GENIUS FORUMS

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetris_effect

If you do something repetitive for a long time, your mind will start to fall into a pattern that will make you think of that thing automatically after you stop doing it. I guess some people have labeled this the "Tetris Effect", after people who play too much Tetris.

It seems to me that to pursue enlightenment is to create a type of Tetris effect, possibly taking it to extreme levels, where your thoughts are dominated by some insight into reality you've had or you're trying to have. Is that accurate?

Elementary, my dear Mattson.

It is also known by its old name, conditioning.

Instead of The Tetris affect, or conditioning, I would suggest that a major component of intelligence is the ability to predict future outcomes based from previous experience, and the ability to see relationships consistent with reality. Moreover, The repetition of interpreting similar events over time leads to a sort of osmosis of understanding, and that is how any expert is born.

Actually, A book I'm now reading, "On intelligence" goes into the latest theory on how to create intelligent machines based on understanding how the neocortex works, and its not overly difficult if the information is presented visually.

Have you guys ever experienced the Tetris Effect? Have you ever played a single video game for 12-16 hours a day for several months? Have you ever listened to the same album all day for a few months? Or anything like that?

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-Matt questions it all-
Matt Gregory - Have you guys ever experienced the Tetris Effect?

-tomas-
We all have, pal.




-Matt blurts out-
Have you ever played a single video game for 12-16 hours a day for several months?

-tomas-
I've better things to do than fuss over someone elses mind-control programming...




-Matt turns zombie-
Have you ever listened to the same album all day for a few months?

-tomas-
Perhaps an album or two (playing The Beatles "Revolver" backwards) ... for a few days.




-Matt questions-
Or anything like that?

-tomas-
Don't be afraid :-) It's alright!




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Tomas wrote:-Matt questions it all-
Matt Gregory - Have you guys ever experienced the Tetris Effect?

-tomas-
We all have, pal.

Yeah, right. You're just saying that to impress the chicks! I know how you are.

I think Jimi Hendrix used something like this to become as one with his guitar; kind of a deliberately induced obsession. He would keep a guitar in his hands as much as possible. I think he would even sleep with it in his bed at times.

I've certainly had dreams where I was playing guitar.

I've also read of some sitar players playing for six hours or more at a time. I imagine that would put you in a pretty hypnotic state.

DHodges wrote:I think Jimi Hendrix used something like this to become as one with his guitar; kind of a deliberately induced obsession. He would keep a guitar in his hands as much as possible. I think he would even sleep with it in his bed at times.

I've certainly had dreams where I was playing guitar.

I've also read of some sitar players playing for six hours or more at a time. I imagine that would put you in a pretty hypnotic state.

John McLaughlin used to practice 5 hours a day, every day. He called five a "nice round number." You can tell by his music that it's technically on another plane than everyone else's.

The country players have a term for this. They call it "woodsheddin.'" "You lock yerself up in a woodshed an' every so often someone slips you a meal." I think I got that definition from Clarence White.

John Mclaughlin is hardly on his own on that technical plane mate. But I've always thought of him as perhaps the most spiritual of guitarists, whatever that means.

Anyway the Tetris effect is totally commonplace. Try working with spreadsheets all day and then, if you manage to get figures out of your head and actually get to sleep, try not dreaming about figures and categorising things. Or try an 8 hour gaming session without carrying it on in your dreams.

But it goes further. On a lower yet much more pervading level, you become what you do, to a greater or lesser extent. It can be a vicious or a felicitous circle, or anything between (vicitous circle?), depending what you do. The Tetris effect is pretty much the same thing at a higher intensity. Going off personal experience, I think it's probably too high an intensity, judging by the many burn-out type symptoms that accompany it.

John Mclaughlin is hardly on his own on that technical plane mate. But I've always thought of him as perhaps the most spiritual of guitarists, whatever that means.

You're right, of course. It just sounds that way when you listen to him. But I can name a few others that inspire the same awe in me when I hear them play, too.

You're a Mahavishnu fan then?

Dave Toast wrote:

Anyway the Tetris effect is totally commonplace.

On a lower yet much more pervading level, you become what you do, to a greater or lesser extent.

That is evident in the way people are slaving harder and longer at their jobs in an effort to not be enslaved to their jobs.

That's true Sue. I think I'm the only person at my place of employment, which I think consists of about 60-70 people, who consistently works 40 hours per week at 8 hours a day mon-fri. Everyone else seems to put in some amount of OT every week. I can sense the resentment from others at times, but hey, it's my choice.

More evidence is those same hard working slaves buying expensive goods because they feel they have worked hard and therefore deserve them, and then complaining about the rising prices across the economy, blind to the fact that it is them driving those prices up by their spending.

Sue Hindmarsh wrote:More evidence is those same hard working slaves buying expensive goods because they feel they have worked hard and therefore deserve them, and then complaining about the rising prices across the economy, blind to the fact that it is them driving those prices up by their spending.

Yeah, the cost of fuel in producing and shipping these items is really a non-factor...

