Tuesday, October 24, 2006

How Can We Know?

The problem of an "informed American electorate" has been with us for a long time. But, in the past few years the problem has become even more acute. To a certain extent we all depend on the media to keep us informed. Now there is increasing evidence that we need help in knowing what is happening within our own country.

Reporters Without Boarders publish a freedom ranking each year which is very revealing. The USA is quite a way down the list. Perhaps it would be best if we spent more time with the media that ranks higher in our attempts to find out what is going on in our own country.

Monday, May 15, 2006

Reduce Conflict

We often use e-mail to get done quickly those things we are attempting. There can be problems. This item recently appeared in the Christian Science Monitor.

"The answer, the professors conclude, is sometimes "no." Though e-mail is a powerful and convenient medium, researchers have identified three major problems. First and foremost, e-mail lacks cues like facial expression and tone of voice. That makes it difficult for recipients to decode meaning well. Second, the prospect of instantaneous communication creates an urgency that pressures e-mailers to think and write quickly, which can lead to carelessness. Finally, the inability to develop personal rapport over e-mail makes relationships fragile in the face of conflict."

Next time you think of exploding on-line or think that you have just made an excellent point, take care.

Thursday, January 12, 2006

Keep This In Mind

The world that you know exists within your head. You are the one that is responsible for building and maintaining that world. We all know some folk that seem to live in a world that doesn't make any sense to us at all. It is very likely that it does make sense to them.

At first, our parents are very interested in helping us create a world that is very much like their own within us. As their influence is diluted with other influences we begin to create a world which is very much our own creation. But, the important thing to remember is that we have a responsibility to ourselves to build the best possible world making is more likely that we will be able to achieve our goals.

Be careful what you put into your world.

Monday, January 09, 2006

Communicating

One of the best ways to improve in an area is to be willing to go back over the things in that area that we believe to be true. In short, be willing to question the things we believe. If you are correct in your position you will reinforce the belief. And if any modification in your belief system might be useful, this process will show you what the modification might be.

When we were 18 months old there were many things that didn't bother us that would at this point in life would embarrass us. Not looking for change assumes that we are not only correct but there can be no improvement. By questioning some of our favored positions we run the risk of growing and becoming more effective in life.