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Split People in a Split World 331

protection agencies, the dictates of his family, and the expectations of his
religion. These rules are not necessarily all consistent.

Replacing the Genuine with the Imitation

I suggest that competition between various pseudo-cultures and
between competing pseudo-theories has the unfortunate byproduct of
driving out the genuine and replacing it with the imitation. First, we have
an environment in which each pseudo-culture uses professional advertising
to sell its product. How do these items
compete? In a real culture, people would
have meaningful Mercy needs and desires.
Individuals would know what they want
and advertising could address these genuine
requirements. In contrast, a pseudo-culture
lacks Mercy feelings; therefore it must
create Mercy desires. How will it do this?
By adding more Teacher professionalism:
The product has extra features, is „new and
improved,‟ scientifically developed and
tested, and professionally presented and
advertised. In other words, culture grows by
becoming more „pseudo.‟
Meanwhile, Mercy thought has to cope
with a continuing barrage of conflicting emotional messages. If we listen to
music, and it is too loud, then we turn down the volume. Similarly, when
feelings are too strong, then Mercy mode reacts by reducing its emotional
sensitivity. This causes the mind to ignore true culture as Mercy strategy
loses its ability to appreciate the subtle pleasures of the real thing. Thus,
the quiet voice of the genuine is drowned out amid the clamoring of the
imitation.

Pseudo-culture drives out culture:

 Professional technology distracts people from Mercy feelings.

 Mercy mode closes up to protect itself, and people stop interacting.

Second, a similar process occurs with pseudo-theories. For instance,
suppose that I live in a massive house, drive an expensive car, and talk
constantly on my cellular phone. My actions may not have any greater
Teacher order than those of my neighbor, but the Mercy emotions
associated with these objects will give my conduct the appearance of
Teacher order. I will look like a „mover and shaker‟—someone whose
actions have a wide effect and whose personal influence has a vast domain.
This is how pseudo-theories compete. They do not interact
intellectually, for they lack true Teacher order. Instead, each pseudo-theory