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Article: On Top of the World

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-Affinity is a scale of attitudes, and is the scale we know as The Tone Scale or The Know to Mystery Scale.
+NOW POSTED (fourth of May 2018) at http://scientolipedia.org/info/Affinity_is_Relational
-−
-It is also sometimes referred to as The Emotional Tone Scale, and of course there is an emotional aspect of Affinity. Affinity really is merely the consideration of how well it’s going<ref>''Phoenix Lectures'', Chapter 9, Page 103</ref>  that
-, that everything is fine, or that a situation is sad, dangerous or requires attack, and this motivates us to act and influences how we do it, whether we should attack, flee, mourn or enjoy ourselves. An affinity is an attitude, i.e. a particular emotional response to a person or situation. Affinity for a person is "the cohesion of theta - the recognition of similarity of efforts and goals" with others <ref>''Axiom of Dianetics'' 112, ''Scientology 0-8'', page 83</ref>  . We like them because they are like us.
-−
-But here's an important distinction that Ron made in the fall of 1950: Emotions are subjective states while affinity is relational <ref>''Scientology 0-8'', page 102; Notes on the Lectures, page 102.</ref>  . In other words, Affinity has to do with how we react or how we think about certain people or situations at specific times. It changes depending, precisely, on how well things seem to be going. If life keys us in over time, we tend to get stuck at a certain tone level, and we tend to evaluate any situation accordingly. We are stuck in an emotion which we then bring to any situation instead of letting the situation determine the Affinity proper for it. This emotion then regulates the way we see things, our Reality and Communication and so gets the status of Affinity, and it is very likely not good, since self-determined action depends on a full understanding of the situation - maximal Affinity, Reality and Communicationiv<ref>.''Axiom of Dianetics'' 111, ''Scientology 0-8'', page 83</ref>
-−
-==Emotion can exist independently of Reality and Communication==
-−
-The three corners of the ARC triangle increase or decrease together. Raise the Communication, and you raise the Affinity and Reality etc. But it is quite possible to simply postulate any emotion without it affecting Reality or Communication. One may, for instance, simply postulate that one feels good, quite independently of any situation in life<ref>''Phoenix Lectures'', Chapter 7, page 82</ref>. This is not necessarily a bank phenomenon, but can be an isolated postulate that does not relate to anything at all. No ARC.
-−
-This is not bad, in itself, but if we mistake emotion for Affinity, we can fool ourselves into believing that we are going up the tone scale - which we would be, after a fashion - or even up the bridge - which we wouldn't be - while in reality we are just feeling better and better, but in an entirely fictitious universe. A fixed emotion can be the result of a person being at a fixed position on The Tone Scale because his natural tone level has been depressed by attrition in life, as described above, but the person may aslo create his own emotional level where all is happy bliss no matter what horrors are taking place in his earthly existence.
-−
-Emotion is a subjective state. Affinity relates to the dynamics of the person. Auditing, the bridge, is designed to put a person's destiny into his own hands<ref>ACC 18, lecture 21: The Future of Scientology, 16 Aug 1957</ref>, not to make him vanish into his own universe or some higher plane.
-−
-This can happen if the person goes out of ARC with something, like a study where he doesn't get the mass of the words, i.e. what they signify in the real or abstract world that is studied - "the thing". He clears the definitions and gets, perhaps, an F/N and feels good - except he is not quite sure what the thing is in real life. But he can relate the words to other words, and his concepts to other concepts, they are real to him, so he actually creates a whole universe of words of concepts with which he is not only in good ARC, but with which he also gets agreement with from other glib students of the subject. And so we wind up with schools of thought or sects or ideologies or true believers which are very, very sure they are right and have very, very little to do with life little understanding of life, which will be evident in the fact that some of their dynamics will be in a bad state.
-−
-Emotion, then , can be the pivotal point on which one swivels from reality and into the blue yonder.
-−
-==Conclusion==
-−
-There is nothing wrong with using the word emotion synonymously with Affinity, but it is important to realize that there are two different commodities which can be confused.
-−
-Also, there is nothing wrong with going to a movie or read a book in order to be shuttled up and down the emotional scale. That may inspire one to expand one's dynamics, help one dissipate charge or raise one's confront to better tackle life.
