08/28/24

Looking at Vivek Ramaswamy’s Book (2021) “Woke, Inc.” (Part 4 of 20)

0289 Chapter thirteen explores woke consumerism and the way that people will sort themselves into like-minded groups.

Ramaswamy frames the sorting as “woke” versus “commonsense” people.

He could have used the terms, “bigilib” and “pluralist”, respectively.

Woke people say that “service” is what an expert says it is.

Commonsense people say that “service” is an act of individual responsibility.

0290 It makes me wonder.

Are woke people scientific-minded?

Do commonsense people ignore science?

0291 Or, maybe I can clarify the distinction with the following questions.

Are woke people socialist?

Are commonsense people capitalist?

0292 Here, the framework starts to muddle.  

Socialist” and “capitalist” label opposing denkstyles in the previous Battle of the Enlightenment Gods: The Cold War Among Materialist Ideologies (1945-1989).

Each contending worldview is materialist in its own way.  The war is “cold” because no one wants to use nuclear weapons in a military conflict.  So, the so-called “Cold War” is conducted as proxy warfare, where “small” countries become proxies in contests between the capitalist USA and the communist USSR.

0293 Each contending view is relativist in its own way.

What does “relativism” imply?  

Relativism is like a language.  A language consists of two related systems of differences, parole (talk) and langue (mental processing of talk).

I already wrestle with a distinction similar to langue and parole.  The distinction is between what I think and what I am willing to say to an interlocutor.  In this example, contiguity between langue (what I think) and parole (what I am willing to say) is bimodal.  The contiguity may be [cannot be objectified as], when I have commonsense (and the observing scientist does not). The contiguity may be [can be objectified as], when I conform my cogitation to what the empirio-normative judgment wants me to think (and the scientist observes what theory predicts).

0294 Of course, I now must refute what I just claimed.

Relativism is not like a language.  It is like two languages, the language of experts on capitalism and the language of experts on socialism.  Each one of these specialized languages consists of a system of differences.  But, only one of these can occupy the perspective-level normal context3c, for the interscope that characterizes the so-called Cold War.

0295 What do I mean?

Here is the post-truth interscope for when capitalism is in the seat of the relativist one3c.

Note the situation-level nested form.

0296 Here is the post-truth interscope for when socialism is in the seat of the relativist one3c.

Again, note the situation-level nested form.

0297 What is the business with the red and blue squares?

They denote the corners of a questionable box.

The questionable box of capitalism has four corners: the capitalist one3c, opportunity1c, intellect3a and will1a.

The questionable box of socialism has four corners: the socialist one3c, opportunity1c, intellect3a and will1a.

0298 Why use the adjective, “questionable”?

How many corners does a box really have?

0299 Note how the insides of the two boxes differ.

Each box contains a different situation-level nested form.

0300 For capitalism, the normal context of the market3b brings the actuality of transactional (or maybe, “financial”) value2b into relation with the potential of price1b.

0301 For socialism, the normal context of order3b brings the actuality of transcendental (or maybe, “social”) value2b into relation with the potential of righteousness1b.

Now, do not fixate on the adjective, “transcendental”, as if it is a metaphysical term.  It is only a label that qualifies a value2b that may serve as an institutional organizational objective, rather than a value2b, that is realized in a financial transaction.

0302 I suppose that the word, “value2b“, may be a point of contention.

In fact, these two “values2b” play central roles in the Third Battle of the Enlightenment Gods (1945-1989).

Lots of ink has been spilled within each questionable box over these two expressions of expertise.

0304 Indeed, I can see why people who adhere to the socialist one1c and people who adhere to the capitalist one1c would want to segregate into two different jurisdictions.

0305 But, Ramaswamy’s book makes makes me wonder.

If the so-called Cold War is all about capitalism versus socialism, then why does the USA have so many socialists?

This is a good question, since it seems that today, corporate capitalists have embraced social justice.  Indeed, the subtitle of Ramaswamy’s book makes the accusation.

0306 Corporate capitalists3b embrace socialist values2b in order to make money.

Is it a scam?

Or, is it a tactic in the Fourth Battle of the Enlightenment Gods?

08/27/24

Looking at Vivek Ramaswamy’s Book (2021) “Woke, Inc.” (Part 5 of 20)

0307 Chapter thirteen discusses critical diversity theory.

Surely, each word calls to mind the post-truth condition.

What is “diversity”?  What is “critical theory”?

Well, “diversity” is the word that gets sandwiched between “critical” and “theory”.

0308 Each of these words are explicit abstractions. Each spoken word uses reason3a,1a, defined as the intellect3acontextualizing the will1a.

So, I might guess that “critical theory” goes with the intellect3a and “diversity” goes with the will1a.

The intellect3a produces a critical theory that engages the desire1a for “diversity2a“.

0309 Reason3a,1a also acts as an interventional sign-interpretant (SIi) for an empirio-normative judgment operating as a sign-vehicle (SVi).

The resulting opinions [can be objectified as] phenomena2a are sign-objects (SOi), that may be observed and measured1bby the psychometric sciences2b.

