a Fox News host. Irrationality might be the biggest business there is. Therefore, it's rational to pursue it, for those with the right talents to exploit it.

In that second sense, has our case study been irrational? It's possible. Getting blindsided at the MI when others saw it coming could be argued as a legitimate lapse in self-serving judgment. But I don't think that case is 100% certain. It depends on the psychological profile of our case study. That position, and even keeping a position as a professor, requires a certain level of real work and actual responsibility; something our case study has little interest in. Even if exiting the MI and BYU was Doctor Scratch himself pulling the strings of a puppet, it's hard to say for sure that irrationality was a contributing factor, because the end result has been unlimited time for travel and food. What's the downside? There's certainly been no getting suckered into a senior mission or anything like that, it's "me myself and I" on the open highway with no speed limit now. As revealed on his blog, he's sold lucrative real estate tax free and his wife makes all the travel arrangements, he probably has a million frequent flier miles in the bank, and so what's there to do in life but enjoy every last second on his own terms? Plus, plenty of comps if a recycled speech can be given or a tour narrated at the destination spot. Have you ever been flown to a far away country, fed, and put up in a luxury RV all for giving a quick talk?

The way I see it, the core psychological profile of our case study is a desire for food, travel, and notoriety, in that order. Assuming this is correct, it's hard to make a case that very many irrational decisions have been made. However, if the profile is: notoriety, travel, and food, then it's possible to say that a lapse in rationality has been revealed. There is no question that losing the MI spot was an irrecoverable blow to notoriety, and if it were preventable, then irrationality can be blamed.

[sock puppet]

Yet we have witnessed the Afore, on occasion, to act irrationally despite his high intellect.

I'm curious what examples you have in mind.

The most obvious to me would be the water witching. The posting of a lynching picture and that episode comes to mind. His gleeful participation in the Metcalf is a Butthead article.

In the pop sci sense of the word, sure, his life is a monument to defending the irrational. But there's lots of opportunity in that space, and so in the sense of the word more aligned with social sciences, psychology or economics, defending the irrational might be quite lucrative and therefore, rational to do. The Templeton prize -- an award given to academics willing to burn their credibility as scientists to serve Big Religion -- pays more than the Nobel Prize and requires no talent or real achievement. Not that this number even comes close to rivaling the pay of a Fox News host. Irrationality might be the biggest business there is. Therefore, it's rational to pursue it, for those with the right talents to exploit it.

What makes sense to one given his particular experiences and information is a state of cognitive consonance, but not necessarily rational.

In that second sense, has our case study been irrational? It's possible. Getting blindsided at the MI when others saw it coming could be argued as a legitimate lapse in self-serving judgment. But I don't think that case is 100% certain. It depends on the psychological profile of our case study.

Indeed.

That position, and even keeping a position as a professor, requires a certain level of real work and actual responsibility; something our case study has little interest in. Even if exiting the MI and BYU was Doctor Scratch himself pulling the strings of a puppet, it's hard to say for sure that irrationality was a contributing factor, because the end result has been unlimited time for travel and food. What's the downside?

The silver lining does not make the cloud any less a dark, thundering storm.

There's certainly been no getting suckered into a senior mission or anything like that, it's "me myself and I" on the open highway with no speed limit now. As revealed on his blog, he's sold lucrative real estate tax free and his wife makes all the travel arrangements, he probably has a million frequent flier miles in the bank, and so what's there to do in life but enjoy every last second on his own terms? Plus, plenty of comps if a recycled speech can be given or a tour narrated at the destination spot. Have you ever been flown to a far away country, fed, and put up in a luxury RV all for giving a quick talk?

Actually I have but instead of a luxury hotel it was a high-end resort hotel, albeit on just one occasion. It was to provide a presentation on a legal topic. As to the Afore, such demonstrate his true priorities elevated over his self-professed one, his religious beliefs.

The way I see it, the core psychological profile of our case study is a desire for food, travel, and notoriety, in that order.

And not so much exaltation in the CK?

Assuming this is correct, it's hard to make a case that very many irrational decisions have been made. However, if the profile is: notoriety, travel, and food, then it's possible to say that a lapse in rationality has been revealed.

Academic reputation is missing from that list, as he has mostly squandered it with his pseudo-academic attempts at defending the LDS religion.

There is no question that losing the MI spot was an irrecoverable blow to notoriety, and if it were preventable, then irrationality can be blamed.

