Another Christmas. Alone, this time, and thus an opportunity to reflect on just what Christmas means to me, and how that meaning has changed over the years. Well, more than an opportunity; more like a mandate, as when you experience Christmas alone there are no distractions with which to busy your mind and your body that speed you through this time that is usually so loaded with activities and preparation that, when over, leaves you ready for the proverbial "long winter's nap."
I was raised in a very fundamentalist evangelical church. I didn't know that at the time; there was no awareness any gradation or intensity to the religious experience. Nor was there any sense that religion and God were not synonymous. All that I knew was that there was a sense of warmth and love that permeated the entire season and that that sense included all those around me...family, friends, acquaintances and the whole community. Even in times of stress and uncertainty, Christmas seemed to transcend all and bring everyone together in an affirmation that regardless of the current challenges, all would be and was well.
Christmas is the one element of my childhood that I wish I could revisit and recreate in my life even now.
Youth doesn't leave us all at once; it is a gradual disappearing act that goes largely unnoticed in the excitement of the new experiences of growing up. But it does disappear, even if unnoticed. And those new experiences, for me, included questioning the Faith in which I was raised. Kids have questions. While we can be put off with non- and partial answers, our brains are not quieted and questions inadequately answered lead to diminished trust and belief. Much of the time this reduced belief is based on the false premises that our parents and elders know all and are simply refusing to reveal that truth to us; only much later in life do we realize that they weren't holding out on us; they didn't have the answers either. After all, it takes more than a little maturity to understand the difference between "faith" and "wishful thinking"; many adults still cannot tell the difference.
So, over the years I became what I only much, much later came to identify as an agnostic; I believed there was a God, but could not reconcile the various beliefs between the different religions in the world, all of which seem to declare supreme exclusive knowledge of the "Truth.". At the time, this awareness was lost in the main activity of "putting on" Christmas for my family and my children...the desire to reproduce for them the same sort of warm, fuzzy, loving and inclusive feeling that Christmas' past had provided me so long ago. My personal joy had largely disappeared in the process of trying to recreate that special feeling for the kids. When it was over I looked for nothing so much as the opportunity for that proverbial "long winter's nap."
But this period was still surrounded by the "spirit" of Christmas. It permeated the town, the community, the schools and even the Town Hall. Christmas was a unifier, and it provided a spirit of togetherness and dependence on and desire for a certain guidance from above as well as the the expectation that such guidance would be forthcoming if we only took the time to listen for it. I understood that my separation, even in part, from this experience was of my own doing, and I accepted that separation as what I perceived as a part of being "an adult." Time, of course, allowed be to much later discover that I was totally wrong on that count.
Today's life in America has changed so much. Religion...and the Christian religions in particular...have become unwelcome presences in official circles. Official America has become an acolyte of Secularism; Man has replaced God as the guiding element in life. Apparently the absurdity of such boot-strap reasoning is lost on all except me...but I am now old and my opinions are now deemed worthless. But I look with wonder and sadness at those growing up and now in power with no sense of guidance other than that of other men with no more wisdom that that which those in power already possess...and they know how inadequate and uncertain their own point of view; how, indeed, can they even suspect that any other human has anything more? How do today's leaders survive such burdens in the absence of knowing that there is available the guidance of a higher power? No wonder they fail so miserably so much of the time.
As we grow up, some of us put God-like wisdom in the person of our fathers...or mothers, or priests...and know we have grown up when those dependable rocks in our lives pass away and suddenly those younger that we are coming up to us with the same questions that we once asked our elders...and those asking the questions look at us with that same trusting sense of expectation of wisdom that we once put on our elders. That is the moment of truth, and the moment (for me) that I blessed being imbued with a sense of the availability of guidance from God.
Well, I certainly have no absolute answers. But I do have a certain comfort level for the present at least. I know that...again, at least for now (who knows what I will be led to be aware of in the future)...it matter little what errors we make in terms of mankind. God prevails, even as mankind chooses to suffer the consequences of bad decisions. Those consequences do, in fact, lead to learning...although each new generation apparently has to re-learn the same lessons. That is a shame, but not necessarily a bad thing.
I have come to terms with the fact: that the only absolute answers are those that seem to come to me directly from God; that all men of God may be presumed to mean well, but are fallible and their declarations and commands and judgement should be checked through individual prayer while remembering that all utterances of any man (or woman) are just that...human...and may not be assumed to be commands from God until confirmed in our souls by the almighty. I leave it to each individual to determine what form that confirmation takes. I, for one, take the utterances of Priests, Ministers, Imams and all other self-proclaimed representatives of religions, both organized and not, as statements worthy of noting but lacking any inherent sense of imperative or command...another human being's statement of "truth" is neither greater nor less than my own.