-But if we intend to get a person up The Tone Scale or up The Bridge, we must raise his Affinity as it relates to his Reality and Communication in life.
-−
-And the most fundamental thing in doing that is, of course, to ensure that the pc has great ARC with us, with his auditor.
-It could hardly be otherwise, could it?
-−
-== Footnotes , etc.==
-−
-Further articles by this authorː
-−
-[[History_of_Axioms_etc]]
-−
-[[Wundt,_Fundamentals_of_Thoughts_and_Scientology]]

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 It is also sometimes referred to as The Emotional Tone Scale, and of course there is an emotional aspect of Affinity. Affinity really is merely the consideration of how well it’s going<ref>''Phoenix Lectures'', Chapter 9, Page 103</ref>  that
-, that everything is fine, or that a situation is sad, dangerous or requires attack, and this motivates us to act and influences how we do it, whether we should attack, flee, mourn or enjoy ourselves. An affinity is an attitude, i.e. is a particular emotional response to a person or situation. Affinity for a person is "the cohesion of theta - the recognition of similarity of efforts and goals" with others <ref>''Axiom of Dianetics'' 112, ''Scientology 0-8'', page 83</ref>  . We like them because they are like us.
+, that everything is fine, or that a situation is sad, dangerous or requires attack, and this motivates us to act and influences how we do it, whether we should attack, flee, mourn or enjoy ourselves. An affinity is an attitude, i.e. a particular emotional response to a person or situation. Affinity for a person is "the cohesion of theta - the recognition of similarity of efforts and goals" with others <ref>''Axiom of Dianetics'' 112, ''Scientology 0-8'', page 83</ref>  . We like them because they are like us.
-But here's an important distinction Ron made in the fall of 1950: Emotions are subjective states while affinity is relational <ref>''Scientology 0-8'', page 102; Notes on the Lectures, page 102.</ref>  . In other words, Affinity has to do with how we react or how we think about certain people or situations at specific time. It changes depending, precisely, on how well things seem to be going. If life keys us in over time, we tend to get stuck at a certain tone level, and we tend to evaluate any situation accordingly. We are then stuck in an emotion which we then bring to an actual situation as if it were a bona fide Affinity relating to it. This Affinity then regulates the way we see things, our Reality, and we Communicate accordingly, and it is very likely not good, since self-determined action depends on a full understanding of the situation - maximal Affinity, Reality and Communicationiv<ref>.''Axiom of Dianetics'' 111, ''Scientology 0-8'', page 83</ref>
+But here's an important distinction that Ron made in the fall of 1950: Emotions are subjective states while affinity is relational <ref>''Scientology 0-8'', page 102; Notes on the Lectures, page 102.</ref>  . In other words, Affinity has to do with how we react or how we think about certain people or situations at specific times. It changes depending, precisely, on how well things seem to be going. If life keys us in over time, we tend to get stuck at a certain tone level, and we tend to evaluate any situation accordingly. We are stuck in an emotion which we then bring to any situation instead of letting the situation determine the Affinity proper for it. This emotion then regulates the way we see things, our Reality and Communication and so gets the status of Affinity, and it is very likely not good, since self-determined action depends on a full understanding of the situation - maximal Affinity, Reality and Communicationiv<ref>.''Axiom of Dianetics'' 111, ''Scientology 0-8'', page 83</ref>
 ==Emotion can exist independently of Reality and Communication==
-The three corners of the ARC triangle increase or decrease together. Raise the Communication, and you raise the Affinity and Reality etc. But it is quite possible to simply postulate any emotion without it affecting Reality or Communication. One may, for instance, simply postulate that one feels good, quite independently of any situation in life<ref>''Phoenix Lectures'', Chapter 7, page 82</ref>. This is not necessarily a bank phenomenon, but as an isolated postulate it isn't connected to anything at all. No ARC.
+The three corners of the ARC triangle increase or decrease together. Raise the Communication, and you raise the Affinity and Reality etc. But it is quite possible to simply postulate any emotion without it affecting Reality or Communication. One may, for instance, simply postulate that one feels good, quite independently of any situation in life<ref>''Phoenix Lectures'', Chapter 7, page 82</ref>. This is not necessarily a bank phenomenon, but can be an isolated postulate that does not relate to anything at all. No ARC.
