Thanks, Jennifer. Glad you like Richard Landes Augeanstables site. Here is another.

Submitted by Sofa Sogood (United States), Apr 23, 2008 at 15:23

Thanks, Jennifer. Your thoughts are appreciated. I read your comments whenever I see them, and enjoy them and your spirit.

Yeah, French arrogance. Cute. And the English -- they're lost and unrecognizable. They seem to have lost control and don't know who or what they are anymore.

I'm glad you like Richard Landes website. I think it's great. The second best on the Internet for me (after Dr. Pipes'). There's so much there -- it's an education by itself. Usually, little formulas and labeling can be very shallow -- but not his. They really help clarify very murky reactions and behaviors that you kind of know are there, but seem just beyond understanding. And his stories, analyses and opinions are always, always fascinating. I've learned so much reading his work.

I agree with you about the definitions of Cognitive Egocentricism, Domineering Cognitive Egocentricism and Demopaths. Here they are, and some more, very abbrieviated, for anyone else to read:

Cognitive Egocentricism -- The projection of one's mentality or way of seeing the world onto others.

A dangerous mis-apprehension that works to the distinct disadvantage of fair-minded civil societies ("if I'm nice to you, you will be nice in return"), causing failure to defend against political actors who believe in "rule or be ruled," and who view these gestures as weaknesses to be taken advantage of in order to take control and dominate, and not so "nicely."

Liberal Cognitive Egocentricism -- Projection of good faith and fair-mindedness onto others, the assumption that the other shares the same human values. "If we only treat them right, they will respond well."

Domineering Cognitive Egocentricism -- Projection of bad faith onto the other. Everyone abuses power. Rule or be ruled. Whatever the other does, no matter how generous, is a trap, and is just jockeying for a superior position. (Strong affinity for conspiracy theories -- the other is malevolent evil and must be opposed at all costs.)

In discussing the difference between Honor-Shame Cultures and Civil Societies:

Zero-Sum Games -- One side wins, the other side loses. Hard Zero-Sum -- in order for one side to win, the other has to lose. Within modern societies, these interactions are considered self-destructive and are relegated to sports. War is a Hard Zero-Sum game. Within Honor-Shame, Prime Divider societies, they invade the realm of real life as "rule or be ruled." Example: When a genie offers him one wish, but whatever he asks for, his neighbor gets double. Okay, "Poke out one of my eyes."

Included emotions:

total scarcity -- If you gain (wealth, status) I lose.

Schadenfreude -- Your misfortune brings me gladness.

envy -- your success diminishes me.

triumphalism -- I'm bigger because you are smaller.

resentment -- as long as you have more success than me, I despise you, if necessary, in secret.

Positive-Sum Games -- Both sides win. Sometimes one side's victory is greater, or there are diverse end results, but all gain. (Contracts, Joint Ventures, Civil Society, Meritocracy). All actors work to maximize their own advantage, with minimum concern that it might help someone else even more.

Logic and Emotion of Positive-Sum:

For us, virtually synonomous with rationality. Compromise is the essence of democracy. In order to neutralize Schadenfreude, one has to learn to tolerate and even take pleasure in other people's success. The "rational" or American response to the genie's dilemma is to say, "Give me ten million bucks and good for my neighbor who gets twenty." This generous attitude toward others and modesty towards oneself are not easy and natural emotions. Must be fostered.

Negative-Sum Games -- Both sides lose. In terms of genie joke: "Poke out both of my eyes if only I can get one of my enemy's."

Logic and Emotion of Negative-Sum: Height of irrationality to Positive-Sum players. Self-destructive element in conjunction with aggression often derives from losing a hard zero-sum game and not accepting an offer to switch to positive-sum.

After I posted my comment "Europe's Dark Heart," I found another of Prof. Landes terrific articles that I had saved:

http://www.theaugeanstables.com/2006/03/30/anti-zionism-as-cultural-aids-and-its-cure-reflections-on-france-vii/

(If this link doesn't work, see the right of the home page, go to March 2006 and scroll down to the article March 30, 2006, "Anti-Zionism as Cultural AIDS and It's Cure: Reflections on France VII.")

Until I re-read it, I hadn't realized how much it had influenced what I had written in my comment. It's a very interesting analysis of the idea that it's the very same kind of thinking (is it thinking?) in Europe -- their Anti-Americanism and Anti-Zionism, and also their way of denial, that paralyzes what he calls their "immune system," and is directly related to the negative circumstances they now find themselves in. (He amusingly describes how the French (even though he's a Francophile!) -- with a grimace, a "buf," and a shrug of the shoulder, dismiss without any thought, any ideas that don't fit into current acceptable PC opinions.) If you read it, I'd enjoy hearing what you think about it.

He has another site also: www.seconddraft.org Tons of interesting articles there. Try Clicking "Current Investigation," Then "Pallywood: A History."

On Seconddraft and Augeanstables he has lots of information on the trial in France regarding the Al-Durah photo fraud, which Landes is very involved in. Charles Enderlin of France II (news) is suing a journalist named Karsenty (sp?) for libel. Karsenty has shown a lot of evidence to prove that the photo of Al Durah circulated around the world, demonizing the Israelis as very deliberately targeting a child, was a total fraud. It's very interesting to follow the events of the trial because France's trial system is the opposite of ours. There, the burden of proof is on the accused.

This article of Dr. Pipes, "Europe or Eurabia" is an excellent place for Americans and Europeans to discuss differences of opinion. I was hoping that at least one European would be influenced to at least reflect on what they are thinking, doing, not doing. Even for a few moments. I've been reading some British online newspapers, and English language versions from some other countries. All they get is the same droning factless opinions over and over. In their MSM, they never ever hear or read about another way to look at things.

I had thought that our Press was highly inadequate -- which it is -- but have learned that Europe's Press is much worse.

I think we (all of us here on Planet Earth) are in for many hard changes in the coming decade.

Exactly how they will turn out is anybody's guess, but it's not looking good right now.

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