Perusing the Drudge Report, & a link from a link led to the following…
Our culture — both in the media via programmes such as Sex and the City and in everyday interactions — relentlessly puts forth the idea that lust is a way station on the road to love. It isn’t. It left me with a brittle facade incapable of real intimacy…
Yesterday’s post got me to thinking about another area where somehow, someway, people completely miss the boat – and don’t have a clue that they have missed it. What is it I’m speaking of? Thanks for asking.
Some people are delusional when it comes to describing themselves, or at least qualities & traits that they believe are true about them. Only after observing them for a period of time is it found that in reality, they are as far from how they described themselves as the East is from the West.
An example, taken from scoey’s life as a PERS employee – a person describes themself as:
-a person with an eye for detail,
-a linear, patient, methodical, task oriented thinker
-great at problem solving
Sounds like just the kind of person that you’d want to have on a job where lots of information is processed, where accuracy is not only a good idea but is an absolute requirement, & where certain tasks have to be performed over & over, quickly, and with uncanny accuracy… however, the individual turns out to be nothing like they’ve described themself. First, they were dyslexic, (could that be a problem in a job where alphabetizing paper/100K files is the #1 job duty?) Second, they couldn’t figure out WHY a File Clerk 1 would be required to spend all that time filing in the file room; Last, they don’t notice that it could be a problem to take hundreds of files every day & hide them in the supply room. And the coat room. And in big piles behind their desk. Ultimately, their inability to accurately assess themself ends up costing them a state job (which are hard to lose, BTW,) & also creating mounds & mounds of work for everyone around them. The coup d’grat was when they filed a complaint against the supervisor that fired them for wrongful termination.
I’ve got a mound of other examples to choose from, but for the sake of brevity will stop here to ponder:
How does one person get so deluded? Is there hope for the lost individual? Can they be brought back from the world of make-believe that they live in? If so, how?
“Not only do the incompetent reach erroneous conclusions and make unfortunate choices, but their incompetence robs them of the ability to realize it.”
–Justin Kruger, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Illinois, and David Dunning, professor of psychology at Cornell University, on people who do things badly but think they do them well, New York Times, Jan. 18.
The Hypothesis:
The results:
Across 4 studies, the authors found that participants scoring in the bottom quartile on tests of humor, grammar, and logic grossly overestimated their test performance and ability. Meanwhile, people with true knowledge tended to underestimate their competence.
APA Journal Well worth the read.
Or, you can take a look at the WIKIPEDIA article.
I love baseball – watching a game in person, the sights, smells, & sounds, accompanied by the PacBell/SBC/AT&T food & beverages menu (nachos, garlic fries, quesadilla, dogs, Gordon Biersch) is at the top of my list of favorite experiences. My next favorite way to experience baseball is listening on the radio – some of my earliest memories are hiding under the covers with a transistor radio (btw: the size of 3 iPods stacked together,) listening to the play-by-play of some really terrible Giants teams in the 70’s & 80’s.
So, I’m pondering the most recent news out of baseball… as if the ‘allegations’ of steroid & HGH use were not enough, now it has been revealed that sometime last year, Barry Bonds tested positive for amphetamines. Using speed is illegal, even in baseball, though the usage of greenies had long been winked at by MLB, with the understanding being that with the travel & game schedule being what it is, the only way for players to be able to be physically ‘up’ for the games was to use artificial means. Baseball passed a rule against the use of greenies, & has included the drug on a list of banned substances that they test for. Greenies Story
One of the things that is not supposed to happen is the release of the name of the accused in the event of the 1st failed drug test. But, because its Barry Bonds, the info is leaked. Kind of like the ‘sealed’ grand jury testimony that leaked containing the revelations that Bonds had been using 2 substances, The Cream & The Clear given to him by his trainer, Greg Anderson.
Why the incoherent ramblings this Friday morning? I’m in mourning. Mourning, because it ticks me off that with only about a month until pitchers & catchers report, that baseball has been reduced to sensationalistic sound-bites full of allegations & accusations, with the press playing the protagonist… the same press that trumpeted McGwire & Sosa’s chasing of the Maris record as “the salvation of the game.” Too bad.