[Rivendale]

I am still baffled by his Mormon stories interview where he talked about dowsing and the efficacy of it. It does however explain why he has no problem with seer stones, angels, remote viewing and communication with a reanimated supreme primate.

Those are just stepping stones towards unicorns and there being a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. DCP--you gotta believe!!!

I think the quote by Sagan is appropriate.

It pays to keep an open mind, but not so open your brains fall out.”

It would be interesting to know where on the spectrum of skepticism these apologists draw the line. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was fooled by the Cottingly fairies and thought Houdini had magical powers. Priesthood powers and Patriarchal horoscopes seem remarkably easy to believe.

[Doctor Scratch]

The way I see it, the core psychological profile of our case study is a desire for food, travel, and notoriety, in that order. Assuming this is correct, it's hard to make a case that very many irrational decisions have been made. However, if the profile is: notoriety, travel, and food, then it's possible to say that a lapse in rationality has been revealed. There is no question that losing the MI spot was an irrecoverable blow to notoriety, and if it were preventable, then irrationality can be blamed.

Some fascinating insights here, Dr. Robbers: I think you are right concerning the psychological profile *at present.* But was it always this way? Pre-"Interpreter," would you have ranked the three desires in the same order? And for what it's worth, I think you may be overlooking one additional, critical aspect of the psychological profile: namely, the desire to exact revenge on critics. I can't help but wonder if the old bromide about how "success is the best revenge" is an element of the travel/food thing.... I mean, he doesn't actually ever seem legitimately interested in food in an academic or aesthetic sense. There is no sign that he ever researches the "best" restaurants in the various locales he visits, and half the time he doesn't seem to understand what he's eating: he just shovels it in. So, it's not like he's a Mopologetic M.F.K. Fisher or anything. Instead, the accounts of his dining experiences always include some add-on about how he's doing it to "infuriate critics." So, while I have no doubt that he's out dining for pleasure, I can't help but wonder if that desire sits on a more or less level playing field with the desire to exact revenge and "stick it" to critics....

[Everybody Wang Chung]

I mean, he doesn't actually ever seem legitimately interested in food in an academic or aesthetic sense. There is no sign that he ever researches the "best" restaurants in the various locales he visits, and half the time he doesn't seem to understand what he's eating: he just shovels it in. So, it's not like he's a Mopologetic M.F.K. Fisher or anything. Instead, the accounts of his dining experiences always include some add-on about how he's doing it to "infuriate critics." So, while I have no doubt that he's out dining for pleasure, I can't help but wonder if that desire sits on a more or less level playing field with the desire to exact revenge and "stick it" to critics....

It's psychologically fascinating watching his relationship with food and how he tries to use it as tool for revenge against these imaginary food critics. A morbidly obese man writing about his obsession with food is somehow sticking it to his critics? Folks, you really can't make this stuff up.

[Gadianton]

And not so much exaltation in the CK?

An important question and I applaud you asking it. No. His conversations with Gemli indicate that exaltation in the CK is a means to the end of more eating and travel. It was very important to continue the great pleasures of this life in the next. To be cut off from consumption is unthinkable.

[drumdude]

the accounts of his dining experiences always include some add-on about how he's doing it to "infuriate critics."

It’s really bizarre, he’s done it dozens of times since I started reading his blog. And I haven’t seen anyone here mention it.

[Gadianton]

So, while I have no doubt that he's out dining for pleasure, I can't help but wonder if that desire sits on a more or less level playing field with the desire to exact revenge and "stick it" to critics...

This is very difficult, scholarly territory, Doctor. And I could be wrong here. I actually did consider this possibility. I admit that if there is a fourth impulse, or if other impulses are derived from this impulse of revenge, then my research would be overturned, and I would look foolish. The stakes are quite high.

I think the desire to stick it to critics is very serious, but I also think it's a secondary drive, the primary is the drive for notoriety. I think some of his underlings do in fact have revenge and nastiness as a primary drive. A first urge. And I think our subject recognizes that, and recruits based on it. However, I think his own primary urge is notoriety. I really don't think he was looking for a fight in the beginning. I think he was shocked to discover that somebody out there had a different opinion, or believed in a world where he himself wasn't at the center.

One day he thought he was calling a ward house in California, and ended up with a counter-cult ministry on the other end of the line. He didn't know that such things existed until that point, and he was well into adulthood. How dare those people look down on his beliefs? Did they not know about his Phd? Well then, they'd soon be hearing about it.