Joe lived offshore in Sausalito for a few years on north San Francisco Bay (locally called Richardsons Bay). The offshore people there are an elite society of sociopaths. During winter storms, the offshore people get together for company in one of the houseboats while everything is rolling & pitching in the waves. Since not much can be accomplished under those conditions, a distraction is called for. To pass time during the storm, they smoke weed and drink Southern Comfort till the waves become irrelevant. Everyone sits on the floor below deck for safety, so they won't pitch overboard, or have far to fall if they loose balance. You can just feel the status while the room spins. It feels like being cold, numb, tossed and disoriented, while listening to idiots laugh and hurl. Oh heck yeah!

There was a story about a previous storm party that came unmoored. In their condition, nobody on board noticed as their boat blew out w/ the tide, into the shipping channel, out under the Golden Gate, and into the wide Pacific. The first anybody knew about it was when a Coast Guard seaman came down the hatchway, saw everybody blasted & said "... you guys ok?". Then put them all under arrest for drugs, reckless endangerment, and creating a hazard to shipping. It could have ended worse I suppose, but if they'd survived, their status would have probably been astronomical. At least among themselves.

For membership security, the true believer must say and do things that define the group. Shows of "enhanced" ideology often gain status, like having a bruise on ones forehead from diligent prayer, whacking a rival gang member, or being the most reckless fool on the ship. Most people will do desperately stupid things in order to belong. Belonging trades responsibility for group security.

Testosterone increases sensitivity to political "status", not aggression. (Eurekalert)




Study: Believers inferences about Gods Beliefs are uniquely egocentric (physorg.com)
and If you want to know the mind of God – look in the mirror. same study (theness.com)
Probable source of The New Atheism (unreasonablefaith.com)
Give some money to The Secular Coalition for America
Another glossy brochure to hand out on the street, or door to door. Remember: be sure to dress well & don't go naked smelling like brimstone.
And now: "BRAIN WAVES!" (Science Daily)