Questioning Motivation, Wisdom, Patience, Names, Normal, and Leadership

 

“Believe in yourself. You are braver than you think, more talented than you know, and capable of more than you imagine.”

-- Roy T. Bennett

What is it called when you are employed and your boss purposefully doesn't give you any work to do, so eventually you lose the motivation to work?

If your “boss” doesn’t give you work, you must find work without the boss. You are being paid, so find some work to earn your way. The boss might be testing you to see what you will do. Never lose motivation. Do twice the work that he thought you could do. That will show the boss.

What if people intentionally present any fake reality to harm me?

Who are you that people would intentionally fake reality to harm you? It seems like a lot of effort people would take to “harm” a nobody.

Why are people expected to respect old people by default? Isn't this an outdated concept, especially when AI has proven to be wiser?

Oh, my God! Yes! Let’s pay attention to AI instead of respecting old people. Why not just throw old people in the trash? When you get older, can we throw you in the trash? Respect is never an outdated concept until we make it so. Old people worked their ass off so you can take their job. Show some respect.

I feel sad whenever I see TikTok videos of people showing their cute or "silly" collections. I don't watch them but when I accidently pass by a vid or thumbnail. I get sad. What coping skills can I do?

Stop watching TikTok videos.

How can you tell if somebody is stupid?

When doing a very simple puzzle, they scratch their head and look to you for some assistance. When you give them some assistance, and they ask you to help them again… I would become concerned. Nobody is stupid… unless they need constant assistance.

How can mongrels and primates be this stupid?

Mongrels, maybe. But primates? They tend to look at you like you’re stupid.

"If we look straight and deep into a chimpanzee’s eyes, an intelligent self-assured personality looks back at us. If they are animals, what must we be?" 

-- Frans de Waal

I can’t think of any more wise questions. What should I do?

Take a break.

Why are regular 9 to 5 jobs boring to a creative genius?

I'm not a "genius" but “9 to 5” jobs drove me crazy. I like to finish the job so I don’t have to come back to it tomorrow. I finally went to the V.P. of my last job and asked him to put me on salary so I have the time to complete my projects. He agreed. He made me the Corporate Liaison, and I could do almost anything I needed to. 

If a kidnapper gets kidnapped, is this considered karma? (I know, dumb question, I apologize.)

Not as dumb as you think. Yes, it is karma giving them a taste of their own medicine.

Why do employers keep you when you are great at your job and don't advance you, but replace you with a robot? Do you think it shows that being an employee is overrated?

I think the employers are not looking at the “big picture.” Robots cannot think of their feet. They can’t think at all. All the employer has done is create a problem they will have to fix, sooner or later, and the “downtime” will cost them.

Does the concept of learning, or awareness of the learning process, lead to the ability to consciously learn something?

If you have a “concept, or if you’re “aware,” then you are learning.

How can I become dumb?

Pick your nose, stare at people with a firm hold on your package, and drooling will add to the image. You really can’t go from smart to dumb. As dumb as you might look, you will always be smart.

“In politics, stupidity is not a handicap.”

-- Napoleon Bonaparte

How can I maintain being patient in a difficult situation, and why?

If it is a “difficult situation,” then someone should be working on it. If they aren’t, you can file a complaint. Getting all worked up over something that seems difficult is not going to make it any less difficult. It is just getting you all worked up over something you can “patiently” try to work out. In most cases, the person who controls their temper controls the conversation.

Stereotypes can be helpful. True or false?

True.

Why does mankind derive pleasure from reading words?

For those of us to like to read, we derive much pleasure from it. Reading is another way we learn, and learning is why we exist. Learning is all about life.

How common would it be for entitlement, cowardice, and a grandiose sense of superiority to blend together?

Not very.

Why would a school system, where the superintendent publicly held a meeting asking the public how to help with bullying, and then spend 30 million dollars on a football field, instead of helping students?

The “superintendent” had no clue that the school system was spending 30 million dollars on a football field. The superintendent needs to get with the program, or the superintendent is full of shit. Helping students seems to be, as it has always been throughout the United States, the last thing the administration wants to do. If this story is true, it is not surprising.

When you are afraid, how do you get rid of it, immediately?

Fear keeps you alive. You can get rid of it and risk dying, or you can understand it and be very careful. it is a choice.

“Fear doesn't shut you down; it wakes you up”

-- Veronica Roth

What do you think of the name Caleb Gibbins does it flow well?

It is a fine name, whether it flows well, or not. Caleb will be fine with it.

Does the use of mobile phones among youths promote bad behavior?

