Questioning Knowledge, Illusion, You, Needs, and Talent

 

“A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep.”

-- Saul Bellow

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A note to my readers: The statistics have not slowed down, for those who'd like to follow with me and the following answer.  It doesn't seem willing to do so.

This answer was touted by the site as being "featured" in over 100,000 individual reader digests. The answer was posted on March 30, 2022, and, to date, has been viewed by over 416,500 people, and has been upvoted 5,382 times, and counting. I still assume, because it was "featured," this is a big deal.  I still don't know what "featured" means. I will contine to share the stats, as they are updated, until it level;s off.  For those who haven't read the question, and my answer:

Did you ever get a request for a favor from a neighbor who never showed any respect or interest in you or your family? What did you do? 

The guy next door. He asked if he could cut down a rotting tree the raccoons use. Wanted to bill me $2000 for a $500 job. I told him not to touch it. He cut it down anyway, when I wasn’t around, then billed me $2000. My legal team, lawyers from Louisiana and Mississippi, both advised me to tell him to go f*** himself. You have to love Southern lawyers. I cleaned the language up and sent him a form letter concerning trespass, ignorance, and the fact that he wouldn’t be getting any money out of me. (Last lines have been updated) We don't talk, not because I'm not willing, but because he seems to think he's all that. He flies a Marine Corps flag. So far, I'm not impressed.

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What does it mean to do something wrong or to be bad?

It means you are courting trouble and bad karma. It is so much better to always do the right things and be good

What should I know about my friends?

The personal “code of ethics” they stand by. It defines who and why they are, and you know what to expect from them… until they fall down.

Is knowledge humility?

Understanding the knowledge can make you humble. As Robert Oppenheimer witnessed the first detonation of a nuclear weapon he helped to build, he quoted Hindu scripture. I think he was humbled by what their knowledge had wrought: “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.”

Can you be a nice leader, or are these two incompatible?

You can be a nice leader, but people must understand that, as a leader, sometimes you have to be hard to hold the respect you have earned.

Why am I bad at explaining things, even if I try my best?

Maybe you’re overthinking it. Try keeping it short and to the point. If people don’t get it, they’ll ask questions.

“Don't waste your time with explanations: people only hear what they want to hear.”

-- Paulo Coelho

Dare I cherish the illusion that an angel will be moved to pity me and that, from out the torments which shroud my head, I have reached my longed‑for goal?

Yeah, go with that. The pity won’t teach you what you were supposed to learn, however. Better you should stand for yourself, and be counted.

What if until 32 years old I haven't done everything I wanted?

The odds say you have, at least, another 32 years to work on it. If that fails, understand you have the next life, and the life after that, and so on. Try to relax and enjoy the journey. You still have many lessons to learn.

Isn't ridiculing someone a form of respect in some situations?

I’m not sure I’d want to find out. It is kind of rude.

What are some tough decisions?

Do you save the mother or the child? Do you tell someone half your age that you love them? Do you run or disarm the bomb? Coffee or hot chocolate?

What are some things a cheap person does that a greedy person doesn't do and vice versa?

A “cheap” person waits for a sale. A greedy person buys what they want immediately. Oh, and vice versa.

Reader comment:  I see. It is a classic situation of conserving most of what you have versus getting more stuff.  Both the cheap person and the greedy person share similar traits. The former thinks long and hard about purchases while the latter focuses on “more, more, more” of everything. The cheap person can have a greedy inner self, and the greedy person can have cheap tendencies. Hence, vice versa applies.

My reply:  By George, I think that’s it.

“You'd be surprised how expensive it costs to look this cheap.”

-- Steven Tyler

Can you complete the following movie quote?

If I knew what the movie quote was, it would help.

My comment:  I was so happy when they accepted my submission. I would have been happier to know the quote.

What do people hold highly, but are not really worthy of in life?

Anything they hold selfishly detracts from its value. To selflessly hold something highly, the value is much greater, though many won’t understand why.