Age brings upon us a certain sense of quiet acceptance of ignorance and in comfort in knowing that the more you know (or think that you know) only makes you aware how much you do not and cannot know, leading to a willingness to accept the undeniable fact that the universe came into being long before our lives started and will continue long after it ceases and that we can take comfort in the fact that maybe we should often take our hands off the wheel, that maybe there is someone already at the wheel who knows more and can direct our lives more efficiently...and definitely more lovingly.
Christmas has become a time to be quiet and listen. And often the silence becomes a silent approbation of the fact that I am doing my best to not get in the way, not be too prideful, not be too "full of myself." Such quiet is reassuring and feels like the spiritual caress of a loving parent seeing my essence while ignoring my foibles.
I wish the same for each and every one. Merry Christmas
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Thursday, December 15, 2011
One main reason that todays schools fail miserably...
I cannot remember not being able to read. My mother told me that I could read before I was two, but I take that claim on faith...and it doesn't matter. But, without an age reference, I can recall my mother insisting that I learn the alphabet and learn to sound out words. And then she insisted that I learn the definition of every new word. As I got a bit better, she taught me how to look up the definitions in a dictionary that I always had handy when I was reading. I was taught how to read using phonetics, although I only learned this later.
Reading was my key to the world. I could pick up a book and travel all around the world. I could even travel to the stars and in time. It was not just learning...it was entertainment. If I had a book, I was King; I was the master of my own mental destiny.
Reading was power. Reading was the vehicle for success and for achievement of my goals, regardless of how I define that at any given moment.
If I didn't fully grasp what a teacher had attempted to teach me in class, I could read the textbook and think it through again...or go to the library and look for additional information...and, in a sense, become my own "extra help" provider. When I got older, I could get a book to tell me how to fix my beat-up used car, could get a book that would tell me how to properly fix a household appliance, repair a hole in the wall, or even take down or put one up. Reading has always been the key. Without it, I would be no better off than an uneducated person in what we call a third-world country.
All of this is merely a premise to my main point: our schools are failing to educate kids today, and the primary reason is a failure to teach them to read. Yet these blameless illiterates are graduated from High School, many go to college and the illiteracy is indulged and they get higher degrees. Why? You will have to decide that...I cannot know the hearts, souls and minds of those who caused and now continue to enable this failure to qualify our children for success. But it is undeniable that this had gone on for so long that it is not possible that this is accidental...it is done with full knowledge of the results...failure. Our children are not equiped to be self-reliant, to achieve on their own, to learn for themselves. They are doomed to be dependent on Television, DVDs, CDs, and real life in person direction by others, and thereafter on the ability to remember what they were told. There is no way they can do independent research, checking or learning...they lack the tools.
In the middle of the last century the schools for reasons unfathomable to me moved away from the phonetic teaching of language to an approach called "whole word" reading which, as close as I can understand, depends on memorization of whole words, and filling in unknown word meaning by using the context of the sentence or paragraph in which it appears...in other words, guess. No dictionary skills, no sounding out the word, no study of the origin of the word in another language that might give you a better grasp of what was meant by the word. And certainly no test or requirement that you ever learn that unknown word or its real life meaning.
And we wonder why even come college graduates are illiterate.
Yet, our educational system and our governmental powers never question this failure. All they do is claim that we must throw more money at the problem. Not only doesn't it help, most cannot even do the math to evaluate how much money per student we are wasting by such illogical action. They cannot do basic math either...without a calculator. But that another problem for another discussion. Just consider...no one has asked why Johnny or Carol cannot read.
Isn't it time that we demand that Educators and those that fund and rule them answer that question?
And for those of you who would like to read more on the subject from someone with some logical thought on the subject, I recommend the following link: http://www.rightsidenews.info/2011121515165/life-and-science/health-and-education/fake-reading-theory-is-the-slave-trade-of-our-era.html?utm_source=Right%20Side%20News&utm_campaign=c1d5ba69ec-daily-rss-newsletter&utm_medium=email
Reading was my key to the world. I could pick up a book and travel all around the world. I could even travel to the stars and in time. It was not just learning...it was entertainment. If I had a book, I was King; I was the master of my own mental destiny.
Reading was power. Reading was the vehicle for success and for achievement of my goals, regardless of how I define that at any given moment.
If I didn't fully grasp what a teacher had attempted to teach me in class, I could read the textbook and think it through again...or go to the library and look for additional information...and, in a sense, become my own "extra help" provider. When I got older, I could get a book to tell me how to fix my beat-up used car, could get a book that would tell me how to properly fix a household appliance, repair a hole in the wall, or even take down or put one up. Reading has always been the key. Without it, I would be no better off than an uneducated person in what we call a third-world country.