 Emotion is a subjective state. Affinity relates to the dynamics of the person. Auditing, the bridge, is designed to put a person's destiny into his own hands<ref>ACC 18, lecture 21: The Future of Scientology, 16 Aug 1957</ref>, not to make him vanish into his own universe or some higher plane.
 This can happen if the person goes out of ARC with something, like a study where he doesn't get the mass of the words. He clears the definitions and gets, perhaps, an F/N and feels good - except he is not quite sure what the thing is in real life. But he can relate the words to other words, and his concepts to other concepts, so he actually creates a whole universe of words of concepts with which he is not only in good ARC, but also gets agreement with from other glib students of the subject. And so we wind up with schools of thought or sects or ideologies or true believers which are very, very sure they are right and have very, very little to do with life.
 Emotion, then , can be the pivotal point on which one swivels from reality and into the blue yonder.
@@ Line 20: / Line 22: @@
 ==Conclusion==
-There is nothing wrong with using the word emotion synonymously with Affinity, but it is important to realize there are two different commodities which can be confused.
+There is nothing wrong with using the word emotion synonymously with Affinity, but it is important to realize that there are two different commodities which can be confused.
 Also, there is nothing wrong with going to a movie or read a book in order to be shuttled up and down the emotional scale. That may inspire one to expand one's dynamics, help one dissipate charge or raise one's confront to better tackle life.
 But if we intend to get a person up The Tone Scale or up The Bridge, we must raise his Affinity as it relates to his Reality and Communication in life.
 And the most fundamental thing in doing that is, of course, to ensure that the pc has great ARC with us, with his auditor.
 It could hardly be otherwise, could it?
@@ Line 30: / Line 34: @@
 Further articles by this authorː
-Wundt, ''Fundamentals of Thought'' and Scientology [Wundt,_Fundamentals_of_Thoughts_and_Scientology]
+[[History_of_Axioms_etc]]
-History of Axioms, etc. [[History_of_Axioms_etc]]
+[[Wundt,_Fundamentals_of_Thoughts_and_Scientology]]

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 , that everything is fine, or that a situation is sad, dangerous or requires attack, and this motivates us to act and influences how we do it, whether we should attack, flee, mourn or enjoy ourselves. An affinity is an attitude, i.e. is a particular emotional response to a person or situation. Affinity for a person is "the cohesion of theta - the recognition of similarity of efforts and goals" with others <ref>''Axiom of Dianetics'' 112, ''Scientology 0-8'', page 83</ref>  . We like them because they are like us.
-But here's an important distinction Ron made in the fall of 1950: Emotions are subjective states while affinity is relational <ref>''Scientology 0-8'', page 102; Notes on the Lectures, page 102.</ref>  . In other words, Affinity has to do with how we react or how we think about certain people or situations at specific time. It changes depending, precisely, on how well things seem to be going. If life keys us in over time, we tend to get stuck at a certain tone level, and we tend to evaluate any situation accordingly. We are then stuck in an emotion which we then bring to an actual situation as if it were an bona fine Affinity relating to it. This Affinity then regulates the way we see things, our Reality, and we Communicate accordingly, and it is very likely not good, since self-determined action depends on a full understanding of the situation - maximal Affinity, Reality and Communicationiv<ref>.''Axiom of Dianetics'' 111, ''Scientology 0-8'', page 83</ref>
+But here's an important distinction Ron made in the fall of 1950: Emotions are subjective states while affinity is relational <ref>''Scientology 0-8'', page 102; Notes on the Lectures, page 102.</ref>  . In other words, Affinity has to do with how we react or how we think about certain people or situations at specific time. It changes depending, precisely, on how well things seem to be going. If life keys us in over time, we tend to get stuck at a certain tone level, and we tend to evaluate any situation accordingly. We are then stuck in an emotion which we then bring to an actual situation as if it were a bona fide Affinity relating to it. This Affinity then regulates the way we see things, our Reality, and we Communicate accordingly, and it is very likely not good, since self-determined action depends on a full understanding of the situation - maximal Affinity, Reality and Communicationiv<ref>.''Axiom of Dianetics'' 111, ''Scientology 0-8'', page 83</ref>
 ==Emotion can exist independently of Reality and Communication==

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:57, May 3, 2018
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	It could hardly be otherwise, could it?		It could hardly be otherwise, could it?