The psychometric sciences generate novel configurations of capitalist and socialist expert-level nested forms that embody a single contradiction-filled actuality called “value2b.

0310 Now, let me say that again.

Opinions2a on the scrappy-player level are actualities2a created in the normal context of an intellect3a engaged in critical theory (in some content-level fashion) and a will1a sensing a desire for diversity (again, in some content-level fashion). Some of these opinions2a will be regarded as phenomena2a to be observed and measured1b by the psychometric sciences2b.

0311 Those scrappy players who already are under domination by the empirio-normative judgment2c are more likely to produce statements2a that will be regarded as phenomena2a.

Those scrappy players who are not under domination by the empirio-normative judgment2c may feel a social pressure to conform or issue a statement that can be regarded as relevant phenomena2a.  Otherwise, what they say2a will be ignored, ridiculed or dismissed.

0312 So, impressions2a engaging critical3a diversity1a theory3a on the content-level, are formalized as knowledge in the form of data1b (that is, observations and measurements1b of phenomena2a).  Data1b are then situated by the psychometric sciences3b, employing both capitalist and socialist models2b, constituting a single contradiction-filled actuality2b (in this case, “diversity”), called “value2b“.

0314 Here is a picture.

0315 Diversity2b is the intersection of transactional (or financial) value2 and transcendental (or social) value2.

I suspect that theoreticians3b involved in producing psychometric models of diversity2b aim to maximize righteousness1(2b) and minimize price1(2b).  However, they3b may end up producing models2b that minimize righteousness1(2b) and maximize price1(2b).

In part, this is due to the fact that expert conclusions inspire slogans that provide opportunities1c for the scientismist one3cto execute an empirio-normative judgment2c, as shown in the following figure, reminiscent of earlier figures.

0316 Once these associations pass through the sausage-grinder of legislative action and are distilled into items on a checklist, they are neither intelligible nor universal.  They are nonsensical and incredibly picky.

Hilariously, Ramaswamy wants to legislate diversity of thought, rather than the current checklist encouraging organizational objectives that come out of various bigilib committees and legislatures.

Good luck on that.

08/26/24

Looking at Vivek Ramaswamy’s Book (2021) “Woke, Inc.” (Part 6 of 20)

0317 Here, is it fair to ask, “What does an exercise in critical diversity theory entail?”

Before I discuss that, I want to briefly recapitulate the situation level.

0318 First, capitalist and socialist expertise, originally depicted as situation-level nested forms, are removed from the questionable boxes of capitalism and socialism, in order to serve as templates for psychometric models.  A psychometric model hybridizes value from both experts into one actuality2b.  The psychometric model exhibits the relational structure of an intersection.

An intersection occurs when the actualities of two category-based nested forms constitute a single contradiction-filled actuality.

0319 The psychometric model is the moral equivalent to what ought to be for the empirio-schematic judgment of the natural sciences.

Plus, I must not forget, the empirio-schematic judgment is what ought to be for the Positivist’s judgment.

Here is a picture of the empirio-schematic judgment.  Note where “models” appear.

0320  In the Third Battle of the Enlightenment Gods (1945-1989), there is only one type of model at any given time.  The perspective-level judgment2c call for either a capitalist or a socialist model2b.

For the Fourth Battle of the Enlightenment Gods (1989- present) there are two judgments.

Here is a picture of the new empirio-schematic judgment that will unfold into the situation-level category-based nested form.

0321 The situation-level nested form for the one of scientism3c contains both capitalist and socialist expertise.  Discussion of markets3 and social order3 are conducted in specific disciplinary languages3.  Models of value2 are the topic at hand.  Observations and measurements1 for specific disciplines concern the potentials of price1 and righteousness1.

0323 Two once-conflicting models of value2b go into each contradiction-filled psychometric valuation2b.

Here is a picture for the topic of chapter thirteen.

0324 Take a look at the two actualities that constitute the single actuality of “diversity”.

For capitalist expertise, the actuality is “transactional value2H“.

Why the subscript, “H”?  Wait and see.

325 The more important question asks, “What practical action connects to an assessment of transactional value2H?”

0326 One answer is a financial exchange.

Financial exchange is what ultimately produces capital.  Market exchange is located on the situation-level of the so-called organizationB tier.  The societyC tier puts the organizationB tier into perspective.  The organizationB tier situates the individual in communityA tier.  The three tiers are discussed in the chapter on presence in the e-book How To Define The Word “Religion”, as well as in the ten associated Primers (by Razie Mah, available at smashwords and other e-book venues).

Now, sovereign power can influence financial exchange2H by manipulating markets3H or prices1H.  Also, sovereign decrees can directly regulate financial exchange2H, thereby impacting markets3H and prices1H.

0327 What practical actions connect to assessments of transcendental value2V?

Organizational objectives2aC (or “objectsorg2aC“) actualize the potential of righteousness1aC in the normal context of institutions3aC.  Institutions3aC are normal contexts3 on the contenta level of the societyC tier.

0328 What potential1bC situates institutions3aC?

Order1bC is the potential1bC that situates institutions3aC.  The situationb level of the societyC tier says, “The normal context of sovereign power3bC brings the actualities of sovereign laws, decrees and actions2bC into relation with the possibility of order1bC.

