Stream Theory

Published on January 31, 2016 (↻ June 6, 2021), filed under (RSS feed for all categories).

Not just since the Law of Attraction is there this idea of “like attracts like,” of self-fulfilling prophecies, of better being “careful” what we wish for. While I do believe in (but don’t practically grasp) the Law of Attraction, I don’t like to work with it philosophically yet (perhaps because of said grasp). But there’s a similar concept that I do like to work with, and that’s focus.

Here I’ll put up one more brief thought experiment. Look at the following ideas and associations.

Against terror For peace
Take revenge Recognize root causes
Bomb people Take care of people
Mistrust Find out motivations
Tighten control Reach out to dissenters
Cut rights Strengthen liberties
Reject Talk
Resent Forgive

Compare (note that these aren’t and don’t have to be opposites). Then look at this one.

Against cancer For health
Condemn disease Celebrate health
Increase research Build up faith
Worry about life’s weaknesses and insufficiencies Trust life’s resilience and strength
Complain about injustice and unfairness Understand disease as a space to grow and learn
Transcend technical limitations Transcend philosophical limitations

Compare again. Extend if you like. Now this:

Against gender bias For gender equality
Emphasize injustice Highlight desirable outcomes
Blend gender and oppression Understand the importance of all beings
Build up rage against other gender Develop a feeling for differences and similarities across genders
Propose quota to force one gender into, the other out of functions Allow for equal educational opportunities to permit people to assume functions by qualification, not gender

Understanding that we’re looking at these from a light philosophical point of view, what do you notice? Do you think the sides are equally valid and useful? Do you think they lead to the same results? Which course should we take—individually, collectively?

I will conveniently fall back to my student role and, until I can find out whether someone else has done similar with like intent, label this: stream theory. Why? Because how we think seems to impact how we further think, making for thought… streams. Stream theory. But maybe I’ve just lacked patience to think about a better title for this post.

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About Me

Jens Oliver Meiert, on November 9, 2024.

I’m Jens (long: Jens Oliver Meiert), and I’m a frontend engineering leader and tech author/publisher. I’ve worked as a technical lead for companies like Google and as an engineering manager for companies like Miro, I’m a contributor to several web standards, and I write and review books for O’Reilly and Frontend Dogma.

I love trying things, not only in web development (and engineering management), but also in other areas like philosophy. Here on meiert.com I share some of my experiences and views. (Please be critical, interpret charitably, and give feedback.)