−	== Footnotes==	+	== Footnotes , etc.==
		+
		+	Further articles by this authorː
		+
		+	Wundt, ''Fundamentals of Thought'' and Scientology [Wundt,_Fundamentals_of_Thoughts_and_Scientology]
		+
		+	History of Axioms, etc. [[History_of_Axioms_etc]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-Affinity is Relational    Author	Nomen Nescis     Type of Article	Category:Articles
+Affinity is Relational //   Author	Nomen Nescis   //  Type of Article	Category:Articles   //(insert into box)
 Affinity is a scale of attitudes, and is the scale we know as The Tone Scale or The Know to Mystery Scale.
-It is also sometimes referred to as The Emotional Tone Scale, and of course there is an emotional aspect of Affinity. Affinity really is merely the consideration of how well it’s goingi<ref>''Phoenix Lectures'', Chapter 9, Page 103</ref>  that
+It is also sometimes referred to as The Emotional Tone Scale, and of course there is an emotional aspect of Affinity. Affinity really is merely the consideration of how well it’s going<ref>''Phoenix Lectures'', Chapter 9, Page 103</ref>  that
-, that everything is fine, or that a situation is sad, dangerous or requires attack, and this motivates us to act and influences how we do it, whether we should attack, flee, mourn or enjoy ourselves. An affinity is an attitude, i.e. is a particular emotional response to a person or situation. Affinity for a person is "the cohesion of theta - the recognition of similarity of efforts and goals" with othersii <ref>''Axiom of Dianetics'' 112, ''Scientology 0-8'', page 83</ref>  . We like them because they are like us.
+, that everything is fine, or that a situation is sad, dangerous or requires attack, and this motivates us to act and influences how we do it, whether we should attack, flee, mourn or enjoy ourselves. An affinity is an attitude, i.e. is a particular emotional response to a person or situation. Affinity for a person is "the cohesion of theta - the recognition of similarity of efforts and goals" with others <ref>''Axiom of Dianetics'' 112, ''Scientology 0-8'', page 83</ref>  . We like them because they are like us.
-But here's an important distinction Ron made in the fall of 1950: Emotions are subjective states while affinity is relationaliii <ref>''Scientology 0-8'', page 102; Notes on the Lectures, page 102.</ref>  . In other words, Affinity has to do with how we react or how we think about certain people or situations at specific time. It changes depending, precisely, on how well things seem to be going. If life keys us in over time, we tend to get stuck at a certain tone level, and we tend to evaluate any situation accordingly. We are then stuck in an emotion which we then bring to an actual situation as if it were an bona fine Affinity relating to it. This Affinity then regulates the way we see things, our Reality, and we Communicate accordingly, and it is very likely not good, since self-determined action depends on a full understanding of the situation - maximal Affinity, Reality and Communicationiv<ref>.''Axiom of Dianetics'' 111, ''Scientology 0-8'', page 83</ref>
 ==Emotion can exist independently of Reality and Communication==
-The how  three corners of the ARC triangle increase or decrease together. Raise the Communication, and you raise the Affinity and Reality etc. But it is quite possible to simply postulate any emotion without it affecting Reality or Communication. One may, for instance, simply postulate that one feels good, quite independently of any situation in lifev<ref>''Phoenix Lectures'', Chapter 7, page 82</ref>. This is not necessarily a bank phenomenon, but as an isolated postulate it isn't connected to anything at all. No ARC.
+The three corners of the ARC triangle increase or decrease together. Raise the Communication, and you raise the Affinity and Reality etc. But it is quite possible to simply postulate any emotion without it affecting Reality or Communication. One may, for instance, simply postulate that one feels good, quite independently of any situation in life<ref>''Phoenix Lectures'', Chapter 7, page 82</ref>. This is not necessarily a bank phenomenon, but as an isolated postulate it isn't connected to anything at all. No ARC.