Now, the same sovereign power3bC can influence financial exchange2bB and influence objectsorg2aC through direct regulation (that is, order3V) or through propaganda (that is, righteousness1V).

0329 Now, once again, it is fair to ask what does an exercise in critical diversity theory entail?

Intersections are inherently mysterious.

So diversity2b embodies a mystery.

Mystery is the message underlying the word, “religion”.

08/24/24

Looking at Vivek Ramaswamy’s Book (2021) “Woke, Inc.” (Part 7 of 20)

0330 Chapter eleven proclaims, “Actually, wokeness is literally a religion.”

From a purely legal point of view, Ramaswamy demonstrates that wokeness is a religion.  Judicial rulings may be sequenced in order to show that even a person who claims to be “not religious” may be protected by laws against discrimination on the basis of religion.  So, by extension, employers should not have the privilege of firing someone who is not religious based on the employer’s religious beliefs.

After all, what does the term, “not-religious” really mean?

0331 Does “religious” label a Christian faction?

If so, then “not religious” indicates a person who does not belong to a Christian denomination.

But, can that person be “religious”?

In terms of legal precedents, the answer is “yes”.

0332 This leads me to wonder, “How does one define a spoken word?”

In 2015, Razie Mah publishes an e-book titled, How to Define the Word “Religion”.  This work is available at smashwords and other e-book venues.  

0333 The answer to the question comes by way of a category-based nested form.

The normal context of definition3 brings the actuality of the spoken word, “religion2“, into relation with the potentials1 of meaning (D), presence (E) and message (F).

0334 The masterwork elaborates.

0335 The meaning1 underlying the word, “religion”2 (D) is social construction.  Social and sensible construction are not the same.  Social construction is on display in many three-level interscopes.  Sensible construction goes with two-level interscopes.

For example, consider the following three-level interscope.

0336 Psychometric models2b may be regarded as sensible constructions that virtually situate content-level actualities2a.

The empirio-normative judgement2c may be regarded as a social construction that puts sensible construction into perspective.

0337 Typically, social constructions operate in the background, while sensible constructions work in the foreground.  For diversity, a list of checkboxes for readily determined traits2b may serve as an implementation of psychometric models for the value of diversity2b.  In the background, an empirio-normative judgment2c stands unchallenged and invisible, leaving some scrappy players3a,1a feeling that success2c has already been decided, because the check-box routine2b does not convey the possibility of opportunity1c.

0338 Yes, the game is rigged.

One gets a feeling similar to a sinner facing the Christian doctrine of predestination.

0339 The presence1 underlying the word “religion”2 (E) consists of two objects residing in the societyC tier.

Tiers?

In order to appreciate the presence underlying the word “religion”, the inquirer must construct three tiers.  Each tier is an interscope.  The societyC tier brings the organizationB tier into relation with the individual in communityA tier.  The two objects on the societyC tier are the perspective-level actuality, labeled the relational object2cC, and the content-level actuality, labeled the organizational object2aC.

Consequently, there are two types of religion, one suprasovereign2cC and one insfrasovereign2aC.

Imagine the interplay between these two objects, one on the perspective level and one on the content level, above and below the sovereignb level of the societyC tier.

0340 The message1 underlying the word, “religion”2 (F) is composed of two actualities, each with its own nested form, constituting a single actuality.  The intersection is a purely relational structure that is full of mystery.  Mystery?  The contradictions within the single actuality may be delineated, but they cannot be resolved without destroying the intersection.  Occasionally, intersections resolve into two-level interscopes and mystery gives way to sensible construction.

As already noted, for the scientismist one3c, psychometric models2b contain an intersection of two values, one for capitalism and one for socialism.  An intersection resides at the core2b of the interscope for scientism3c.

Value2b exemplifies the message underlying the word, “religion”.

08/23/24

Looking at Vivek Ramaswamy’s Book (2021) “Woke, Inc.” (Part 8 of 20)

0341 Chapter ten introduces the idea that wokeism may be a religion.

Since I am obviously going backwards, through Ramaswamy’s text, let me review.

My examination of chapter eleven shows how the interscope for the scientismist one3c technically expresses the three potentials that underlie the word, “religion”.  Therefore, since sovereign power is implicated in establishing the scientismist one3c, the American federal government has established a religion, in violation of the first amendment of the Constitution.

I dare anyone to litigate that!

0342 Well, litigation aside, Ramaswamy introduces his idea by recounting the story of the Grand Inquisitor in Dostoevsky’s novel, The Brothers Karamazov.

The Grand Inquisitor meets Jesus, the Christ, who has returned (and, of course, is now imprisoned).  The Inquisitor explains to Jesus that Christ did not need to return, because the Church discovered that people are incapable of doing good, therefore the Church has solved the problem by forcing them to do good in the name of Christ.

0343 The irony is clear, although difficult to explicate.

There seems to be two religious objects in the story.  One2cC is represented by Christ.  One2aC is described by the Grand Inquisitor as an organizational objective of the Church.  The two religious objects become apparent when looking at the interscope of the societyC tier.

