HIT IT HARDER, MAESTRO!
Perhaps the primary mode of problem solving in the human
species has been identified as 'The Bigger Hammer' approach. If that square peg
won't fit conveniently into that round hole, get a bigger hammer to drive it in with. If the
ancient theory of Ptolemy that everything revolves around the Earth fails to explain the
observed motion of the planets, add epicycles in preference to developing a new
hypothesis -- and burn any satanically inspired bastard like Copernicus or Bruno who has
the temerity to state otherwise. If there exists no legitimate evidence of racial differences
in intelligence (whatever 'intelligence' might be), join Sir Cyril Burt in manufacturing that
evidence. If the legalistic approach to the control of drug use shows over 60 years of
absolute failure dating from the criminilization of marijuana, let us -- as recommended by
the cheer from my high school days -- 'Do it again; do it again, harder, harder!'
It is generally believed by scholars of human evolution that
this trait of our race is an ancient one. Ever since Oooog Of The Pleistescene first
shattered both his stone hammer and his tent peg trying to drive the latter through sun-
hardened mamouth dung (because Oooog's forefathers had been putting their tents in that
spot since before there were mammoths), human kind has resisted exchanging
the familiarity of the tried and false for the frightening novelty of untried and maybe true.
It was said above that scholars generally agree on this point,
and most of the major theorists on human evolution have been read in establishing this
principle. Some claim that symbolic manipulation in art is a late comer to the human line;
others say that language is a very recent innovation. But none has stated that the Bigger
Hammer approach to problem solving developed late in our history. In fact, few even
mention it, so well understood is its antiquity. Does Richard Leakey say that it is a recent
invention? No. And Donald Johansson? Or Dean Falk? No, and no some more. By the
very silence of these experts we must conclude that bigger hammers have been around as
long as hammers themselves.
But where did they come from? Well, in Imaginary Reality
there is no need for a bigger hammer. That square peg will fit nicely into that round hole
if the Imaginarian demand it do so. In Ordinary Reality, the notion leads only to smashed
pegs, charred astronomers, rich criminals and monstrous taxes paid to support futile law-
enforcement efforts. However, the Imaginarian, used to a wish-operated reality structure
but attempting to function in the cause-and-effect realm of Ordinary Reality, just might try
to apply the tenets of his own reality segment to ours. The predicted results would be
exactly those we have observed. Think about it.