All of this is merely a premise to my main point: our schools are failing to educate kids today, and the primary reason is a failure to teach them to read. Yet these blameless illiterates are graduated from High School, many go to college and the illiteracy is indulged and they get higher degrees. Why? You will have to decide that...I cannot know the hearts, souls and minds of those who caused and now continue to enable this failure to qualify our children for success. But it is undeniable that this had gone on for so long that it is not possible that this is accidental...it is done with full knowledge of the results...failure. Our children are not equiped to be self-reliant, to achieve on their own, to learn for themselves. They are doomed to be dependent on Television, DVDs, CDs, and real life in person direction by others, and thereafter on the ability to remember what they were told. There is no way they can do independent research, checking or learning...they lack the tools.
In the middle of the last century the schools for reasons unfathomable to me moved away from the phonetic teaching of language to an approach called "whole word" reading which, as close as I can understand, depends on memorization of whole words, and filling in unknown word meaning by using the context of the sentence or paragraph in which it appears...in other words, guess. No dictionary skills, no sounding out the word, no study of the origin of the word in another language that might give you a better grasp of what was meant by the word. And certainly no test or requirement that you ever learn that unknown word or its real life meaning.
And we wonder why even come college graduates are illiterate.
Yet, our educational system and our governmental powers never question this failure. All they do is claim that we must throw more money at the problem. Not only doesn't it help, most cannot even do the math to evaluate how much money per student we are wasting by such illogical action. They cannot do basic math either...without a calculator. But that another problem for another discussion. Just consider...no one has asked why Johnny or Carol cannot read.
Isn't it time that we demand that Educators and those that fund and rule them answer that question?
And for those of you who would like to read more on the subject from someone with some logical thought on the subject, I recommend the following link: http://www.rightsidenews.info/2011121515165/life-and-science/health-and-education/fake-reading-theory-is-the-slave-trade-of-our-era.html?utm_source=Right%20Side%20News&utm_campaign=c1d5ba69ec-daily-rss-newsletter&utm_medium=email
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
The Smartest person I have ever known...
I have a University degree. I have a Doctorate. I have known many people with multiple degrees, as well as people who successfully ran large companies. I have also known those in the Academic World, studying, ad nauseam, the intricacies of various parts of our world, both physical and mental. I have also spoken to those who were homeless, those who begged on the street and at traffic lights. Each and every one of those people taught me something that I had not known before speaking with them. Everyone we meet has the potential to teach us something if we take the time to listen without pre-judging. Yet they each pale in the mental presence of the smartest person I have ever met or known: my father.
My father was born in Norway. His father died in a mining accident when he was very young, leaving his mother and sister in very dire financial circumstances. He had to quite school after the 6th grade in order to help earn money so the family would not starve. That experience formed his attitude about life forever. He had suffered poverty. He grew into a man who was generous to a fault, yet very, very aware that one needs to be frugal and consider that you never looked at any opportunity with an eye to "what can I make?" but rather to first ask, "what can I lose?", followed by "Can afford to lose it?". Only then would he evaluate the possible gain. When recessions hit, he saw them earlier than most around him and by the time it was obvious to all, he had explained that our family was going to have to do with less, that we were going to keep as much in savings as possible, cutting costs and doing everything possible to be ready if everything "went south."
My father came to this country in 1921, not speaking the language. He could not tell anyone that he was trained as an electrician. The saw that he was from Norway and assumed that he was a carpenter and offered him a job laying hardwood floors. He worked hard, learned well, grew to be a foreman in the firm, stayed employed, albeit at a lower wage, through the depression. He quickly agreed to take lower pay, understanding that some pay was better than no pay at all. Again, the experience underscored and intensified his belief that he had to take responsibility for watching out for his own economic security. He started his own business in the suburbs of New York City (actually, at that time it was "the country", before people started living outside the city and commuting...it was mostly farmland), and always lived within his means...and trained me to do the same.
I have survived pretty well over the years...mostly by applying the rules of life taught to me by my father. I did this when I was young out of knee-jerk training, even as I thought my father was behind the times. But as I grew older and saw the wisdom of being self-reliant wherever possible, I began consciously considering "what would Dad have said about this" whenever making decisions for me or for my family. The only time I have ever been disappointed was whenever I failed to follow that remembered quiet voice in my mind.
Thank you, Dad. You prove, as do so many who came to this country with real life experience rather than letters after your name, that being smart is not formal learning...it is application of the practical experiences in our lives, using them...even the failures...to make the future better.
My father was born in Norway. His father died in a mining accident when he was very young, leaving his mother and sister in very dire financial circumstances. He had to quite school after the 6th grade in order to help earn money so the family would not starve. That experience formed his attitude about life forever. He had suffered poverty. He grew into a man who was generous to a fault, yet very, very aware that one needs to be frugal and consider that you never looked at any opportunity with an eye to "what can I make?" but rather to first ask, "what can I lose?", followed by "Can afford to lose it?". Only then would he evaluate the possible gain. When recessions hit, he saw them earlier than most around him and by the time it was obvious to all, he had explained that our family was going to have to do with less, that we were going to keep as much in savings as possible, cutting costs and doing everything possible to be ready if everything "went south."