0344 Once again, the following comes from the chapter on “presence” in How To Define The Word “Religion”.

The societyC tier brings the organizationB tier into relation with the potential of the individual in communityA tier.

0345 That is foundational.

Each tier represents an interscope.

So, the big picture entails nested forms (A,B,C) composed of nested forms (a,b,c) composed of nested forms (1,2,3).

That is to say, three tiers (A,B,C) of interscopes, each containing three category-based nested forms (a,b,c).

0346 Here is the interscope for the societyC tier.

0347 On the content level, the normal context of an institution3aC brings the actuality of organizational objectives2aC into relation with the potential of ‘righteousness’1aC.  Righteousness1cC puts the organizationB tier into perspective.

On the situation level, the normal context of sovereign power3bC brings the actuality of laws, decrees and sovereign actions2bC into relation with the possibility of ‘order’1bC.  Order1bC situates the institutionaC level.

On the perspective level, the normal context of the act of assuming3cC brings the actuality of a relational object2cC into relation with the possibility of ‘bringing all things into relation’1cC.  ‘Concilience’1cC or ‘reconciliation’1cC or ‘creation’1cC puts the sovereignbC level into perspective.

0348 Let me go back to the Grand Inquisitor.  Ramaswamy tells the story.

The Grand Inquisitor’s view comports with the institutiona level of the societyC tier.

The normal context of the “church”3aC brings the actuality of the need to force people to make the right choices2aC into relation with the possibility that people should do good, but are incapable of doing so1aC.  

0349 Organizational objectives2aC contribute to the presence underlying the word, “religion”.  The Grand Inquisitor’s “church” may be called an infrasovereign religion.  The various organizational objectives2aC of “wokeism” deserve the same label, including the example that Ramaswamy chooses to discuss in chapter ten.  He calls the example, The Church of Diversity.

0350 Organizational objects2aC are not the only contributors to the presence underlying the word “religion”.  A relational object2cC occupies the perspective-level actuality.  The virtual nested form in the realm of actuality helps me to appreciate the two styles of religion that appear in the societyC tier. 

0351 The normal context of a relational object2cC virtually brings the actuality of exercises of sovereign power2bC into relation with the potential of organizational objectives2aC.  This makes sense because (on the perspective level) one relational object2cC emerges from (and situates) the potential of all things coming into relation1cC and (on the content level) many organizational objects2aC emerge from (and situate) the potential of righteousness1aC.  Correspondingly, righteousness1aC not only contextualizes the organizationB tier, righteousness1aC may orient its institution3aC towards the assumption3cC that, indeed, all things can be brought into relation1cC.

Theoretically, order1bC does not need to be imposed when righteousness1aC both contextualizes and orients.  Sovereign power3bC is not necessary when the objectrelation2cC and objectsorganization2aC are in communion.  IndividualsA should enter organizationsB that are contextualized by righteousnessC and each institutional expression of righteousness1aCshould be able to come into relation with all other expressions of righteousness1aC because all1cC honor the same relational object2cC.

In this way, Jesus receives the honorific “King2cC of kings3bC“.

0352 Well, the Grand Inquisitor3aC is not going to have any of that!

As he3aC explains to the one2cC that he has signed the decree to execute, Christ2cC is no longer necessary because the “Church3aC” has learned that sovereign power3bC establishes order1bC and state action2bC is required to force people to make the right choices2aC.  Why?  People are not capable of consistently fulfilling the righteousness that satisfies the Grand Inquisitor1aC.

0353 What does this imply?

If the scientismist one3c of the post-truth interscope is the dominant divine instrument3aC in the Fourth Battle of the Enlightenment Gods (1989-present) then there is no need of a relational object2cC, in the same way that the Christian church of the Grand Inquisitor3aC no longer needs Christ2cC

08/22/24

Looking at Vivek Ramaswamy’s Book (2021) “Woke, Inc.” (Part 9 of 20)

0354 Well, my examination of chapter ten ends with a disturbing conclusion.

If wokeism manifests the post-truth condition of scientism3c, contextualizing the intersection of capitalism and socialism2b and operating on the potential of the human will1a, then there is no need for the entire suprasovereignc level of the societyC tier.

Scientism3aC is enough.

Scientism3c brings all phenomena2a into organizationB, through the ministrations of the psychometric sciences2b.  The scientismist one3c finds success2c in rendering actionable judgements2c.  Actionable judgments2c corresponds to organizational objects2aC of the societyC tier.

0355 How does scientism3aC compare to other institutions3aC?

On one hand, a religious movement3aC that aligns with the suprasovereign assumption3cC will spontaneously organizeB in order to accomplish its3aC organizational objectives2cC.  Businesses3aC that provide for obvious needs1aC also spontaneously organizeB as scrappy players strive to get ahead and earn a living.  Religious institutions and businesses contribute to civic society.  Sovereign power3bC is only necessary to maintain order1bC.

On the other hand, scientism3aC requires sovereign power3bC. How so?  Sovereign acts and decrees2bC are required in order to enforce empirio-normative judgments2aC emanating from the righteousness1aC that satisfies the experts3aC.

