Ballistics is the science of projectiles and fire arms. One of many uses of this science is to identify the characteristic markings that a gun barrel makes on a bullet as it is fired. The markings on the barrel are also changed as an increasing number of bullets pass through it.
One very skilled people manager suggested that there should be a science called mental ballistics–the study of the effect of passing ideas into the mind. He contends that when an idea is passed into the brain, it makes a permanent groove or change in the memory. When the same idea passes through the brain again, the groove is made a little deeper and more permanent. So our mental condition is altered by the number and character of these impressions that pass into the brain.
An expert on mental ballistics might be described as one who is skilled in devising effective programs of mind development. “Going ballistic” might then suggest a program of reading, thinking and putting ideas in force. We could carefully select and rigidly control the things we store in memory.
Mental ballistics experts might advise us that each good idea we identify will make it easier to identify related ideas. Collecting, comparing and combining ideas is called creativity.
Experts would probably advise us to eliminate ourselves from association with anyone who initiates any negative or critical thoughts into the minds of those who surround them.
By organizing our thinking and putting our ideas under strict discipline, we may get the same control over our minds. If we follow the advice of the experts in this science, we will have proven to ourselves that it is OK to go ballistic.