Topic: Merit

Carlwood references an interview with Richard Merit regarding the Pearson distribution, which shows that aggregate human behavior forms predictable curves regardless of individual choice. Kotze views this as scientific support for his worldview, suggesting that synchronicity reveals higher-dimensional objects that negate the traditional rationalist view of a mechanistic, dead universe.

Thai magical rituals sometimes involve the use of human tissue, such as bone fragments, which is viewed as a source of supernatural power rather than something macabre. Janks explains that the relationship is reciprocal; by performing favors for the wearer, the spirit associated with the tissue gains "merit" to help it reincarnate. Different systems, like the Lanna or Central Thai traditions, use various methods to either work with the original spirit or create a new one within the material.