 This is not bad, in itself, but if we mistake emotion for Affinity, we can fool ourselves into believing that we are going up the tone scale - which we would be, after a fashion - or even up the bridge, while in reality we are just feeling better and better, but in an entirely fictitious universe. Just as a fixed emotion can be the result of a person being fixed on The Tone Scale because of his natural tone level being depressed by attrition in life, as described above, he can create his own emotional level where all is happy bliss no matter what horrors are taking place in his earthly existence.
-Emotion is a subjective state. Affinity relates to the dynamics of the person. Auditing, the bridge, is designed to put a person's destiny into his own handsvi<ref>ACC 18, lecture 21: The Future of Scientology, 16 Aug 1957</ref>, not to make him vanish into his own universe or some higher plane.
+Emotion is a subjective state. Affinity relates to the dynamics of the person. Auditing, the bridge, is designed to put a person's destiny into his own hands<ref>ACC 18, lecture 21: The Future of Scientology, 16 Aug 1957</ref>, not to make him vanish into his own universe or some higher plane.
 This can happen if the person goes out of ARC with something, like a study where he doesn't get the mass of the words. He clears the definitions and gets, perhaps, an F/N and feels good - except he is not quite sure what the thing is in real life. But he can relate the words to other words, and his concepts to other concepts, so he actually creates a whole universe of words of concepts with which he is not only in good ARC, but also gets agreement with from other glib students of the subject. And so we wind up with schools of thought or sects or ideologies or true believers which are very, very sure they are right and have very, very little to do with life.
-Emotion, then , can be the pivotal point on which one swivels from reality and into the blue yonder.'
+Emotion, then , can be the pivotal point on which one swivels from reality and into the blue yonder.
 ==Conclusion==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-First of May 2018 new title and subheadings to be added that
+First of May 2018 new title (Emotion and affinity) and subheadings to be added.
 Article: On Top of the World
@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 Two things happen when one sinks below the watershed: 1) One looses the perspective that allows one to observe and evaluate the situation analytically and 2) One's attention fixes compulsively on the present unpleasantness. There are degrees of this, of course, but when it gets real bad, all of one's attention is fixed on the horror, the pain, the grief or hopelessness. One has truly become the problem, its one's only beingness, one is entirely interiorized in it and there is no detectable thetan.
-Fortunately, it's rarely that bad, but anyway the solution is to regain one's perspective on the problem and oneself or, one might say, become again a thetan that has a problem rather than a thetan who is, mindlessly, a problem. As a problem, the thetan is interest''ing'', while the natural attitude of a thetan is to be interest''ed''<ref> MISSING REFERENCE''time. Not interesting in the sense of attracting interest from others, necessarily, but in the sense that the only thing he can show any interest in is himself as a problem - the suffering and misery.
+Fortunately, it's rarely that bad, but anyway the solution is to regain one's perspective on the problem and oneself or, one might say, become again a thetan that has a problem rather than a thetan who is, mindlessly, a problem. As a problem, the thetan is interest''ing'', while the natural attitude of a thetan is to be interest''ed''<ref> MISSING REFERENCE</ref>  ''time. Not interesting in the sense of attracting interest from others, necessarily, but in the sense that the only thing he can show any interest in is himself as a problem - the suffering and misery.
 He will regain perspective if he can observe the problem instead of being it. If he can tell another about it, he has to be aware of two things: his problem and the listener, and that is the basic of solving problems and, indeed, gain perspective. Having him touch objects also makes it necessary for him to observe something else that his problems, plus he will be in communication with the person making him touch them. In auditing, one can use processes such as, "From where could you communicate to____", "Invent a problem of comparable magnitude to____", "A part of that problem you might have been responsible for" and many others. He is required to observe things, which is to say communicate over a distance rather than co-existing with the problem at the bottom of the tone scale, and this is perspective. It brings him closer to the natural qualities of a thetan, being interested in something other than himself and communicating over a distance.
@@ Line 39: / Line 39: @@
 Life is all over the scale, and affinity is a good servant but a bad master. You are best off at the top of the scale with all levels at your fingertips as you chose. At the top you are really yourself. You are "walking on water" in the sense that you act in the effortless belief that you fully understand the situation and are doing the right thing according to the available data - even though you are aware that something unpredictable may happen. That is part of the game. And that is knowingness.