What is it that makes you “you”? When did you pinpoint particular qualities that set you apart from, or share with others?

When I made the decision not to be who others wanted me to be. I made the choice to live my life, not theirs. I don’t worry about “pinpointing” qualities. I am who I am. If I share qualities, so be it. No one is truly an island unto themselves, but you don’t have to be someone else to try and fit in, either.

Does commitment have any meaning in modern society? Where do people always have a "better" option?

If they have a better option, why commit to the lesser one? It makes more sense to commit to the better option. Not everyone chooses the same path, so commit to the path that suits you.

How do I not laugh at a fake person "on a mission"?

Laugh away, so they know that you know. Let there not be two fake people on the mission.

“A person's character is shown through their actions in life NOT where they sit on Sunday.”

-- Navonne Johns

When speaking about the right outcomes, what should you consider?

The wrong outcomes. You think you know what it takes to win, but have you considered what it takes to lose? Compare the two lists and you see many items seem to have been left off. I would be seriously concerned if both lists were the same.

What is a good comeback/rebuttal to the phrase "I'm losing it" after I say "patience"?

A sharp slap to the face, followed by a good shaking of the shoulders and stating firmly, “Get a grip, man!”

So often in life, you chance your arm and make a mistake. Should you immediately apologize or try and bluff your way out of your error?

Being a firm believer in standing by a personal code of ethics, I’m the first to admit an error, apologize for the mistake, and try to make it right if possible. Everyone fails or makes mistakes, it is the best way we learn. The second best way to learn is from someone else’s mistake or failure, but you can’t learn if they spew a line of bullshit.

Do you have everything you need?

And, a bit more. I seem to be constantly downsizing.

What happens to me if I do something wrong or am bad?

That depends on if you broke the rule of law, or were just being bad. Authorities might have to get involved. But, either way, if you know you did something you shouldn’t have, and make no effort to make it right, karma will, sooner or later, pay you a visit and make you pay for your transgression. 

“The man who has a conscience suffers whilst acknowledging his sin. That is his punishment.”

-- Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Can being too content actually be bad for you?

Yep. It’s when you become too content that failure jumps you from behind. You don’t see it coming because you aren’t looking for it.

Your best employees come to your house and hand in their resignation letters to you. Do you agree to the letter without any conditions?

Oh, hell no. I need to know why all my best employees are bolting. This is a sign that something is either terribly wrong with management or another company is offering so much better. I should know this and they should have clued me in to it before they all decided to leave. My inaction is ignorance, but their holding it close to the vest is simply rude. I should have known and, because of my ignorance, they decided it was appropriate to set me up to fail.

What are the behaviors that a person will do when they value personality, thoughts, and freedom more than money and materialistic things? How do you know what they value the more?

They will be truly happy always and in all things. For them, it really doesn’t matter what they value more than the true happiness they have chosen and are enjoying.

Why is it that two people who arise out of the same circumstance think and act in two different ways following the event? Shouldn't they both have learned and acted as like-minded individuals moving forward? As if they were one being?

Everything that went before affects how each of them handles the “event” they’ve experienced. One may have found that perseverance in the face of adversity will help to get them through this issue. The other may wallow in a pit of despair, having learned nothing from all that went before. Parenting and expectations. This is why we see children that grow up together become so diverse in their personalities and how they handle life.

Why do some people insist talent doesn’t exist? If two people practice something at the same time with the same passion and hard work, one of them will still come on top right?

One may have a talent for art while the other has a talent for music. One for mathematics, and the other for psychology. Everyone has a talent, to a greater or lesser extent. Discovering the talent may take some time, and their supposed talent may not be what they’re interested in, which may turn out to be their real talent.

“You are unique. You have different talents and abilities. You don’t have to always follow in the footsteps of others. And most important, you should always remind yourself that you don't have to do what everyone else is doing and have a responsibility to develop the talents you have been given.”

-- Roy T. Bennett

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, finally, a senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world-renowned, Western 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 the lead chaplain at a regional medical center.

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