Why people fight reality...when they know that it can't budge...

I'm beginning to realize why -- in addition to the fact that a lot of people have just not thought very much about life -- people fight reality...when they know it can't budge...

Why do people insist on realities...that only backfire...or are counterproductive...or where their friends and family and colleagues would all function a lot better if they would learn to accept difficult realities, better, to generate better ones...

And the answer is...

That they're scared...

We obsess about realities we can't change...

When we're scared of those realities...

Why are people obsessing about rules so much, right now?...

Because the reality is that people don't follow them, much of the time...except when they understand them...

And they are scared of what they think -- wrongly -- is the alternative...a world without rules...which isn't the only or best alternative...

The better/best/only alternative...is a world where people follow the intent of good rules (and ignore bad rules...noone wants people turning in Jews during the Holocaust, I hope)...

And where they rely, first and foremost...on their consciences...not on rules...

People of deep conscience have to recognize the irony of an emphasis on rules when history is replete with good being done only by bending the rules and by no other way...

Most people don't operate at that level of conscience...and most people are afraid...sometimes for good reason...about what the world would look like if force could never be used to prick a conscience or to deal with harm imposed on others...

Which noone is seriously proposing, truth be told...

But many folks fear that this is what is being proposed...and obsess about rules and conformity to them, as a consequence...

Living in the self-delusion...that this will be the generation that will finally stamp out all that tedious non-comfortity:):):)LOL:):):)...

How incredibly foolish people are, sometimes:):):)LOL:):):)...

And then the moment will pass...just as many other ugly moments in humanity's history have passed...

And we'll start fresh, again:):):)...

Hope everyone has a great Friday and weekend:):):)...

I've got a debate tournament to judge:):):)...

Love,
Ben

A much better day...

Every time I have a shitty day like yesterday...when people, generally, and anyone, in particular, disappoints me in any serious way...

I have to do what I did last night...

Which is...

Come back to the drawing table...relax...try to get some intuition of what it is that I'm seeing me that's frustrating me...and try to understand the situation more realistically to handle the situation better today...

Which is what I did...

The kids were giving me hell, I think, because I've been pushing them a lot, lately...I was given a reality check about that by the counselor I was working with...and again by the kids in my advocacy class, yesterday...though the check by the kids was more to the point...

Push us...the message went...and we push back...and we can push back hard, as well...

And now I've got the message loud and clear...

And today was a far better and more productive day, as a consequence...

The kids are adopting me as one of their own...maintaining the expectation that I am their teacher, first...and their friend, second...

It's the hardest line for a teacher to walk, I think...

But I think I'm getting a better handle on it...

And I'm heading back to Wichita, this weekend...to judge some debate...and to see my good friend, Brian White, finally, after enough botched attempts to see him and catch up, some...

Brian was a teammate of mine in college on our speech and debate team...and he was one of the smarter people I knew at Wichita State...and who I got to know not just for his smarts...but as a good friend...

Brian is a conservative that I trust when it comes to matters of politics...

You know why?...

Because I know...from many years competing and working with Brian...

That he thinks about his politics...

And because he cares...something that not nearly enough liberals or conservatives do well enough...

Brian is someone that I think of as a smart, decent guy, first...and a conservative, second...and he's one of the smarter conservatives I've met in my lifetime...but he's, first and foremost, one of the smarter people I know around politics...and I'm glad to get the opportunity to see him...and help out...and maybe get to catch up, some...

Hope your day is going as well as mine, today:):)...

Have a great end of the week, everyone:):)...

Love,
Ben