Opponent Processing and Democracy

Dr. John Vervaeke and guest Greg Thomas delve into the nuanced realm of 'Democracy as Antagonistic Cooperation' in the second installment of a captivating three-part series. Drawing parallels with jazz, Greg Thomas showcases how arts can lead to a deeper understanding and appreciation of democratic values. Dr. Vervaeke emphasizes the criticality of a shared cultural repertoire that trains cognition and shapes how democracy is internalized. They touch upon the often-overlooked interdependencies in politics, suggesting that opposing sides often complete each other, creating a holistic understanding. Greg Thomas brings forth the influence of Black Americans on democracy, given their unique sociocultural positioning. Topics span from the importance of humor in a democratic setup to the transformative virtues necessary for its functioning, marrying the worlds of art, music, and politics and offering a fresh perspective on the mechanics of democracy.

Resources:

Videos

• John Vervaeke: Democracy and the Relevance Realization of Distributed Cognition

Books

• Developmental Politics: How America Can Grow Into a Better Version of Itself - Steve McIntosh

• Civic Jazz: American Music and Kenneth Burke on the Art of Getting Along - Gregory Clark

• Zombies in Western Culture: A Twenty-First Century Crisis - John Vervaeke, Christopher Mastropietro, and Filip Miscevic

• The Courage to Be - Paul Tillich

• How Culture Works - Paul Bohannan

• Justice by Means of Democracy | Talking to Strangers: Anxieties of Citizenship since Brown v. Board of Education - Danielle Allen

• The Omni-Americans: Black Experience And American Culture | The Hero And the Blues - Albert Murray

• Invisible Man | Shadow and Act | Going to the Territory - Ralph Ellison

Publications

• Can Civic Jazz Resolve Our American Dilemma? | Democracy and a Post-Tragic Blues Sensibility  | Charlie Parker’s Higher Octave | Democracy 3.0: Chaos Before Order | Democracy 3.0: The Consilience Project | Democracy 3.0: The Wise Democracy Project - Greg Thomas

• On Ritual Knowledge - Theodore W. Jennings

• The Little Man at Chehaw Station - Ralph Ellison

• Ensemble Interplay: Owning Change and Transformation - Jewel Kinch-Thomas

Music

• Cherokee - 1942, Charlie Parker, Parker was 22 years old when this was recorded. Three years later he transformed jazz improvisation with his variation on “Cherokee” entitled “Koko.”

• Passion Dance - McCoy Tyner 

Movies

• Get Out (2017) 

• The Wicker Man (1973)

Misc

• Danielle Allen, Harvard

• Michael Winkelman

• An Omni-American Future

• The Wise Democracy Pattern Language

Timecodes:

[00:01:02] Greg Thomas introduces the theme "Democracy as Antagonistic Cooperation." Dr. Vervaeke explains opponent processing.

[00:08:10] Dr. John Vervaeke discusses the concept of polarity in politics, where each side demonizes the other, leading to a breakdown of collective intelligence and problem-solving capabilities. Greg Thomas points out the interdependent polarities in American politics, where the gaps and biases of one side are filled by the other. 

[00:10:40] A significant question arises: How can we bridge political divides?

[00:16:52] Greg Thomas introduces the book, Civic Jazz, which integrates the work of Kenneth Burke, discusses the importance of rhetoric in art and communication, and explains how art, particularly jazz, can move people toward a realization of American civic and democratic ideals. 

[00:26:05] Dr. John Vervaeke discusses the importance of cultural forms, such as music, in training cognition and proposes the transformation of dialectic into dialogos as a means to provide people with alternatives to the courtroom of debate, emphasizing the need for a broadly shared cultural repertoire that affords the cultural cognitive grammar of appropriating and appreciating democracy.

[00:30:00] Black Americans' unique democratic perspective is discussed, seen through the lens of Jazz. Dr. Vervaeke discusses the adjacent innovation thesis, highlighting peripheral perspectives.

[00:38:18] Greg Thomas showcases the educational prowess of his band, blending theory with musical practice, and describes a moment of antagonistic cooperation where the band was challenged to demonstrate their process of integrating new members and resolving conflicts.

[00:46:48] Discussion of the concept of scapegoats, particularly in a democratic society. Thomas emphasizes the importance of recognizing the sacrifices made by others for social cohesion and the significance of peaceful transitions of power. 

[00:55:12] The visceral nature of fear and the feeling of impending doom are discussed, likening this feeling to the suspense and terror in a well-crafted horror movie. The movie "Get Out" is discussed as a reflection of identity manipulation.

[01:00:01] The symbolic "sunken place" is unpacked, discussing enslavement and manipulation in democratic societies. Greg Thomas discusses the importance of respecting and honoring those who sacrifice and lose in a democracy.

[01:07:00] The role of humor in preventing conflicts from turning hostile is highlighted.

[01:08:38] Dr. Vervaeke poses a thought-provoking question about the displaced scapegoat function in societies. They explore how certain forms of scapegoating, such as lynching, have been eradicated, but the underlying function may still persist in different manifestations, prompting reflection on how to address this function in a changing society.

[01:17:17] Dr. John Vervaeke discusses the concept of being a citizen of the cosmos, emphasizing the crucial transformation of character and the cultivation of virtue and wisdom that it demands. He highlights how cultivating these virtues is essential for the effective functioning of a democracy.

[01:18:45] Democracy 3.0 is introduced, hinting at an evolved democratic pattern language.