The gift of uncertainty
It is fascinating to me that so often I will read or hear something; I will then think about it. Then it seems as if that same theme confronts me at every turn. Such has been the case with the subject of doubt or uncertainty. Recently, I have been reading Margaret Hefferman’s book, Beyond Measure, As a former CEO, consultant and trainer for businesses, she often talks about the need to encourage all the members of the organization to ask questions, to be able to debate or argue the position of others in the company, and to focus on identifying what does not work and then problem solve as a team. Casey Gerald in a Ted Talk about his history of buying into the predictions, fears or dreams of others rather than questioning them which often leads to disappointment or a sense of hopelessness. This man who, at age 12, believed in the prediction that Jesus would return for the rapture in the year 2000, in the success that a Yale undergraduate degree or a Harvard MBA would bring, and in the salve of the “right” philanthropic organization says:
“And this doubt, it fuels me, it gives me hope that when our troubles overwhelm us, when the paths laid out for us seem to lead to our demise, when our healers bring no comfort to our wounds, it will not be our blind faith -- no, it will be our humble doubt that shines a little light into the darkness of our lives and of our world and lets us raise our voice to whisper or to shout or to say simply, very simply, "There must be another way."
I also read an article in Slate for which very talented writers such as Chris Kirk writes. One of his articles is entitled “In defense of American calling the U. S. “America.” In this article, as the title suggests, he very eloquently and, at times, amusingly, defends the use of the term America to refer to the United Sates even though the term was originally coined to refer to the continent of America of which the now United States is but one country. He reminds us that, “But John Adams used “America” to mean the “U.S.” in his first inaugural address, well before the nation emerged as a world power.” He also points how awkward it would sound in many instances including in such songs as “American the Beautiful” to use the term United States or to use another term. He offers the following:
“The more pressing question is this: If Americans are supposed to drop the “America” from the vernacular, what should Americans call themselves if not “Americans?” The solution that always seems to come up is “United Statesian.” Are you kidding me? “Statesian” sounds like parseltongue, raises haunting memories of my fourth-grade lisp,…”
He is suggesting that Canadians, Mexicans, Central and South Americans just get over it if they are offended and hear the use of America to refer to the United States as arrogant and imperialistic.
Rather than listening with empathy to the concerns of other American nations, Mr. Kirk puts the responsibility back on those who are offended.
So too, those who question whether we in the United States have encouraged citizens of all ages to question the content of the so called, “American (United States) dream” are basically told to work harder, get rid of those who suggest that the sacred beliefs that (1) material riches come to those who work the hardest and who are thus the most deserving and (2) material riches are the apex of success have been called “Un-American (meaning United States like) and other derogatory names.
Lawrence Samuels has argued (quoted in an entry in Wikipedia on The American Dream) that:
“For many in both the working class and the middle class, upward mobility has served as the heart and soul of the American Dream, the prospect of "betterment" and to "improve one's lot" for oneself and one's children much of what this country is all about. "Work hard, save a little, send the kids to college so they can do better than you did, and retire happily to a warmer climate" has been the script we have all been handed.”
In the current political climate of the United States if one suggests that our goal as a country should be to question our role in the world, what we want to teach the kids about success, what our role in creating the extremists of the world has been or how the arrogance of the conservative Christian movement is similar to that of other extremists groups, even if less violent, one can be silenced with a variety of names or even threats.
When Margaret Hefferman talks about creating a just culture in an organization she is talking about such revolutionary concepts as listening, team work, creativity, and empathy. This is revolutionary talk which has the possibility of leading to a group of employees who might infect others in their families and larger community with the courage to question everything.
It is interesting to me that among those who are most critical of violent extremists, sharing of resources for health care, questioning the profit motive for medication or operating any business or organization as a group of equals are conservative Christians. The very organization which claims as its head the historic figure of Jesus whose legacy includes breaking many of the rules and the questioning of the very concept of an angry, judgmental, punishing God. This is the very same person who is supposed to have preached the love which is clearly outlined in I Corinthians.
My Muslim friends are fond of quoting passages in the Quran about loving one’s neighbor and other passages which call into question everything that extremists Muslims are doing in hate.
I am suggesting that perhaps we raise our children to think which essentially means to question everything. Questioning has led to a more loving, inclusive community, to new inventions, to medicines, to a deeper understanding of our tiny, but important, role in the universe(s). It has led us to question our concept of the God of our understanding, the efficacy of punishment, the role of male and females in our cultures and whether the reasons for certain religious beliefs are based on what we know scientifically.
I am further suggesting just as Margaret Hefferman, Casey Gerald, and many others are suggesting that people who question are engaged, passionate, empathetic, curious, creative and, yes, more loving/peaceful.
