The Bubble Economy

Written by: Kim Pilger     Date added: 12-18-08

Although the human brain represents only 2.5% of our body weight, it burns a staggering 30% of our energy. It stands to reason then, that the most effective way to conserve our energy is to dramatically curtail our thinking. This is especially critical in Japan where the food source consists primarily of roots, dirt and ocean scrapings. How is it possible though in this complex age to curtail our thinking habits? The answer is simple and lies in the bubble economy.

Bubble economy is a term used to describe the deliberate act of placing yourself and your colleagues in a cognitive bubble. This bubble is a safe place with highly ritualized behaviour patterns which eliminate the possibility of unexpected events. Unexpected events are detrimental to the economy of the brain because they require thinking. Once bubble behaviour becomes unconscious, the brain can go into a quasi hibernation state and conserve tremendous amounts of energy. How can you conserve energy and become a bubble conservative? Just follow these simple steps.

• STEP 1: Form the Bubble
• This is easy enough to do. First of all, one simply selects members of the group and creates some meaningless rituals to control their behaviour. Examples of such rituals are meetings, meetings and meetings. Mutual suffering and fear of rejection help bind the group and damage self-worth. Consequently, a bubble of comfort from a hostile outside world is easily formed between its insecure members.
• STEP 2: Maintain the Bubble
• The bubble is easily maintained by taking a superficial interest in the actions of others. While discussing the day’s lesson with an outsider, for example, it is imperative to always be on the lookout for any movement or interaction between the bubble members. If another bubble member so much as pops their head up from their stacks of files (prairie dog style) communication with the outsider must cease immediately. This interest isn’t always superficial. All activities must be known by all parties at all times. This seems like a difficult prospect at first, requiring precious cognitive energy but this is not necessarily the case. By meeting to discuss all matters on a regular basis it is easy to know what is going on with all members of the bubble community and keep the bubble community in one place doing nothing productive. As nothing is happening, there is no need to discuss it and you can safely retreat back into the quasi hibernation state.
• STEP 3: Defend the Bubble
• Outsiders must not be allowed to permeate the thick outer shell which protects the delicate inhabitants. Outsiders must not be aware of the rituals used to bind bubble members. Communication with non-members is a great taboo. Non-members are unpredictable. Unpredictable behaviour leads to cognitive waste. This is extremely mottainai.

Some people may argue that the bubble environment is not the real world. This is a safe place invented by insecure lazy people who want to imagine a reality free from creative thought or true compassion. However, bubble economics don’t matter to bubble dwellers. They are on the outside and unimportant. It doesn’t matter how many people are on the outside. The bubble has opaque walls; it is comfortable and it is safe.

SIDENOTE: Looking across the office, I am delighted to see the nurse in a state of extreme mental conservation. She is staring straight ahead wasting little resources.