One thing I really try to instill in my students is to reach a balanced judgment on an issue they are writing about. In science, this bears out in that it is important to deal with all the facts & hypotheses dealing with an issue without favoring one over the other for no particular reason. The constant progression of science will ultimately shed light on scientific falsehoods.
It takes some effort to teach this, however, because we don't see a lot of modeling of balanced judgment in the rest of our non-academic lives. What we tend to see instead is spin. The truth of the matter isn't what is important, it's how well you can convince others that your opinion or position on an issue is the right one. This mentality of rhetoric pervades our current bi-polar U.S. political arena without a doubt. It is also pervasive in our culture through advertising - to sell the product is more important than to be completely truthful about it, so stretch the truth as far as is legally possible. The problem is that a mentality of rhetoric is not about truth, it's about power.
Love-Think-Speak requires that we abandon this kind of behavior. Things that are true are to be valued above things that are false, and achieving power through falsehood does not reflect a respect for the things in life that are true and good. There are few things more deserving of respect than when a person is open and honest with the truth regardless of how it might affect them.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
LTS at work
One of my favorite shows is "Chuck", on NBC Monday nights (although I watch all my TV from the DVR at later times...). For those who aren't familiar with the show (shame on you!), Chuck works at "Buy More", where he's the head of the "Nerd Herd", a group of computer fixers. I'll let you figure out where they got that idea.
Anyway, the "bossman" is a guy called "Big Mike", who is constantly yelling at his crew of workers to be more efficient, work harder, etc. etc. And you can't blame him much - most of the workers he has are not exactly stellar. And the workers, honestly, they work at the Buy More - not exactly the career path chosen for inspiration. So you have an environment set up where the workers feel largely unfulfilled, don't work very hard, and their bossman is constantly on their case to do work harder, which in turn causes the workers to feel less inspired to work harder. The workers don't get much respect, and for the most part their efforts don't exactly deserve it.
Love-Think-Speak at work doesn't mean BigMike is all gushing over his strugglin' employees - but it does mean he treats them with respect. Respect for their dignity as human beings, which is always there. But we tend to look at the outside - a person's look, attitude, and general performance, and base our respect for them on those things, and when they are scruffy, sloppy, or otherwise unattractive we deny them respect that their humanity requires. Of course that doesn't mean they can continue their poor work habits, and simply get a pass. Respect for one's humanity requires keeping them honest about who they are, what they are capable of, and how they are measuring up to that.
Anyway, the "bossman" is a guy called "Big Mike", who is constantly yelling at his crew of workers to be more efficient, work harder, etc. etc. And you can't blame him much - most of the workers he has are not exactly stellar. And the workers, honestly, they work at the Buy More - not exactly the career path chosen for inspiration. So you have an environment set up where the workers feel largely unfulfilled, don't work very hard, and their bossman is constantly on their case to do work harder, which in turn causes the workers to feel less inspired to work harder. The workers don't get much respect, and for the most part their efforts don't exactly deserve it.
Love-Think-Speak at work doesn't mean BigMike is all gushing over his strugglin' employees - but it does mean he treats them with respect. Respect for their dignity as human beings, which is always there. But we tend to look at the outside - a person's look, attitude, and general performance, and base our respect for them on those things, and when they are scruffy, sloppy, or otherwise unattractive we deny them respect that their humanity requires. Of course that doesn't mean they can continue their poor work habits, and simply get a pass. Respect for one's humanity requires keeping them honest about who they are, what they are capable of, and how they are measuring up to that.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
what's your life about?
Today I asked a friend of mine "What's your life about?". When I think about that question, it's a chance for me to think about the various hats I wear as I go about categorizing my life into parts - there's the "daddy" hat when I'm home with the kids, "hubby" hat when I'm with my wife, "teacher" hat when I'm working with students, etc. I'm never satisfied with all this compartmentalization of life, but it seems inevitable. His deep, mature, yet simple reply was exactly what I need to hear - "love", he said. That everything we do, however we go about it, we do it in a spirit of love - to live a life of love. brilliant. why didn't I think of that?
So I went back to my hats, and each one fits very nicely when love is what grounds the task or relationship that the hat represents.
So I went back to my hats, and each one fits very nicely when love is what grounds the task or relationship that the hat represents.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
is it ever ok?
Is there ever a time when acting with good intentions is optional? Is there ever a time when it's ok to hate?
I can't think of it.
Perhaps there is a time when something so terrible happens that we are driven to it... such as mass killings, abuse of children, rape, betrayal... But thank God the really terrible things in life are somewhat rare.
It's in the normal flow of life where it seems to slip in for really no good reason. It's easy to lose sense of the big picture, and let self-indulgence drive us to hate people for silly things - most of which we can, if we choose, simply rise above. Bitterness is just not worth it.
I can't think of it.
Perhaps there is a time when something so terrible happens that we are driven to it... such as mass killings, abuse of children, rape, betrayal... But thank God the really terrible things in life are somewhat rare.
It's in the normal flow of life where it seems to slip in for really no good reason. It's easy to lose sense of the big picture, and let self-indulgence drive us to hate people for silly things - most of which we can, if we choose, simply rise above. Bitterness is just not worth it.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
All you need is love?
the beatles - yes, that icon of rock n roll - their famous song claims "All You Need is Love". One of the most famous of all sappy love songs. And there are thousands. But is it true?
Well, sort of - it depends on how you define love I suppose.
Love without good rational thinking is ignorant, and love without articulate speaking, through word or action, is lame. Serious heartfelt love motivates us to do both of these things as part of it - because real love can not stand to be lame and ignorant. But if love is just a happy feeling, a temporary romance, or a fleeting wave of emotion, then we all need a whole lot more than just that.
Well, sort of - it depends on how you define love I suppose.
Love without good rational thinking is ignorant, and love without articulate speaking, through word or action, is lame. Serious heartfelt love motivates us to do both of these things as part of it - because real love can not stand to be lame and ignorant. But if love is just a happy feeling, a temporary romance, or a fleeting wave of emotion, then we all need a whole lot more than just that.
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