Posted on 05/05/2011 9:13:07 AM PDT by MattAMatt
Obama's Presidency Victimized by Gutsy Decisions A recent study conducted by the Max Plank Institute concluded that decisions are made in the subconscious (Limbic System) long before the cognitive area (Cerebral Cortex) of the brain is activated. In fact, The Limbic System is responsible for motivated behaviors, emotional states, memory and subconscious activities like breathing. It arrives at decisions by accessing it's memory of historical emotions related to possible outcomes of each decision. Decisions with a high risk of causing undesirable feelings are disgarded unless they parallel values and beliefs. Decisions that are likely to result in desirable emotions and are in line with values and beliefs are chosen and sent to the Cerebral Cortex.
It's at this point that we are aware of our subconscious decision and have a choice to act on it or compare it to fact, logic and reason. Unfortunately, values and beliefs stem from an individual's sense of identity and purpose. Any attempt to question one's identity is easily perceived as a personal attack and therefore, decisions based on facts are immediately considered to be lies and intense emotional justification occurs.
Very few politicians have a better grasp on the science behind how emotions, values and beliefs inspire irrational behavior better than President Obama. He knows that courage, compassion and empathy for the less fortunate are prominent American values. Obama's "gutsy" decision to approve the assassination of Osama Bin Laden is one of countless examples of his strategy to manipulate unconscious decisions. When compared to facts surrounding the event, "gutsy" quickly turns into "cowardly".
As of May 3, 2011, approximately 1,461 members of the U.S. military have died in Afghanistan and at least 4,452 members of the US military have died in Iraq. 11,191 U.S. service members in Afganastan with an additional 32,079 in Iraq. Eleven years after 3,497 Americans died on 9/11 an opportunity to exact justice on the mastermind of the attacks is presented to President Obama. It took him 16 hours of intense political pressure for him to make the decision. One might argue that there were innocent women and children in the compound. What about the courageous men and women in our military that lost their lives fighting for what they believed in? What about the innocent lives lost on 9/11? What about all the innocent lives that have been taken around the world as a result of Osama Bin Laden's murderous ideology. What about the number of lives that could be spared because that murderous thug is gone?
The only reasons why it could possibly take so long to make that decision is because the projected negative feelings and/or the core values were conflicting with the decision. When using the cognitive brain to weigh the pros and cons, it's an almost immediate decision. A courageous individual would've immediately ignored the subconscious and put self aside in a split second.
It's clear that the primary goal of Obama's communications strategy is to create a public perception that he is a courageous leader. Since the beginning of time courageous leaders have been adorned by the masses. America's independence was made possible by the courageous acts of selfless individuals who were willing to give their lives for freedom. Courage is a core value that will forever define Americans and inspire loyalty. Obama's decision being sensationalized by the media as "gutsy" is nothing more than an attempt to sway public opinion and inspire irrational decisions. Furthermore, his followers will perceive any criticism as an attack on their identity and be baffled that Obama is being victimized because of his courage. Obama's Presidency to date has been victimized by gutsy decisions in the minds of those who refuse to use their cognitive reasoning. Unfortunately, those of us who have learned to base decisions on facts have to endure another election cycle riddled with irrationality.
Scienceblogs.com: Unconscious Brain Activity Shapes Our Decisoins: April 13, 2008 1:01 PM, by Ed Yong Learner.org: Discovery Psychology, The Human Brain The Ethical Brain. Michael S. Gazzaniga. xx + 201 pp. Dana Press, 2005. Fine, Cordelia (2006) A Mind of its Own: How your brain distorts and deceives Cambridge, UK: Icon Books. Gilovich, Thomas (1993). How We Know What Isn't So: The Fallibility of Human Reason in Everyday Life. New York: The Free Press Haselton, M.G., Nettle, D. & Andrews, P.W. (2005). The evolution of cognitive bias. In D.M. Buss (Ed.), Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology, (pp. 724–746). Hoboken: Wiley. Tavris, Carol and Elliot Aronson (2007) Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions and Hurtful Acts Orlando, Florida: Harcourt Books.
The only risk for Obama was that the attack would have failed somehow, like Carter's attempt to rescue the hostages in Iran. If that had happened, the media would have made it a 48-hour story before finding something else to obsess over so the political damage would have been limited and temporary.
It ain’t easy being Presentdent.
Obama must be constipated.
His "guts" do not seem to work very fast.
This is a larger scale reprise of the "Pirate Episode," where finally the people on the ground took the initiative and finished the mission. In the OBL case, it i beginning to appear that Panetta took the initiative and the Affirmative Action Anus was actually clued in on a "need to know" basis and rewarded for staying out of the way by being allowed to claim the credit.
BTW, I have not forgotten that Obama has not punished those pirates who killed the 4 Americans on their yacht.
Read the article. Thats what it says
40 minutes is a long time...the kill and capture times were probably less than 5 minutes. Searching for info took the time.
I have to believe we left at least one guy behind who walked out into the almost moonless night. And you think we didn't leave any cameras??
Zero had NO CHOICE but to give the “gutsy” go-ahead to take out Bin Laden.
Imagine if he had followed the wishes of his leftist heart and refused. He knows it would have been the stake-thru-the-heart for his presidency. The 16 hours of dithering indecision proves he is no genius.
Fixed typo ;-)
Imagine if he had followed the wishes of his leftist heart and refused. He knows it would have been the stake-thru-the-heart for his presidency. The 16 hours of dithering indecision proves he is no genius.
Fortunately the warning he tried to send to osama during those 16 hours was not received or not heeded and we got him anyway.
For poor little brocko, just voting “present” represents his version of a gutsy decision.
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