I think something is badly wrong with the terminology here.
At one point “againstness” appears to be a label for the state of SNS-dominance and its consequences:
Have you ever found yourself incensed in the middle of an argument because the other party had the audacity to make a good point? [...] This is againstness—many of us find that we tend to make certain sorts of decisions when we’re upset or high-strung [...]
Elsewhere, “againstness” appears instead to be a label for the techniques proposed here for mitigating the downsides of SNS-dominance:
The Againstness technique is the tip of what we hope will prove to be a very large iceberg
and
The two main skills that the Againstness technique seeks to impart are: [… 1: more awareness, 2: more ability to adjust SNS/PSNS balance]
and later on in the space of a single paragraph it’s first the name of the teaching programme and the name of a cognitive mistake:
Over time, the Againstness course has shifted away from a pure focus on the mind-body connection [...] we’d like to make two observations about metacognitive blindspots in general (of which the againstness mistake is just one specific example) [...]
Furthermore, there is another thing being discussed for which “againstness” would be a pretty good name, namely the structure of the SNS and PSNS acting against each other.
I think the intention is that (1) “againstness” is a term for what SNS-dominance does, because it sets you up to pit yourself against whatever dangers or foes might be around, and then (2) “the Againstness course” is the CFAR thing that tries to tell you about SNS-dominance and how to deal with it, and then (3) “the Againstness technique” is the thing that is taught in the Againstness course. But the end result of this is that “againstness” ends up meaning two almost-opposite things. Which I guess is kinda appropriate in a way, but it doesn’t exactly bring clarity.
I think this material would be nontrivially improved by distinguishing between (1) SNS-dominance and its effects, (2) the model of SNS and PSNS and all that presented here, (3) the general idea of being able to notice SNS-dominance and do something to calm it down when appropriate, and (4) the specific techniques for doing that presented here. At least some of these should have catchy names. Maybe “againstness” should be one of those names. But it shouldn’t be all of them.
Perhaps (1) is “againstness”, (2) doesn’t need a name, (3) is something like “againstness control” and (4) is something like “body awareness”.
(And perhaps there also needs to be terminology for the broader-context ideas about metacognitive blindspots. Or maybe not, depending on how well developed the ideas actually are.)
“Againstness” was a draft term I was using to point at a piece of phenomenology. We just never found a better term.
I never found a reliable way of naming the quale. I’m honestly not sure if even the others at CFAR ever understood what I was talking about.
The very best I’d found was that people seemed to encounter it pretty systematically with high SNS activation. Then the term encountered Goodhart drift, so folk sometimes started using “againstness” specifically to talk about SNS activation, which just adds all kinds of confusion.
(I mean, you can increase SNS activity by lifting your arm over your head. But that generally doesn’t increase againstness in any meaningful sense best as I can tell.)
Attempted telekinesis is a more central example type. Its phenomenology is practically made of againstness.
Now that I’m writing this comment, actually, I wonder if the whole thing would have been clearer if we’d just pretended we were only talking about attempted telekinesis, highlighting the madness of it, and working on dissolving it.
The real point of the Againstness class was to get participants more into their bodies. That was quite important at that point in the workshop’s flow at the time.
It was also an anti-psychotic influence. More grounding than exciting.
I don’t remember the stats — I bet Dan and/or Duncan could recall this or pull it up — but by my recollection, by the end of each workshop (a) Againstness pretty systematically was one of the top-ranked classes until after my kensho and (b) basically no one could remember what it was about.
Now that I’m looking back on it, I think that’s actually a sign of success, not need for editing. It (combined with several other signs) meant the learning was more somatic, less cognitive.
But in any case: This befuddlement you’re expressing along the lines of “WTF is ‘againstness’?” is close to universal, and if I were drafting this material from scratch I definitely wouldn’t use that concept or term.
‘Againstness’ felt like a nearly self-defining word to me.
Your course had a rough/sketched/outlined model based on other models at various levels and there’s a few example techniques based on it (in the course).
“againstness control” is totally sensible – just like, e.g. ‘againstness management’ and ‘againstness practice’, are too.
I think there’s an implied (and intriguing) element of using SNS arousal/dominance for, e.g. motivation. I think there are some times or circumstances in which ‘SNS flow’ is effective, e.g. competitive sports.