My father came to this country in 1921, not speaking the language. He could not tell anyone that he was trained as an electrician. The saw that he was from Norway and assumed that he was a carpenter and offered him a job laying hardwood floors. He worked hard, learned well, grew to be a foreman in the firm, stayed employed, albeit at a lower wage, through the depression. He quickly agreed to take lower pay, understanding that some pay was better than no pay at all. Again, the experience underscored and intensified his belief that he had to take responsibility for watching out for his own economic security. He started his own business in the suburbs of New York City (actually, at that time it was "the country", before people started living outside the city and commuting...it was mostly farmland), and always lived within his means...and trained me to do the same.
I have survived pretty well over the years...mostly by applying the rules of life taught to me by my father. I did this when I was young out of knee-jerk training, even as I thought my father was behind the times. But as I grew older and saw the wisdom of being self-reliant wherever possible, I began consciously considering "what would Dad have said about this" whenever making decisions for me or for my family. The only time I have ever been disappointed was whenever I failed to follow that remembered quiet voice in my mind.
Thank you, Dad. You prove, as do so many who came to this country with real life experience rather than letters after your name, that being smart is not formal learning...it is application of the practical experiences in our lives, using them...even the failures...to make the future better.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Do any of us really care anymore?
The curse of retirement has resulted in the time to read, study and ponder on many things, one of which unfortunately turns out to be government and politics. A friend recently responded to one of my multiple paragraph musings with the observation that these matter have been the subject of thought by untold numbers of individuals over the ages and he stated that he would leave further exploration of the various matters to the "deep thinkers." He is probably right. Life was much easier when I knew less. I could decide matters on what usually ended up being a "black" or "white" basis; grays were minimal and my attitudes tended toward the absolute.
The more I read and study, the less certain I am about the propriety of any action, or belief. If unchecked, I can reach a state of decision-paralysis because of the now-apparent multiple repercussions of a particular action.
But...I have to discuss, write, and debate with others even though I am fully aware that none of these activities will actually solve, correct, or even answer any of the questions of the day...even the simple ones. I will do all this because...and I admit to a level of narcissism here...it makes me feel better, more alive, more engaged with life. At my age I am no longer able to sweat out my frustrations and stress, so I have to "think" and "express" them out. Fortunately there are some of my friends and acquaintances who find this behavior on my part either entertaining or enabling (I am not sure which, and I don't much care since they put up with me...so far) so I am not yet an exile or a mountain-top hermit in a cave. Perhaps that will come later.
Meanwhile I wonder if any of us really care anymore...and whether or not we should!
The more I read and study, the less certain I am about the propriety of any action, or belief. If unchecked, I can reach a state of decision-paralysis because of the now-apparent multiple repercussions of a particular action.
But...I have to discuss, write, and debate with others even though I am fully aware that none of these activities will actually solve, correct, or even answer any of the questions of the day...even the simple ones. I will do all this because...and I admit to a level of narcissism here...it makes me feel better, more alive, more engaged with life. At my age I am no longer able to sweat out my frustrations and stress, so I have to "think" and "express" them out. Fortunately there are some of my friends and acquaintances who find this behavior on my part either entertaining or enabling (I am not sure which, and I don't much care since they put up with me...so far) so I am not yet an exile or a mountain-top hermit in a cave. Perhaps that will come later.
Meanwhile I wonder if any of us really care anymore...and whether or not we should!
Monday, November 28, 2011
Motivations and Assumptions
I woke up this morning and had a flash thought about the people that surround me and their motivations and assumptions. While I was working, I was usually in a group that had the same scope of concerns; they had different jobs and different responsibilities, but we were all concerned with earning a buck, getting ahead, and taking care of our families. We all were in the American system of earning our way along and, if asked, I would have said that I was primarily concerned with meeting my responsibilities to God, myself, my family and my country; that is how I was raised, and I had no reason to either question or change that attitude.
Discussions of anything other than business were entertainment and a way to get away from business concerns for a bit. There wasn't enough time to be concerned about more than your financial situation, your family and, usually, your kids behavior. I was aware that there were people out there who were spending that same kind of time and exerting the same kind of intensity on politics and developing groups for a variety of purposes, but didn't spend a lot...if any...time thinking about their motivations and challenges or even the choices they were making. I was, of necessity, compartmentalized; I don't multi-task well. I do "bookmark' very well; I can stop on one item and move immediately to another need, then return at full speed to the first task without missing a beat. I always envied how most women I know can seem to do 5 things simultaneously...it is amazing.
But...I digress. What struck me this morning was that every person in public office, whether elected or appointed, and every person seeking such a position believes in doing good...especially those who successfully get elected or appointed. Really! I do not question their dedication to doing good things. So...how come (I asked myself) that I am so disgusted with the performance...the actions...of those paragons of virtue that hold positions of high public trust (well, maybe not so high at the current time...but you get my point!)?
