"It seems to be a constant throughout history: In every period, people believed things that were just ridiculous, and believed them so strongly that you would have gotten in terrible trouble for saying otherwise. ¶ Is our time any different? To anyone who has read any amount of history, the answer is almost certainly no. It would be a remarkable coincidence if ours were the first era to get everything just right." From link below.
My wife often tells me my ideas are too offsetting, isn't that a wonderful euphemism, actually she is harsher. But I have learned through time, a long time, rule one, in social and corporate life, never tell them what you think. Doesn't that conflict with your person, your sense of self, shouldn't you be free enough to say what you think? Two examples.
We are at a dinner party when the topic of jobs comes up, what to do, what to do. My wife knows my feelings on this topic, but I shut up. Hint, every single person at our table owns a foreign car, most luxury, and probably none made in America. Jobs?
Good friends, republicans and very conservative and we are out to dinner when past histories of parent's job comes up. It seems the republican mom had a great teacher's job in a strong union, benefits for life, compared to my wife in a parochial school mom did very well in a union. Seems daughter-in-law today does well too. This time I speak up a bit, I tell them I am now a republican and just like in Wisconsin, we are coming to get them....smiles.
I have to grudgingly admit this Conservative publication below often has thoughtful and interesting writing.
"As an aside, I think the existence of heresies within our political parties, and (especially on the Right) the existence of a loud and forceful brigade of enforcers who punish heretics, is largely responsible for the lack of imagination and constructive, creative thought in American politics. All those Republican presidential candidates who never, ever will consider a tax increase, no matter what, are terrified of Torquemada. To Torquemada, though, this looks like simply holding the line on an important principle. Then again, political parties are not churches. As a religious believer, I think churches are right to hold the line on heresy. Political parties? No."
See links: http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/2011/09/09/the-threat-and-promise-of-dangerous-ideas/ and http://www.paulgraham.com/say.html
My wife often tells me my ideas are too offsetting, isn't that a wonderful euphemism, actually she is harsher. But I have learned through time, a long time, rule one, in social and corporate life, never tell them what you think. Doesn't that conflict with your person, your sense of self, shouldn't you be free enough to say what you think? Two examples.
We are at a dinner party when the topic of jobs comes up, what to do, what to do. My wife knows my feelings on this topic, but I shut up. Hint, every single person at our table owns a foreign car, most luxury, and probably none made in America. Jobs?
Good friends, republicans and very conservative and we are out to dinner when past histories of parent's job comes up. It seems the republican mom had a great teacher's job in a strong union, benefits for life, compared to my wife in a parochial school mom did very well in a union. Seems daughter-in-law today does well too. This time I speak up a bit, I tell them I am now a republican and just like in Wisconsin, we are coming to get them....smiles.
I have to grudgingly admit this Conservative publication below often has thoughtful and interesting writing.
"As an aside, I think the existence of heresies within our political parties, and (especially on the Right) the existence of a loud and forceful brigade of enforcers who punish heretics, is largely responsible for the lack of imagination and constructive, creative thought in American politics. All those Republican presidential candidates who never, ever will consider a tax increase, no matter what, are terrified of Torquemada. To Torquemada, though, this looks like simply holding the line on an important principle. Then again, political parties are not churches. As a religious believer, I think churches are right to hold the line on heresy. Political parties? No."
See links: http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/2011/09/09/the-threat-and-promise-of-dangerous-ideas/ and http://www.paulgraham.com/say.html
