Is the World Run on Bluff?
February 20th 2008 23:06
Is the World Run on Bluff?
The frill necked lizard has two ways of dealing with a threat. In the first instance it will expand a frill of skin around its neck to make itself appear bigger than it is. It will look mean and nasty to whatever has come to attack it. Yet if this fails to intimidate the attacker the lizard turns around and run away on two legs as fast as it can.
It may seem odd to use the lizard as example of how world operates but there can be many parallels. You standard work place or bar brawl has a whole ceremony that takes place before the actual contact sport takes place. The provocation is secondary to the theatrics of domination and intimidation. One person says that he is going to hit the other; the other says he’ll hit back harder; they may stand taller and display size; they may even purposely act disinterested as if the person is no challenge. The dance can go on for some time until either the fight starts or one of them backs down. In many cases the talk is as far as many face to face fights go. Many times what people call a fight is just assault on an unsuspecting victim (but that is another story).
Intimidation and can take place without the threat violence being used. People can often float qualifications in many subjects and try to insist that this is equivalent to being qualified in every subject. It is not, and to continue to do so is nothing more than ‘special pleading’ and a bluff. Managers can often be the least qualified person in a work place but can exude supreme confidence that they know what they are doing. Even newly qualified recruits can seem self assured and cocky as if they alone have the give of knowledge. Nowhere is confidence more encouraged than in the area of high pressure sales. Try finding a used car sales man who tells you that a car is lemon or Real estate agent that gives a straight answer to difficult questions. Instead they sugar coat their words and try to appear as they are on your side when you come to buy and conversely try to appear to be on your side when you are selling. Rather than being the meat in the sandwich they can often play vendor and purchaser against each other to speed the sale along. Lawyers have a similar air of intimidation where they can send letters threatening court action over trivial sums of money (court action that would cost more than the amount being sought). People pay or don’t pay according whether they see this as a bluff or that they wish to bluff themselves. Police officers perform most of their arrest with little more than politely asking someone to come with them. The most intimidating weapon a cop has is not his gun, but the charge book.
Nationals often like to play chicken with each other’s military forces. The Indian Ocean submarines from Russia, USA and Australia would try to test each other’s defences by going threateningly close to each other and turning away at the last moment. A practice still seems to occur today where we have the report of a Russian fighter flying over the bow of a US war ship. The chances of gun fire were slim but the message was one of bluff: ‘we can get through your defenses.’ Sabres rattle long before shots are fired in war. New weapons are developed and then displayed on international television to show the might of a nation. The bunker busters, cruise missiles and even anti warship missiles would all be secret if they were no so necessary in the game of bluff. Even in the Cold War the May Day parade was a grand display of Soviet weaponry for two audiences: one for their enemies USA and China as warning of what they may face if attacked; the other was for their own population to show that they had the weapon to protect themselves from attack. No one ever knew how much of this would be useful because they global war was thankfully avoided and so it was all for the purpose of bluff. We can say the same for atomic weapon where the possession by two sides creates enough concern that neither could afford to use them. The consequences is often enough to bluff each other.
Even when bluffs are called there is a tendency to keep bluffing in the form of spin and propaganda. War efforts are portrayed as positive and achieving goals; the enemy as cowardly and shrinking away from the fight. Even armies rely heavily upon morale to keep the troops motivated and willing to fight. The mentality of thinking that you can win is often seen as crucial.
Perhaps the moral this story is that no actually has to do much physically to survive in the world. This is because most of the battle are won or lost before they get to that point. People more or are moved without the slightest contact because they consider the consequences of what might happen. Other can get away with incredible amounts because no one tries to stop them. They may rise to become the CEO of company despite being incompetent; they may even be given an award despite being untalented; they may even being given praise for things that they will never do. Bluff gets them through; bluff gets everyone through much of the tribulations of life. Without it the entire society might just collapse.
What do you think?
Are human just like the Frill Necked Lizard?
Look at my big frill. Aren't you scared?