0356 To me, this implies that the one of scientism3c,3aC is not a spontaneous organization, but a requisition of existing organizations.

0357 In order to drive home this point, consider the creepiness of the following comparison.

Does this comparison imply that the one of scientism3c wants to bring all organizational objects3aC into harmony, with a relational object3cC, on the basis of characterizing righteousness1aC as opportunity1c for contextualizing expert-driven valuations2b?

Or does the scientismist one3c merely promote its empirio-normative judgments2c based on its own opportunities1cwithout regard to consilience1cC to a relational object2cC?

0358 Okay, let me say it again.

My examination of chapters fifteen, backwards to ten, ends with the disturbing comparison pictured above.

0359 In chapter nine, Ramaswamy addresses a prime example of wokeness as an infrasovereign religion3aC: big technology corporations.  The beauty of Big Tech3aC is that it is already entangled with the Deep State3bC and serves as a medium through which the sovereign3bC promulgates order1bC under a veil of righteousness1aC.

0360 How does the sovereign3bB, in this case the American Federal Government, establish order1bC on the internet?

Do the words, “market”, “transactional value” and “price” come to mind?

There is more.

Many people rely on big tech corporations for services, such as internet access, that provide a venue for their businesses.  The small company website or Facebook page are examples.  Typically, in order to run a business, one must have a state license.  Licensing businesses is the job2bC of the sovereign3bC.

In 1996, Congress passes and President Bill Clinton signs the so-called “Communications Decency Act”.  Ramaswamy discusses this legislation at length.  In a certain way, the federal government3bC farms out the internet licensing businessBto big tech companies3aC, by providing internet service providers with legal immunity2bC.  This is very similar to a state government not being held legally liable for the actions of a business that it has registered.

0361 So far, so good.

Section 230 says that first, internet providers3aC are not to be treated as publishers.  Instead, publishers are those who broadcast using an internet service.  Second, the provider may not be held liable for good-faith actions to restrict the access or the availability of obscene, lewd, lascivious… or otherwise objectionable displays of “information”, whether or not such material is constitutionally protected.

Or, something like that.

0362 From what I understand, Section 230 provides a loophole that is large enough to negate the first amendment.

Perhaps, America’s supreme court will rue the day when they ruled that pornography is the same as free speech.

Why?

Some say that “free speech” is “pornography for people who hate”.

Since pornography is obscene, lewd, lascivious… and so on, then any statement that violates “community standards” must be removed from display on the internet, as if it is pornographic.

0363 The rhetoric is rather confusing.

On one hand, actual pornography qualifies as “free speech”.

On the other hand, dissenting opinions must be treated as if they are pornographic and removed from display on the internet.

0364 Ramaswamy proposes an incredibly simple correction.  Access to obscene, lewd, lascivious… or otherwise objectionable displays should be restricted, except for material covered by the first amendment of the constitution of the United States.

Imagine the lawsuits that would come from that correction!

0365 Here is a picture of the societyC tier for this example.

On the situation level, the normal context of the Federal Government3bC brings the actuality of the 1996 so-called “Community Decency Act”2bC into relation with the possibility of ‘order on the then-fledgling internet’1bC.   The title gives sovereign authority3bC to internet providers3aC in order to first, provide platforms2aC (and not be held liable for the material that is published by users on the platform) and second, ensure that community standards1aC are upheld.

Of course, this raises a question, asking, “Who is going to propose the criteria needed to establish whether internet published material does not violate ‘community standards’?”

Who is going to enforce that criteria?

Am I talking about experts3b?

0366 I suspect the reader can guess where I am going with this.

0367 Community standards2b are constituted by financial exchange2H, associated with a user publishing on an internet service provider, and organizational objectives2V, associated with establishing criteria concerning what is objectionable and what is not objectionable.   

Community standards2V can be ensured1aC by internet providers3aC through a wide variety of manipulations, including biasing search algorithms, defunding incentives, as well as temporary and permanent deplatforming.  There are a lot of options for experts to employ.

0368 However, one consideration is not mentioned in all the academic discourse on ensuring community standards.  That consideration is precisely the one that Ramaswamy points out.  No expert discussion takes the first amendment of the constitution2cC into consideration.

0369 If anything, for America as a nation, the founding events and documents occupy the slot for relational object2cC.  The American Revolution is the foundation2cC of the United States.

Curiously, the American Revolution is “not religious”.  The first amendment of the American Constitution rules out the federal government establishing a religion.  Some call the “not religious” relational object2cC of the American Founding a “civic religion”.

But, what does that mean?

0370 So, I ask, “Can a the federal government establish a ‘not religious’ religion?”

There are two types of religion embedded in the societyC tier.

The relational object2cC dwells on the perspective level, also called “the suprasovereign level”, because itcC stands above the sovereignbC (situation) level.  Theoretically, a suprasovereign religion2cC cannot be established by a state3bC.  How can the state3bC put itself into context?

The organizational object2aC dwells on the content level, also called “the infrasovereign level”, because it2aC stands below the sovereignbC (situation) level.  Now, a state3bC can establish an infrasovereign religion2aC, simply by using sovereign decrees2bC to implement organizational objectives2aC of an institution3aC.