My mental response was..."they believe they have some special insight and/or gift that gives themselves a special vision of 1)what will improve the lives of others and the world, and 2)a special ability to make their first belief become reality." That is the motivation. It is honest. It is almost devoutly held, and extremely sincere. There is no question in my mind about that. And yet...these people continue to infuriate me with their assumptions of truth, honesty and goals that do not merely not align with mine...but actually interfere with mine. My goodness...how can that be? They are righteously motivated; so am I. Yet we are on opposite sides of the spectrum. Why?
My reasoning suggests that it is all about two major areas.
The first is definitions. I define terms a certain way. Words have clear meaning in my mind, emotions and even in my soul. I can not always predict when something is "good" or "bad", but as a Supreme Court Justice once wrote when discussing pornography, "I cannot define it, but I know it when I see or read it." And so it is with me...and I would bet it is the same with most of you. And over the years I have discovered that those with whom I disagree define things differently; "good", "bad", "right", "wrong", "freedom", "privacy", "morality", "immorality", among many others, have different definitions for those with whom I disagree than what I mean when I use them. Heck, in some cases they don't even have some of those words in their dictionaries...there is no acceptance of even the concept. Most of them believe in power as a good thing and which is appropriately used to control others, as well as to defend themselves. I totally disagree, but at least it is an honest disagreement.
What it makes clear to me is that I totally oppose the definitions that my disagreeable co-inhabitants of the town, county, state, country and world hold...but that doesn't make them bad people. I totally believe that their goals and beliefs are bad, but the people themselves aren't...unless they pose an immediate threat to me, my family or our collective freedom.
But we all have to deal with this state of affairs. It is annoying that we don't have unity of purpose, means and process by acclimation...but that is life. We deal with it. And my view keeps me from being a "hater" and tends, with a few exceptions, to keep me focused on discussing issues rather than insulting individuals or groups.
Remember that I earlier mentioned that there were two major areas leading to the contrariness that we endure?
The second one is a bit more...how shall I describe it..."Buddhist" or "Freudian" in nature: focusing on solving perceived problems in the world around us provides a welcome excuse to neither admit nor work on remedial work on our own selves and our own lives. It is much easier to focus on and to see solutions for things around us that we see as "wrong" or that "need improvement." I can help my friends solve their problems, both personal and work-related, quite well; I have an objective ability when dealing with others and others' life decisions that I find particularly difficult, if not impossible, to employ when looking at my own life, my own decisions, and my own experiences. It is hard work. It is distasteful...even nasty. I don't want to go there. I especially don't want to go there publicly....and by that I include my spouse or family. It is too sensitive an area to deal with in the first place without the "help" of others. Frankly, I was unable to do this until I had been alone for several years and run out of other people on which to blame the events that were solely of my own creation.
So...it is tough. And it is made more avoidable by a life style in the United States that keeps most of us among people and besieged by ongoing multiple demands for our time, our judgment, and our actions. No excuse has to be made for not thinking about our existential being and motivations...there isn't time. Until you are retired...and then only occasionally...do we get to recognize, much less choose to look within and focus on our responsibility to ourselves for ourselves.
I do not think it is unrelated that so many of those who are and have been in public office have increasingly been revealed to have some fairly serious personal issues. We live longer these days...even with the stress. We can only hide from ourselves for so long. And when we can't hide any longer, it becomes increasingly hard to hide ourselves from others. And so, many of these people self-destruct in some way. Oh, it isn't always something "wrong" or "immoral". Sometimes it is just an embarrassment or what is euphemistically called "burnout."
My point is...that people who start believing in their "specialness"(yeah...a created word, but it works for me) should be required to...or at least questioned at length about...their inner journey; they should be required to publish the progress of their inner search for personal truth and existence. This would provide two very desirable results: first, it would take a long time to travel that inner road and negotiate all the twists and turns, thereby delaying the time spent by any individual in working to control and guide others; and, secondly, the reading of such a record would be invaluable to us in selecting those with whom we were about to place public trust.
At least that is the best that I can come up with today. Maybe I will reverse myself tomorrow.
Discussions of anything other than business were entertainment and a way to get away from business concerns for a bit. There wasn't enough time to be concerned about more than your financial situation, your family and, usually, your kids behavior. I was aware that there were people out there who were spending that same kind of time and exerting the same kind of intensity on politics and developing groups for a variety of purposes, but didn't spend a lot...if any...time thinking about their motivations and challenges or even the choices they were making. I was, of necessity, compartmentalized; I don't multi-task well. I do "bookmark' very well; I can stop on one item and move immediately to another need, then return at full speed to the first task without missing a beat. I always envied how most women I know can seem to do 5 things simultaneously...it is amazing.
But...I digress. What struck me this morning was that every person in public office, whether elected or appointed, and every person seeking such a position believes in doing good...especially those who successfully get elected or appointed. Really! I do not question their dedication to doing good things. So...how come (I asked myself) that I am so disgusted with the performance...the actions...of those paragons of virtue that hold positions of high public trust (well, maybe not so high at the current time...but you get my point!)?
