1. Decision Fatigue:

• Definition: Decision fatigue occurs when the quality of decisions deteriorates after a long session of decision-making. The human brain has a limited capacity for making decisions, and as this capacity is depleted, people tend to make poorer choices, avoid decisions altogether, or resort to default options.
• Impact: In the context of survival, decision fatigue can lead to suboptimal or even dangerous choices. It can also impair social relationships and work performance, increasing stress and leading to burnout.

2. Cognitive Overload:

• Definition: Cognitive overload happens when the brain is overwhelmed by too much information or too many tasks to process effectively. When this happens, a person's ability to focus, process information, and make decisions can become severely impaired.
• Impact: Cognitive overload can cause individuals to struggle with basic tasks, feel overwhelmed, and experience anxiety. In severe cases, it can lead to mental health issues like chronic stress, depression, or burnout.

3. Analysis Paralysis:

• Definition: Analysis paralysis occurs when an individual is given too many options, leading to an inability to make a decision at all. The overwhelming number of choices can cause indecision and inaction.
• Impact: In survival situations, analysis paralysis can be particularly dangerous. The inability to make timely decisions can mean missing critical opportunities to act, leading to negative outcomes.

4. Dissociation:

• Definition: Dissociation is a psychological response where an individual feels disconnected from their thoughts, feelings, or environment, often as a defense mechanism against overwhelming stress or trauma.
• Impact: When faced with too many decisions, especially in high-stress situations, some people might dissociate as a way to cope with the overload. This can result in a lack of presence, reduced responsiveness, and impaired ability to engage with reality.

5. Reduced Creativity and Problem-Solving Ability:

• Impact: High decision-making demands can diminish cognitive resources available for creative thinking and problem-solving. This can lead to more rigid thinking, making it harder to find innovative solutions to complex problems.

Optimal Number of Options Before Dissociation:

• Research and Theories: While individual thresholds vary, research suggests that people tend to handle decision-making better when presented with fewer options. The famous "paradox of choice" theory posits that having too many choices can lead to anxiety, dissatisfaction, and decision paralysis.
• Practical Limits: Studies have shown that when people are presented with more than 7-10 options, they start experiencing cognitive overload. In high-stress situations, this threshold may be even lower. For example, in emergency situations, giving individuals just 3-5 clear options may be optimal to prevent dissociation and ensure effective decision-making.

Conclusion:

Questions are interrogations   
be silent + be still 
resist the fear 
you have to know what to do,
right when you wake up
how to make making decisions 
feel easy
like a flow or wave 
requires certainty which is closely related to survival 
A scattered mind is an attention depraved one
no focus, no attention
we are navigating the commodification of perspective 
my shoulder are so tense
what withers away 

language is a code 
code is infornation 
information feeds research
research displays intention
intention falls back on life or death

• Examination of how aestheticizing the world leads to a disassociation from reality.
• Analysis of the relationship between idealism, beauty, and human existence.
• Discussion on the impact of media consumption and imagery on societal values and behaviors.

1. Resource Consumption:

• Housing: The nuclear family model often promotes the ownership of single-family homes, leading to urban sprawl. This type of housing requires more land, materials, and energy for construction and maintenance compared to multi-family dwellings or more communal living arrangements.
• Energy Use: Single-family homes typically have higher per-capita energy consumption for heating, cooling, and electricity. They are often less energy-efficient compared to apartment buildings where shared walls reduce energy use.
• Water Use: The maintenance of lawns and gardens for single-family homes can lead to excessive water consumption, especially in areas prone to drought.

2. Transportation:

• Car Dependency: Suburban living often requires reliance on personal vehicles for commuting, shopping, and other daily activities, leading to increased fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Public transportation is less viable in spread-out suburban areas.
• Infrastructure: The infrastructure needed to support car-dependent lifestyles (roads, highways, parking lots) contributes to habitat destruction, increased runoff, and pollution.

3. Waste Generation:

• Packaging and Goods: Nuclear families often purchase individually packaged goods, leading to higher levels of plastic and packaging waste. Bulk purchasing and sharing resources in communal living situations can reduce waste.
• Food Waste: The nuclear family model can lead to inefficiencies in food consumption, with food often being wasted due to over-purchasing and lack of shared meals.

4. Land Use and Habitat Destruction:

• Urban Sprawl: Expansion of suburbs encroaches on natural habitats, leading to loss of biodiversity. Forests, wetlands, and other ecosystems are often cleared to make way for new developments.
• Agricultural Impact: Suburban expansion can lead to the reduction of agricultural land, pushing farming operations to less suitable areas that may require more intensive inputs.

