Malware mountains.

There is a molehill - one of the websites that I maintain has been infected by malware. This is not a major problem except that my mindbrain has decided to make a mountain of it. The technical details are not relevant to this story but I have found the episodes of dis-ease to be interesting and informative.

Since the Malware problem appeared there have been various stress-laden little thought trains, emotions and moods emerging into the attention centre from the overall unconscious churn:

• I am not in control.
• Machines are supposed to operate smoothly and make life easier. Sometimes they stop working and I do not know how to fix them. This gives rise to annoyance and anger. And sometimes to low self esteem – especially when I let other people down.
• There is some self pity. Why should this happen to me?
• Did I offend the Gods and this is their holy vengeance?
• It is a teaching. I can learn from it. Observe what goes on in my head, heart and body eg ball in pit of stomach, nausea, increased heart beat, dizziness, sweating etc
• In life there is suffering. It is good that I suffer occasionally as it keeps me in tune with what lies behind the facade of most other people.
• Look into it for a while as it will soon be gone.

I am making a mountain out of a molehill. The molehill exists but the mountain is an unnecessary mind-made addition. Much ado about nothing. But this may be predictable and necessary given the human negativity bias. (ref Hanson)

Human groups have to develop and maintain a shared status quo made of habits built from biases and rules of thumb. To ensure the smooth running of the group, rules, regulations, eternal verities and laws are made and enforced. Historically these have used myth and magic to explain cause and effect. When there is cognitive consonance there is a truth to die for.

But nothing lasts forever. The only constant thing is change. In evolution the rule is “adapt or die”.

Inevitably change happens and cognitive dissonance emerges. People do not know who or what to believe. There is widespread existential crisis. On the one hand there is restlessness and anxiety while on the other there is sloth and depression.

BUT - the neurotic nihilists living in existential vacuums are not all pathological ‘crazies’.  Some are the ‘creatives’ who dream of adaptations to give a new sense of direction for wavering human groups. Like Vincent van Gogh they suffer for their (and our) sanity. Molehills morph into magnificent mind-made mountains.

Yoh. So. The malware malfunction is just a minor molehill.