Questioning What, Why, and How

 

“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”

-- Friedrich Nietzsche

 

Why do mean people dislike nice people?

I don’t think they dislike them. Think about it. Without nice people who would they be mean to? They like nice people. They need nice people. It’s their personal “love/hate” relationship.

What have you implemented in your life to make sure your views are not the exclusive result of an echo chamber?

Personal opinion and I’m not a socialist, both of which tend to piss people off. My opinion may reflect the echo chamber or it may not. It is my opinion, which happens to be the same as others, or not. I care what I think, it’s usually morally ethical. if it happens to be what others think, so much the better, we’re all being morally ethical. You don’t have to agree with me any more than I have to agree with you, we still have the freedom to think for ourselves… for now.

What is a clever metaphor for "expect the unexpected"?

Duck!

“Life is a journey. Time is a river. The door is ajar”

-- Jim Butcher

Why do we question situations?

It’s what we do. We are inquisitive creatures. We smell things, finger things, dare others to do things. If we didn’t question everything, imagine how boring our world would be? Situations are of particular interest because people might die if you don’t question every aspect of them.

What do people mean by "nice move", "good move," "bold move," etc., and in which situation should I use them?

Any situation where someone did a nice move, a good move, a bold move, a stupid move, an immature move, and the like. It can complement, or not so much. It can also be an opinion, a comment, or an answer. “Wow! That was really a smartass answer!” Which leaves you wondering if it was a compliment, or not.

Why do people tend to focus so much on morning habits, but end up ignoring night habits?

But, if it’s a “habit” you do it whether you ignore it or not. I don’t really focus on brushing my teeth in the morning, I do it out of habit, without really thinking about it. Now, when I go to bed and, as usual, fart loudly, that’s a habit I’m focusing on, just to see if my girlfriend is asleep, or not.

“Some people assume that there must be something wrong with a relationship if they discover that partners are sleeping separately. But why? OK, human beings have sex and procreate, but whoever said they had to spend the whole night together in the same bed?”

-- Caroline Carr

How will you inspire others to respect individual differences?

I always thought that’s what having your finger on the red button in the silo was for.

On a scale of miserable to happy, how would you rate your life so far, and why?

Happier than a pig in pooh! Other than my poor choice that resulted in a 25-year waste of my life called “marriage,” life has treated me pretty well. I continue to strive to be happy always. I thank God, each morning, for the gift of another day in paradise and another chance to excel in this life. What more can one ask for?

Are you afraid that anybody may refuse to answer your own questions?

If they can’t answer questions they shouldn’t answer questions. My “fear” isn’t that shallow. A real fear should be deep-seated in your psyche.  An answer is just an opinion, educated or not, you can accept it, or not.  If I ever have a question I’ll have no fear putting it out to see who can answer it.

"He who asks a question remains a fool for five minutes. He who does not ask remains a fool forever."

-- Unknown

How do I stop feeling guilty for being myself? It just makes my heart heavy when I see someone get disappointed or angry because of how I act or talk.

Perhaps the guilt is well deserved. Don’t simply reject the feeling because you feel it isn't deserved. You may be subconsciously agreeing with these people. I would look at the way you act or talk, or both, and see if you recognize their point. If you do, write down what you think about it and ask yourself why you do it and how you think you can make it better. See if you, and others, like the new you any better.

After being criticized, why do some people just leave the criticizer while others actually sit with the criticizer and share how they feel? Which do you do, and why? Who is more likely to do the former and who is more likely to do the latter?

“Birds of a feather flock together” explains this best. Personally, this is too much drama for me. I will hear what they say and move on. If the critique is valid I probably already know it and, if I don’t, I will keep an eye on it to validate the critique. I find that most times, the critique is blown out of proportion due to their dislike for the person, persons, or situation.

What is your personality known for?

Analysis. 23 years with Intelligence has taught me to analyze everything. A fault of mine is over-analysis, which I try to temper. To this end, I have learned the old adages are mostly true: If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. If it doesn’t sound right, it probably isn’t. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, and a young dog not trained will go with the flow. If it feels good, they’ll probably keep on doing it. If they are wrong once, they’ll be wrong again. If you think your gun is loaded, you’re already dead. Don’t ever leave anything to chance. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

I haven’t been wrong too many times, but if I’ve been wrong once…

“Mixing old wine with new wine is stupidity, but mixing old wisdom with new wisdom is maturity.”

-- Amit Kalantri

How do you know what work to accept, and what work to get rid of?

If I’m busy, I don’t have time to take on new challenges. If the workload of what I do well lightens up, I will have time to look at those new challenges and see if they can be learned, done well, and incorporate those new challenges into my workload. 

What is the biggest flaw of Boomers?

Materialism. We were so wrapped up in making money we forgot how to parent, to teach children the benefit of happiness, and to value the basics of education, like history.  Oh, and listening to Dr. Spock who finally admitted that sparing the rod was probably a bad idea.  Gee, ya think?

 What is a list of five interesting facts about your past and select one of those facts to be the focus of your discussion?

I wasn’t the most “intelligent” kid in school, but I was “smart” enough to be chosen for military intelligence. There is a difference.

I was bullied because I was small as a kid, but I quickly learned to protect those who could not protect themselves.

My mess of a divorce, after a 25-year marriage, taught me how to be happy always.

I refused Officer Candidate School (OCS) because I already had too much respect being shown to me as a sergeant and didn’t want to lose that by becoming a second lieutenant and fighting to get it back.  It definitely was the right choice for me.

I have forsaken "organized religion" because I found they all have hidden agendas based on money and control. I have focused on my personal spirituality.

But, mostly, the “interesting facts of my life” have proven to me that, even if you’re intelligent you must learn how to be smart. If you have both you can go far. I’ve known very intelligent people who can’t balance a checkbook, and are always in financial difficulty. Life is all about making the right choices and decisions, and if you’re not smart enough to do that, no amount of intelligence can help you.

“Quiet people always know more than they seem. Although very normal, their inner world is by default fronted mysterious and therefore assumed weird. Never underestimate the social awareness and sense of reality in a quiet person; they are some of the most observant, absorbent persons of all.”

-- Criss Jami

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 volunteered as a chaplain at the regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony:  tolerantpastor@gmail.com