The basic human memory procedure used in daily life is very similar to the technique used in high-density wire communications. Information is compressed by using one “bit” to express many “bits.”

If, for example, Burleigh and Jon had previously discussed attending a football game, and Burleigh leaves Jon a seven-word phone message saying if he doesn’t call, he will meet as agreed, Jon’s overall perception is then guided by this short signal of seven words (bits). With no further input, he now expects to bring the tickets, lemonade, umbrellas and peanut butter sandwiches – and that Burleigh will be parked at the field by quarter of 2. That phone message was a ”one-bit” signal that conveyed compressed information of many “bits.”

This “compression” helps people predict much of new situation by allowing them to use what they already know. If Bill Clinton’s wife sees lipstick on his clothing in an area not ordinarily graced by lipstick, she will probably use already obtained earlier impressions to fill out the overall scene. Her current mental picture will likely describe not only what Bill might have been doing earlier that day, but also perhaps what he might have been doing on other days. Importantly, the lipstick “bit” also offers her a forecast for future clothing mysteries, as well as evaluations of other people involved.

When a dog encounters a porcupine, he only has to have the stored memory of a previous encounter to decide that he should exercise caution. An Irishman can draw realms of knowledge and information from a pub sign displaying nothing but a glass of dark liquid. Had George W. Bush used stored information – often referred to as common sense – he would surely have decided that Shock and Awe would not be a profitable strategy in Iraq.

To form an opinion by using earlier information shortens response time, instructs future behavior and saves neural energy. But, like fire, it should be treated with caution. In some cases voters decide who is the good guy – or gal – based on very small “bits” of information. To some voters, a black face is all that is needed to create an unfair expectation of a candidate’s ability, suitability and future performance. Republican stalwarts such as Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter, augmented by heavily funded communications such as Fox News, ruthlessly use this channelization of thought and perception to peddle conspiracy theories, anti-intellectualism, demonization of opponents and, in the case of the president, racism.

Even Mr. Romney – himself subject to unflattering impressions of his religion – uses veiled racism when he refers to Mr. Obama as the “food stamp president” – wink, wink.

We see the world by applying the expectations from our own past experience. If those experiences are sexist or racist, our perceptions struggle under a burden of past impressions. People concerned about the development of their children should be very careful about the worlds to which they are exposed.

Fortunately, this process can sometimes be reversed. When stored impressions are no longer manning the fort, perception can be something like imagination. When this occurs, the mind is free to dream, to create episodes of mental imagery. This may be a reason to consider Ron Paul “spacey.” It seems certain that the gentleman is cruising in some kind of free-floating atmosphere in which “stored information” (common sense?) is disregarded.

Because Mr. Gingrich is rotund does not mean he is a fat circus clown – it simply means he is unlikely to get into a flight suit and land on an aircraft carrier.

Devil’s Dictionary ?quote of the week

Optimist: A proponent of the doctrine that black is white.

Rodney Quinn, who lives in Westbrook, can be reached at rquinn@maine.rr.com.

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