0371 The first amendment decrees that the federal government may not establish a religion.

What does this imply?

A Christian faction3aC cannot demand that sovereign decrees2bC implement its organizational objectives2aC.

The sovereign3bC cannot establish an infrasovereign religion3aC (Christian faction).

But, can the sovereign3bC establish an infrasovereign religion3aC that proclaims itself to be “not religious”?

Hmmm.

0372 The 1996 Communications Decency Act does not assume that the suprasovereign level exists.  The same Act2bCimplements the organizational objectives2aC of big tech institutions2aC by giving these institutions the legal authority2bCto censor anything that proves offensive to certain experts.

0373 The question arises, “Do the experts who want to ban certain political expressions constitute an institution3aC, contextualizing organizational objectives2aC, that emerge from (and situate) righteousness1aC.”

And, does that institution3aC demand sovereign power3bC in order to institute its organizational objectives2aC?

If the answer is “yes”, then sovereign power3bC establishes an infrasovereign relgion3aC.

08/21/24

Looking at Vivek Ramaswamy’s Book (2021) “Woke, Inc.” (Part 10 of 20)

0374 Chapter eight discusses the following topic.

What happens when dictators outside of the United States get involved in promotion of favored internet sites and censorship (or “depromotion”) of unfavored internet publishers?

These dictators are “stakeholders”, because internet service providers operate in more than one jurisdiction.

On one hand, big tech is international enough to operate as its own jurisdiction.

On the other hand, big tech corporations operate within the jurisdictions of various sovereign states. Experts are required to negotiate what needs to be done in order to operate in local sovereign jurisdictions (some of which are dictatorships).

0375 An old saying goes like this, “He who pays the piper, calls the tune.”

So, questions arise.  Who is paying the piper?  What is the tune that is being called for?

For the first question I can ask experts on capitalism.  For the second question, I can ask experts on socialism.

Plus, the resulting answer will be filled with contradictions.

0376 This brings me back to the post-truth condition.

Here is the general picture.

0377 Does the relativist one level compare to the institutiona (or infrasovereign) level of the societyC tier for this particular topic?

0378 If this comparison is relevant to the topic at hand, then what does that imply?

The dictator3bC seeks to virtually situate the internet service provider’s righteousness1aC with an order1bC that refuses2bCto question the policies of the um.. dictator3bC.

Yeah, there is no suprasovereign level participating in the prior sentence.

0379 Nonetheless, it seems to me that when a dictator3bC orders a big tech company3aC to alter the way that it ensures value2aC, the order3bC forces the internet provider to alter its organizational objectives2aC in such a way that the internet-provider’s empirio-normative judgment2c must adjust.

Adjustment occurs in several steps.

0380 To start, as far as the institution of an internet service3aC is concerned, the established empirio-normative judgment2c looks like this.

Disciplinary languages of experts on capitalism and on socialism (relation, thirdness) bring a normative narrative, that should be intelligible to reason (what ought to be, secondness), into relation with observations of phenomena of ‘what people say’, that should be recognizable to reason as universal, rather than biased or rigged (what is, firstness).

0381 What do I mean by using the term “reason” in this statement.

Reason3a,1a is the normal context of the intellect3a operating on the potential of the will1a.

That is to say, the perspective-level empirio-normative judgment2c appeals to the the content-level normal context and potential of reason3a,1a.

And, this may be framed as an interventional sign-relation, where the sign-vehicle is the empirio-normative judgment2c(SVi) and the sign-interpretant is reason3a,1a (SIi).

0382 In the next step, distortions on the perspective level of the post-truth condition pressures experts on the situation level.

The following virtual nested form tells the story.  The comment starts with the situation level and concludes on the perspective level.

0383 In the third step, an adjusted empirio-normative judgment2c attempts to trigger reason3a,1a in a way that invites skepticism.

08/20/24

Looking at Vivek Ramaswamy’s Book (2021) “Woke, Inc.” (Part 11 of 20)

0384 In the fourth step, an interventional sign-relation fails to initiate.

Recall, the structure of the interventional sign-relation is counterintuitive.

0385 How does a sign-relation operate?

A sign-vehicle (SV) stands for a sign-object (SO) in regards to a sign-interpretant (SI).

0386 One cannot use only one category-based nested form to depict a sign-relation.  Two adjacent levels are required.  So, sign-causality involves a SV on one level and a SO on the adjacent higher level.

0387 For example, the specifying sign-vehicle (SVs) is a content-level actuality and its sign-object is a situation-level actuality (SOs).  The content-level associates to firstness.  The situation-level associates to secondness.

Plus, the exemplar sign-vehicle (SVe) is a situationb-level actuality and its sign-object (SOe) is a perspectivec-level actuality2.

But, the interventional sign-vehicle (SVi) belongs to the perspectivec level.  There is no “fourthness”.  There is only firstness to return to.  That makes the interventional sign-relation most quizzical.  The interventional sign-object (SOi) resides in firstness, the category for the content-level.

