TM inspired ballot measure in Denver

[renata]

Saw this on the Daily Show. They interviewed Peckman. He has a formula to reduce crime, apparently it takes 175 people meditating in the park to lower crime and terrorism

http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~64~1710230,00.html



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Initiative 101, dubbed "Safety Through Peace," proposes that Denver adopt peacefulness programs that lower "society-wide stress," which in turn will reduce crime, accidents, violence and terrorism.

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If passed by voters Nov. 4, the city must implement systematic, stress-reducing techniques or programs that are scientifically proven to decrease stress and would financially benefit the city.

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"Stress builds up in society just like it does in an individual and it hurts our youth, economy and health," Peckman explains. "With this (initiative), we can try and use tried and proven methods to reduce stress."

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Brown also pointed out that the manner in which one person relieves stress can push another person over the edge.

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Peckman also is impressed by John Hagelin, a quantum physicist and public policy analyst. Hagelin's theory is that chaos and disorder in any society can be calmed by using large groups of peace-creating experts, trained in powerful and scientifically verified meditation techniques. As a result, crime, accidents, warfare and terrorism dramatically decline.

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His supporters are as grassroots as it gets: Peckman doesn't really know who they are or what they're up to. "But I've heard through the grapevine that people are spreading the word," he said.

Facing no organized opposition, the former alternative health consultant spends his time giving media interviews and writing statements for the newspapers.
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Peckman suggested everything from more nutritious food in public schools to mass meditation sessions to piping soothing music into public buildings. These, he said, have been shown to reduce stress and violence.

"I am introducing a concept, not an approach. It's a new way of thinking," he said. "The city would solicit proposals, review them and decide what could work best."

Perhaps that is why Peckman is unable to give any specific answers in response to how the peacefulness ordinance would be enforced.

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Wording of the Denver ballot initiative:

"Shall the voters for the City and County adopt an Initiated Ordinance to require the city to help ensure public safety by increasing peacefulness - that is, by defusing political, religious and ethnic tensions, both locally and globally - through the identification and implementation of any systematic, stress-reducing techniques or programs, whether mental, physical, etc., that are (1) scientifically shown to reduce society-wide stress, as measured by reduced crime, accidents, warfare and terrorism, and (2) shown to be of net financial benefit for the city?"





Here is a great editorial on it. It excoriates him, junk science in general, Hagelin, TM and the measure. It is too good to chop up, and I can't post it whole due to forum rules. Highly recommended read :)


http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/opinion/article/0,1299,DRMN_38_2314272,00.html

I wonder what the results of the vote will be. It is kind of hard to vote against world peace...

[fishbob]

My new favorite line:Any dingbat with enough money can publish journals, staff them with people as loopy as he is, get like-minded outsiders to "review" articles and claim the result as "scientifically proven."

[renata]

Originally posted by fishbob
My new favorite line:

Yes, if it was not against the rules, I would nominate that editorial for the language prize. :D I rarely see such boistrous defense of skepticism in papers. It was a pleasure!

I am considering writing a supportive letter to the editor. :)

[CFLarsen]

TM and Hagelin is mentioned in Robert Park's excellent "Voodoo Science", which we cannot quote that much from. However, this article (http://www.skepticreport.com/psychics/radin2002.htm) touches briefly on the issue of TM and crime reduction, by pointing to Park's book.

[renata]

Update: yesterday Denver voted, and the Peace initiative failed

http://www.bouldernews.com/bdc/state_news/article/0,1713,BDC_2419_2403871,00.html



With 95 percent of the vote counted, the measure failed 68 percent to 32 percent. It would have required the city to implement "scientifically proven" stress-reduction programs.

The votes cast against it totaled 53,112, compared with 24,854 votes in favor.

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Some of the ideas that were floated by supporters of Initiative 101 included playing calming music in public buildings, recruiting people to meditate and improving the quality of school lunches.

Peckman said the initiative would have paid for itself by helping to reduce crime and other negative social trends that could mean a net financial gain for the city of $80 million a year.

"The central question that comes to mind is, 'Is this possible?'" Peckman said. "Yes, it is. The group practice of transcendental meditation can generate a field of peacefulness and calm over a wide geographical area."





Here is an editorial by Peckman himself, just for fun....
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/opinion/article/0,1299,DRMN_38_2374943,00.html


In a small way, Denver Initiative 101 shares circumstances similar to the world-transforming contribution of the great Italian scientist Guglielmo Marconi, inventor of radio telegraphy in 1895.

Marconi's astonishing demonstration that "sound" could be transmitted through empty space over far distances was disbelieved and probably ridiculed by Italian government officials who dismissed the whole thing as useless anyway. Marconi persevered but had to go to England to get funding and develop his invention over several decades.

Today, much of the world's economy and quality of life relies on the benefits of Marconi's "useless" discovery and inventions in radio technologies.

New discoveries produce new technologies, new businesses greater wealth, more jobs and a better quality of life. If someone in Italy had put an initiative on the ballot that required the local government to explore applications of Marconi's discovery, it surely would have created an explosion of new radio technologies much sooner and Italy would have been the first beneficiary.
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By passing Initiative 101, Denver can lead the nation in identifying and implementing well-researched, field-tested technologies and programs that are based on another new theory and discovery. The "theory" is that stress can build up in the body of society and erupt as crime, violence, poor health, poor economy and even warfare and terrorism.

The "discovery" now verified by extensive research is that such society-wide stress can be reduced, which in turn significantly reduces the same societal problems. This research has been published by prestigious journals produced by Yale University, the University of Maine and other respected institutions. Top experts and researchers in health, economics, law enforcement and defense have promoted such approaches for increasing public safety and strengthening the economy to federal officials in Washington D.C.
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A preliminary cost-benefit analysis conducted by Kurt Kleinschnitz, a physicist and proponent of 101, has estimated that Initiative 101 will produce more than $80 million in net financial benefits annually for the city without raising taxes, according to a review of the city's 2003 budget The financial benefits would result from a combination of reducing costly stress-related social problems cost-effectively, and increasing tax revenues from a stronger economy - both of which are documented results when societal stress is lifted off a community.

A few vocal politicians, consultants and commentators have attempted to discredit Initiative 101 by resorting to name-calling and ridicule but none has offered any logic or evidence to support their criticisms. They are like educated but frustrated adults who can't solve a Rubik's Cube puzzle even though a child can. Don't let them ruin our chance to make Denver and our lives better.

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Let's celebrate the greatness of Italian culture, and all cultures, by having an open mind to new discoveries and innovative solutions.
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[Ursa Major]

Originally posted by renata
He has a formula to reduce crime, apparently it takes 175 people meditating in the park to lower crime and terrorism



I think that would work...at least, lower crime in the park...if the 175 people were all cops