I was with my grandson the other day, driving in a car, winter time so windows are down and no one will hear what I am saying. Someone in front of me did something totally against the rules, and potentially dangerous, and I said something aloud about the error of a such a move. He soon voiced the view that I should not worry about that driver since he was not affecting me. He also suggested that he would never affect me, and that is where his argument, and the argument of the majority of society whom I now recognize, he represents, breaks down. For that guy will continue his behavior and sure as crap, I will run into him again – in some form.
There are more than just one realization set out herein, with no warranty of sequence or importance as to the discovery, or the reveal. When one is an odd ball, it is possible that the status is not realized from within. I am sure of no other’s perspective, hence the possibility label. It might will be a probability. That is why many odd balls resist efforts to “convert” them, passively and actively on both the conversion and the resistance. As kids, they might be teased into conformation, walking in step, forced to play by rules that are not codified in any way and otherwise don’t fit the logic they understand. (I realize there is the possibility for the “rationalization” label to apply here, but…) So if you are not an odd ball, and you want anything out of this, you really need to pay attention as this is outside your bailiwick (as if you are looking into a snow globe).
Anyway, there are certain circumstance under which the odd bail can be distinct from, yet operate within the bounds of society, without being aware that he is the odd ball, at least for a while. If the odd ball is also very smart, or valuable in some way, they can do their thing without being impacted. (This is true with “bad” odd balls, but I had in mind the good odd balls. The great scientists, musicians, etc. that are easily recognized as odd, but allowed.)
So, I took the opportunity to advise my grandson that if everyone allowed rule breakers to pass unchallenged in that endeavor, then those types of people would not only continue, but expand the attitude, behavior, to greater and greater margin past the acceptable. For, I am not so silly as to deny that with every rule there should be a margin applied in the enforcement, but only in the event of circumstances that make the “bend” sensical. (Yes, rationalization potential again.)
It was not lost on me that, as a 7 year old, he might not get my message, or maybe get only part thereof. Hell, most in society would resist and not get my message, and I am presuming that they have many years of applied learning capability that might be employed in the effort. This message may well be only for the sheriffs out there, the Pyrenees Mountain dogs of the pack. Those are the folks, and they only will recognize the trait, except in characters presented to them mostly in fiction, that can’t keep from stepping forward when they are in the presence of “unrighteous” behavior. It is not a choice to step forward, as they would have to choose to do otherwise. (And believe me, there is often times pressure not to do as they would do naturally.)
Currently, there is a focus on bad behavior by men in the relationship world, abuse of spouses and children, courtesy of the fact that the perpetrators have been outed by being in a pro sport. Of course, these guys (and women to) have been apparent to anyone who has been paying attention, and certainly anyone who has spent any time in the workings of a state level district court. (Inversely labeled the supreme court level in NY, go figure. I mean I see how it came to be, but what were they thinking. If there was ever to be any appeal right from the ruling of the court, then by definition, the next court would be “supreme” in the relationship. Probably so named by an administrator. Wow, what an aside.)
Anyway, there is a current push to move everyday kids to the role of the sheriff (Stand Up, Be That Guy), but it will be taught by folks who know the mechanism on paper, but who have no instinct in the act. I am not sure it can be taught. Well, you will catch some kids in the logic, but whether they can learn a mechanism for exercising enforcement is a much bigger question. The best I think society can hope for is that those “taught” the concept will not cower when the sheriff needs a posse behind him. Most sheriffs have learned, by experience, that compatriots will not necessarily follow the sheriff as he confronts a miscreant. But if the passive can be taught to at least stand behind the sheriff, then that is a help. Usually, it takes some bad behavior and a recruitment by the sheriff to find such folks, but when bad behavior pops up, there is no time to recruit and most sheriffs know they are on their own for the most part.
The big question for me, immediately, is whether my grandson will adopt a different perspective by seeing my behavior. I will likely articulate concepts to him in response to confrontation by him, but I would not insist that he give in to my way of understanding. I have realized that I am an odd ball in regards to my response to personally experienced bad behavior, even if it is not directed at me.
I was going to close there, but the last line caught a thought. In my experience, when one confronts a bad behaver, who is exercising leverage against his object (victim), the truth of the position taken by the confronter is of some significant influence. The bad behaver is suddenly presented with an alternative perspective. If you can point out to them the righteousness of the perspective, they appear to have an actual loss of strength, which fades parallel to the loss of conviction. You have to, though, be wary of those that don’t have the level of awareness to get the distinction, because those do exist, either in nature or by drugs.
The foregoing is really just a start. The whole story is laborious to present in this medium.
I see the picture shown on the canvas, but I wonder how many of society can input and apply (make the calculations) to see where the path has headed, or is heading.
In history (I presume as I am not an expert in any sense) I would bet that to change, or stop, a rock this big, it would take an outside event to “mass the masses”.
It may be that the internet will provide access to information at a higher level which will transfer the intelligence to a greater group. Of course, the NSA may be “motivated” by the complex, and they are likely seeking the dominant position in the field.
I like to hope that there forms, a group of independents that prevail in a Snowden like manner so as to preserve a level that is not controlled. Out of my hands, but I will be paying attention.