0388 Here is a general picture for the interventional sign-relation.

0389 Here is the rub.

Unlike the sign-vehicle for the specifying sign, the sign-vehicle for the interventional sign cannot be seen, heard, smelled, tasted or touched.  Yet, it2c (SVi) must be present whenever the human psyche asks, “What is happening?”3a, and operates on the potential that ‘something’ could be happening1a (SIi).

Also, the sign-object for the interventional sign (SOi) is something that can be seen, heard, smelled, tasted or touched.  In fact, it2a is so apparent that it can be observed and measured as phenomena by psychometric scientists.  Yes, it2a is so obvious that it2a is contiguous with the sign-vehicle of the specifying sign relation (SVs).  This is the topic of Razie Mah’s blog in December 2023, titled Looking at Daniel Dennett’s Book (2017) “From Bacteria To Bach And Back”.

0390 For the interscope of the post-truth condition, the interventional sign-relation looks like this.

0391 What do I mean when I say that a stakeholder-adjusted empirio-normative judgment2c may fail to initiate an interventional sign-relation?

Well, clearly, the manipulative nature of the empirio-normative judgment2c is a feature, rather than a technical problem to be solved.  Success2c, for the scientismist one3c, turns a value-laden opportunity1c into an actionable judgment2c.  The judgment associates to the interventional sign-vehicle (SVi).  The action2c associates to its reception by the scrappy player’s reason3a,1a (SIi).

So, the failure goes like this.  If the empirio-normative judgment2c (SVi) is so distorted by accommodation to stakeholder demands, then content-level reason3a,1a (SIi) may not engage, as shown in the following figure.

08/19/24

Looking at Vivek Ramaswamy’s Book (2021) “Woke, Inc.” (Part 12 of 20)

0392 Chapter seven of Ramaswamy’s book discusses what happens next.

People who say, “This makes no sense.”, self-identify as “not belonging to the interscope of the scientismist one” and then become the targets of various henchmen of… what Ramaswamy calls… “the woke-industrial complex”.

Ramaswamy tells the story of a very intelligent idiot savant3a (of sorts) whose intelligence allowed him to see opportunities for financial transactions that experts could not envision2b, but whose idiocy refused the ministrations of psychometric scientists, who offered warnings concerning the unacceptable things that he was willing to say and do2b.

0393 Of course, Ramaswamy tells great story, but the story does not capture the mundane applications where the institutions of the one of scientism3aC call on sovereign power3bC in order to punish those who are deemed incapable aligning their reason3a,1a to the most recent empirio-normative judgment3c.

0394 In order to demonstrate this, I hybridize the institution level of the societyC tier with the perspective level of the post-truth interscope, resulting in the following diagram.

0395 For a ready-at-hand example, the empirio-normative topic labeled “the January 6 insurrection” within the “woke-media complex” should suffice.

The woke-media complex presents an incredibly fun-looking “Make America Great Again” party and protest in Washington D.C. on January 6, 2021 as an “insurrection”.  The label has all the hallmarks of expertise.  The label is explicitly mentioned in an amendment of the U.S. Constitution forbidding those who had participated in the War of Southern Rebellion (1860-1864) from being elected to political office.  Those who had committed “insurrection” must not return to sovereign power.

0396 Does that qualify as “social construction”?

Well, here is the corresponding empirio-normative judgment2c.

0397 With respect to what is (firstness), the phenomena selected by the woke-political media complex consists of snippets of video footage taken by participants, selectively edited and presented by experts as observations and records of the phenomena of the January 6 event.  Very little or none of the resulting cinematic experience matches testimony from the partiers.  Indeed, in some locations, capitol police welcomed the party-protesters into the Capitol building when, at the same time, Congress was in session and certifying the vote count from the electors of the electoral college.

0398 That brings me to what ought to be.

Unbeknownst to many of the party-protestors, the electoral-vote counting session entails a long-established protocol.  The vice president announces the votes of the electors, one state at a time.  A member of the House of Representatives may rise up and challenge the legitimacy of the electors when its votes are counted.  Then, the Vice President is supposed to ask, “Is there any senator willing to confirm the accusation?”  Of course, typically, no senator is willing to disrupt the proceedings with a confirmation.  They have better things to do with their valuable time.  So, no confirmation occurs, and the electoral votes are accepted.

0399 What would happen if a senator confirmed the accusation?

Well, both legislatures would go to their chambers and debate the issue for one or two hours and come to a decision whether to accept the state’s electoral votes or send the electoral votes back to the state and ask for the state to evaluate the accusation, then return with the votes of the correct electors.  That has to happen within two weeks.  After all, it is the electoral college that elects the president, rather than the mob… er… I mean, populations of huge cities with more votes total than many states combined.

0400 So, am I saying that the January 6 party-protestors disrupted this “counting session”, without even knowing what they were doing?

You bet.

0401 Is that why the event is called an “insurrection” by experts?

That is a very good question.

As far as any of the protesting partiers is concerned, the following diagram describes the scrappy level of the post-truth interscope.

0402 Clearly, people who actually attended the event will say one thing and think another.  But, my guess suggests what they are thinking and what they are saying show a certain coherence.  In other words, what a person thinks [can be objectified as] what that person is willing to say, under conditions when content is not situated by psychometric expertise.