The frill necked lizard has two ways of dealing with a threat. In the first instance it will expand a frill of skin around its neck to make itself appear bigger than it is. It will look mean and nasty to whatever has come to attack it. Yet if this fails to intimidate the attacker the lizard turns around and run away on two legs as fast as it can.
Bluff called. Time to run.
It may seem odd to use the lizard as example of how world operates but there can be many parallels. You standard work place or bar brawl has a whole ceremony that takes place before the actual contact sport takes place. The provocation is secondary to the theatrics of domination and intimidation. One person says that he is going to hit the other; the other says he’ll hit back harder; they may stand taller and display size; they may even purposely act disinterested as if the person is no challenge. The dance can go on for some time until either the fight starts or one of them backs down. In many cases the talk is as far as many face to face fights go. Many times what people call a fight is just assault on an unsuspecting victim (but that is another story).
Intimidation and can take place without the threat violence being used. People can often float qualifications in many subjects and try to insist that this is equivalent to being qualified in every subject. It is not, and to continue to do so is nothing more than ‘special pleading’ and a bluff. Managers can often be the least qualified person in a work place but can exude supreme confidence that they know what they are doing. Even newly qualified recruits can seem self assured and cocky as if they alone have the give of knowledge. Nowhere is confidence more encouraged than in the area of high pressure sales. Try finding a used car sales man who tells you that a car is lemon or Real estate agent that gives a straight answer to difficult questions. Instead they sugar coat their words and try to appear as they are on your side when you come to buy and conversely try to appear to be on your side when you are selling. Rather than being the meat in the sandwich they can often play vendor and purchaser against each other to speed the sale along. Lawyers have a similar air of intimidation where they can send letters threatening court action over trivial sums of money (court action that would cost more than the amount being sought). People pay or don’t pay according whether they see this as a bluff or that they wish to bluff themselves. Police officers perform most of their arrest with little more than politely asking someone to come with them. The most intimidating weapon a cop has is not his gun, but the charge book.
The master of Bluff.
Nationals often like to play chicken with each other’s military forces. The Indian Ocean submarines from Russia, USA and Australia would try to test each other’s defences by going threateningly close to each other and turning away at the last moment. A practice still seems to occur today where we have the report of a Russian fighter flying over the bow of a US war ship. The chances of gun fire were slim but the message was one of bluff: ‘we can get through your defenses.’ Sabres rattle long before shots are fired in war. New weapons are developed and then displayed on international television to show the might of a nation. The bunker busters, cruise missiles and even anti warship missiles would all be secret if they were no so necessary in the game of bluff. Even in the Cold War the May Day parade was a grand display of Soviet weaponry for two audiences: one for their enemies USA and China as warning of what they may face if attacked; the other was for their own population to show that they had the weapon to protect themselves from attack. No one ever knew how much of this would be useful because they global war was thankfully avoided and so it was all for the purpose of bluff. We can say the same for atomic weapon where the possession by two sides creates enough concern that neither could afford to use them. The consequences is often enough to bluff each other.
Chess pieces that may never be used. How much of this is just bluff. May Day USSR
Even when bluffs are called there is a tendency to keep bluffing in the form of spin and propaganda. War efforts are portrayed as positive and achieving goals; the enemy as cowardly and shrinking away from the fight. Even armies rely heavily upon morale to keep the troops motivated and willing to fight. The mentality of thinking that you can win is often seen as crucial.
Superweapon or Super Bluff?
Perhaps the moral this story is that no actually has to do much physically to survive in the world. This is because most of the battle are won or lost before they get to that point. People more or are moved without the slightest contact because they consider the consequences of what might happen. Other can get away with incredible amounts because no one tries to stop them. They may rise to become the CEO of company despite being incompetent; they may even be given an award despite being untalented; they may even being given praise for things that they will never do. Bluff gets them through; bluff gets everyone through much of the tribulations of life. Without it the entire society might just collapse.
Losts of noise and sabre rattling but who knows what will happed?
What do you think?
Are human just like the Frill Necked Lizard?
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