Plane delayed in Atlanta, in the lounge with a scotch, the cheap stuff is free. What a world it is, all these folks going somewhere. What about the every day folks. The working folks. I work now, but I used to know the honor of labor, now I think and decide. Thinking and acting had greater immediate award. Hope I am still representing well. sittting in a chair off the scene watching the play, which is after all, the “thing”. Is it all necessary? Probably is now, in America. sip, sip, sip.
Step on up and Sublimate your needs. Get your wants by moderating them appropriately. If you take from another, make sure they can afford the loss, or maybe they need the loss. Always check yourself, especially if you are about to check someone else. What is the end game?
Commenters on the NBA seem to agree that the Lakers are surprisingly bad and the Nicks are surprisingly good. Here’s the thing – Defense. If you watch an NBA game that matters, you will, if you pay attention will see that the art of the defense played, by the WHOLE team, is the separator. The Heat`s run last year was led by defense, especially starting in the Indiana series.
The Lakers can still work toward the end of the season and bring on their defense. The Nicks are benefiting from Rasheed Wallace, who is not just an alpha dog, but a dirty dog (my term). He is the best weak side big (maybe ever, but certainly in the same vein as Russell), and he orchestrates the whole defense. In fact, just practicing with him has most likely “instructed” the other players on the team. It may not be conciously expressed, but his body language alone is probably enough. Got a ton more on this. Anyone like the ride, or even get it?
The
NeighborDave has left the building, at the request of his boss.
Idolanuel dropped me a line. Add a .com to it and you will see an interesting take. Raised an issue for me. Ever feel like you have an awareness hat just came upon you? Like you’ve been here before? Can you get to a state of acute awareness by instinct, or at least without purposeful thought in that direction?
I have some experience, but that begs the question of perspective. We all get experience just by showing up and staying around. I was raised blue collar small town, but know the country club set as well. I have known the dignity of labor as a way of earning my way, but I also known how to earn my way by mere acting on the products of my thinking.
I need to attract a group of ultra rich folks who see that the world has changed so dramatically such that if they are true to their ancestor’s roots, then they have to look to the larger pack of which they are necessarily a member. I figure that anyone with a whole bunch of “assets” can trace it back to someone who was a producer. I figure many of those producers had an understanding, or at least a feeling, that their actions were going to provide an improvement for those around them, the pack of which they were a member, even if they never articulated it to themselves. Instinct is what I am talking about.
Instinct, on one level, informs and individual to take care of himself. Instinct of the alpha dog, though, informs him(/her) that if he does not also take care of the pack, then what does he really have? The size of the pack used to be fairly identifiable: those with whom you shared the cave; those in your clan; those in your walled city; those that practiced your religion; those in your country; those that practiced your economic model, etc. I suggest that, with the advent of the internet and the higher level of communication, the pack has, or will eventually, take on a larger group.
As with every step in the development of civilization, most of the awareness of this step will await the accomplishment. However, with the advent of the greater communication to which I refer, I thought it might be interesting to throw this out there for consideration. I have some thoughts, but I would like to see if anyone else is walking the same path.
if this starts it, then it does so as the result of a not unrelated set of an event and a goal. An old friend called me yesterday and through our conversation he reminded me that peopled of high character practice, appreciate and honor honestey, in simplicity. It was somewhat serendipitous that he called, looking to talk to someone who understood him, at a point in time that I needed that, muatis mutandis.
There are certain rules for which discretion is not really permitted for a person of character. I like to hope that not everyone that doesn’t seem to apply that princiiple acts in such a way with aforethought. I hope it is just an unfortunate result of not being taught, and unable to pick up, the concept, by merely paying attention to life.
Just saw Asphalt Jungle. Can’t believe that a hit movie did that (the subject matter) then and the exact stuation continues to exists today. Exposure did not result in any meaningful progress on changing the perspecctve of the class of people who have no familiear roll model working within the rules and succeeding. How weird. It was followed on this ramdom station landed upon, by Elmer Gantry, which has a significant religious freedom disclaimer at its start. There’s a statement on society, follow official disclaimers on orginal publications (of different media).
The pack is currently following the lead of talkers and sellers, not of doers. It appears, clearly, that recognition of cause and effect is avoded by means of distraction, at least by most. Can that be changed through the greater commuication provided by the internet? I guess it is possible, but will “advertising” defeat more collective thinking. If the number of smart people connecting can figure out how bo commuicate with those that don’t see things intuitively. Then, also, the commnication has to be thorough. Is there hope?
Can the thinker alpha dogs convey by internet communication that which normally only translates by personal tranmission (largely through body language)? Regardless, it will be necessary for some to recognize the need for the alpha influence, which usually comes into play only in an emergency. Can the emergency be adequately conveyed prior to actual onset? That would be a fundamental change in the development growth of human kind. Save a complete meltdown by early recognition. Turning the masses through education (communication) rather than reaction to an emergency (which is when alphas who have been shelved during easy times come forward as others step back.)
So, anyone “hearing”?
Ted, bridge and backgammon, Michigan, Rutgers, you out there?
I player some ball in Chicago, more in Detroit in the ’70s. I see a possibility Obama has been dealing with world leaders and he thought he was going up against the Cranbrook, country club Romney. Instead, Mitt wanted to ball a little and idid. Now, however, Obama, sees that the game is on. As with Labron in the NBA playoffs against Indiana, et seq.. Obama can feel free to cut it loose and play some street ball on the next go around. Game is on now.
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