140 A Programmer’s Guide to the Mind
This process seems to be inevitable. In order to evaluate connections
rationally, Perceiver strategy must be „alive.‟ But, Perceiver thought can
only become alive if information enters Perceiver thought, forms a network,
and begins to operate. Until then, Perceiver strategy is simply an empty
room with a wide open window into Mercy thought—and no „living‟
Perceiver observer present to test potential connections.
Parents are usually the biggest
source of emotional 'truth' for the child.
Like it or not, they have the power of
life and death over their offspring;
unless they provide sufficient food,
shelter and nurture, their children will
die. Therefore, emotional memories
associated with mother and father form
the core of the child‟s internal Mercy
world. This emotional glare mesmerizes Perceiver thought in the child into
'believing' everything that mommy or daddy say or do as absolute 'truth.' I
still remember the shock to my system when my Dad told me that he did
not know everything. I thought fathers were omniscient. As for mother, the
child is definitely convinced that she can solve any problem and satisfy
every desire.
I suggest that this explains why children are so good at copying the
actions and attitudes of adults. It is almost as if they are little mirrors which
reflect the character of their parents. We can explain this response by
looking at the interaction between Mercy and Perceiver thought: First, the
child emotionally identifies with his parents. Therefore, the memories
which fill his Mercy internal world are an accurate picture of the behavior
of his parents and other emotional figures. Second, the child is mesmerized
by his parents. Any specific situation which is seen by the internal Mercy
world is interpreted by Perceiver strategy as a universal 'fact.' Perceiver
thought in the child therefore observes how parents put experiences
together and believes that this is how all people react at all times. Third,
this combination of emotional experiences within the Mercy internal world,
and Perceiver 'facts' within the Perceiver internal world becomes the „tour
guide‟ and „map‟ that directs the behavior of the child. Therefore, if mother
pushes her infant around in a baby carriage, then the child eventually wants
to push around baby carriages, just like mother. If father rolls his eyes and
says “I just can‟t stand it...” when he feels disgusted, then his child does
the same. Likewise, if father says that the moon is made out of green
cheese, then the child believes this to be absolute 'truth,' because the child
'knows' that „Daddy knows everything.‟
Perceiver strategy begins life mesmerized by Mercy feelings.
Children view parents and culture as the ultimate source of 'truth.'