WillDu's Open Salon Blog

Pesky Homonyms - Incite Vs Insight

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:09:04 -0400

(This was originally written in May of 2007, using the pen name of Blind Melon Ugly Dude. It seems just as true today - maybe even more so - as then.)

Incite Vs Insight

It is perhaps an ironic twist of fate that, in these trying and potentially dangerous times in which we live, we seem to have leaders (and wanna-be-leaders) who practice incite without insight.

Is it just me? Or has anybody else noticed this:

Political leaders, pundits, news reporters, outspoken (and often self-proclaimed) religious authorities, and sometimes, just “any ol’ body” who can grab a spotlight, microphone or a soapbox are frequently trying to incite people to some action or to a belief that might cause a desired action.

I try to be an observer of people and situations. And while I am almost always willing to admit upfront that “I may not have it exactly right”, it sure seems that many of these “inciters” are not even trying to have insight.

Part of the problem may be right there in the dictionary – my dictionary defines insight as “a clear or deep perception of a situation”, but it also defines it as “the clear, and often sudden, understanding of a complex situation”.

Please try to follow my line of reasoning here – I think that this might be important. There is a big difference between “a clear deep perception of a situation” and “the clear, and often sudden, understanding of a complex situation.”

In order to have a clear and deep perception of a situation, it is necessary to understand the situation – to study it, and look at it from many different angles. In order to practice this type of insight, one must have an open mind and be willing to examine the facts – to come to conclusions by logical deduction.

The “clear, and often sudden, understanding of a complex situation” or what might be called “a flash of insight” could very well be based upon the practicing of insight as I described it above, BUT it could also be based upon many other factors, some of which “just might not be right”.

Do you think that it’s possible that someone can have one of these “flashes of insight” that is based – not on facts and logical deductions, but on gut feelings and emotions? It’s not only possible, but probably quite common. And, here is a worrisome aspect – how many people THINK that they have insight into a situation that is based upon a “flash of insight” that is inspired by gut feelings and emotions rather than TRUE INSIGHT that is a result of open-minded reflection and contemplation?

I hope you are with me so far, because the path of my reasoning is about to get a bit more complex and more difficult to follow (hey, it’s difficult for me to put it into words ..). Please allow me to get to my point by first repeating what I have already stated — but with a more plainspoken and blunt approach.

We have an abundance of leaders and personalities who are inciteful. They act and speak so as to influence your thoughts and actions to be in accord with some agenda. In some cases, they don’t even pretend to have insight (a clear and deep understanding), but they never-the-less try to incite. In other cases, they believe that they have insight (possibly from a “flash of insight”), but in reality have no clear and deep understanding at all.

Some of these inciteful people are quite good at what they do – they encourage listeners to act as they want them to act and to think as they want them to think. There are inciteful people who are convinced, and also convince listeners (who are now followers) that they are insightful. Some of the followers then believe that they also have insight.

- HOLD ON TIGHT, IT GETS WORSE. -

Now, we have inciteful leaders who have no clear understanding of some situation(s), and they have followers who are convinced that the leaders are insightful, and that they themselves understand some particular set of problems so well as to be insightful as well.

Does the phrase, “the blind leading the blind” come to mind? If only it were that benign. I am reminded of a mythical sea serpent who was so large that he encircled the earth and was in the process of eating his own tail, and in so doing, made of himself a noose drawing ever tighter and tighter around the globe.

I have heard it said of “days gone by” that “they were simpler times”. I don’t know if that is true or not – I suspect that there have almost always been complex issues facing us, as individuals and as various collective groups. But I do believe that the world we live in today is plagued by some very perplexing and complicated issues. I also believe that the problems we are facing cannot be solved by inciteful people (and, to be point-blank about it – inciteful people are part of the problem).

- AND NOW, AN OPTIMISTIC PLEA …. FOR REASON -

I honestly believe that what we need – are people, and leaders in particular, who actively seek insight. We need problem solvers who are willing to look at a situation from as many angles as possible, and, with an open mind, seek solutions. It is a task that is much easier “said than done”. We need people who are willing to listen to differing points of view, consider all options, and consider the consequences of those options – all the while, seeking to gain a “clear and deep understanding”.