My mental response was..."they believe they have some special insight and/or gift that gives themselves a special vision of 1)what will improve the lives of others and the world, and 2)a special ability to make their first belief become reality." That is the motivation. It is honest. It is almost devoutly held, and extremely sincere. There is no question in my mind about that. And yet...these people continue to infuriate me with their assumptions of truth, honesty and goals that do not merely not align with mine...but actually interfere with mine. My goodness...how can that be? They are righteously motivated; so am I. Yet we are on opposite sides of the spectrum. Why?
My reasoning suggests that it is all about two major areas.
The first is definitions. I define terms a certain way. Words have clear meaning in my mind, emotions and even in my soul. I can not always predict when something is "good" or "bad", but as a Supreme Court Justice once wrote when discussing pornography, "I cannot define it, but I know it when I see or read it." And so it is with me...and I would bet it is the same with most of you. And over the years I have discovered that those with whom I disagree define things differently; "good", "bad", "right", "wrong", "freedom", "privacy", "morality", "immorality", among many others, have different definitions for those with whom I disagree than what I mean when I use them. Heck, in some cases they don't even have some of those words in their dictionaries...there is no acceptance of even the concept. Most of them believe in power as a good thing and which is appropriately used to control others, as well as to defend themselves. I totally disagree, but at least it is an honest disagreement.
What it makes clear to me is that I totally oppose the definitions that my disagreeable co-inhabitants of the town, county, state, country and world hold...but that doesn't make them bad people. I totally believe that their goals and beliefs are bad, but the people themselves aren't...unless they pose an immediate threat to me, my family or our collective freedom.
But we all have to deal with this state of affairs. It is annoying that we don't have unity of purpose, means and process by acclimation...but that is life. We deal with it. And my view keeps me from being a "hater" and tends, with a few exceptions, to keep me focused on discussing issues rather than insulting individuals or groups.
Remember that I earlier mentioned that there were two major areas leading to the contrariness that we endure?
The second one is a bit more...how shall I describe it..."Buddhist" or "Freudian" in nature: focusing on solving perceived problems in the world around us provides a welcome excuse to neither admit nor work on remedial work on our own selves and our own lives. It is much easier to focus on and to see solutions for things around us that we see as "wrong" or that "need improvement." I can help my friends solve their problems, both personal and work-related, quite well; I have an objective ability when dealing with others and others' life decisions that I find particularly difficult, if not impossible, to employ when looking at my own life, my own decisions, and my own experiences. It is hard work. It is distasteful...even nasty. I don't want to go there. I especially don't want to go there publicly....and by that I include my spouse or family. It is too sensitive an area to deal with in the first place without the "help" of others. Frankly, I was unable to do this until I had been alone for several years and run out of other people on which to blame the events that were solely of my own creation.
So...it is tough. And it is made more avoidable by a life style in the United States that keeps most of us among people and besieged by ongoing multiple demands for our time, our judgment, and our actions. No excuse has to be made for not thinking about our existential being and motivations...there isn't time. Until you are retired...and then only occasionally...do we get to recognize, much less choose to look within and focus on our responsibility to ourselves for ourselves.
I do not think it is unrelated that so many of those who are and have been in public office have increasingly been revealed to have some fairly serious personal issues. We live longer these days...even with the stress. We can only hide from ourselves for so long. And when we can't hide any longer, it becomes increasingly hard to hide ourselves from others. And so, many of these people self-destruct in some way. Oh, it isn't always something "wrong" or "immoral". Sometimes it is just an embarrassment or what is euphemistically called "burnout."
My point is...that people who start believing in their "specialness"(yeah...a created word, but it works for me) should be required to...or at least questioned at length about...their inner journey; they should be required to publish the progress of their inner search for personal truth and existence. This would provide two very desirable results: first, it would take a long time to travel that inner road and negotiate all the twists and turns, thereby delaying the time spent by any individual in working to control and guide others; and, secondly, the reading of such a record would be invaluable to us in selecting those with whom we were about to place public trust.
At least that is the best that I can come up with today. Maybe I will reverse myself tomorrow.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Changing Definitions just confuse me...and I get no response when I ask...
I have written before...and will not repeat it here...about the changing definitions of such things as "Right", "Progressive", "Fascist", etc., and whether they are "good" or "bad." But I was surprised these last few days by a chance foray into just what "Liberalism" meant...and how long it had meant what I (and, apparently, it's advocates)understand it to be (basically,being in alignment with Barack Obama, progressivism, Occupy Wall Street, and the Democratic National Committee).
