The Neverending Diatribe
May 7, 2003
9:56 p.m.
The propensity for human beings to take words out of context never fails to amaze me. Perhaps this is our defining trait, the ability--no, make that the apparently oblivious need to take perfectly straightforward comments made by a person, and tangle them around to mean something different and (of course) nefarious or obtuse. Maybe we do this because it serves to make us feel more intelligent. Or maybe we do it just to have something to do in the quiet moments of life ... surely it's related to the old 'take the wings off a fly' trick that boys do in the dog days of summer. And so we have another example here wherein Sean stops by my dusty little web abode and likens my commentary on the parental model to the philosophy that supported Noblese Oblige and the White Man's Burden. I won't capture his direct comments here for posterity because that would go against my own posted privacy policy. But the let me paraphrase by saying that Sean thinks I'm saying that we as the grand and glorious US of A have the distinct responsibility to go right the world's self-perceived wrongs. And so I can only ask: Where the hell did he get that idea? Did I actually say that? This, of course, got me to reading my own material again. No. Nowhere do I say that we should anything of the sort. What I actually said was that the position of power we find ourselves in carries with it an essence of responsibility to act wisely--which is a message that I believe we can all agree with. But somewhere along the line this got twisted to say that we should wrest responsibility from the Iraqis (or any other danged country for that matter) because it's for their own good. Geez. This is what I meant when I mentioned to another sidebar poster that if he was unable to relate the family model I was using to people in general (especially without taking offense), then we could not use the "parental model" as a metaphor for discussion. I do not stipulate, however, that the model is no good--only that we cannot communicate well with it due to all the baggage it carries for whoever the other side is at the present. No big deal. Part of effective communication is speaking in metaphors that helps bring you and the other guy to a common understanding. So I'll drop this metphor in my multitude of almost monthly entries. Still. It kinda eats my cakes that I find myself on the defensive for something I didn't say. Especially when the concept I'm being rode out of town for is one that I find more than a bit offensive.   While I'm still on the subject of Iraq. Everyone I hear talking about Iraq seems to think there is some great mystery as to what is going to happen there. "It's so unstable," the conversation always starts. "Anything could happen." Malarky. I know exactly what is going to happen there. We (the bullying US) will bring aid to the people of Iraq. A government that is mostly of the people will be developed (it won't be pretty, but name one government that is--especially in the middle east). US companies will make some pretty decent money helping to rebuild, and of course oil will turn a solid profit. Over a few months, our military presence will fade from the forefront, and maybe in a year or two it will drop to essentially no different than it is in any other country that we are friendly with. Okay, I'll admit that the last sentence is speculation. Along the way there will be arguments and unrest. Perhaps a politician or three will get assassinated. Perhaps not. But unless I totally miss my mark, this is all going to happen. Personally, I'm getting tired of writing about Iraq. Maybe next time I'll find a more pleasant topic. And, oh, yeah. Let me state for the record that I am not pregnant. Have a great day. See you around soon.  Daily Persistence is © Ron Collins |
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Seek first to understand, then be understood Stephen Covey |
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