Chapter 13

THE TRASH-PROGRAMS (cont.)

The programs of this group are of three main kinds:

1. programs that introduce errors that are relevant for one of the basic emotions.
2. programs that cause errors in certain circumstances that are relevant to mixtures of basic emotions.
3. programs that are responsible for widespread distortions in the emotional testing of reality.

Why are programs trashy?

a) First and foremost is the huge number of programs, chunks of information and other impressions stored in our memory which we have to deal with:

• We have a substantial number of innate programs that are hard to mold into more advanced and divergent forms.
• We have a nearly infinite number of memory traces of the activities of ad hoc programs registered which we have to refer to when relevant problems are encountered.
• We have a rich environment which changes constantly. This brings us face to face with new opportunities and dangers and force us to build and maintain a multitude of additional programs, most of them not executed in real life even once.

b) Second, in order but not in importance, is the limited capacity of our brain and mind processes responsible for the updating, mending, accommodating and adapting of the supra-programs of the mind.

c) The third reason is the built-in strategy of the brain and mind system when confronted with the "impossible mission" of managing real life. Because of these limits, most of the adaptation processes are initiated by it only when ad hoc programs are built, whether for internal use or for actual behavior.

(If the system tried to update, mend, accommodate and adapt all programs stored in memory, we would be stuck with those of the first months of life!!!)

d) As we have built by ourselves, copied from others and been given abundant examples of programs which were trashy to begin with (as they were built of far-from-perfect components), even the complete adaptation of one program seems to be impossible.

e) People around us are usually interested in what we are doing and feeling. It started even before birth and will usually continue, even after our death. Part of them built in us programs on purpose - for their good, or for ours, because of cultural demands and because of their own various trash-programs. In many cases their effect on our programs was just accidental or even randomly.

f) One of the most important factors which contribute to the trashiness of our programs - the more emotional and the less emotional ones are the cover-programs. For many reasons, these programs prevent or limit the involvement of the awareness in many programs, contents and felt sensations of the body. When access to the awareness and its attentional resources is limited, the application of the amendment processes to the trash-program is also limited and the level of their trashiness remains high.

g) We nearly always neglect the only opportunity we have to make things a bit more bearable due to laziness, prejudice and ignorance, i.e. we do not "listen" to the "begging" of the control routines of the active ad hoc programs, which request the addition of attentional resources, even when submitted as clearly felt sensations.

Common roots of trash-programs

The following are a few of the most prevalent "replicas" or contents of messages of socialization agents. They were surely recited to you many times. Even if you cannot recall the fact and even if you missed a few, they are very good material for self-provocation intended to summon felt sensations for focusing purposes (recycling emotion G in chapter 5).

1. Do not feel emotion X!!! (Here and in the other items, synonyms and "relatives" of the word "emotion" are applied too.)
2. Why do you not feel emotion Y?
3. In situation X you should feel emotion Y and not emotion Z.
4. In situation X substitute emotion Y for that of Z.
5. Change emotion X with the substance Y (food, drug, beverage, etc.).
6. After emotion X comes/ must come the emotion Y.
7. Emotion X is not proper for one who is male/female, and whose age is Y and his social status is Z.
8. Refrain from too high/ low intensity of the emotion X in situation Y in the presence of Z.
9. It is better not to execute behavior X or express Y in situation Z.
10. If you do X you should/ would feel Y instead of Z.
11. Refrain from behavior which cause a discernible measure of emotion X.
12. In situation Y change the emotion X into its opposite.
13. Instead of doing X, feel Y.
14. Instead of feeling X, do Y.
15. See what emotion X you are causing me.
16. Do not be/ behave like a baby.
17. Do/ stop doing X which results or intends to cause emotion Y to Z otherwise...

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