I don’t know who YOU listen to. I don’t know what politcal affiliation YOU have. I know nothing about YOUR philosophical or religious leanings. BUT, I do ask you to consider this: Are the people, the leaders, the groups that are influential in your life inciteful or insightful?

I beseech you to allow me to be even bolder: Please dwell on the thoughts I have tried to convey here – the idea that we need more insight and less incite. Approach the concept with your own set of reasoning beliefs, and see if it holds water, if it makes sense, if it rings true. AND IF IT DOES … please take appropriate action – seek, require, DEMAND more insightful actions and less inciteful actions.

Thank you for reading all the way through – I truly do appreciate it.

Classless or Clueless

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:09:53 -0400

Classless or Clueless

Every now and again, I wonder if there's some kind of witless conspiracy going on - a nefarious confluence of stupidity that's so pervasive that the conspirators are not even aware of their participation in it.

I have a "personal punch-line" about myself that I like to believe is true (hey, it might not be, but I like to believe it anyway), and it is this: "I'm smart enough to realize that I'm not all that smart".

It is probably true that stupid people are not smart enough to realize their own lack of mental acumen. But, is that (probable) fact sufficient explanation for the abundance of the willfully ignorant debating the intentionally obtuse?

A "Case-In-Point" just might be in order here. First, let's meet the participants - three gentlemen who are generally accepted as "smarter than the average":

Wolf Blitzer - a well-established news anchor supposedly intelligent enough to stand on his own two feet and present situations to a viewing public.

James Carville - a prominent liberal pundit who is credited with being smart enough to help Bill Clinton become president.

Ben Stein - a speech writer for Presidents Nixon and Ford whose economic, political and social viewpoints have been published in many prominent newspapers and magazines.

And now - the situation: WB plays an audio clip of something that BS said about JC - it seems that James had described some folks and their actions as classless, and Ben took exception to the words and noted that James had relegated these people to a "lower class" of people with his comments. Wolf wants Ben and James to elaborate, to enlighten the Situation Room viewers.

I did not take exact notes of the original description that JC had uttered. I did not write down the exact reply of BS to JC. I don't recall the exact exchange that took place between the two of them in the Situation Room. And so, it is possible that I missed the point.

But it is also possible that the conversation that ensued between James Carville and Ben Stein - the discussion that was encouraged by Wolf Blitzer, and broadcast to (millions?) of Situation Room viewers was indeed part of some witless conspiracy to "dumb down America".

The gist, as I understood it, was this: James called some people classless, Ben objected to the words on the basis of "class warfare is wrong" and Wolf exploited the situation, as if this was a legitimate debate worthy of consideration.

Now, please don't misunderstand me here. The existence of classes of people (as in lower class, middle class, and upper class) in American society, and the consideration that there may indeed be a war going on between these classes is worthy of a legitimate debate.

But, someone calling a group of people classless (because of their actions) has NOTHING to do with that aspect of class. Class has more than one meaning, and when someone acts in a classless manner (what might be called crass as opposed to class), ... well, let's just say that any class of people can act with class or with crass - it has nothing to do with their station in life.

And for three supposedly intelligent people to act as if an incident of nothing more than "petty name-calling" and the reaction to that name-calling qualifies as social commentary on class in American society ... well, my sensibilites are offended - what the h___ is going on here?

A Song With No Music (In 3/4 Time)

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 19:02:30 -0500

I’d like to say - we can all live together
Our differences noted
Not causing a fall
I’d like to think - we can be what we must be
Yet know that our own way is not right for all

I’d like to work for a better tomorrow
By doing the right thing
Right here
Right now
But one person’s right thing …
To another’s the wrong thing
My heart, soul and conscience is struggling with how

How can we find common ground for good living
For all to enjoy
All that is there
The basis for all of our rules for good living
Should acknowledge the blessings are meant to be shared

I’m prone to dreaming and looking for answers
The questions I ponder
Have answers I pray
Yes, I say a prayer that we’d all ask hard questions
And our soul-sought solutions would dawn a new day

The dawn of a new day where love is pervasive
Compassion and kindness
And tolerance true
Where minds have a meeting to iron out our problems
And I’m sure that it must start with me and with you