I don’t think your example techniques need a special term. I understood this post as ‘gesturing’ at something more than presenting anything comprehensive.
I think something is badly wrong with the terminology here.
At one point “againstness” appears to be a label for the state of SNS-dominance and its consequences:
Elsewhere, “againstness” appears instead to be a label for the techniques proposed here for mitigating the downsides of SNS-dominance:
and
and later on in the space of a single paragraph it’s first the name of the teaching programme and the name of a cognitive mistake:
Furthermore, there is another thing being discussed for which “againstness” would be a pretty good name, namely the structure of the SNS and PSNS acting against each other.
I think the intention is that (1) “againstness” is a term for what SNS-dominance does, because it sets you up to pit yourself against whatever dangers or foes might be around, and then (2) “the Againstness course” is the CFAR thing that tries to tell you about SNS-dominance and how to deal with it, and then (3) “the Againstness technique” is the thing that is taught in the Againstness course. But the end result of this is that “againstness” ends up meaning two almost-opposite things. Which I guess is kinda appropriate in a way, but it doesn’t exactly bring clarity.
I think this material would be nontrivially improved by distinguishing between (1) SNS-dominance and its effects, (2) the model of SNS and PSNS and all that presented here, (3) the general idea of being able to notice SNS-dominance and do something to calm it down when appropriate, and (4) the specific techniques for doing that presented here. At least some of these should have catchy names. Maybe “againstness” should be one of those names. But it shouldn’t be all of them.
Perhaps (1) is “againstness”, (2) doesn’t need a name, (3) is something like “againstness control” and (4) is something like “body awareness”.
(And perhaps there also needs to be terminology for the broader-context ideas about metacognitive blindspots. Or maybe not, depending on how well developed the ideas actually are.)
FYI I have also always been pretty confused about the name “Againstness” and failed to use it in a sentence or parse sentences using it.
Your befuddlement totally makes sense.
“Againstness” was a draft term I was using to point at a piece of phenomenology. We just never found a better term.
I never found a reliable way of naming the quale. I’m honestly not sure if even the others at CFAR ever understood what I was talking about.
The very best I’d found was that people seemed to encounter it pretty systematically with high SNS activation. Then the term encountered Goodhart drift, so folk sometimes started using “againstness” specifically to talk about SNS activation, which just adds all kinds of confusion.
(I mean, you can increase SNS activity by lifting your arm over your head. But that generally doesn’t increase againstness in any meaningful sense best as I can tell.)
Attempted telekinesis is a more central example type. Its phenomenology is practically made of againstness.
Now that I’m writing this comment, actually, I wonder if the whole thing would have been clearer if we’d just pretended we were only talking about attempted telekinesis, highlighting the madness of it, and working on dissolving it.
The real point of the Againstness class was to get participants more into their bodies. That was quite important at that point in the workshop’s flow at the time.
It was also an anti-psychotic influence. More grounding than exciting.
I don’t remember the stats — I bet Dan and/or Duncan could recall this or pull it up — but by my recollection, by the end of each workshop (a) Againstness pretty systematically was one of the top-ranked classes until after my kensho and (b) basically no one could remember what it was about.
Now that I’m looking back on it, I think that’s actually a sign of success, not need for editing. It (combined with several other signs) meant the learning was more somatic, less cognitive.
But in any case: This befuddlement you’re expressing along the lines of “WTF is ‘againstness’?” is close to universal, and if I were drafting this material from scratch I definitely wouldn’t use that concept or term.
I think ‘againstness’ is nearly perfect :)
I didn’t think anything was confusing!
‘Againstness’ felt like a nearly self-defining word to me.
Your course had a rough/sketched/outlined model based on other models at various levels and there’s a few example techniques based on it (in the course).
“againstness control” is totally sensible – just like, e.g. ‘againstness management’ and ‘againstness practice’, are too.
I think there’s an implied (and intriguing) element of using SNS arousal/dominance for, e.g. motivation. I think there are some times or circumstances in which ‘SNS flow’ is effective, e.g. competitive sports.
I don’t think your example techniques need a special term. I understood this post as ‘gesturing’ at something more than presenting anything comprehensive.
I share your confusion.