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 %ALIENATE CONTROL TABOO TRAP DISINTEGRATE CONFLICT 921013

     Communities   which  attempt  to  control   dangerous
behaviors  through  the threats of alienative  taboos fall
into  the  trap  of perpetuating the  dangerous  behaviors
which they seek to avoid.

     The  threats of alienation which are inherent in  the
use of alienative taboos causes people to  seek  to  avoid
and forget the  memories  associated with the  breaking of
the taboos.  Thus memories associated with the  proscribed
behaviors are repressed,  confused,  masked, and otherwise
made unavailable for  use  as  aids  in  dealing  with the
consequences   of  the  proscribed  behaviors.   Then   in
ignorance of  the  details of  the natural consequences of
the proscribed behaviors;  the members of the community do
not know  how  to take practical steps to avoid  repeating
the mistake of engaging in the proscribed behaviors.  They
in   ignorance  cannot  distinguish   between   proscribed
behavior and integrative behavior.

     Communities   which  attempt  to  control   dangerous
behaviors through the threats of alienative taboos thereby
fall into the  trap  of  not  being  free to recognize and
respect the integrative  behaviors  which are conceived by
their   most  creative  members.   Often  new  integrative
patterns  of behavior  appear to fearful people to be much
the  same  as proscribed taboo behaviors---because of  the
ignorance  and  confusion which has been generated through
the functioning of  alienative  taboos.  Thus they  cannot
transcend the ignorance  and confusion which are generated
by alienative taboos;   because  ignorance  and  confusion
inhibit the encouragement of integrative creativity.

     The   avoidance  of  dangerous  behaviors  is  better
promoted by open and honest dialogue regarding the natural
consequences   of  the  dangerous  behaviors,    than   by
alienative  taboos  which inhibit open and honest dialogue
regarding   the  natural  consequences  of  the  dangerous
behaviors.    It  is  better  to  promote  knowledge   and
understanding of the consequences of  dangerous behaviors,
than  to  promote  ignorance and confusion  regarding  the
natural consequences of dangerous behaviors.

     The natural consequences of dangerous behaviors  must
be  distinguished  from  the  artificial  consequences  of
alienative  taboos.   People  will not take seriously  the
dangers  which  are inherent in  dangerous  behaviors---if
those  real dangers are masked/confused by an  overlay  of
the consequences of alienative taboos which are not direct
natural  consequences of the dangerous  behaviors  in  the
absence of any alienative taboos.  It is better to promote
dialogue and clear memories of the natural consequences of
dangerous  behaviors,   than to overlay  and  confuse  the
natural  consequences  with  artificial threats which  are
alienative in character.

     If open and honest dialogue is promoted regarding the
natural  consequences  of  dangerous behaviors---then  the
ignorance,  confusion and forgetfulness which is generated
by alienative taboos can be avoided; and in addition there
will be the benefits of clearer understanding and memories
associated  with the recognition of the conception of  new
and  creative behaviors which are essentially  integrative
in character.  Within the context of communities which are
regularly  engaged  in open and honest  dialogue, creative
members  will  be encouraged to conceive  and  share  with
others many  new  patterns  of  behavior  which  are  more
integrative than the old patterns of behavior.  Alienative
taboos do not encourage such creativity.

                         (c) 1997 by Paul A. Smith in
                      "Search for Integrity and Honesty"
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)

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