One thing leads to another...

Having spent six months in India, my grandson gave me the following counsel:

        Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your
words become your behaviors. Keep your behaviors positive because your behaviors become your habits. Keep your
habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your
destiny. Mahatma Gandhi

Which reminds me of cause-and-effect ... chaining that goes with how I conceive of humans interacting these days.
Although I'm not sure about positive as a qualifier.
Gandhi probably intended /kindly/friendly/serene/ versus /cruel/violent/an eye for an eye/.

Drawing records for a rat that chooses to move - within a large 'Skinner box' - revealed a refreshing
reality: 'The Stick and The Carrot' distinguish between 'punishment' and 'reinforcement' even more clearly than scientific definitions I had learned.

Situations are easily humanized ... one identifies with the animal almost from the word go ... so much
so, that it becomes hard to resist.  No doubt:  The Carrot' attracts, whereas: 'The Stick' strikes fear into
the heart of millions.  The Stick makes us run - away.  The Carrot lets us stand and stare; and munch;
and enjoy a leisurely breakfast and lunch.

Skinner comes to mind: 'science supplies its own wisdom'.
Limiting animal research to stationary animals is impeding the science of behavior plus the applications,

to an extent only longed for or just dreamed about, as yet.

July 27, 2012