Do we see patterns where there aren’t any? People like to say that we have a tendency to see things even when they aren’t there. It’s been named as pareidolia which in itself is a type of Apophenia, which covers things like seeing shapes in clouds or finding the face of Jesus in a piece of toast. And as someone who likes real patterns as well as actual mysteries and theories, it seems an interesting one to look at.

Especially as I have seen a few things that I ask myself whether they are what my brain ‘sees’ or, in fact, has it employed that mechanism to show me what it thinks I want to see. Keeping in mind, your brain doesn’t see anything itself, it just takes in the imagery before you and then does its thing, whether we are aware of it or not. Below are some images from google earth, of the Grand Canyon in America. With street view you can make your way down the canyon from the comfort of a screen, stopping and zooming in where you would like and taking in the geology as you go. And this is where things stand out from others sometimes, or it catches the eye as one might say as being unusual or slightly out of place. As did the below images to me. And it’s down to each person I guess to decide what they are seeing, or not seeing as well may be the case.

And there are many who claim to see what is there, not what is imagined, so who really knows what we see and how we interpret that. Just as mentioned in A Giant Debate, Devils Tower is debated to be the remnants of a huge tree stump by some people, and others say its volcanic and is just a rock formation which appears to be stump like because of its position in the landscape.

So, is it just our minds playing tricks on us as they might say? Or are we making sense of what we see and our brain will naturally give it an overhaul and use our mental reference library to find a familiar shape or idea to liken it to? Working out its place in the picture before us, just as we try to with ourselves and society. And it may just be a tantalising idea, that there were vast and advanced mega cities and civilisations before us, huge buildings, plants and animals interacting very differently from what we see in this time. Or that there might indeed be some of that still around today, either the final pieces of it left to rot and eventually be hidden by the ages or by information, or just perhaps some of it really does still remain and is just hidden away from us. Places like Shangri-La, Atlantis and El Dorado, the city of gold, do of course make for a good story which seems to last, but I can’t help thinking, what if…

(c) MKW Publishing

Working together but screwing each other over all the time. It wouldn’t work would it? And that’s where we seem to be in society, with it starting small here and there, between businesses and departments, overspilling into general daily life. Competing for your crumbs against everyone else. I have written a few articles already on the swirling pot of greed – Monopoly, Who’s That Trip Trapping On My Bridge and Making Money From Misery, about how people have been groomed to accept and be part of that machine.

Part of a collective, but pitted against each other and ultimately trying to turn people against themselves, which in some cases appears to be working. Creating division under the guise of diversity, leading to homogeny. All be different so you can be the same. But even within what we call the collective society, we should and at least used to understand that people are not all the same, do not have the same ideals or wants. An even ground often has to be agreed or decided, to find a balance in the interest of sanity, safety and the overall functionality of society. And currently, the ground is very uneven and creating quite the bumpy footing for people to try and find stability.

But everything seems split and against itself, the politicians that retain their grip on society is a classic example of something that is supposed to function as a whole, but is split into many different parts which are always at odds with itself. Almost strange that it was ever expected to function adequately as a proper business model, yet it did, under the guise of democracy for a time. Now we see it has been a different story altogether, of syphoning retirement plans and finances for themselves from your standard of living now. Making sure you have a basic and shortened existence, so they can line their own bed for later, while living well now on that ‘democracy’. As we have seen of late, the money being spent on everything but the good of the people of this country is eye-watering, while they keep taking ever more. It’s a strange bind to be in, because clearly many people just want to get on, and keep going in the hope that maybe something will give, or that reason and maturity will return to the facade that is politics.

So, we see that while they said we are all in this together, it would appear not. Many do not and will not have to suffer the consequences of their actions, or any repercussions at all, only getting to see the fall-out from their comfy front row seat, that they made sure to have. And just like the scientists in The Beautiful Mice, they believe they know how they experiment will run its course, as it is meant to. But what they don’t tell you or show you, is in the live version out in the uncontrolled environment, is that the scientists, or professor or politicians usually get swallowed up and eaten alive by their creation or idea. And that’s when people shake their head and say, well, it all started with good intentions…

(c) K Wicks

A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down they say, or rather they sing, but giving something a sugary overcoat can indeed make it more palatable. Mentally and physically.

Willy Wonka – a mysterious factory of wonder, to tempt and entice with their sugary treats. If you read the book or watched the films, then you will also know that there is a strange and dark undertone to them. With all sorts of reveals of human nature and mental instability, in both the children and the owner of the chocolate factory.

Chocolate companies – there are some rather large names these days in the world of chocolate, and for decades have been quite pivotal in certain areas. Hearing that back in the day, one of them sent lots of representatives to the African continent, in white coats, to push baby formula as a product. The white coats did a good job at convincing folk they were ‘health professionals’ and that their recommendations were sound. Moving a whole new generation and demographic away from natural, and onto processed and into the consumer fold.

Candy & Sweets – children and sugar seem to go together like bullets and guns. In fact, it’s people and sugar, because it’s not something we grow out of. Those out there who are said to have a ‘sweet tooth’, and find their way to a more sugary diet than others. Which has its own problems if you consume too much, and can be a controlling factor in some people’s lives more than they would like. But it’s a known lure for children, as the saying goes about not taking candy from strangers, because children can be very motivated by things they would like, with little to no thought about what it means, only focusing on the item at hand to be bargained for.

Halloween – another thing that revolves around children and sweets these days, about knocking on strangers door and actually asking for candy. What a turnaround from don’t talk to strangers and accept treats from them, with the odd twist of turning on them if they want a trick instead of handing you over goodies. Very vampirish too, asking for something at their doorway, wanting a compliant exchange to take place, with a threatening theme lurking in the background.

Sort of how maybe society operates, with the hooks and lures to tempt you, but just as speculated in my article That’s The Ticket, you need to be a willing participant. You have to agree, sign your life away and take part of your own accord, once you have been groomed and conditioned to accept of course. Not perhaps quite recognising it for what it is, and where our senses may ordinarily detect a bitter undertone, it has been deceived by something seemingly sweet. Whether that be a word, a smile or something edible, always ask yourself what might be behind all that sweetness…

(c) MKW Publishing