Let Sleeping Dogs Lie..

(Image Source: healthyqallatin.org)

Today was a longer Sunday than usual, and at around 8pm, I decided to take a ‘Powernap’, but why? What about sleep allows us to feel so refreshed and reenables us to perform to our fullness? It was then that the true imensity of sleep became apparent.

Sleep is an incredible evolutionary ability, utilised by humans in which to perform many biological functions. By inhibiting sensory input and voluntary movement, the body attains a hightened anabolic state which allows for increased growth and more efficient rejuvination of bodily systems (Nervous, Immune, Skeletal and Muscular).

‘Sleep Debt’ or lack of sleep via sleeping disorders such as Insomnia and lead to severe mental, emotional and physical exhaustion. This will reduce, the body’s ability to perform actions, particularly those which are cognitively demanding.

In order to reduce sleep debt, it is important to commit yourself to sufficient sleep,  although this may be less than one might expect. The ‘Uberman Sleep Schedule’ AKA ‘Polyphasic Sleep’ suggests that in order to sleep most efficiently, a human must sleep for only 3 hours a day, but they must separate this time into 6 equally distributed periods. By doing this, the theory claims, an average western person can add up to 11 years of ‘waking time’ to ther life, on average if they begin adhereing to the schedule aged 20. It is claimed that figures including: Leonardo da Vinci, Napoleon and Winston Churchill displayed sleeping habits typical of Polyphasic (or at least Biphasic sleep). The downside to such a routine however, is that such short bursts of sleep do not allow an individual to reach the depth of sleep to dream.

Dreaming (experience of sensory images and sounds during sleep), is possibly the most intruiging element of sleep to many. Research suggests that the sequence of dreaming occurs in the REM (or Rapid Eye Movement) stage of the sleep cycle, typically associated with rapid movement of the eye and low voltage EEG (electroencephalography). Although for most of us, dreaming is an unconscious action, there are some who claim that they can control this phenomena in the form of ‘Lucid Dreaming’. Lucid dreaming occurs when an individual is concious that they are dreaming, and as such are able to ascertain control of events during the typically unconcious state. It is said that certain rituals can aid the occurrence of Lucid dreaming, including methods for relaxation, although they are by no means guaranteed.

So, sleeping is a vital process in human life, and dreaming is an experience in its own right, but if it is possible to know you are dreaming by doing so ‘Lucidly’, how do you know if you’re awake?

Are we there yet…

(Image Source: gopixpic.com)

The fable of the Tortoise and the Hare derived from writings of the Ancient Greek storyteller ‘Aesop, is one of great reverance and meaning, and one which I remember having recited to me as a child, with the intention of delivering the message:

“Slow and steady, wins the race…”

What is meant by this was ambiguous to me in my younger years, however now I understand, that it aims to deliver the notion that consistent and effective effort will enevitably lead to success.

What I find most interesting about the fable however, is the powerful philosophical paradox which uses the story as a theoretical underpinning. The Paradox, known as one of Greek Philosopher,  Zeno of Elea’s nine surviving paradoxes, which he formulated to support the idea that one’s senses were not to be trusted, and in particular, that the phenomena of motion, was nothing but an illusion.

Of course, the paradox which I wish to draw on, is that of ‘Achilles and the tortiose’, the point of which is to establish that:

“In a race, the quickest runner can never overtake the slowest, since the pursuer must first reach the point whence the pursued started, so that the slower must always hold a lead.” – as recounted by Aristotle, Physics VI:9, 239b15

That is to say that, assuming that the Tortoise is consistently moving at half the speed of Achilles, that although the measured gap between the two will indeed decrease, by the time Achilles has reached the point that the Tortoise began, the tortoise will have continued to cover a further distance, thus Achilles would then proceed to reach that point, and the Tortiose would have also moved further and so forth.

This very closely links with Zeno’s ‘Dichotomy Paradox’ which explains that:

“That which is in locomotion must arrive at the half-way stage before it arrives at the goal.”– as recounted by Aristotle, Physics VI:9, 239b10

Zeno maintains that in order to travel any distance, one must first cover an infinite regression of smaller distances, which is in essence, impossible. This is to say that in order to cross a road, say, it is a logical necessity that you must reach the half way point before you reach the other side, and before you reach the half way point, you must reach the quarter way point, and the eighth way point and so on… For this reason, one should never reach the other side of the road (Poor Chicken).

Further, it logically ensues that no object should ever complete a journey from one fixed point to another, you should never be able to walk to the shops, to cross the road, and by extention, my fingers should be logically incapable of touching the keys of my keyboard in order to make these words appear in front of you.

Just something to get your head round…

 

 

A culture of entitlement…

(Image Source: bromford.co.uk)

The British Welfare System, is arguably the talking point on the lips of many a heated conversation as we move further into the new year. My reason for choosing to discuss this lays with an article of which I read on BBC News, just this morning (which for the life of me I can no longer find). The article proposed the idea that post-Christmas financial blues were coercing working families into quitting their jobs to ‘sign on’ to their welfare entitlement, as for many low-earning families, this would leave them financially better off.

I find this entirely abhorrent on a number of levels.

