"Out-of-the-box" Questions

“More important than having the Courage of your Convictions is to possess the courage to question your convictions. This is a great source of freedom. There is no 'box to think outside of' with true freedom.”

-- Timothy G. Cameron, author, attorney

Why are humans so virulently opposed to out-of-the-box thinkers?

We become comfortable with the status quo, especially if it works. What works, however, might not be the most efficient or cost-effective way to do something, and this is where the “out-of-the-box-thinker” comes into play. Change makes most people uncomfortable, even though change is the only true constant in the universe. People also bemoan that change is so slow to come, but one has much to do with the other. People are more apt to go along with change if it happens slowly than if it’s dropped into their lap. Recognizing this, the “out-of-the-box-thinker” will get more accomplished by picking the low hanging fruit first and letting the naysayers see the benefit of what they’re thinking.

Based on Williams, Kay, and Kohlberg’s stages of moral development point, in which stage are you?

Moral development? No. No, no, no… this is a constant battle. Do as I say, not as I do. Oh, my goodness. Developing morality requires moral restraint. There is a room reserved for me at the Purgatory Inn.

Self-admitted hypocrisy notwithstanding, and having stated the obvious, I’m probably at Stage 6.

How long can I endure uncertainty?

I’m not certain. It would help to know you.

“I took a test in Existentialism. I left all the answers blank and got 100.”

-- Woody Allen, director, writer, actor, comedian

Will all that you truly need, in this life or the next, be made available to you?

All you truly need is air to breathe, food to eat, water to drink, and shelter from the elements. A purpose in life would also be nice. All of this is available to you, so make it your purpose in life to go out and get it.

How do you know when you are 100 percent undecided on a decision at hand?

I’m not really sure. Aha!

What are some examples of your ability and willingness to be decisive?

I was in military intelligence for almost 23 years. In the military, you learn to be decisive or nothing is accomplished on time or people get hurt or die. Your willingness to be decisive is evidenced by your promotion to a higher rank with more responsibility for projects and people assigned to you.

“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.”

-- Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919), 26th President of the U.S.

Is it normal to feel worthless and unlovable after being broken up with? How do you deal with these feelings?

My wife divorced me. Everyone thought she was an idiot for not holding on to me. Personally, it was a relationship made in hell, which is where we set up residence for 20 years. Did I feel worthless and unlovable afterward? It was my choice to keep fighting for the relationship to work.  In the end, my abject hatred for what she put me through was an overriding factor to that, and then I was too busy catching up on 20 years of lost life to concern myself with it.  I was made to feel anything but worthless and unlovable.

Do you agree with Nietzsche's argument that we should never be contented with who we are?

Yes, but only because we really don’t have much of a choice. Each day we experience, and with each experience, we change, whether we realize it or not. I suppose one could say that we continuously change, albeit at a subconscious level. 

Is being predictable a good thing?

No! People can take advantage of that trait. It is much better to keep them guessing so you don’t get used or abused.  The only thing good about it, is people grow to expect you to do what you might not do.  This can be a good tactic.

“Engage people with what they expect; it is what they are able to discern and confirms their projections. It settles them into predictable patterns of response, occupying their minds while you wait for the extraordinary moment — that which they cannot anticipate.”

-- Sun Tzu (544 BC - 496 BC) , general, military strategist, philosopher, The Art of War  

And now, a few questions about my favorite subject:

What realities are better to realize earlier in life?

Happiness in life will help get you through almost anything, and being in debt is no way to live your life.

Does success breed happiness, or does happiness breed success, or both?

I think if you’re happy in what you’re doing, you’re successful already. People have questioned me, throughout my careers, about my success or lack thereof. I always was able to smile and tell them I was already very successful. Some understood me, others not so much. I have been blessed to, almost, always be happy with my choices. I constantly strive to be happy in life always. The alternative simply sucks for me.

How did you describe your future in success?

Successful. My future will be like my present, in any context - simply happy! If you can’t be happy always, what’s the point of success? If you are constantly happy and strive to stay that way, you are already more successful than most people.

How do I change thinking from a loser to a winner?

Are you alive? You’re already a winner. Now be happy always and you’ll be more of a winner than most others who think they’re successful. Being a winner is like being happy - it is a choice. Only you can make the choice to see all the reasons why you’re a winner. These are usually the reasons winners can’t even see. Choose to be a winner, and then go out and try to be successful. You’ll find that you already are.

“Attitude is the source of beauty, self-confidence, success and happiness.”

-- Debasish Mridha, physician, philosopher, author, poet

Why can't people respect that I'm extremely old fashioned because I wasn't meant to be born in the year 2000? I was meant to be born in 1960.

Don’t worry about what people say, or why they say it. Be who you are and let the League of the Perpetually Offended deal with it. Just because you’re different, everyone will have a barb to throw at you. Ignore them. Find some “old fashioned” people to hang with. Personally, I can’t remember much about 1960, I was only seven. But, I do like the movies from that era. “The Little Shop of Horrors” came out then.

What does an all of a sudden empty mind feeling signify?

You belong to the wrong political party. 

Is the principle of 'if you can't save for it, you can not afford it' a good one to live by?

Yes, although a car and a house might be exceptions. Stay out of debt is the point. Each debt you have makes you an indentured servant to someone or some company. The goal is to keep in servitude. It really isn’t “what’s in your wallet” as much as it’s “who” is in your wallet. Who do you now work for? Who are you a slave to? Even when it comes to a car, a good used one will serve you as well as a new one and cost you much less in interest payments, insurance, and annual licensing fees. Slavery hasn’t ended, they’ve just found a way to keep us working for them from cradle to grave.

“In fact this is precisely the logic on which the Bank of England—the first successful modern central bank—was originally founded. In 1694, a consortium of English bankers made a loan of £1,200,000 to the king. In return they received a royal monopoly on the issuance of banknotes. What this meant in practice was they had the right to advance IOUs for a portion of the money the king now owed them to any inhabitant of the kingdom willing to borrow from them, or willing to deposit their own money in the bank—in effect, to circulate or "monetize" the newly created royal debt. This was a great deal for the bankers (they got to charge the king 8 percent annual interest for the original loan and simultaneously charge interest on the same money to the clients who borrowed it) , but it only worked as long as the original loan remained outstanding. To this day, this loan has never been paid back. It cannot be. If it ever were, the entire monetary system of Great Britain would cease to exist.”

-- David Graeber (1961-2020), anthropologist, author

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with the United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world-renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as a chaplain at the regional medical center.