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:39, May 1, 2018
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		+	First of May 2018 new title and subheadings to be added that
		+
	Article: On Top of the World		Article: On Top of the World

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:19, April 30, 2018
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	Article: On Top of the World		Article: On Top of the World
		+
		+	Positive thinking has been fashionable for decades. It's the idea that you control your life by having the right thoughts: Thinking that good things will happen, that you will have success, that you are able to do it, that you will get a great family etc. And as Scientologists know, the press sells by presenting bad news, and what we need is good news. We should not focus on anything bad, but be up the tone scale. Right?
		+
		+	Wrong. Affinity really is merely the consideration of how well things are going<ref>. Phoenix Lectures, Chapter 9, page 103</ref> . True, going up the scale may give you energy and optimism, and your considerations about a situation may influence your decisions positively if, for instance, it makes you grasp an opportunity. But things won't go better just because you feel better, just as you don't lose weight by making the balance show less; time doesn't change because you move the hands of the clock. You need to control your life by controlling what goes on in life, and you do need to understand the whole situation if you are to act self-determinedly.
		+
		+	Positive thinking, by the way, should not be confused with a new phenomenon in psychology, emerging around 2000, called positive psychology, which includes, but does not exclusively focus on feeling good. Instead, it focuses on the strengths needed to create a good life, such as perspective, perseverance, judgment, humor etc. This is much closer to the philosophy of Scientology, as expressed in a slogan from Dn. 55!: Accent on ability. Each grade on the bridge is completed when a certain awareness level - an ability - is reached. Feeling good is an important indicator that auditing and life progress well, but it is not what controls your life.
		+
		+	In 1950 Ron made an important distinction between emotion and affinity<ref>Phoenix Lectures, Chapter 9, page 103</ref> he is different: Emotion is a subjective state, while affinity is relational, i.e. it varies according to the present situation. Affinity, then, includes a sort of evaluation of the situation and an attitude to deal with it. If the situation is dangerous, we feel fear and flee or fight. If all is safe, we feel perhaps conservative and calm. If something is offensive, we attack or become angry. If all is lost we feel grief, and sit down and cry.
		+
		+	An emotion, on the other hand, may have nothing to do with the present situation. It may result from a fleeting thought, some restimulation or an analytical association, but we can also deliberately do things, or think of something, in order to feel good - by thinking we will have success, a great career and a happy family life, and that all will be well. That's all right as long as we remember that it does not, by itself, affect our life. True, there are times when a person is severely keyed in, and all one can do to help him is make him feel a little better, but that is an assist rather than enabling him to take his destiny into his own hands.
		+
		+	Emotion and affinity are used somewhat synonymously today, but the distinction between the two concepts are still valid, so please keep them in mind as you read this text.
		+
		+	Positive thinking and manipulate emotions so that one is "feeling good", then, is a horrible way to control one's life. Oh, it's fine to watch a "feel good" movie or take a stroll in the park in order to relax - to allow some of the not-is-nesses from work or intense interaction to ooze off; that's a rehab of some of the life energy that got trapped in the struggle of life. But focusing exclusively on raising your emotional level tends to disconnect you from your real life, your dynamics, so you become a mystic living on astral planes, or cloud 9 or in a fictitious world of sweetness and light<ref>See glossary of Scientology 8-80, Tone Scale</ref>.
		+
		+	Affinity is different. It gives us important information about what is going on and suggests how we might deal with it: flee, cry, take action, have fun. It is often quite reliable, but you are the senior authority who has the greater perspective, who can think a little deeper and reach wiser decisions. Feelings can be dramatized, and it is you, the thetan, who needs to make sure that you are acting on the present situation - by looking, listening, asking, remembering - from a perspective high on the tone scale, which means above "the watershed" at antagonism, 2.0, which divides the tone scale into positive and negative emotions (which, using the distinction above, are basically affinities, but can be emotions when dramatized).
		+
		+	It is best to be high on the tone scale, but that does not mean that it is always bad to be low on the tone scale. Even if we are not aberrated at all, we may encounter situations where we need to defend ourselves (antagonism), flee from a wild animal (fear), and if we don't grieve over our dead child we are indeed aberrated. Those are not dramatizations resulting in subjective emotions which then make us act irrationally. They are affinities which make us act rationally.