Haven’t blogged for a bit – heres my top 5 reasons why not:
5. Computer transition – the PC at home is lurking near death, with family & friends circling like vultures hoping to get to use the remaining computer. Condolences can be sent in care of a Mac near you…
4. Christmas holidays – attempting to spend the time with the family, engaged, vs. being physically present, but surfing in a land far, far away mentally.
3. Schhhhhedule – (must be said with a big English accent to get the full benefit…) above & beyond the regular life stuff: 4 day hoops tourney in deepest darkest Galena. Houseguests… a great friend. a big friend. a friend w/2 first names came to visit. Damage caused by the wind has led to attempted maintenance. Ugly.
2. Other interests – did you know that there are at least 32 College Football bowl games happening between December 20 & January 8? It’s true. Not speaking to the quality of said games, but am commenting on quantity. All football. All the time. And, its playoff time in the NFL. I even watched almost 1/2 of a game on Sunday! The wife has a new interest as well: Netflix has brought us House, season 1. TV that she likes. Hooray!
1. Taking a break – very nice.
On that note…
I was talking to an old friend today about the building of/development of character. We weren’t speaking hypothetically or theoretically, but were addressing issues that I’m wrestling with in my life. Building character is usually used as a euphemism for going through hellishly challenging circumstances & keeping a good (meaning godly) attitude about the whole thing. Sounds like not so much fun.
It got me to thinking… It can mean going through difficult, undesirable, even adversarial situations & simply not reponding according to my natural inclinations. It can mean being faithful & consistent through a boring assignment; following through, even if no one would know that you didn’t. Not responding in anger or frustration (or raised voice) to the slight of a petty individual. Turning the other cheek when you’re maligned & your name is drug through the mud. Exercising humility & owning the wrongs you’ve done/things left undone even if others don’t follow suit & do the same. It’s not dependent on anyone else’s behavior so much as it is dependent on my submission to Christ, & following in His ways. Character is the result of a life relentlessly, faithfully, intentionally committed to Christ.
The last post generated some interesting replies, but also some great conversations about stereotypes & roles, conversations that never made it onto the blog. So, I’m wondering if you’d play along. Again. Post a note that details the negative stereotype about the job/profession/role that you do or fill… that is, if it has one. Is there a job/role w/o any negative stereotypes? I wonder…
Stereotyping is easy – just take the extreme (behaviors, actions, identifiers, etc.) about your job/role & lump them together. I think mine is easy, but I’d welcome your input too…
On that note, I’ll stop for now. Taking a look at my list, I can think of a ton of pastors that don’t fit any of them. But a few (several. many) fit them all, & then some.
On a recent post by Brother about his new job, Shontell commented:
All I am saying is that I feel it amazingly odd that pastors really DO make great car salesmen. I tell this to my brother regularly. What IS that all about?
Makes me wonder: Would I make a great car salesman?
So, I want to ask you your opinion in a 2 part survey:
Thanks for playing…
People are definitely impacted by the culture they consume – the web sites they visit or the music they listen to, for instance. Pastors need to be informed about what’s out there in order to understand how the culture is influencing the people they are trying to reach.
-Ron Sellers :: President :: Ellison Research
One of the overwhelming experiences of the trip was the art. Sculptures, statues, paintings, tapestries – you name it, we saw it. In Roma, especially the Vatican Museum, Sistene Chapel, & Basilica of St. Pete’s, you couldn’t walk more than 10 feet without seeing something, somewhere that just took your breath away.
It got almost humorous, & we had a fun time with it. In one hall (out of many) where several hundred sculptures and statues were stored, we found sign describing just who/what the statues were supposed to be of… the sign said, “This is someone or something.” Good times.
Thinking about art – (and, by the way, I know how generally I am speaking here. bear with me…) and how these various expressions made by people, often in the name of God, for buildings where God is worshiped, to bring glory to God. It sems that artistic, creative, expression has largely been lost in the church. Like there’s no place for the art & the makers of art within the church anymore. As a result, artisans display their wares in studios & exhibition halls. The art has become degradingly self-indulgent, ala Romans 1 & the NEA… makes me wonder. It’s not like I have a bunch of answers to this – just a lot of questions, like:
Does this one look familiar? It’s Artemis/Diana (from our trip through Ephesus & the Monday Morning Church…) Seeing this statue brought back a wave of emotion – remembering God’s intersection of humanity in Ephesus, & how this same God is at work in our little valley, working through us for the same purpose.
