Look To Homer!

 There's a great episode of The Simpson's where the family travels to Australia.  One of the cool things about making an animated series is that the world is your palette - you aren't restricted by space or time.  The highlight of the episode - at least the highlight that I'm going to highlight - revolves around the Coriolis Effect.

(Ed. Note: This particular effect has to do with the fact that water swirls clockwise above the equator and just the opposite south of the equator.  This is really an effect.  It is most pronounced, however, in large flows of water, and not in your average toilet bowl.  Most people are interested in this effect vis-a-vis flushing a toilet.  I know - I've been south of the equator and it was one of the first things I did.  Apparently, the fact that the water didn't swirl counter-clockwise was so offensive to me that I didn't recall that it didn't do what I wanted it to.  The direction of the water swirl is dependent on the location of the water jets in the toilet mechanism and not on the location of the toilet itself; namely, north or south of the equator.  So if you're thinking of traveling to Antarctica or Uruguay so you can test your personal toilet water swirling theories you're shit out of luck.  Save your money.)

Anyway, in this particular Simpson's episode the family is staying in the U.S. embassy.  Homer goes into the bathroom to test out the swirl theory.  He flushes.  On top of the toilet is a huge piece of machinery - engines and pumps and lots of piping - which clatters into action.  Initially the water swirls counter-clockwise - we're south of the equator, remember? - and then the machinery, which is shaking the whole building as it operates violently, causes the water to reverse direction and swirl in the clockwise manner than Homer expects.

He bursts into tears, salutes, and begins changing: "USA! USA!"

I've always thought that this is sort of how my recovering brain works.  My initial reaction to many things is negative and combative and contrary.  Then, through practice, long practice, a huge piece of machinery engages and my brain swirls back around and reacts differently than I would think.  It's not natural for me to be positive and understanding - I'm ready to go to war over most things - but my experience is that, through practice, you can change how you think.  You can overcome, to some degree, the inclinations that have been installed through nature and nurture.

Look to Homer for the answers!