You know dont you how working people look at it.
They got to do SOMETHING with their time, what better than working at something profitable, many work to have a house then grandchildren who inherit the houses get to have a better, less pressure filled life.
So while working people occupy themselves with something (a job they like ideally) they at the same time make a sacrifice for people to come, a sacrifice for the human race.
Just one example of the good side of working, as opposed to just doing nothing and playing on the internet for instance.

so it dont seem right to be so critical of workinf people.
are you this way as a way of dealing with the shame you feel for not hoilding down a job?
examine yourself, your motives.

are you this way because you are jealous they have things you wish you had?

if someone dropped $200,000 cash in your mail slot with a note saying "gift for Mike, enjoy it"
wouldnt you be jumping up and down if alone?
then use it with great relish?

you would snap out of depression and envy very quickly!

mansman wrote:So while working people occupy themselves with something (a job they like ideally) they at the same time make a sacrifice for people to come, a sacrifice for the human race.
Just one example of the good side of working

Sure, assuming that working at a job is actually beneficial to the human race.

Matt wrote:

Sure, assuming that working at a job is actually beneficial to the human race.

You questioning the working part, the job part, or both? Should we all be on the dole (no work)? Should we all be independent contractors (no 'jobs')? Or, are you imagining that some work is beneficial, say, agriculture, and other work not, like, making television sets? And how important would it have to be to benefit the entire "human race," by the way? Would being a space astronaut qualify? How about a hospital nurse?

Dave Toast wrote:You're a Mahavishnu fan then?

Big time. In correct doses.

Sue,

That is evident in the way people are slaving harder and longer at their jobs in an effort to not be enslaved to their jobs.

Sue, you could probably benefit from a basic economics lesson -

It seems to me that people only work overtime because there is pressure from the environment to satisfy more customers. And mostly because cities are overpopulated, and also each customer demands instant service and gratification. People don't want to wait for service, or serve themselves. Moreover, Most people don’t prefer to work the overtime, but they feel obligated to help the company out, as one’s livelihood is linked with the survival of the company as a whole, so if a company turns away tons of customers, then there is a fear that the company’s reputation will suffer. It is perfectly understandable, and the only solution is a lower population, and better technology. In my opinion, it is intelligent for the employee to want to help out the “entity” company, as a company’s objective is to simply serve the public, and grow better for future generations. The nature of the company is to perfect its craft even if some of management is petty and driven by greed and lust for shiny riches. However, there are many modest CEOS out there that have a very noble vision for humanity, and they live in the same conservative manner as the working class.

More evidence is those same hard working slaves buying expensive goods because they feel they have worked hard and therefore deserve them, and then complaining about the rising prices across the economy, blind to the fact that it is them driving those prices up by their spending.

You’re analysis is dead wrong here Sue, generally speaking, most expensive goods are higher because demand is lower for them, they are a luxury item, and they are usually a little higher quality than the generic brand that almost everyone can afford. A higher quality product costs more than a lower quality product simply because it requires more labor and materials to produce. This trend is only a trickle in the ocean of the economy, as the upper middle class is a minority in the developed world. Most consumes choose the generic brands that are cheaply priced, but are still fairly decent quality.

The major culprit is the fact that oil and raw materials are increasing in price, which increases the price of any product and service that requires them in their production. However, this increase is partly caused by the sudden and drastic industrial expansion in India and China, which supports billions of people who have suddenly gotten a taste for oil and raw materials, (better living conditions).

Not to mention, that the US dollar is the currency that oil and most commodities are traded in, and so a weak US dollar gives a false impression that oil prices are much more higher than they actually are. They are only higher for US citizens who buy oil with US dollars, but other nations who use their own currencies to buy oil will not feel the same negative economic jolt as America.

Sue Hindmarsh wrote:More evidence is those same hard working slaves buying expensive goods because they feel they have worked hard and therefore deserve them, and then complaining about the rising prices across the economy, blind to the fact that it is them driving those prices up by their spending.

Most telling is the way most have little to say when conversation moves beyond talking shop, the above type of thing (whatever's fed to them by the media), or their hobby.

brokenhead wrote:

Dave Toast wrote:You're a Mahavishnu fan then?

Big time. In correct doses.

Birds of Fire being the recommended dosage. You ever heard any Dixie Dregs?

Carl wrote:Matt wrote:

Sure, assuming that working at a job is actually beneficial to the human race.

You questioning the working part, the job part, or both?

I'm just saying it's silly to think that every single job is beneficial to the human race.

Dave Toast wrote:

Sue: More evidence is those same hard working slaves buying expensive goods because they feel they have worked hard and therefore deserve them, and then complaining about the rising prices across the economy, blind to the fact that it is them driving those prices up by their spending.

Most telling is the way most have little to say when conversation moves beyond talking shop, the above type of thing (whatever's fed to them by the media), or their hobby.

Understandably so. There's that pattern of "you become what you do" in play. If making money is your lot in life, then that is who you are. Such people would never ask the question that Matt asked:

Sure, assuming that working at a job is actually beneficial to the human race.

For it undermines their entire life.

Ryan Rudolph wrote:You’re analysis is dead wrong here Sue, generally speaking, most expensive goods are higher because demand is lower for them, they are a luxury item, and they are usually a little higher quality than the generic brand that almost everyone can afford. A higher quality product costs more than a lower quality product simply because it requires more labor and materials to produce.

No, the price is high for an item only because the demand is high. If the supply is kept low for whatever reason, then that increases the demand which increases the price.

The major culprit is the fact that oil and raw materials are increasing in price, which increases the price of any product and service that requires them in their production. However, this increase is partly caused by the sudden and drastic industrial expansion in India and China, which supports billions of people who have suddenly gotten a taste for oil and raw materials, (better living conditions).

The prices of commodities are going up because more and more investors are moving away from the stock market and investing in commodities, which is making the demand go way up.