No stupidity allowed.
To impose the requirement of no stupidity allowed on a political candidate is, of course, an oxymoron. None of us humans can avoid stupid moments for very long. It is my experience that although some humans seem to have perfected the art of stupidity, none of us can escape our human potential for stupidity.
I know I am more prone to stupid attacks when I am under extreme pressure. Although I would hope that I more often stop, breathe, and consider a response prior to responding in word or deed, I know that there are times when I say or do something in a defensive manner which does not reflect my core values. In fact, I know that reacting rather than acting seldom allows me to fully honor my core values. Fortunately, I have not yet become delusional enough to think that I could campaign for a political office or occupy an elected position and have only a modicum of stupid attacks.
I am not sure why we members of the general populace in the United States and now in many other countries expect political candidates to refrain from reacting. While we obviously have to have some way to make voting decisions, the complete absence of stupidity seems to be a very poor way to make decisions. Still, after having said this, I know that I found myself shaking my head after listening to weekend responses from some of the presidential candidates in the United States. To be fair, no other country, as far as I know, require their candidates to campaign in such a large geographical area for nearly two years. By this time in the process, the candidates both have to be totally exhausted which leaves them more prone to reacting with yet another sound bite including totally false information or responses which contradict their previous statements.
I am suggesting that the process itself lends itself to frequent lapses into stupidity including lies and contradictory statements.
I am reminded of statements by my mother which I am sure are in the standardized parent rule book. My mother would often say, “Just tell me the truth. That is all I want. The truth. You will not get in trouble for telling me the truth.” So I tell her the truth and she says, “How could you be so disobedient. What did I do to deserve such a bad son who lies? Get me a switch.” Getting a switch meant going to the oak or hickory tree, cutting a small branch, bringing it to her only to be told that, “You call this a switch?” She would then dramatically break it into two pieces and throw it away from her while demanding that I go get a “real switch.” Obviously lying did not work well, but then neither did telling the truth. Either response would elicit her wrath. To be fair, my mother was exhausted. This city-bred woman spent many days tending to four and then five children without the luxury of running water, electricity, or other modern “conveniences.” She was exhausted much or all of the time. She was without close family support and, sadly, did not have a friendly relationship with my paternal grandparents (especially my grandmother) who were the only relatives who lived relatively close.
I am not suggesting that it is good to lie. I am also not suggesting that it is safe to have a president of the United States who is unable to function under pressure. Having said that I do think we need to take a look at the campaign and election system in the United States. From the standpoint of money, time and energy of both the candidates and the populace, it is time to follow the example of many other countries and limit the campaign season to a maximum of 60 or 90 days. It is also time, as my friend Dr. Johnen suggests, to set some rules. When she was head of a school, one of the rules for election of student officers was that the candidates “could only talk about what they would do in a position and how that would benefit the school/club – whatever they were running for. No one could say a word about or against their opponent.” I am sure that there were built in campaign time limits. Additionally, there was not the pressure of the various news organizations to compete and fan the flames of the personal attacks or to “dare” the candidates to continue to respond to the same, antagonistically-worded question over and over and over without shifting to a reactionary mode.
As a member of the voting public I would like to know:
· Concrete, realistic proposals to address domestic and international issues.
· That the candidates are not prone to reacting under pressure.
· That the candidates are part of a team of educated individuals who make team decisions which are followed.
· That the candidates have an acute awareness of the need to take care of their emotional, physical, and spiritual health.
· That the candidates have the humility to say that they were wrong or made a mistake and have a plan for avoiding the same mistake again.
· That the candidates are committed to service/accomplishment and not re-election.
· That the candidates are not beholden to a person or group which gives large sums of money to their ongoing political campaigns.
· That the candidates will not be required to constantly face antagonistic news reporters who make their living scooping other news organizations.
Unless and until there are some agreed upon rules for rational, civil campaigns and news coverages I, as a voter, am going to have a very difficult time knowing how to make an informed decision or even to expect to have candidates who give me real choices. Yes, the system is broken. The campaign and election system is broken. It is a stupid system!
