THE RUDDER AND TRIM TAB CONCEPT

by Dr. Lawrence Wilson

All information in this article is for educational purposes only. It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

One of my mentors, Richard Buckminster Fuller, was a pioneer designer and philosopher, and champion of positive change on planet earth. He wanted VERY much to help make the world a better place. He asked himself “How can one little person change the entire world?”

The answer, he said, is to act like the rudder or better yet, the trim tab of a ship. The rudder of a ship is a very small part of the ship, located at the back end of the ship, far beneath the water line. However, it can swing a huge ship around, and without it one cannot control or steer the vessel.

The great power of the humble rudder on a ship reminds me of the Biblical statement, “The meek shall inherit the earth”, and “The last shall be made first”.

In fact, there is an even more humble part connected to the rudder on larger ships that wields even more power than the rudder. This is a very small section of the rudder called a trim tab. To turn a large ship, one first turns the trim tab. Then one can turn the rudder, which otherwise is not easy to turn. The rudder, in turn, controls the entire ship.

The moral of the story is that on ships and aircraft, as well, a rather small piece controls the entire direction of the craft. Based on this, Dr. Fuller said that he acts the same way upon humanity. This article explores this interesting concept.

HOW DOES A SHIP’S RUDDER WORK?

The way the trim tab and rudder on a ship pull the ship around is that when one turns the trim tab or rudder to one side, it forces the water around the ship to move faster on one side of the ship than on the other side. This lowers the pressure of the water against the ship on that side of the ship.

This is an application of Bernoulli’s principle of fluid dynamics. It states that faster moving air or water exerts less pressure than slower moving air or water.

As a result, moving the rudder to the right, for example, causes lower water pressure on the right side of the ship. This is effectively a slight vacuum. The ship then rushes in to fill the vacuum, and this is the way the rudder moves the ship.

In other words, the rudder and trim tab do not push the ship to one side. They pull the bow of the ship to one side by creating a vacuum. Bucky Fuller said many times that you cannot push people, but you can pull them or draw them to your ways of thinking.

In case you are not impressed with the trim tab idea, it works amazingly well. For example, if a ship loses its rudder and trim tab, it can take three or four powerful tug boats to turn a large ship, a job that is relatively easy for a functioning rudder and trim tab.

TRIM TABS IN THE BODY

In our bodies, the sodium/potassium ratio and the oxidation rate act like the trim tab and the rudder. This may sound a little esoteric, and it is. However, these seem to control so many other functions that it is appropriate to say they are like the rudder and trim tab of a ship. They seem rather unimportant, but they do a mighty job

For example, the sodium/potassium ratio on a hair mineral test is involved with and often controls the electrical potential of the cell membranes, blood sugar, liver, kidney and cardiovascular stress, hormonal balance, fatigue, and emotions such as anger, frustration and resentment - and this is just the start of it. Similarly, the oxidation rate is concerned with every body function and hundreds of disease conditions.

The development program focuses heavily on correcting the sodium/potassium ratio and the oxidation rate. Those who do not understand development science think this is silly, and not necessary. However, it works – just as the little trim tab on a large ship may seem insignificant, but it can turn the ship around better than anything else can.

A MORE ESOTERIC LOOK AT TRIM TABS

Trim tabs are the more yin end of the ship (the bow is more yang). Also, the rudder and trim tab are under water and hidden, which is more yin. Yin controls yang – in this case because changing the yin (the trim tab) creates a vacuum that is filled by the movement of the ship in the desired direction. This is how yin controls yang. This is an important principle.

In this way, vacuums always cause great movement. This is an important principle in physics, fluid dynamics, and in society and relationships. Please remember it.

Men and women create vacuums that others fill and in this way one can control others.

HOW TO BE A TRIM TAB IN SOCIETY

To do this, one must create a vacuum or lower pressure area, just as the trim tabs do. This alters the flow of energy in the society and amazingly, people start to move the way you want them to, if you do everything right.

A vacuum is a type of disturbance of the equilibrium forces in society that, in some way, speeds up the flow of energy in the area or direction in which you wish people to move. This is the human equivalent of Bernoulli’s principle.

How this is done is subtle. Ways to upset the equilibrium pace of society and societal evolution is to introduce new technology, present new information, draw attention to yourself or to something that upsets things in certain ways, or to send out love that draws people in.

DEVELOPING YOURSELF TO CHANGE SOCIETY

A very powerful and perhaps the most powerful way to change society is to develop yourself. This is a theme of this website.

You do this by following the development program faithfully. Development will then occur automatically. For details, read Introduction To Development and Introduction To The Development Program.

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