But...back in the days of the Revolution the attitude was a bit different: American patriots rallied around the cause of “No taxation without representation,” there was fear of centralized governments that ruled with great authority, and a great desire for the relationship that people have with their government to forever change to one of the people holding their government in check. American liberals then, the most famous of which are known as the Founding Fathers, supported limiting the power of government as much as possible. They believed that government power would naturally and inevitably corrupt and needed checks at every turn. They did not subscribe to the view that empowering the government with more and more power would lead to a better society. They stood against such expansions as they already knew what happened when the government’s size and scope was beyond control. That is why the Constitution was designed the way it was, pitting each branch of government against the other, so that no one branch would grow powerful beyond control. I forget where I got the quote, but Economics Professor Don Boudreaux said, "Experience and reason recommended to liberalism’s founders (that) restraining the power of government might not be sufficient to ensure harmony and widespread wealth, but it is certainly necessary.”
Try running that by some of your Liberal friends and watch their minds self-destruct...if they even acknowledge these very real facts from the past. So...what happened between then and now? Just consider that Ludwig Heinrich Edler Von Misis, a noted Austrian-American economist, philosopher, and classical liberal who had a significant influence on the modern Libertarian movement and the Austrian School and who lived from 1881 to 1973, wrote, "Imagine a world order in which liberalism is supreme . . . there is private property in the means of production. The working of the market is not hampered by government interference. There are no trade barriers; men can live and work where they want.” Clearly if he were alive today, he would be declared a Libertarian, not a Liberal. Again...what happened and How...and Why?
I, for one, have no idea. I wonder if today's Liberals do...or care.
But...back in the days of the Revolution the attitude was a bit different: American patriots rallied around the cause of “No taxation without representation,” there was fear of centralized governments that ruled with great authority, and a great desire for the relationship that people have with their government to forever change to one of the people holding their government in check. American liberals then, the most famous of which are known as the Founding Fathers, supported limiting the power of government as much as possible. They believed that government power would naturally and inevitably corrupt and needed checks at every turn. They did not subscribe to the view that empowering the government with more and more power would lead to a better society. They stood against such expansions as they already knew what happened when the government’s size and scope was beyond control. That is why the Constitution was designed the way it was, pitting each branch of government against the other, so that no one branch would grow powerful beyond control. I forget where I got the quote, but Economics Professor Don Boudreaux said, "Experience and reason recommended to liberalism’s founders (that) restraining the power of government might not be sufficient to ensure harmony and widespread wealth, but it is certainly necessary.”
Try running that by some of your Liberal friends and watch their minds self-destruct...if they even acknowledge these very real facts from the past. So...what happened between then and now? Just consider that Ludwig Heinrich Edler Von Misis, a noted Austrian-American economist, philosopher, and classical liberal who had a significant influence on the modern Libertarian movement and the Austrian School and who lived from 1881 to 1973, wrote, "Imagine a world order in which liberalism is supreme . . . there is private property in the means of production. The working of the market is not hampered by government interference. There are no trade barriers; men can live and work where they want.” Clearly if he were alive today, he would be declared a Libertarian, not a Liberal. Again...what happened and How...and Why?
I, for one, have no idea. I wonder if today's Liberals do...or care.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Be Careful What You Wish For...
I have spent most of my life yearning for the time to reflect, the opportunity to really think things through and have the luxury to really consider all the ramifications of a particular matter and come to the best possible decision or position of which I was capable. This was true in business and in my personal life; it was also true, but not as noticed by me, about my political views. Always there was an element of limited time in which to have to decide, to act, to commit and the effects of those positions were inevitably long lasting and far reaching...to others as well as myself.
So...upon retirement, I felt that I had been the recipient of the Holy Grail. Finally I had the gift of time with the opportunity to really think things through. I had the opportunity to research and discuss and ponder until I was happy with the result. I had the closest thing to Heaven on earth.
Well, be careful what you wish for, because God has a very wry sense of humor.
As I was growing up I often heard the admonition that "the more you learn, the more you realize your ignorance." That is absolutely correct, because the simpler your decision the easier it is to make. The more you learn, the more the number of details and elements that require evaluation, grading and prioritization...so the decision, the position, the action becomes more nuanced and the call becomes so close as to leave you totally cognizant of the lack of certainty of whatever choice or statement.
The strange incongruity is that I have absolutely no problem any longer with personal decisions. It is only decisions that involve obligations to or for other people and for discussions, beliefs and declarations on political policy decisions that my life has become much more painful as the time available for research and thought has increased.
Personal decisions used to be a problem for me. I would get a "gut" feeling on something, then spend hours, days, weeks, months and sometimes even years trying to get my brain to agree with my gut. More often than not, they never agreed...and my education moved me to go with my intellect. For me, that was wrong. I have come to save much time and live what is almost a stress-free life by remaining aware of the "gut" feeling that I get when exposed to any proposal, proposition, opportunity or the like. First, it saves time because I can decide almost instantaneously: if my gut says, "Ahhh...I don't know about that", I don't do whatever it is that come up; if my gut says, "Yeah!...I like that", I then engage my mind to see what needs to be done to make whatever it is actually happen. 99.9% of the time that has resulted in optimum happiness for me...and for others. I have no idea how or why it works. For me, I am content that it is God's way of speaking to me and giving guidance...providing I wish to listen. But whatever the source, it works for me...so I accept the guidance with thanks and appreciation.