Written August 1, 2016
To impose the requirement of no stupidity allowed on a political candidate is, of course, an oxymoron. None of us humans can avoid stupid moments for very long. It is my experience that although some humans seem to have perfected the art of stupidity, none of us can escape our human potential for stupidity.
I know I am more prone to stupid attacks when I am under extreme pressure. Although I would hope that I more often stop, breathe, and consider a response prior to responding in word or deed, I know that there are times when I say or do something in a defensive manner which does not reflect my core values. In fact, I know that reacting rather than acting seldom allows me to fully honor my core values. Fortunately, I have not yet become delusional enough to think that I could campaign for a political office or occupy an elected position and have only a modicum of stupid attacks.
I am not sure why we members of the general populace in the United States and now in many other countries expect political candidates to refrain from reacting. While we obviously have to have some way to make voting decisions, the complete absence of stupidity seems to be a very poor way to make decisions. Still, after having said this, I know that I found myself shaking my head after listening to weekend responses from some of the presidential candidates in the United States. To be fair, no other country, as far as I know, require their candidates to campaign in such a large geographical area for nearly two years. By this time in the process, the candidates both have to be totally exhausted which leaves them more prone to reacting with yet another sound bite including totally false information or responses which contradict their previous statements.
I am suggesting that the process itself lends itself to frequent lapses into stupidity including lies and contradictory statements.
I am reminded of statements by my mother which I am sure are in the standardized parent rule book. My mother would often say, “Just tell me the truth. That is all I want. The truth. You will not get in trouble for telling me the truth.” So I tell her the truth and she says, “How could you be so disobedient. What did I do to deserve such a bad son who lies? Get me a switch.” Getting a switch meant going to the oak or hickory tree, cutting a small branch, bringing it to her only to be told that, “You call this a switch?” She would then dramatically break it into two pieces and throw it away from her while demanding that I go get a “real switch.” Obviously lying did not work well, but then neither did telling the truth. Either response would elicit her wrath. To be fair, my mother was exhausted. This city-bred woman spent many days tending to four and then five children without the luxury of running water, electricity, or other modern “conveniences.” She was exhausted much or all of the time. She was without close family support and, sadly, did not have a friendly relationship with my paternal grandparents (especially my grandmother) who were the only relatives who lived relatively close.
I am not suggesting that it is good to lie. I am also not suggesting that it is safe to have a president of the United States who is unable to function under pressure. Having said that I do think we need to take a look at the campaign and election system in the United States. From the standpoint of money, time and energy of both the candidates and the populace, it is time to follow the example of many other countries and limit the campaign season to a maximum of 60 or 90 days. It is also time, as my friend Dr. Johnen suggests, to set some rules. When she was head of a school, one of the rules for election of student officers was that the candidates “could only talk about what they would do in a position and how that would benefit the school/club – whatever they were running for. No one could say a word about or against their opponent.” I am sure that there were built in campaign time limits. Additionally, there was not the pressure of the various news organizations to compete and fan the flames of the personal attacks or to “dare” the candidates to continue to respond to the same, antagonistically-worded question over and over and over without shifting to a reactionary mode.
As a member of the voting public I would like to know:
· Concrete, realistic proposals to address domestic and international issues.
· That the candidates are not prone to reacting under pressure.
· That the candidates are part of a team of educated individuals who make team decisions which are followed.
· That the candidates have an acute awareness of the need to take care of their emotional, physical, and spiritual health.
· That the candidates have the humility to say that they were wrong or made a mistake and have a plan for avoiding the same mistake again.
· That the candidates are committed to service/accomplishment and not re-election.
· That the candidates are not beholden to a person or group which gives large sums of money to their ongoing political campaigns.
· That the candidates will not be required to constantly face antagonistic news reporters who make their living scooping other news organizations.
Unless and until there are some agreed upon rules for rational, civil campaigns and news coverages I, as a voter, am going to have a very difficult time knowing how to make an informed decision or even to expect to have candidates who give me real choices. Yes, the system is broken. The campaign and election system is broken. It is a stupid system!
Written August 1, 2016
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