Not bad, for a young professor!
Yes, (3) was not quite clear. I would also add to it:
(3a) Link increased self-confidence and conviction with this Higher Power
*rather* than Reality.
(3a++) Convince the subject that you represent the Higher Power on Earth (or
at least are in good terms with MS Him/Her)
(3b) Have the subject follow, admire you, buy cognac and cigars, and obey
you in other areas as a result.
Good work, thank you Tim. I consider it a privilege to have friends and
acquaintances who are so thoughtful and full of integrity (as my Zen MS
Master used to say).
>Once he had seen this inter-relation the professor imedeately dashed off
>to the lab and, by separating the first section from the rest, created an
>altered MAIDS virus with this new structure:
>
> (1) Provisionally accept an undefined non-given, <X>.
>
> (2) Link increased self-confidence and purpose with <X>.
>
> (3) Repeat until desired self esteem is established.
Tim, this is AA, isn't it? One of the 12 steps is to accept or
"provisionally" accept (if you don't believe in God "as such") that there is
a higher power that is able to help you. And you are cured, so they claim.
Does it really work? It may work.
My question is if MAIDS can be cured *without* pretending that a Higher
Power exists.
PS. I just noticed that AA is so close to A=A (is it a coincidence or a sign
from God? What if it *was* a sign from God? Would it mean that dropping
the equal sign would lead one to AA? What if it *is* the case? Let's
assume it *is* and then prove it *isn't*. Can we do that? No... I rather
have a drink now).
Regards, Tadeusz (Tad) Niwinski from planet TeTa
tad@teta.ai http://www.teta.ai (604) 985-4159