Down the rabbit hole

[Barrett Dorko]

Margaret Wertheim’s Physics on the Fringe has been reviewed extensively and I saw it in the library a while ago. What really got my attention was hearing a man on Slate’s gabfest say, “This is about a scientist diving down the rabbit hole of a single explanatory model.”

Immediately I thought of how deeply I’ve explored Melzack’s Neuromatrix and how many here are in that hole as well.

The reviewers said things like, “We gain our knowledge of the universe not only from science but also history, art and literature. These are works of high imagining,” “Splendid idea, but, of course, there’s not a shred of evidence” and “In science; observation is the supreme court of appeal.”

As far as I know, Melzack’s model has endured observation, ridicule, indifference and misinterpretation. The hole feels comfortable to me.

But there are other holes.

Many.

[Diane]

At least it's a big enough hole for everyone - an underground cavern.

[advantage1]

It sure beats Decartes model

[Barrett Dorko]

I agree, but what I'm alluding to is the great difficulty so many have climbing out of the holes they've jumped into.

Shall we dig a tunnel over to theirs?

[caro]

[Barrett Dorko]

Great photo Carol Lynn. I see that the water has found its own level.

What does that mean?

I'd also like to see someone comment on the other holes. (pun intended, I think)

[nari]

The muscular-skeletal hole is enormous, comfortable and warm but it would take an earthquake to move the inhabitants out.

Nari

[Barrett Dorko]

I feel it would be inappropriate to describe anyone else's hole by assigning their name to it, but that's what they get for putting their name on their method, I guess.

Nari's right, the musculo-skeletal hole is large and very comfortable for most in our profession. It holds some things inappropriately though, and seems to have something against access to a hole as small as ours.

Ironically, ours explains a huge problem and theirs does not.

[gollygosh]

The holes in the other disciplines: length/strength/posture; the great connective tissues of the brain and body(don't want to offend any particular disciplines--all things fascia); their tendency to put people into absolute categories that I couldn't quite see; the correction of alignments that wouldn't stay aligned( I used to have a 3 correction limit--per visit); the failure to give the patient tools with which to manage their bodies; the tendency to ice, or heat, or "stim" the pain out of them.

I've visited a rabbit hole or two. The one that I've been looking for during most of my profession is the one introduced, and explored at SomaSimple. I will be exploring this one for a long time.

Geralyn

[Barrett Dorko]

I think that today's blog post is a companion to this.

Those who dove into the Postural Restoration hole are, I suppose, comfortable there and are focused on a meme that has, in effect, left them unable to see reality (or the literature), hear others with defensible theories in opposition or speak about their own work on forums such as this. An iconic image comes to mind, but I think that evoking it here would be unkind.

Am I wrong?

[advantage1]

Here are some responses I get when challenging others 'rabbit holes' that they are stuck in:

"To think that my current Rx approaches are not usefel makes me want to cry"

"I have no time for reading about new ideas and research"

"I know my manual apporach works so I will continue to use it"

"You are too serious and must have too much time on your hands. Wait until you have kids then you'll understand! Hahhaha"

"I'll leave the evidence up to the researchers and continue to use my Rx approach"

[Bas Asselbergs]

Don't forget;
"You read too much - nothing trumps experience"

[thrill96]

Originally Posted by advantage1

Here are some responses I get when challenging others 'rabbit holes' that they are stuck in:

"To think that my current Rx approaches are not usefel makes me want to cry"

"I have no time for reading about new ideas and research"

"I know my manual apporach works so I will continue to use it"

"You are too serious and must have too much time on your hands. Wait until you have kids then you'll understand! Hahhaha"

"I'll leave the evidence up to the researchers and continue to use my Rx approach"

Amazingly, if you replace training for Rx, you will see the same thing in the fitness/training "profession." I have been trying in earnest, to have my colleagues step out of their comfort zones a bit more and almost every time I get a glazed look in their eyes, indifference, excuses, etc. It may very well be the way I am describing neuro and pain science to them. Who knows?

What I can say is that I cannot really be concerned with what they are saying or doing too much. As Barrett has mentioned before, telling someone they are wrong is like telling them they are not in love. Something to do with those two being processed in the same cerebral area. What I can be concerned with is being en pointe with the information that I am disseminating and check in with the likes of the Soma-folk to make sure its not BS.

hmmm.....

[Diane]

Will, welcome to the world of cognitive stasis inertia. It's a desert island sticking up in the ocean of cognitive dissonance. In order to escape the multitudes crowding the island, the only way is to dive into the ocean and swim for your life, or else find a group (like this one) interested in building an escape raft.

[Barrett Dorko]

In science, a metaphor may wither away after being made irrelevant by new insights into the phenomenon that motivated it in the first place. Alternatively, it may crystallize into an accepted explanation, if theoretical advances and empirical findings vindicate it.

Shimon Edelman in The Happiness of Pursuit.

So often it’s the case that a person’s theory becomes a part of their being; their persona; their justification for living. When this happens it is impossible for them to hear it questioned without feeling personally attacked. We can't change the way another feels. That change must come from them.

As exemplified in this thread, they will claim you’ve done just that though there is absolutely no evidence.

I was interested to see that many defend Ron Hruska’s theory and method because “he’s so smart.” Well, he was smart enough not to come here.

I’ll give him that.