To begin with, take this disclaimer: I am not against the benefit system, and believe that in the developed world in which we profess to live, financial aid should be given to those in GENUINE NEED, and provide those individuals with the resources to get them back to work if at all possible.

As a man who pays tax, I digress, I find myself recoiling in horror when I read that working people are quitting their jobs, as doing so will result in better financial stability, and even more so when I read headlines such as:

“Working is not worth it!” Benefits mum rakes in £70,000 in welfare. ~Mirror.co.uk

The woman in this particular article, turned to the Welfare System when she divorced her husband, before which it is alleged that she was an accountant earning in the region of £120k p/a. and claims that she would much rather work, but it’s not worth it, and could not maintain her lifestyle. The mere fact that this is possible is entirely unacceptable.

In British society however, ‘Benefit Families’ are only becoming more common. In December of 2013, The Joseph Rowntree Foundation released a report which suggested that as many of 17% of households in the UK have 1 generation of unemployment, and a growing 1% (15,000 households) have 2 generations of no employment whatsoever.

This problem is relentlessly showcased to the 82% of working households on persistent ‘reality TV’ shows such as ‘Benefit Street’ (Channel 4), which feature a culture where unemployment is normal, and the sole claiming of welfare benefits is a prerequisite to living in particular areas or on identified streets (James Turner Street, Birmingham – See image).

Apart from a complete misunderstanding of how human beings are happy to endure such a useless existence, giving nothing (or very little) back to society, while watching one particular episode, one comment left me feeling particularly riled:

The Council have cut MY money…

The complaining individual was totally unashamed to refer to the financial aid, paid to her by the Government of the United Kingdom, funded by the UK taxpayer, as ‘my money’.

This left me deep in thought for a while, and forced me to consider the type of society which we are becoming: We are so used to being privileged, that we believe that we are entitled to it. British society has begun to take welfare payments as a basic, normal, RIGHT of being a UK citizen.

Well I conclude simply by stating that this is not the case, people need to stop claiming because they CAN, and only claim if they NEED. Welfare payouts are not an entitlement or a right, they are a last resort for people with no alternative.

PROPOSED RESOLUTION:

I believe without exception, that the identification of an issue with no additional proposal resolution is ultimately unhelpful and irrelevant. Therefore I offer this as mine:

Anyone who claims benefits as the sole household income, should be mandatorily obliged to undertake remedial jobs designated by the council*, such as helping people within the community, taking the elderly shopping, or even standing in train stations and assisting vulnerable passengers with heavy luggage.

Failure (in terms of recorded attendance) to do so would result in the removal of benefits and potential sanctions. Voluntary work in charity shops and assisting other voluntary organizations should qualify also.

*The only exception to this rule should be disabling illness, and as such, the individual should have to undertake quarterly medical examinations to ensure they truly are unsuitable for work.

The aim of this system, is to not only cut down on the number of benefit defectors, and keep people in employment, but to give people a repertoire of experience in public relations to list on their resume, and ensures that those who chose to claim are giving something back.

I’m aware that my ‘proposed solution’ is unrefined, but I genuinely believe it could be the foundation for a more efficient system, and promote a more proactive, less torpid society.

T

Freedom of Expression

(Image Source: bbc.co.uk)

I refer of course to the most recent of the extremist attacks which took place in Paris earlier today, ending the lives of 12 individuals at the Charlie Hebdo magazine building in the city. UK PM David Cameron was quick to offer condolences to the victims in the House of Commons this morning, and to France as a whole, vowing cooperation with the ensuing investigation into the attacks, and describing the events as “a tragic day for people in France and right across Europe”.

The attacks were brutal and horrific, and of course my heart goes out to the families who are left behind after this tragedy, but there is a deeper philosophical notion that comes hand in hand with this, which has unfolded on social media throughout the day. These obscure assertions adhered to the idea that:-

If you publish satirical material which echo’s blasphemous trends, which the magazine was renown for, you’ve  only got yourself to blame.

This assertion is of course misguided and warped. People are publicly revealing this as their opinion, as if the murder of 12 people is a natural expectation and inevitable consequence of the magazine’s unsympathetic attitude towards religion and in particular, Islam.

I’d like to remind these people that we live in the developed world, where democracy is in widespread governance, and the people are FREE. Under the European Convention on Human Rights (Article 10) each citizen of an EU constituent country is entitled to, from birth and without discrimination, the right to Freedom of Expression.

Expression is one of the most important fundamental rights that we have as human beings, the right to say what we think and feel, and share this with others. The human desire for having and sharing opinions, whether it be on Social Media or in the public media is what assures us that we are free to speak out however unpopular it might be. These opinions are NOT and should not be the seed of violence of any kind, people should not be encouraged to hide their views, they should not be scared into submission and they should not remain silent.

A silent, submissive world is not on which I want to live in. Unite and express yourself, utilize your freedom.

A brief introduction…

Dear Reader,

I am undoubtedly a serious newcomer to the blogging world, I’ve wanted to create a blog for a while, and here it is!

This blog will be a collection of opinions on anything and everything from Politics and Current Affairs, to Thoughts of the Day and Cultural Reviews.

It will be a free space of uncapped opinion, from myself, based on my own thoughts, experience, and theories.

Thank you for visiting TemporalThinktank!