We should take care not to make the intellect our god; it has, of course, powerful muscles, but no personality. Albert Einstein
Everybody has their own personal island where they insulate their intellect from the challenges of engagement with outside influences. And it has nothing to do with IQ level… and it has nothing to do with the type of formal education receive either.
We see it all the time nowadays simply because there are so many avenues available for the viewing of expressions of happenings or opinions. And a lot of it’s instantaneous… YouTube, Face Book, blogs, etc and our local favorites… the KC News, the Spy, the Wave, WFTS, etc.
And this is a powerful tool for us to expand our intellectual horizons… to gather new facts… to hear how others view the issues… and how they respond to our words. And it all affects how we apply our self-made form of intellectual arrogance.
The beauty of our degrees of separation within the confines of our slice of paradise, aka County of Kent, is that all of our lives are closely intertwined… whether we’ve lived here three hundred years… or just got off the boat from New Jersey. Yet this closeness also causes us to draw lines in the sand on our island beach when we disagree and attempt to discredit another’s view… or to strengthen our own offerings.
It’s when these lines become walls and make our island insular to outside stimuli and readily dismiss opposing views by descending to the basest of retorts… “that’s stupid” … “you’re an imbecile”… “you don’t understand because you were/weren’t born here”… “you don’t understand because you’re not an educator”… “your opinion doesn’t count because you’re not using your real name”… “you’re a liberal/conservative”, etc. And it’s when these walls block our view of the message and focus on the messenger… and our discussion dissolves into a battle of personalities.
And we all take these battles personally… whether involved in the fray… or just observing. And it makes us uncomfortable, simply because we can see that the battlers are offering nothing but their intellectual arrogance to the discussion… as they so readily dismiss another’s opinion with their own mantra… instead of looking for the opportunity to expand the breadth and depth of their intellect… as new information might be available.
Are folks so afraid of what a new intellectual horizon may bring? A simple way of looking at this is to conclude that… Better is Better… and there are plenty of folks in this world who just may have some ideas that may make our island smaller and maybe even connected to the mainland… but most importantly… Better.
Barbara Snyder says
Well said. Thank you.
Jane E. Hukill says
Bob Kramer always provides thoughtful comments for us. Let’s hope we can follow his wisdom.
Michael Troup says
WBK: “instead of looking for the opportunity to expand the breadth and depth of their intellect… as new information might be available.”
Nope. You’re wrong. That’s a joke
As the songwriter I find most quotable once said “Every time I get the inspiration to go change things around. No one wants to help me look for places where new things might be found.” Actually, that’s from an intellectually arrogant song.
Anyway, good stuff mon ami. When I first saw it posted, I thought it may wind up on multiple platforms. A good call for “unity of thought” as you might say.
Melinda Bookwalter says
This is so timely and important. I particularly like how it speaks to our little island of paradise. What better place to practice opening our minds to different opinions than with our neighbors and those who teach our children, clean our streets, grow our food, put out our fires……A “me too” thank you.
Stephan Sonn says
In the spirit of Dave’s recent
use your real name gambit,
yours was a good position
against rabid excess.
There are times when
I have questioned myself as to
the limits of compassion
but never the intent or. attempt.
Too much of what is happening today
is life on the fly rather than by the plan.
There should be room to follow dreams
without reverting to pure impulse.
Civility works.
Warrior Bob Kramer says
@ Monsieur Troup’er: “unity of thought”
You’ve said it ten ways to Sunday. We got a ton of smart folks here… so we should have a ton of smart solutions. And it doesn’t matter how long we’ve lived here or how long we’ve lived. I give Jacob Chaires as an example of the latter. We gotta start looking for solutions. We got problems, but we can fix them.
(BTW, since you & I make up two thirds of the folks in CofK who care about college sports… maybe we ought to start a sports section here on the Spy. Of course, the other third person is a Hokie like me.)
Steve Payne says
Yes, well said Warrior Bob. Some people are scared if everyone isn’t like them. I personally like to discuss matters where there is a broad range of thought. I saw Ruth Bader Ginsburg on CSPAN the other day and she said that one of her best friends was Scalia. I wasn’t surprised really. BTW, watching Congressional hearings these days is like torture. There’s no real discussion at all and I’m not surprised we’re going downhill quick.