What I’ve seen of youth, they spend so much time on the phone they miss out on living life. Life is not the phone, it is the face in front of you pleading for a conversation. The “interpersonal conversation” is a pleasure we are losing. To see the facial expressions and to reach out to someone who really needs a hug, is something we are losing.

How can someone ever cope up with a partner blaming for their shortcomings on you?

Get rid of the partner. No one needs that much drama in life. 

What sets apart reality from the truth?

Nothing. Reality is the truth. If someone’s “reality” is a lie, they are living a lie and not the truth. Regardless of what anyone says, reality is the same for everyone. It is what it is, and nothing else. If you see reality and don’t believe it… you have an issue.

I am quite certain now that people on Quora are some of the stupidest people in the universe. Why?

Because you’re a lousy judge of character. And, since you’ve joined in… Welcome! 

Why do so many people claim that good and bad don’t exist, when those who do evil have been demented to suffer more health problems and live more stressful lives?

Ignore ignorance. Look around you to see bad and good. It is reality. It is what it is. The fact that some people choose not to recognize it, doesn’t make it disappear. They live life with their blinders firmly in place. They see what they want to see. They won’t see the evil murderer behind them. You know… the bad guy.

“Goodness is something chosen. When a man cannot choose he ceases to be a man.”

-- Anthony Burgess

Why are people so judgmental and have a strong distaste for people who aren't considered "normal"?

Because they aren’t “normal.” They “judge” which doesn’t say a lot for them, and their “taste” is questionable. But, then, I have judged them, and I have a distaste for what I have done. The difference is that I can judge myself just as negatively, as well.

I think it shows a level of humility to be able to listen to people with different opinions and/or beliefs. Do you agree?

Indeed.

What did you learn too late in life?

It isn’t enough to love a woman. You have to be her best friend, as well. Divorce taught me this.

Does capitalism somehow hijack our ability to make ethical decisions based on empathy, compassion, and common sense?

If someone lets capitalism strip them of ethical decisions, empathy, compassion, and, God forbid, common sense, they deserve all the negativity they have let happen. Capitalism “is an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit.” That is it. All of your freedom is still intact. You can be dirt poor, or be comfortable. It is a choice you need to make.

Do you think you have way more wisdom than average?

Not “way” more, but I think I’m above the average.

Are some people never bored, and is it genetic? Do some people have super high endorphins that keep them from getting bored?

They are hyper-creative. They can make an animal out of a piece of foil, a bird from a square of paper, or do 100 pushups… so they can say they did.

"If we allow our ‘high creativity’ to remain alive, we will never be bored. We can pray, standing in line at the supermarket. Or we can be lost in awe at all the people around us, their lives full of glory and tragedy, and suddenly we will have the beginnings of a painting, a story, a song."

-- Madeleine L'Engle

How can leaders align their actions and words to be more authentic?

If a “leader” isn’t authentic, what numbnuts assigned them to be a leader? Leaders need to be authentic. If they make a mistake, their explanation of their actions had better make authentic sense to the “higher-ups,” or they won’t be a “leader” for very long.

Is it taken as a sign of weakness to care what's true for its own sake?

If it is true, and you feel the need to stand up for it, it would be a sign of “strength of character” if you cared to stand up for the truth.

Is it possible to change your identity by using the identity of a deceased person?

It happens more than you think.

Why do people on social media sites always try to answer your questions with no fact-checked evidence confirming what they said? (They're more like they're opinions.)

Probably. I try to lean on facts and personal experience. My personal experience isn’t true for everybody, but it gave me lasting memories of successes and mistakes.

Do you accept what young age causes anybody to do?

No. I accept a lack of good parenting causes young people to do what they want.

Harlan Ellison said, "The two most common elements in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity." What are good examples of stupidity that would help illustrate the Ellison quotation?

Everybody does something stupid during the day. I constantly go downstairs to my car, get in the seat, and realize I don't have my keys. I have to return to the house to let my girlfriend see I forgot the keys... again. She laughs.

"These would-be censors are monsters. And they will always be with us, because the two most common things in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity." 

-- Harlan Ellison

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 view any more right or wrong than the other. Opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form their own opinions, 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.

I fervently hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning those opinions offered. After twenty-three years of military intelligence, I believe that engaging each other in this manner, and in this arena, is a 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 United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. Following his service career, he spent 17 years working with the premier and world-renowned Western Institutional Review Board, helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. He also served 8 years on the Board of Directors for the Angela J. Bowen Foundation.

Ordained in 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As a weapon for his war on intolerance, he chose the pen. He 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 personal, spiritual path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteered as the lead chaplain at a regional medical center.

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