Programming for Humans 101

Programing for Humans 101

Syllabus: Cultural Myth Implementation & Maintenance

LESSON 1: ESTABLISHING THE SANTA PROTOCOL

Step 1: Core Entity Creation

• Establish a joyful, non-threatening persona with magical capabilities
• Create visual branding (red suit, white beard) for easy recognition
• Develop backstory in remote, inaccessible location (North Pole)
• Surround with supporting characters (elves, reindeer) to enhance believability

Step 2: Surveillance & Behavior Modification Systems

• Implement "always watching" monitoring protocol ("he sees you when you're sleeping")
• Create binary behavior classification system (naughty/nice list)
• Establish clear reward/punishment correlation
• Deploy seasonal reminders of surveillance ("Better not pout, better not cry")

Step 3: Target Audience Engagement

• Focus implementation on young children (4-8 years) during cognitive development phase
• Use gift-giving as primary incentive mechanism
• Create ritualistic interactions (milk and cookies, letters to Santa) to reinforce belief
• Deploy commercial marketing systems to maintain interest

Step 4: Adult Participation Requirements

• Recruit parents as system administrators
• Provide scripts for handling logical inconsistencies
• Establish gift financing mechanisms ("Santa needs money from parents")
• Create societal reinforcement through media, retail environments, and peer pressure

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT:
Analyze another cultural belief system using the framework above. Identify:

1. Core entity/concept
2. Behavior modification mechanisms
3. Logical inconsistency handling
4. System maintenance requirements