Stephan Sonn says
Mr Kramer
Do problem solutions have to have a brand name?
Warrior Bob Kramer says
@ Stephan who said: Do problem solutions have to have a brand name?
Unfortunately the ones that do often aren’t the best solution.
And there’s a huge difference between solving private business problems and those of public government. As we see in all of our local communications the public (me included) are pretty good telling the elected and appointed folks what the problems are. But… we’re on the slight side when it comes to helping fix them.
Stephan Sonn says
I can’t quite tell where
you are coming from but
I appreciate that your comments
are not dogma driven.
I really resent the class war.
I am afraid that 2012
will drag it from the attic
to the middle of the living room.
As a centerpiece fixture.
Stephan Sonn says
Here is a thought tor this forum.
A civilized op-ed debate-like format
rather than a soapbox derby.
With a twist
A person tagged Liberal like me has to argue AGAINST
New Deal Social Democracy
Likewise someone right of center must DEFEND
New Deal Social Democracy.
The only rule being not to demean the opposition…
The case must be made on the merits
and previous pronouncements of the side taken.
Any takers?
Keith Thompson says
Stephan, I think your op-ed challenge reveals a bit of outmoded thinking. By framing the debate in liberal vs. conservative terms, you’re limiting the scope of the debate. In fact, I think a large part of the reason why we have an island of intellectual arrogance is the arguments of both sides have been reduced to meaningless sound bites and contribute to the problems rather than finding solutions to them. As long as you view someone questioning New Deal Social Democracy as being conservative in nature, you’re defeating the purpose of the exercise. Consider the ideas coming from all sides without putting labels on them.
Personally I find the current debate, which is centered around how to best go about paying for the government we want, has jumped the shark and is leading us into a cul-de-sac on a one-way street. Perhaps a better way to perceive the debate is to recognize that there is a limit to the amount of government we can afford to pay for and center the debate around the proper role and function of that government. My prediction is that by framing the debate that way, you’ll see the political parties realign themselves along different poles.
Stephan Sonn says
If you understood what I wrote
you might notice that
left leaning are asked to
present perhaps the
exact opposite of their leanings
as right leaning are asked to speak
to the opposite leaning.
Even as a mental exercise
it could break a
deadlock of non-thinking.
I would venture to say that even the writer
of this OP-Ed has a political leaning.
Denial is no cure
but discussion might
blunt the edges of anger
Stephan Sonn says
Keith
Regarding spending, the dialogue it ranges from
what on …
to how much..
to if at all.
The passion seems centered on.
if at all
Even in generic syntax these are sea changes.
My dog is about to be spayed,
helpful for for all concerned
But this forum
should not be neutered.
Warrior Bob Kramer says
@ Keith : Perhaps a better way to perceive the debate is to recognize that there is a limit to the amount of government we can afford to pay for and center the debate around the proper role and function of that government.
Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. P J O’Rourke
We continue to debate (and it doesn’t matter who debates which side) how to fix a government that’s got a broken chasis and a dysfunctional engine by redesigning the exterior. Sorta like the way GM used to build cars.
Stephan Sonn says
Mr. Kramer
I do think that government manages money rather badly.
If only the real debate were linked to that.
But there is more to it.
There is the matter of the survival of Western culture
as an Island of civilization, however imperfect.
Stephan Sonn says
Mr Kramer
I just noticed your last comment
from a different light..
It seems there is no spirit of debate presented
just a predetermined verdict of guilty.
In light of that I read in your entire Op-ED
a body of self serving mocking platitudes
Sort of like what the little folk do over coffee.
Or the elites over a very dry Martini at the club.
Yours is not a commentary that
solves the manufactured class rift
that emerged in this country.
It is just parlor talk polite.
You just miss the point. of intellectual integrity
because it does not serve your agenda.
Keith Thompson says
Stephan,
The point of my response to you was that as far as I’m concerned, viewing the problem from the other side is pointless to me because I think both sides are contributing to the problem. I’m not interested in choosing sides…I’m interested in finding solutions. Finding solutions equals finding common ground. Finding common ground equals dialogue. Politics often gets in the way of dialogue.