Written March 14, 2016
It is fascinating to me that so often I will read or hear something; I will then think about it. Then it seems as if that same theme confronts me at every turn. Such has been the case with the subject of doubt or uncertainty. Recently, I have been reading Margaret Hefferman’s book, Beyond Measure, As a former CEO, consultant and trainer for businesses, she often talks about the need to encourage all the members of the organization to ask questions, to be able to debate or argue the position of others in the company, and to focus on identifying what does not work and then problem solve as a team. Casey Gerald in a Ted Talk about his history of buying into the predictions, fears or dreams of others rather than questioning them which often leads to disappointment or a sense of hopelessness. This man who, at age 12, believed in the prediction that Jesus would return for the rapture in the year 2000, in the success that a Yale undergraduate degree or a Harvard MBA would bring, and in the salve of the “right” philanthropic organization says:
“And this doubt, it fuels me, it gives me hope that when our troubles overwhelm us, when the paths laid out for us seem to lead to our demise, when our healers bring no comfort to our wounds, it will not be our blind faith -- no, it will be our humble doubt that shines a little light into the darkness of our lives and of our world and lets us raise our voice to whisper or to shout or to say simply, very simply, "There must be another way."
I also read an article in Slate for which very talented writers such as Chris Kirk writes. One of his articles is entitled “In defense of American calling the U. S. “America.” In this article, as the title suggests, he very eloquently and, at times, amusingly, defends the use of the term America to refer to the United Sates even though the term was originally coined to refer to the continent of America of which the now United States is but one country. He reminds us that, “But John Adams used “America” to mean the “U.S.” in his first inaugural address, well before the nation emerged as a world power.” He also points how awkward it would sound in many instances including in such songs as “American the Beautiful” to use the term United States or to use another term. He offers the following:
“The more pressing question is this: If Americans are supposed to drop the “America” from the vernacular, what should Americans call themselves if not “Americans?” The solution that always seems to come up is “United Statesian.” Are you kidding me? “Statesian” sounds like parseltongue, raises haunting memories of my fourth-grade lisp,…”
He is suggesting that Canadians, Mexicans, Central and South Americans just get over it if they are offended and hear the use of America to refer to the United States as arrogant and imperialistic.
Rather than listening with empathy to the concerns of other American nations, Mr. Kirk puts the responsibility back on those who are offended.
So too, those who question whether we in the United States have encouraged citizens of all ages to question the content of the so called, “American (United States) dream” are basically told to work harder, get rid of those who suggest that the sacred beliefs that (1) material riches come to those who work the hardest and who are thus the most deserving and (2) material riches are the apex of success have been called “Un-American (meaning United States like) and other derogatory names.
Lawrence Samuels has argued (quoted in an entry in Wikipedia on The American Dream) that:
“For many in both the working class and the middle class, upward mobility has served as the heart and soul of the American Dream, the prospect of "betterment" and to "improve one's lot" for oneself and one's children much of what this country is all about. "Work hard, save a little, send the kids to college so they can do better than you did, and retire happily to a warmer climate" has been the script we have all been handed.”
In the current political climate of the United States if one suggests that our goal as a country should be to question our role in the world, what we want to teach the kids about success, what our role in creating the extremists of the world has been or how the arrogance of the conservative Christian movement is similar to that of other extremists groups, even if less violent, one can be silenced with a variety of names or even threats.
When Margaret Hefferman talks about creating a just culture in an organization she is talking about such revolutionary concepts as listening, team work, creativity, and empathy. This is revolutionary talk which has the possibility of leading to a group of employees who might infect others in their families and larger community with the courage to question everything.
It is interesting to me that among those who are most critical of violent extremists, sharing of resources for health care, questioning the profit motive for medication or operating any business or organization as a group of equals are conservative Christians. The very organization which claims as its head the historic figure of Jesus whose legacy includes breaking many of the rules and the questioning of the very concept of an angry, judgmental, punishing God. This is the very same person who is supposed to have preached the love which is clearly outlined in I Corinthians.
My Muslim friends are fond of quoting passages in the Quran about loving one’s neighbor and other passages which call into question everything that extremists Muslims are doing in hate.
I am suggesting that perhaps we raise our children to think which essentially means to question everything. Questioning has led to a more loving, inclusive community, to new inventions, to medicines, to a deeper understanding of our tiny, but important, role in the universe(s). It has led us to question our concept of the God of our understanding, the efficacy of punishment, the role of male and females in our cultures and whether the reasons for certain religious beliefs are based on what we know scientifically.
I am further suggesting just as Margaret Hefferman, Casey Gerald, and many others are suggesting that people who question are engaged, passionate, empathetic, curious, creative and, yes, more loving/peaceful.
Written March 14, 2016
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