The Wet Season; does it make people go troppo and after all what is troppo ? Is it a state of
mind or some kind of psychosomatic condition? Is troppo collective thinking?
Can “going troppo” be defined as the collective unconscious, in which the minds of many unite to form the feelings we expect to experience, like a self fulfilling prophesy?
mind or some kind of psychosomatic condition? Is troppo collective thinking?
Can “going troppo” be defined as the collective unconscious, in which the minds of many unite to form the feelings we expect to experience, like a self fulfilling prophesy?
The very idea that someone becomes a little irrational at the time of the wet season does not seem to make sense on the surface, however studies have shown lack of light in the northern hemisphere winter can have an effect on one's sense of wellbeing. Other seasonal effects can give rise to more afflictions of the body and mind. It is therefore no leap of faith to surmise that heat and humidity may have similar effects on the human psyche.
Rumors of people “going troppo” can infuse a culture. It can re-enforce the ideas of heat-induced madness and other mental afflictions both perceived and real. Is
“mango madness” really a kind of psychosomatic group think?
“mango madness” really a kind of psychosomatic group think?
Hidden away in the high mountain rainforests of North Queensland near Herberton, we are here to try and find out what Troppo means to some people.
John, Steve and Paul give us their insights.
JOHN BURTON:
“the heat, humidity, rain non stop rain”
“saps it out of you”, “ drives you crazy”
STEVE FIDDES:
“makes you a bit depressed”
“tempers flair a little quicker”
“it seems to build up and people start cracking”
PAUL TREDGETT:
“just part of the cycle up here'
“just kind of hunker down”
“seems to effect the whole culture though”
“I get more power from the micro hydro from more rain”
The physical effects on the body of the heat and humidity can have a definite effect on one's ability to sustain physical and mental activity. Avoiding physical effort in the heat of the day is a good way to avoid the non disputable effects on the body.. How do we avoid the effects on the mind ?
Paul may have some insights with his positive view of “The Wet”. Paul looks at the wet season as a time of nourishment for the rainforest and for one's soul, it also has a more practical dimension for him as the extra water also means more power from his self designed and manufactured micro-hydro. When the sun is not shining on his solar panels, it is likely to be raining somewhere in the mountains, feeding the creek that powers his micro-hydro system.
A positive view of the constant rainfall and humidity is certainly a way to avoid “Going Troppo” when the worst of the weather rolls in like a wet blanket covering the north.
The wet season can be a source of inspiration, the plants thrive on it, many animals are active in a different way when natures palate of green saturates the northern part of Australia. It truly is a beautiful contrast to the cool, dry, brown winter season.
Perhaps a simple change of attitude can make the state of “going troppo” a healing condition rather then a time to get cranky. Revel in your wet season, go for a swim in the creek, enjoy sweating out the impurities in your body, lap up the visual splendor of the soothing colour green. Perhaps if everyone went a bit "troppo" we could shake our selves loose from our synthetic air conditioned world for a while.
Links to background information:
http://freeenergynews.com/Directory/Hydro/index.html
http://www.atmos.uwyo.edu/~geerts/cwx/notes/chap03/troppo.html
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0411/feature5/index.html
