Lately I have been talking with friends about an organ of our minds that I refer to as “the threat detector system’. Once triggered (that is: overstimulated), it can produce endless varieties of ‘possible threats’. The problem is that, once triggered, it tends to lose touch with our actual situation and relationships. It then begins ‘inventing black unicorns with spider venom and scorpion tails’ which it poses on an inward stage in order to fascinate, terrify, and otherwise compromise our minds. Why might this happen? One reason is simple: like a government, once it is activated (and funded) it wants to ‘remain in control’, and that means ‘get the fuel’ of awareness, concern and attention. It’s like an inflammation that just wants to keep growing.
This article is on a related topic: OpSec (operational security), which is a subsystem of the threat detection array that we develop in response to information, rewards and punishments that mostly originate in language and culture.
“In this part of modeling, it’s important to focus on the most likely threats to your assets and not get caught up in protecting against unicorns.”
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