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Chapter VII / Section C
Polyrhythms
Physo–Intellectual
Energies Combined
Physo–Intellectual Effect can be seen when both the Physical and Intellectual Cycles combine. With a Physo–Intellectual High, for instance, physical education might gain improvements. During a Physical High – Intellectual Low, blind ambition cause failure from excessive materialism. In a Physical Low – Intellectual High, metaphysical interests may catch on and transcend old bounds. A Physo–Intellectual Low could bring military cutbacks and few developments in defense technology.
We had a Physo–Intellectual High from 1915 – 1929, during the “Roaring Twenties.” The Physical High boosted industry, and the Intellectual High enhanced banking, commodities and the value of money. During the 1920s better machinery and management increased industrial production by 50%. Production of automobiles and consumer durable goods increased greatly. In the last seven years before 1929 salaries increased 42%, wages rose 33%, consumer purchases expanded 23%, while corporate net profits rose 76% and dividends to stockholders went up by 108%. Many ships rose in the double High tide.
We reached a Physo–Intellectual Low from 1929 – 1943 after both Cycles crossed down through the midpoint of crisis in 1929. This began the Great Depression. By the low point of the Depression in 1932, more than 5,000 banks closed, including the Bank of the United States in New which had sixty branches and almost one half million depositor, and unemployment soared to 12 million. The economy was so bad that if forced the US to go off of the gold standard in 1933. President Roosevelt enacted the “New Deal” social programs as an emergency measure to counter the disaster. It would not be until just before the war that signs of recovery would come in the Physo-Intellectual Low.
\We had a Physical High–Intellectual Low from 1943 – 1951. This is when a purge of communism was prompted by real threats. Territoriality and national loyalty will increase with a Physical High, but the targets seem to be elusive to eradicators during the Intellectual Low. President Truman made an executive order to ban communists from the executive branch in 1946, but he believed that Congress and the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) were overacting. Claims against former State Department official Algier Hiss were dismissed by some. Hiss was later convicted for perjury after collaborating a communist spy. A flurry of investigations then plagued members of the entertainment media and scrutiny of millions of federal employees prompted more than two thousand dismissals and resignations. Many complained that over zealous harassment targeted innocent Americans during the Physical Low – Intellectual High.
Physical Low Intellectual High came from 1957 – 1961 as the Cycles were reversed during the Sixties. At this time, institutions of the mind were empowered over institutions of the body. The US Supreme court ruled against capital punishment in 1961. It also ruled against the use of illegal evidence in prosecution by state courts as ideology was favored over force. The “military-industrial” complex that President Eisenhower warned about in his farewell speech was kept under civilian control by President Kennedy. Secretary of Defense Robert MacNamara also maintained control over the Joint Chiefs of Staff and implemented the use of computers. Intellectually-based identities took precedence over Physically-based identities. At the same time, athletes were relatively less revered and called “jocks.” The subcultural Hippie movement had members who deliberately dressed in worn and patched clothing so as not to be judged by the material values of conspicuous consumption instead of their ideologies and content of character. Times were Intellectual, with record high SAT scores for students, not Physical, as a lack of Physical fitness prompted the Kennedy to begin the President’s Council on Physical Fitness. Changing Cycles work together to shape the times.
Physical 3rd Qtr. & Intellectual 4th Qtr. came from 1985 – 1992. while the Physical Cycle was in 3rd Qtr. Review and Reform, the Intellectual Cycle was in 4th Qtr. Alternatives and Abandonment. The result in 1990 was to be “Politically Correct.” The style of Political Correctness was a reformist view of the past with a progressive departure from concepts such as white – male – sexist – power based – Eurocentric identifications. How things were labeled and from what perspective they were viewed shifted. This combined Reform with Alternatives in the 3rd and 4th Qtr. combination of Physical and Intellectual Cycles.
Physical 4th Qtr. & Intellectual 1st Qtr. from 1995 – 1999 is in effect. The 4th Qtr. Alternatives of the Physical Cycle have brought a shift away from old systems, and 1st Qtr. Foundation in the Intellectual Cycle is calling for new ideas. A proposal for chartered schools came in 1995. This would make a break from old formats during the Physical Low of 4th Qtr. Alternative and Experimentation, and free up many of the problems associated with them. It would also establish a new method in education during the Intellectual High of 1st Qtr. Foundation and Precedents.
Physo–Intellectual Crossovers Combined happen on those infrequent occasions when both the body and the mind of the nation come into crisis at the same time.
Double Downward Crossover of the Physical & Intellectual Cycles in 1929 March 21, 1929 – March 21, 1930). This came with the crash in the stock market. With the Emotional Cycle near its peak, the Physical and Intellectual Cycles passed down through the crisis point and the country#39;s enthusiasm outran its own strength and common sense. As the Dow-Jones Industrial Average reached an all time high of 381 on September 3, 1929, we were headed toward a predictable disaster. On October 24, 1929, a record number of investors entered a selling hysteria in which 19 million shares at an overnight loss of a billion dollars on “Black Thursday.” Within a few weeks stocks lost 40% of their value, industrial production, construction and retail sales were devastated, and unemployment rose from 700,000 to 3.1 million. Both Cycles came out of a High that made the “Roaring Twenties” at the same time. When the Downward Crossover of the Physical Cycle put industry in peril, the Downward Crossover of the Intellectual Cycle put banking, commodities and money in trouble. The combined effect of Cycles is powerful. That is why we should know where they are.
Figures #7-16a thru #7-16c show an Overview of the Physical and Intellectual Cycles.
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