Linda's Blogspot

  Beyond the Molecule: Why Culture, Not Chemistry, Tames the "Trickster" in Our Youth ​For nearly a century, the Western world has treated psychedelic substances as a "jagged trip"—swinging from elite experimentation to mass-culture explosion, followed by decades of prohibition. Today, as we enter a new era of serious scientific exploration led by institutions like UC Berkeley’s Center for the Science of Psychedelics , the conversation often centers on the "miracle" of the molecule. ​However, in the shadow of New York City’s skyscrapers, a different crisis is unfolding. We see a generation of youth "acting out"—disruptive, disconnected, and increasingly shaped by a digital and physical landscape defined by hyper-sexualization and violence. While scientists like Dr. Gül Dölen and Professor Michael Silver offer groundbreaking insights into the brain, their research points toward a truth that Indigenous cultures have known for millennia: A drug ...

The Hidden Rivers of Human Life Lately, I’ve been noticing something profound about how humans organize themselves. The Anthropologist Mildred Dickemann’s work has made me see it clearly: even when we speak of unity, we are constantly moving through hierarchies. And these hierarchies are not random—they flow like rivers and branch like trees. Think of a river. It begins as a single stream, but soon divides into smaller channels, creating a network of tributaries, each carving its own path while still connected to the main flow. Human social life works much the same way.  Large groups split into smaller clusters or cliques, each with its own patterns, norms, and subtle leaders. Ideas, influence, and attention flow through these channels, sometimes merging, sometimes diverging, shaping the landscape of our interactions. Or think of a tree. Its trunk rises from the ground, solid and central, yet from it branch countless limbs, each dividing into smaller branches and twigs. Hierarchies...

Seeing the Hidden Patterns of Human Life I’ve been thinking a lot about human nature lately—about the way we organize ourselves, even when we talk about unity and togetherness. Mildred Dickemann’s work has opened my eyes to something I can’t unsee: we are always, in some way, moving through hierarchies. Even in moments when we intend equality, subtle patterns emerge. Certain voices carry more weight, certain ideas gain more attention, and certain people take the lead. We form clusters, cliques, micro-groups that operate almost like mini-societies, each with its own informal rules, leaders, and silent understandings. And somehow, this is natural. It’s just the way humans function. It’s strange and a little shocking when you notice it. We speak of unity, but our behavior keeps drawing lines, making distinctions, ranking one another, even unconsciously. And yet, it’s not all negative. These patterns also bring structure, help us navigate complexity, and create pockets of trust and cohesio...

Below an  article based on Mildred  Dickemann’s ideas. Human Nature, Hierarchy, and the Unseen Structures of Social Life Humans often think of themselves as striving for unity, cooperation, and equality. Yet, when we look closely at human behavior, a recurring pattern emerges: the formation of hierarchies, cliques, and clusters within any social group.  This insight, explored in the work of anthropologist Mildred Dickemann, offers a powerful lens for understanding the social structures that shape our lives. The Persistent Nature of Hierarchy  Even in groups designed for equality, humans seem drawn to rank and influence. Decisions, attention, and authority naturally concentrate around certain individuals. This isn’t necessarily a conscious effort; it reflects deep-rooted tendencies in human behavior. Whether in workplaces, families, communities, or social movements, informal hierarchies appear in almost every human context. Dickemann’s observations suggest that these ...

The Fourth Child Who Learned Both Worlds I was the fourth child. By family logic, by birth order, I was outside the structure. The firstborns stayed inside — polished, primped, aligned with expectation. The third stayed safe, thumb in mouth, following the pattern. And I? I had the outdoors. The streets, the yards, the sky. Observation became my skill. Freedom became my inheritance. But I did not stay outside. I learned how to be inside, too. I watched my mother work her hands — cooking, sewing, creating warmth and color. She could make something from nothing. She could hold a family together with care and competence. I watched her move with skill and quiet authority. And she was also public. She worked in the community. She became PTA president. She navigated hierarchy with grace. She knew when to lead, when to speak, when to listen. She was both worlds at once — domestic and public, grounded and influential. I learned from her. I learned that craft is power. That observation is power....

​ J.J. Wilson (scholar) ​J.J. Wilson (born c. 1930s) is an American literary scholar, author, and Professor Emerita of English at Sonoma State University. She is a foundational figure in Virginia Woolf studies and the co-founder of The Sitting Room, a private feminist library and archive in Penngrove, California. ​ Early life and education ​Wilson pursued her graduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley, during the 1960s. Her academic focus centered on 20th-century modernism, specifically the works of Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group. ​ Career at Sonoma State University ​Wilson joined the faculty of Sonoma State University in the early 1970s. During this era, she became a pioneer of the university's Women's Studies curriculum. ​Women and Literature: In 1971, Wilson taught the first faculty-led course at SSU dedicated to women's literature. ​Pandora’s Box: She was a lead coordinator for "Pandora’s Box," an influential interdisciplinary lecture ...