5. Social and Economic Inefficiencies:

• Isolation: Nuclear families living in isolated single-family homes can lead to a lack of communal support systems. This isolation can increase resource consumption as each household duplicates efforts and resources (e.g., individual lawn mowers, appliances).
• Economic Pressure: The cost of maintaining single-family homes can be high, often leading to economic strain and limiting the ability of individuals to invest in more sustainable practices or community-oriented solutions.

6. Consumer Culture:

• Materialism: The nuclear family model can perpetuate a consumer culture where success and happiness are often associated with owning more goods and larger homes. This culture drives unsustainable consumption patterns.
• Marketing: Families are often targeted by marketing that promotes disposable products and frequent upgrades, leading to increased waste and resource use.

7. Policy and Planning:

• Zoning Laws: Many North American cities have zoning laws that favor single-family homes over more sustainable, high-density housing options. This limits the ability to develop mixed-use communities that are more walkable and less car-dependent.
• Subsidies and Incentives: Policies that subsidize suburban development and homeownership can perpetuate the expansion of the nuclear family model at the expense of more sustainable living arrangements.

Conclusion:

Harmful Aspects of Political Identities (Solipsism):

1. Division and Polarization:
   
   • Us vs. Them Mentality: Political identities can create deep divisions between groups, fostering an "us vs. them" mentality. This can lead to social fragmentation and conflict.
   • Echo Chambers: Individuals often gravitate towards information and social circles that reinforce their political beliefs, creating echo chambers and limiting exposure to diverse perspectives.
2. Exclusion and Marginalization:
   
   • Discrimination: Political identities can lead to the marginalization and exclusion of minority groups, as policies and social attitudes may favor the dominant political ideology.
   • Social Inequality: Policies driven by particular political identities can perpetuate social inequalities, disadvantaging those who do not align with the prevailing political narrative.
3. Inflexibility and Resistance to Change:
   
   • Dogmatism: Strong political identities can lead to dogmatic thinking, where individuals are resistant to new information or perspectives that challenge their beliefs.
   • Policy Gridlock: Political polarization can result in legislative gridlock, making it difficult to pass laws or enact changes that address pressing issues, such as climate change or social justice.
4. Environmental Impact:
   
   • Short-term Focus: Political identities often prioritize short-term gains over long-term sustainability, leading to policies that harm the environment.
   • Partisan Environmental Policies: Environmental issues can become politicized, leading to inconsistent policies that hinder effective environmental protection and climate action.

Utility of Political Identities for Survival:

1. Social Cohesion and Collective Action:
   
   • Shared Purpose: Political identities can create a sense of shared purpose and solidarity among members of a group, fostering social cohesion.
   • Mobilization: They can mobilize individuals to take collective action, whether it’s voting, protesting, or participating in community initiatives, thereby influencing social and political change.
2. Representation and Advocacy:
   
   • Voice for the Voiceless: Political identities can give marginalized groups a voice, helping them advocate for their rights and interests.
   • Policy Influence: They can influence public policy and legislation to reflect the needs and desires of specific communities, improving their conditions and opportunities.
3. Cultural Preservation:
   
   • Identity and Heritage: Political identities often encompass cultural, ethnic, or ideological components that help preserve the heritage and traditions of different groups.
   • Community Building: They foster a sense of belonging and community, which is essential for mental and emotional well-being.
4. Survival Strategies:
   
   • Resource Allocation: Political identities can shape policies that allocate resources to specific groups, ensuring their survival and prosperity.
   • Protective Legislation: They can lead to the creation of laws and regulations that protect the interests and rights of particular communities, enhancing their ability to thrive.
5. Conflict Resolution:
   
   • Negotiation and Compromise: Political identities can facilitate negotiation and compromise by clearly defining the interests and demands of different groups, leading to peaceful resolution of conflicts.
   • Democratic Processes: In democratic societies, political identities are integral to the functioning of the political system, allowing for diverse viewpoints to be represented and heard.

Conclusion:

• Exploration of how social practices and consumption patterns have evolved in response to human survival needs.
• Analysis of the influence of political identities and social contract theory on contemporary social practices.
• Investigation of the ecological and ethical implications of consumption and waste.

• Examination of the science behind perception and its role in shaping our understanding of reality.
• Analysis of the fear of death and its influence on human behavior and survival strategies.
• Discussion on the impact of technological advancements and artificial environments on human evolution and identity formation.