Edgar J. Ridley & Associates

Edgar Ridley's latest book; The Golden Apple, Changing the Structure of Civilization was educational and made understanding by his use of numerous examples. Ridley seeks the elimination of symbolic thought and promotes a symptomatic thought process. He proves his case with current and past life examples. He relates how symbolism is used in modern sophisticated man, savages, in civilized people, and in religion. He eventually shows us how symptoms are the true revealers of what happened in the past and what is happening in the present. This is something that symbols can never do. "Symbols are subject to being rendered meaningless by contradiction."
While answering three questions: 1) "What accounts for the historically destructive nature of mankind and civilization?", 2) "What is the relationship between symbols, mythology and superstition?", and 3) "How has this relationship affected man and civilization?" Ridley explains why we need to eliminate destructive symbols from our thought process in favor of the liberating "Symptomatic Thought Process".

Roderich (Rick) M. Carr
New York

I often wonder why the richest countries in natural resources where indeed the poorest. It all make since to me now. The symbolic strategy is so well used by the west to steal everything by all means so as to remain in power. Do they have such low esteem of themselves to be unable to remain in power by their own means and own resources? Do they have such a low esteem of themselves that they decide play symbolically? Why is the west so afraid to use the symptomatic strategy? Why do they have to use myth & superstitions to fool the entire world?
Are they so afraid of the fair game to the extend of using means like slavery, colonization, neo-colonization, FMI, World Bank, Apartheid...so on....to remain in power?
I urge everyone who wants to wake up to read this book. This is a wake up call for us in the 1/3 world to understand that we are equal and can do as much. We are gifted by all mean and we need to start being realistic and use a symptomatic approach to all our decisions. We need to trust each other and start thinking symptomatically which will be the key for our development and for a successful globalization. The 1/3 world need to stand up, we can't continue to blame the West for our laziness and and incapacity to take our own decisions. The world will be a better place if we appreciate people for who they are but not for how they look like.

Fatou Bah
Guinea

This book could do to the world what Edward Deming did for Japan with Total Quality Management. Today, Japan is the second largest economy in the world. The book outlined how sometime in the distant past man experienced a neurological misadventure which made him think symbolically instead of symptomically. The symbolic thinking is laced with supertitions and myths. This way of thinking retards our development.
Symptomatic thinking frees you of limitations so you can always achieve beyond the norm. Every manager in every profession should read this book in order to take civilization to the next level.

Dr. Lloyd Eubank-Green
Jamaica, West Indies

This is a wildly audacious and highly critical book that exposes the absurdity and insanity of racism. Identifying mythology with symbols, symbolic systems, metaphor, superstition and folklore, Ridley's critique of religion goes beyond Marx' notion of "religion as opium for the masses" and links any religion to war, violence and the myth of race via mythological thinking and symbolism. The book pins insane symbolic thinking against healthy symptomatic thought. Drawing on a wealth of sources, it abounds with sources on the African origins of mankind and civilization. This is a must read for any one serious about weaning themselves and the world of racism, racially motivated self-hate, and poised to accomplish achievements. Ridley's symptomatic approach proposes to change the old, debilitating structures of civilization towards real progress for all.

Sabine Jell-Bahlsen, Ph.D.
Germany

Even some of the most intelligent Black people would prefer symbolic thinking over a symptomatic thought process.  Edgar J. Ridley's book,The Golden Apple: Changing the Structure of Civilization, provides evidence of how our mythologies, fables and folklore (our own or oppressor's adaptations of them) have contributed to the destruction of great black civilizations and held us in servitude for over 400 hundred years. It is like a light that illuminates the path of those who don't want to stumble around in the darkness.                                                     

  dysesthesiaAethiopi1

USA

 

I am very interested in your concept for innnovation that in order to be productive and initiate effective behavior patterns, the neurological processes of the brain have to forego symbolic thought so that a symptomatic thought process can be the dominating engine of all human actvity and behavior.  In addition, I believe that the fundamental theme throughout your presentation of the need for managers to make decisions void of symbolism is really effective on the innovation.  I read your book entitled "The Golden Apple", and the details of the presentation was covered by this book.  I thought that this book is truly supplemental for the seminar and I would like to ask you to introduce this book when you give a presentation in the APO seminar again.  

Eriko Katashiro

Program Officer

Asian Productivity Organization (APO)