I love discussing current and political events with people. I totally enjoy debating various sides of many things at all levels of government; if I feel that my "side" is winning a debate, I am known for jumping to argue the other side of the question so to do all I can to challenge positions and attempt to identify "truth." And there is great satisfaction in working on volunteer projects with others and discussion how to define and best achieve the desired goals. It is there that I find myself disadvantaged by having too much time and too much information...as counter-intuitive as that sounds...because of the instinct to want even more information and try to make the perfect decision or choice. I move from a "muddy" picture of the situation to clarity and then the details become so numerous that the picture reverts to being "muddy." Time spent. Time wasted.
Business life understands this danger, because to be successful it sets time limits ahead of perfection...the concept is always to do the best you can by "x" date. Whatever you have by then goes into production. Otherwise you would never get anything to market. Make improvements for the next version, but get something out there to sell and for people to use...while avoiding the claim of perfection.
So I have come up with self-imposed time limits for various areas of consideration, and then mentally assigned them the equivalent of version numbers (you know...like 1.1, followed by 1.2 or even, if a great improvement is developed, 2.1). That way, I have the absolute, unassailable, guaranteed truth for ever and ever...for now; tomorrow, or next week or even next year, I may revisit the situation because of discussions with other, my own experiences or world events which will result in a brand new version...which, of course will also be the absolute, unassailable, guaranteed truth for ever and ever (with no recollection of a previous inconsistent position).
So...upon retirement, I felt that I had been the recipient of the Holy Grail. Finally I had the gift of time with the opportunity to really think things through. I had the opportunity to research and discuss and ponder until I was happy with the result. I had the closest thing to Heaven on earth.
Well, be careful what you wish for, because God has a very wry sense of humor.
As I was growing up I often heard the admonition that "the more you learn, the more you realize your ignorance." That is absolutely correct, because the simpler your decision the easier it is to make. The more you learn, the more the number of details and elements that require evaluation, grading and prioritization...so the decision, the position, the action becomes more nuanced and the call becomes so close as to leave you totally cognizant of the lack of certainty of whatever choice or statement.
The strange incongruity is that I have absolutely no problem any longer with personal decisions. It is only decisions that involve obligations to or for other people and for discussions, beliefs and declarations on political policy decisions that my life has become much more painful as the time available for research and thought has increased.
Personal decisions used to be a problem for me. I would get a "gut" feeling on something, then spend hours, days, weeks, months and sometimes even years trying to get my brain to agree with my gut. More often than not, they never agreed...and my education moved me to go with my intellect. For me, that was wrong. I have come to save much time and live what is almost a stress-free life by remaining aware of the "gut" feeling that I get when exposed to any proposal, proposition, opportunity or the like. First, it saves time because I can decide almost instantaneously: if my gut says, "Ahhh...I don't know about that", I don't do whatever it is that come up; if my gut says, "Yeah!...I like that", I then engage my mind to see what needs to be done to make whatever it is actually happen. 99.9% of the time that has resulted in optimum happiness for me...and for others. I have no idea how or why it works. For me, I am content that it is God's way of speaking to me and giving guidance...providing I wish to listen. But whatever the source, it works for me...so I accept the guidance with thanks and appreciation.
I love discussing current and political events with people. I totally enjoy debating various sides of many things at all levels of government; if I feel that my "side" is winning a debate, I am known for jumping to argue the other side of the question so to do all I can to challenge positions and attempt to identify "truth." And there is great satisfaction in working on volunteer projects with others and discussion how to define and best achieve the desired goals. It is there that I find myself disadvantaged by having too much time and too much information...as counter-intuitive as that sounds...because of the instinct to want even more information and try to make the perfect decision or choice. I move from a "muddy" picture of the situation to clarity and then the details become so numerous that the picture reverts to being "muddy." Time spent. Time wasted.
Business life understands this danger, because to be successful it sets time limits ahead of perfection...the concept is always to do the best you can by "x" date. Whatever you have by then goes into production. Otherwise you would never get anything to market. Make improvements for the next version, but get something out there to sell and for people to use...while avoiding the claim of perfection.
So I have come up with self-imposed time limits for various areas of consideration, and then mentally assigned them the equivalent of version numbers (you know...like 1.1, followed by 1.2 or even, if a great improvement is developed, 2.1). That way, I have the absolute, unassailable, guaranteed truth for ever and ever...for now; tomorrow, or next week or even next year, I may revisit the situation because of discussions with other, my own experiences or world events which will result in a brand new version...which, of course will also be the absolute, unassailable, guaranteed truth for ever and ever (with no recollection of a previous inconsistent position).
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