Category: Random

Out of Order

So typing with one hand is not impossible, but the flow of words is slower.

Anyway, I’ve still been making notes while I read. That’s what I always do. I go through old articles or books and see notes for which I don’t remember the context. I also have the stack of papers wherein I have a lot of my ideas for articles.

Some of these are not good either, but sounded good at the time. I think it coincides with those “great ideas at night.” Though I have tried, through writing them down, to stop forgetting those, that still happens.

But my activities being a little more sequestered, I am thinking more long-term. I hope to bring some of those projects online soon.

I have my first doctor’s follow-up this afternoon.

Going Meta – the Higher Calling

The higher calling is to abstract one’s self from strife and to the meta.

Saying positive things about your opponents is hard today. Though the gap between left and right is now a chasm, I think seeing the opposition through another lens is necessary. It could be framed broadly as the Left being concerned with liberty and Right concerned with standards and stability. Why can’t we have a bit of both?

Continue reading “Going Meta – the Higher Calling”

Disrespect Parents, Despise Country

I read the first volume of the Rational Bible by Dennis Prager and was struck by the beautifully simple exposition, especially of the Ten Commandments. I was thinking on the commandment to honor your father and mother. Prager writes that we obey the president and police, so why can’t we honor our parents? We don’t obey them as adults, though we don’t treat them as peers either. He also suggests that our kids and other adults will see and emulate our actions toward our parents.

But the part I wished to write about is his realization that culture, religion and ethics are transmitted on to the next generation, if we honor our parents. Included here is the respect for the elder generations. If kids and young adults today don’t learn about the sacrifices that those generations have made, they will more likely also not appreciate our country.

Unfortunately I think, our Millennial and Gen-Z generations have been taught this very thing. Walking on the beach boardwalk, I have been bumped by kids walking past me and some don’t even apologize.

I remember being taught in junior high and high school that “I have rights” to disrespect my parents and protest any punishments. Disrespect for our flag and country are concurrent with that for our parents. But the Left are promoting hatred of America and “white racism.” If we or ours kids forget our country’s greatness, we disrespect those elders who fought for it.

Win Friends and Influence People!

Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People had the following key insights:

  • Criticism demoralizes and causes people to resent you, not respect you. Give encouragement and genuine appreciation, you will get positive results.
  • Listen and show interest in others if you want to be liked and respected.
  • Telling people they are wrong could turn them against you. Lay down your weapons and don’t argue.
  • Ask questions and you could gain common ground with others.
  • Let others take the credit; results matter more than you being recognized.
  • Strive for empathy and you can win hearts and minds.
  • Take into account that people are more motivated by self-interest if you want to persuade them.
  • Cultivate feelings of loyalty and gratitude by letting others save face when they fail or make a mistake.
  • Verbally compliment by acknowledging people’s potential and they will perform better.