N.A.G.: Namer and Guesser

This is that part of the mind which sits on the fence between the conscious and subconscious and plays "guardian". No sooner does half a perception appear in the subconscious than the N.A.G. simply has to identify it as friend or foe. It blurts, "I know what that is!" and gives the perception a conscious name. It is the NAG which has let us survive as a species. The trouble is, most often it guesses before getting the full facts. Also, percentage-wise, it tends to guess more on the side of safety than it does on the side of accuracy. This is the origin of almost all STRAY CATs., castle building, S>C.W.E.R.L.s, and pollution within a viewer's session.

Overy good aspect of the N.A.G. is that it almost always produces a noun. The subconscious mind doesn't think in terms of nouns, so - especially for a beginning viewer - if you simply set aside all nouns, your viewing will become more accurate.

See also, "Winking about the site".