		+
		+	A misemotion is a dramatization which make us react automatically without being aware of the present situation. Laughing merrily at a funeral would be a misemotion; the manic person, who acts with determination toward a goal but doesn't know why, or who grossly overestimates his own ability and chance of future success, is no less a victim of his misemotions than the depressed whom no happy news will cheer up.
		+
		+	The person who is stuck low on the tone scale, cannot easily rise above the watershed. The person who is usually high on the scale will go low when the situation warrants it, but will then come back up as things improve. It is largely a matter of free theta, of sheer life energy available to the person, but that is not the only factor.
		+	Two things happen when one sinks below the watershed: 1) One looses the perspective that allows one to observe and evaluate the situation analytically and 2) One's attention fixes compulsively on the present unpleasantness. There are degrees of this, of course, but when it gets real bad, all of one's attention is fixed on the horror, the pain, the grief or hopelessness. One has truly become the problem, its one's only beingness, one is entirely interiorized in it and there is no detectable thetan.
		+
		+	Fortunately, it's rarely that bad, but anyway the solution is to regain one's perspective on the problem and oneself or, one might say, become again a thetan that has a problem rather than a thetan who is, mindlessly, a problem. As a problem, the thetan is interest''ing'', while the natural attitude of a thetan is to be interest''ed''<ref> MISSING REFERENCE''time. Not interesting in the sense of attracting interest from others, necessarily, but in the sense that the only thing he can show any interest in is himself as a problem - the suffering and misery.
		+
		+	He will regain perspective if he can observe the problem instead of being it. If he can tell another about it, he has to be aware of two things: his problem and the listener, and that is the basic of solving problems and, indeed, gain perspective. Having him touch objects also makes it necessary for him to observe something else that his problems, plus he will be in communication with the person making him touch them. In auditing, one can use processes such as, "From where could you communicate to____", "Invent a problem of comparable magnitude to____", "A part of that problem you might have been responsible for" and many others. He is required to observe things, which is to say communicate over a distance rather than co-existing with the problem at the bottom of the tone scale, and this is perspective. It brings him closer to the natural qualities of a thetan, being interested in something other than himself and communicating over a distance.
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		+	To wrap this up: The value of good emotions are limited. They can align with our dynamics and so consolidate our endeavors, but we still need to observe, decide and act ourselves. "Good news" which lull us into a false belief that all is well, can be catastrophic, as can false or exaggerated bad news which make us waste efforts and worry needlessly instead of thriving. What we need is correct information and feedback about things that are important for how we create our dynamics.
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		+	To remain analytical, we need to have perspective. Above antagonism, 2.0, we have that, below the watershed we become more and more reactive and mindless. On the full tone scale<ref>Technical Bulletins, Volume VII, page 404 UPLOAD BULLETIN</ref>, the section from -1.3 (regret) up to 8.0 (exhilaration) is called the emotional section. Minus emotions are from 2.0 down, plus emotions above. We have perspective and good survival when we have plus emotions. But above the emotion section we have lookingness, which means observation, whether by looking, listening, tasting, remembering or whatever. We get data and therefore understanding<ref>Axiom of Dianetics 111, e.g. Scientology 8-80, page 83</ref>. This is an even better way to gain perspective because you observe objectively, while in the emotion section of the tone scale you predominantly let affinity inform you about facts.
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		+	Just to let you have the full list: Below the emotion section we have effortingness, thinkingness, symbols, eatingness, sexingness and mystery. On effortingness you have physical action, for instance, and if you are stuck there, you don't really have emotions, cannot observe etc. You just make yourself move the next sack, and the next, and the next
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		+	But that is only if you are stuck there. It's a general rule that we have available all levels below the tone where we usually are operating. So the person on 3.0, can feel grief, and can apply effort etc., but doesn't get stuck there. And you are not low-tone just because you happen to enjoy sex if you can also work and emote. But the guy who can only think of sex would not be well off in life.
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		+	Life is all over the scale, and affinity is a good servant but a bad master. You are best off at the top of the scale with all levels at your fingertips as you chose. At the top you are really yourself. You are "walking on water" in the sense that you act in the effortless belief that you fully understand the situation and are doing the right thing according to the available data - even though you are aware that something unpredictable may happen. That is part of the game. And that is knowingness.