Emotional Efficiency

The blogger currently renting my spot, Haunted House Dressing, has an interesting poem posted about emotional efficiency (scroll down to October 27 to see it in its original form; no permalinks). Blocked in paragraphs, for us linear thinkers:

In tribal societies. Systems are based on efficiency. Things aren't done. The quickest way. Or the easiest way. They're done with. Emotional efficiency. Rites of passage make people feel. Complete. And confident. Ceremonies and rituals. Connect people together. Activities. Which could be considered mundane. Are combined with fun. Song. Stories.

However. Civilization. Doesn't care about. The emotional efficiency. Of its systems. When people feel disconnected. And afraid. And unfulfilled. They're more likely to buy things. To fill themselves. They're more likely to be exploited. And controlled. They're more likely to sit. At the back. Of the bus.

Let's not obey rules. Simply because they exist. Let's question. Everything. Let's make things. More fun. And less stressful. Let's work on. The emotional efficiency. Of our systems. No one. Will do it. For us.

By and large I think it is true that modern capitalist systems are not concerned with emotional efficiency; they've evolved to maximize individual happiness in terms of choices and freedoms. That isn't always what people want, however. It's fine that the system be optimized to create wealth, but individual people have to be able to make choices that don't accept productive efficiency as the highest value.