Questioning Dweebs, Ethics, Popularity, and Manipulation

"All these guys picking on smart kids and calling them geeks and dweebs are going to grow up and want to know why they don't do something about the terrible state the world is in. I can tell you why. By the time they grow up, most of the kids who really could have changed things are wrecked." 

-- Bruce Coville

What do we know about what we don't know?

I’m not sure.

Why do I withdraw from my acquaintances in college and not talk to them? I have social anxiety and low self-esteem, and I'm really pessimistic.

Offhand, I’d have to say it’s because you have social anxiety, low self-esteem, and you’re really pessimistic. But, you already know this.

Why are you such a dweeb?

I’m not sure. I’m such a dweeb. I’ve been this way since birth (sniff).  Oh, the horror.

Education: Do bad grades mean a person is dumb?

I had bad grades up until college when I could take courses that interested me, then I started making great grades. Sometimes we aren’t challenged in the topics we’d like to learn more about. I went from college into military intelligence. No, bad grades don’t necessarily mean you're dumb.

If your twin flame is a ventriloquist, would that mean you're the dummy?

No, it means he sucks at ventriloquism.

“I was seven years old the first time my brother tried to kill me.”

-- Jon Padgett

What are 5 things in your life that might drive you to redefine ethics?

A beautiful woman, with perky breasts, long legs, nice hair, and a killer personality. Yep, that makes five, and my ethics are in the crapper.

The longer I remain un-jabbed [COVID], the more evidence I see supporting my decision. Do you agree?

I think, more and more, the evidence bears this out, yes.

How do I deal with bosses who claim they like feedback and differing opinions, yet the second they get differing opinions they become defensive?

Stop giving them feedback. Tell them you have nothing to contribute. Bait them into asking why, and then tell them you don’t appreciate them baiting you into giving feedback and opinion just so they can use you to satisfy their need for being defensive. Tell them it’s bullshit and you refuse to play their game. Oh, and remind them that they asked. This will shake them up.

What are things which symbolize loyalty, generosity, bravery, dauntlessness, fearlessness, valor, and courage?

The flag of the United States and the uniforms of first responders and the military.

What is more important, truth or mental stability, and why? (See comments)

What comments?

Truth is always paramount, even if you’re mentally unstable. Mental stability requires professional help, and professional help is going to require the truth from the patient in order to try and stabilize the mental state.

“The reason I talk to myself is because I’m the only one whose answers I accept.”

-- George Carlin

Do people need a place to keep their things?

Except for the odd duck, even the homeless have a place to keep their things.

Who agrees it's safe to say that if you're popular everybody respects you and you are a very high-value person and if people are jealous because of this it's because they themselves cannot be popular?

Yes, it’s safe to say, because people are basically selfish and stupid. Popularity might have to do with the music you play, not due to the person you are. I watch entertainers, but I value other people more than dumb-ass actors. They can act, that’s it. Ask most of them an intelligent question and good luck getting an intelligent answer. Money does not give you wisdom, it means you’re rich. The same goes for politicians. If they’re communists, they only appeal to “communists” who have no idea what they’re really getting into. People are really that thick.

Should parents encourage kids to adopt craftsmanship to earn their cash alongside working their way to obtain college degrees?

Yes. My son did this and got a six-figure job with Verizon when he graduated. It helps to build healthy responsibility, work ethic, and character.

What invention now do you think will change the way we live?

Electric cars. In the end, they pollute more than gas vehicles. We’re being sold a bill of goods that the planet can’t afford. Better we take some more time to thoroughly research a better mode of transportation that doesn’t use batteries we can’t get rid of and requires more coal to run the extra electrical grids required to charge all of them. We will be helping to destroy the planet if we continue on this course. This is just political “ignorance” and we’re buying into it… again.

Why are some people more intelligent than others? What makes them so different from the rest of us?

Their brain is wired differently. It doesn’t necessarily make them better, just different. They’ll still wet themselves in the heat of battle while you’re kicking ass and taking names. 

“Everything intelligent is so boring.”

-- Leo Tolstoy

Can a person be "smarter" than you but still not know how to get things done?

Yes, if what you’re doing is not in their wheelhouse. Even an intelligent person will need to read a manual before building an engine.

Is it possible to learn from someone who is not as intelligent as you are?

If they possess a skill I don’t have, absolutely.

Why is it important for others to understand your perspective on life?

My perspective on life is how I believe, but it might not be right for everyone. However, understanding other perspectives is one way for others to develop and understand their own perspective.

What is unique about you that makes you the best?

Nothing. I’m just an average Joe with an insatiable appetite for stuff.

Is it ever okay to manipulate others?

Only if it is your profession to find out the truth. It is also important to separate your profession from your private life. No one likes to be manipulated. Well, maybe submissive personalities do, but that's another question.

“The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. ...We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society. ...In almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons...who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind.”

-- Edward Bernays

Is it ever ethical to manipulate someone's emotions? If so, when and why?

Only it’s for the greater good, like interrogation or therapy, where you are trying to find out the truth for the greater good.

How do people justify morally questionable actions to themselves?

It’s either fun, feels good, or both.

What do you think are the benefits and drawbacks of being obsessed with something?

If you bring a “questionable” obsession into the public eye, people might think less of you. However, if you are obsessed with doing something that can benefit others, this is a good thing.

What causes people to think they are moral when they may not be?

Denial.

Why do some people think that ethical problems cannot be solved through reason?

Some people have never managed to solve an ethical problem through reason, so they think it cannot be done. A bit narrow-minded to ever think “cannot” to one’s self. There will always be someone out there to prove you wrong.

“It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets.”

-- Voltaire

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