Howeverl, let me give you a simple critique of the free enterprise system vs. social democracy. Free enterprise rewards work and ability but creates winners and losers. Social democracy levels the playing field which benefits those who don’t have superior ability or lucky breaks but takes away some incentives for individuals to move ahead via hard work. Neither system approaches utopia, but I’d prefer to err on the side of the former.
Stephan Sonn says
Keith
if you are listening to the comments of the presidential Candidate Dwarfs about electric fences and barbed wire, Laughed at thumbs down jeers about letting a young man die for lack of surgery or found cause to boo the gay marine, or blame the unemployed for their losses than please…Join the former side of this contrived class war and quit the Hamlet performance
You have been told by a major player that there is no solution and really no debate.about the so-called failure of the present social democracy. Certainly there is no debate at all going on. What it really resembles is a one sided inquisition with personal and corporate fortunes financing the new reality.
The Tea Party says corporations and small business who offer employment in these times should be in some way sanctioned for not towing the party line. Check it out you are in the media business. How safe is your job?
(Be glad you work for Gelfen).
There are people who you have posted with here
who believe the Middle Class is unnatural
and life at risk is the norm.
They see the middle class as
a parasite sucking money from them
and their Brahman peers.
And they intend to gut the Middle class
by spreading fear and no-speak
to the cultural cultural lexicon.
I think you picked the wrong team.
or maybe you like the ideas that
support a company store economy
Keith Thompson says
Stephan writes, “The Tea Party says corporations and small business who offer employment in these times should be in some way sanctioned for not towing the party line. Check it out you are in the media business. How safe is your job?”
Again you’re looking at this through liberal vs conservative glasses. While I can follow the fiscal conservatism of the Tea Party movement, I view the Tea Party as a part of the problem and not a part of the solution in that they also push a moral and expansionist military view that I feel dilutes their commitment to small government. Yes, I’m in the media business and yes I work for a politically conservative radio station owner; however, my views on the air (and on the blogs where I’m encouraged to participate) are mine and I’m not expected to toe a party line. Stephan, I think what is confusing you is that I don’t express views that fit neatly in your liberal vs. conservative box. I have as much in common with liberals as I do with conservatives; in fact, I think it is safe to say that I have equal disdain for both sides. In my view, the current political paradigm is what’s broken and I’m trying to change the paradigm.
Stephan Sonn says
Keith
I really don’t know why I bother
but I will one more time
and then this thread is over for me.
I spent most of my life as a New England Republican
changing to Democrat a geography or social issues required.
I had problems with some ultra liberals around 2001
and quit activism at that time because I did not agree
with democratic leadership and an individual in Rock Hall particularly
at that time in Kent County.politics.
Today’s danger is to social democracy not just liberals.
That is why I am back with what little I can do..
I can spot Tea Party regional coordinators
and operatives easily
by their scripting and talking points,
however some are otherwise cloaked
in false moderation
And I like calling them our.
I have heard a lot of good things about you Keith,
but never the word decisive
This is History unfolding like a road show
but you are not equipped to see it.
End of this discussion, Good luck..
Stephan Sonn says
For the record
on the Tea Party.
You do not have to be ill mannered
or bullying to be a star on that stage
There are several moderate seeming members
operating in this county, who are smooth as silk
It is not a matter of one side or the other:,
Just no compromising resolution at all.
.
.just disruption of the core of current reality.
And what they can’t buy they will intimidate to gain
or play mind games in media and even places like this.
They do not promote American values
they demote and deceive the democratic process..
And their goal is as old as history…
more power….more money.more…more more
If it sounds Draconian… that’s because it is.
And if it sounds like a rant
better that than the kind of silence
that abetted other tyrannies in history.
It is a lot easier to keep our present government in check
than it will be to deal with the Tea Party Constitution.
Keith Thompson says
Stephan writes “I have heard a lot of good things about you Keith, but never the word decisive”.
When someone views the world from an anti-conservative or an anti-liberal bias, then someone else who bases his or her beliefs independently on an issue by issue basis rather than through the established two-party template, will appear to that first person to be indecisive.