And, what many participants of the January 6 party-protest are willing to say2a contradicts the normative narrative2c.

0403 Therefore, the lawyers of the woke-industrial complex have fashioned legal tools to punish these “insurrectionists”.

08/17/24

Looking at Vivek Ramaswamy’s Book (2021) “Woke, Inc.” (Part 13 of 20)

0404 Chapter six concerns the marriage between globalist corporations and wokeism.

Was it an arranged marriage?

0405 As it turns out, marriage is evolutionarily ancient.  It evolves as an adaptation in the Lebenswelt that we evolved in.  In our current Lebenswelt, which is not the Lebenswelt that we evolved in, marriage involves individuals in communityAcoming into organizationB under the auspices of societyC.

0406 In the series, How To Define the Word “Religion” and Related Primers (by Razie Mah, available at smashwords and other e-book venues), the family is discussed in three of the ten primers.  In The First Primer on the Organization Tier, the family is an example of the entire organizationB tier.  In The Second Primer on the Organization Tier, the family serves as an example of a corporationaB, occupying the contenta level of the organizationB tier.  In A Primer on the Family, the family embodies an institution3aC, occupying the slot for normal-context3 on the contenta-level of the societyC tier.

0407 Given these promotions, I picture below two of the tiers as interscopes.  In general, the three levels of an interscope are contenta, situationb and perspectivec.  For each tier, each level gets its own label.

0408 Woke-ism is an institution3aC, corresponding to an infra-sovereign religion, that calls upon sovereign power3aC in order to enforce its organizational objectives2aC.  Woke-ism fuses order1bC and righteousness1aC, and considers the fusion as opportunity1c, in regards to the post-truth condition.

Righteousness1aC put the organizationB tier into perspective.

0409 Globalist corporations, as corporations, belong to the contenta level of the organizationB tier.  These corporationsaBseek to manipulate business conditions in their favor through machinations on the societyC tier.  In particular, they want sovereign power3bC to assist in manipulating market exchangebB and protecting shareholder… or is it?.. stakeholder investmentcB.

0410 What about the “family” that comes into existence when globalist corporations host an ideology that hybridizes capitalism and socialism, relies on expertise, and expects scrappy players not to see that “success2c” no longer means “getting ahead2a” and instead means “the promulgation of a global-corporate empirio-normative judgment2c“.

Well, it looks more or less like the following.

0411 Woke-ism is a international sovereign religion.  Woke-ism is an infrasovereign religion that has successfully embedded itself within the organs of sovereign power in different jurisdictions.  The reason that woke-ism works comes from the convenience that the scientismist one3aC recognizes no relational object2cC capable of transcending the positivist intellect.  The positivist intellect has a rule.  Metaphysics is not allowed.

But, metaphysics is required in order to call all things into relation1cC on the suprasovereign level.

0412 Globalist corporations are concerned about sustainabilitycB, or long-term profitability within diverse jurisdictionscB.  Capital will flow towards the most “friendly” jurisdictions.  International exchangesbB foster supply chains.  Supplies are manufacturedaB in a variety of jurisdictions.  Global corporations use capital flows in order to maximize profits from their supply chains.

Experts in capitalism are required to conduct business in all aspects of the organization tier, from assessmentcB to supply chainsbB to human resourcesaB. In chapter seven, Ramaswamy shows how experts in capitalism may use experts in socialism in order to distract from exploitation and other criminal behaviors.  In chapter six, Ramaswamy suggests that experts in socialism may co-opt experts in capitalism.

0413 Ramaswamy tells a story about value.

Here is my variation.

Around 1970, economist Milton Friedman proclaims that the social purpose of a corporation is to pursue profit.  Profits maximize value to the shareholders.

A few years later, the infamous expert Klaus Schwab writes “The Davos Manifesto” calling for a code of ethics for all business leaders.  There is more to exchangebB than customers and products.  One must also consider the investors who are sensitive to their social responsibilities.  These investors call for “ethical capitalism”.

0414 This butting of heads occurs right in the middle of the Third Battle of the Enlightenment Gods: The Cold War among Materialist Ideologies (1945-1989).  Obviously, Friedman’s ideology is capitalism.  Klaus Schwab’s ideology is a variation of socialism.  The genius of Schwab’s formulation?  His version of socialism can hybridize with Friedman’s version of capitalism in order to produce an intersection called, “stakeholder capitalism”.

Stakeholder capitalism requires two styles of expertise.  The first style consists of capitalists who regard their “social responsibility” as turning a profit.  The second style consists of socialists who see value in nudging investor’s money towards righteousness.  The first style focuses on transactional or financial value2H.  The second style promotes transcendental or social value2V.

0415 The intersection of capitalist and socialist expertise constitutes a single actuality, labeled “value2b“.  Value2b stands at the heart of the post-truth interscope.

Ah, the psychometric sciences2b sound like an arranged marriage between two old ideological rivals, who finally discover that they have ‘something’ in common, thanks to the empirio-normative judgment2c, in the service of the one of scientism3c.