Values and principles as pills?

Psychosocial Transformation by "Pill Pushing"? (Part #6)

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As noted above, much is currently made by politicians of the values fundamental to society -- and the need to protect them against alternative values by which they are believed to be threatened. The clash of civilizations and the problematic relation between the Abrahamic religions exemplifies this dynamic -- for which Islamic terrorism is cited as a particularly deadly threat by those who choose to forget the consequences of Christian terrorism and its impact on other cultures. Clearly there is a sense in which each religion righteously perceives its own world view as a "red pill" with those failing to subscribe to it as having chosen the "blue pill" -- possibly even framed as the left-hand path and potentially "evil" (Existence of evil as authoritatively claimed to be an overriding strategic concern, 2016).

How might the subtlety of values be recognized in terms of "designer pills"? As noted above, Edward de Bono, provides one lead (Six Value Medals, 2005). Medals can be recognized as "designed" to embody values and ensure their commemoration, as discussed separately (Quantum Wampum Essential to Navigating Ragnarok: thrival in crisis through embodying turbulent flow, 2014).

Especially interesting is the manner in which the transformative power of preferred values is asserted as non-negotiable and unquestionable. Can they be understood as a form of "preventive medication" -- simplistically designed to inhibit any radical paradigm shift?

Does conventional use of "love", "peace", "justice", "liberty" and "equality" merit exploration in such terms -- given the manner in which the terms are abused in society? (Cultivating the Myth of Human Equality: ignoring complicity in the contradictions thereby engendered, 2016). Questions to be asked include whether and by whom "love" is already framed as a "pill", as variously asked by some.

Rather than the static implication of any pill, is there a hidden dynamic to be recognized that is more consistent with its process implications (Freedom, Democracy, Justice: Isolated Nouns or Interwoven Verbs? Illusory quest for qualities and principles dynamically disguised, 2011). The static focus of strategic reports is indicative of this constraint (Dynamic Transformation of Static Reporting of Global Processes: suggestions for process-oriented titles of global issue reports, 2013).

Such a possibility could be explored further in the light of the recent declaration by the UN Secretary-General (UN must reform to defend enlightenment values, secretary-general says, The Guardian, 10 May 2017) pointing to the three separate pillars of the UN: peace and security, human rights and sustainable development. He asked whether these could continue to be addressed separately, calling for them to be combined into a single program -- one central to any strategy of of reform.

Understood as "value pills", it could be argued that this implies a "multi-pill" complex as being fundamental to the UN, if it is to be recognized as the "big pill" through which the ills of global civilization are to be remedied. Speculatively, since these are otherwise in no way comprehended as integrated, the following images offer pointers. Their structure anticipates discussion below. The image on the right derives from a separate discussion (Cognitive Cycles Vital to Sustainable Self-Governance, 2009).

Interwoven metrics of relevance to global governance	Three-fold "pill" of enlightenment values?
Adaptations of an illustration from a 13th-century French manuscript, as reproduced in Didron's book Christian Iconography, 1843; from Wikipedia)

The red pill metaphor has been used as a focus for discussion of moral considerations (The Red Pill of Moral Psychology, Pragmatic Education, 1 October 2016). It has also provided a focus for courses (Psychology of the Red Pill: decoding your mental matrix, Udemy, March 2015).

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