feathers ruffled

 A nephew-in-law says--I needed a password eight characters long, so I picked Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

I have to admit that what Niles wrote sorta kinda ruffled my internal feathers. I wonder if I always think right? I guess if folks think they are always right, then nuttin affects them, maybe! They don’t get their internal feathers ruffled!  Why would they if they are sure they know everything, I guess. Well, I admit, I don’t know everything. Soooo that is why I get my internal feathers ruffled maybe. BUT I have to admit that I’m just a little ol’ farm boy from a mile and quarter south of Roseland, MN.

Niles wrote--Intellectual humility is about understanding and acknowledging the limits of one’s knowledge, about recognizing that the things we believe in might be wrong, about being open to new ideas and opposing viewpoints, and about being willing to seek out information that conflicts with our worldviews. It’s about being willing to admit mistakes and being comfortable saying: “I don’t know” and “I could be wrong.”

I had professors in a state school when getting my Master’s who thought they were right. They had the power to say they were right. I didn’t always agree. I would answer their test questions the way they wanted them answered soooo I could get a B which was a passing grade in graduate school. It worked but it wasn’t what I thought was right. I didn’t buy into their thinking of what they thought was right sometimes. No no! BUT I got my degree! Da! I don’t want to live my life that way! No I don’t! At least I don’t think soooo!  haha JoeBlow says—I don’t either unless there is a lot of money at stake and then I can fake it!  Such is life.

 I know a person that half of what he says isn’t true and the other half I don’t believe!  He is very accurate!  When touring Jerusalem, our guide told us each year there are at least a handful of folks who come declaring they are Jesus and have returned.  Soooo far, none of them have been the real deal! They proved to be all mental ill he thought!  There have been many religious leaders who have been way out in left field or is it right field (i.e. ANYWAY, they think they know everything) and develop a cult following only to end up in a disaster a.k.a. a mess. History teaches us this. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out! It probably has happened right here in Butler County and that stands for Trouble with a capital “T” and that rhymes with “P” and that stands for problems! Houston, we have a problem!

Wil Rogers said--Don't let yesterday use up too much of today.

Niles then said--This doesn’t mean having no opinions, or being a pushover, or lacking confidence. Rather, it means being honest about our own shortcomings, biases, and blind spots, and about accepting the possibility of being only half-right or even completely wrong.

ItchieBitchie says--I don’t want to let my emotions and thinking get out of hand like some football fans do! That is crazy. They seem to have lost reality. It’s that time of the year again. Some might lack intellectual humility or something anyway (i.e. or maybe drink too much Bud Lite). They become way out of wack, my opinion! For sure they are not very open minded, my opinion. Not much fun to be around! They lose their perspective of life it seems!

I read most of the book, Atlas of the Heart by Brene Brown as a suggestion of a friend. Maybe you have read it as well.  ANYWAY, here is part of what I read—According to researchers, self-righteousness is the conviction that one’s beliefs and behaviors are the most correct. They see things as black and white, they tend to be closed-minded, inflexible, intolerant of ambiguity, and less likely to consider others’ opinions.  The author told this story about herself—I can tell you exactly what I was wearing and where I was sitting twenty-five years ago when someone in an AA meaning said, “Part of my sobriety is letting go of self-righteousness. It is really hard because it feels so good. Like a pig rolling in shit.” I remember thinking, Oh God, I’m not sure I know exactly what that means, but I think I roll around in that shit.

Niles also said--I like it when someone says, This is how I see it. Here are the reasons why I see it this way. I’m pretty sure about this. But I might be wrong. Conversely, I don’t like it when someone is too sure of themselves. When they are too convinced that they are right. When they possess no doubts whatsoever. (That’s usually a sign of a number of alarming characteristics, including ignorance, naivete, black-or-white thinking, lack of self-awareness, a failure to understand the nuances of life, and so on.).

I have asked myself—Why not think this way regarding going forward with my life. I might just do that in a big way. I liked the saying which has been an ethos embodied by the Navy—to put the mission first, then teammates, and both before self. I am going to apply that to my relationships. I think it’s good. What do you think? That is what I thought. The crew on the Lady Washington wore these tee shirts.

Erin really enjoys being part of the color guard with the marching band of Dakota Ridge High School. It takes a lot of teamwork for the show to be really good. If the students are just for themselves, it just doesn’t produce a good show. I think that team concept is important in most everything. Take a look around folks, it doesn’t take rocket science to figure this out. In many larger schools, this competition is as important as football (i.e. but not soooo much in Butler County). Erin’s marching band and show competition has a budget of about $100,000 I was told. That takes a very active music association.

Jimmer likes baseball and would like to try to play in high school (i.e. he is a 6^th grader).  He is involved in an all-star culture to try to get on an all star team and get more exposure and experience.  If he has a chance to play high school baseball, it appears this is the route he must go or he probably won’t have a chance (i.e. this ain’t Butler County folks). What do you think of that?

On Bainbridge Island our hosts got us into the island’s boat/shell house on Puget Sound. It is home to the island’s rowing club and all their shells (i.e. very impressive and interesting to me). On the main level hanging from the ceiling on display was a shell made by the same builder, George Yeoman Pocock, and similar to that of the U.S. rowing Olympic team from WA used to win the 1936 gold medal in Germany which made Hitler not happy. It too was impressive to me. Our hosts told us the story of the guys from Washington who were the 9 crew members and told us about the book, The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown. I was interested and have listened to it traveling to CO.  It’s an impressive book about the underdog winning and also it is history. You probably have read it but if not, give it a try. It’s a popular book. I found it interesting that our two local libraries didn’t have it, but Cedar Falls Library had 5 traditional books, eBooks and audio books!  I used Libby; isn’t Libby just amazing!

Another thing that ruffled my feathers is that I got humbled, AGAIN! I always don’t like that when I get humbled but it ain’t nuttin new, it happens a lot to me. Those humblings make me a better person if I like it or not!  Ouchy ouchy! They sure make me humble. They sure remind me that I’m just a human being and not in charge of the world and I don’t really know much here living “under the sun.”

Wil Rogers said-- It isn't what we don't know that gives us trouble, it's what we know that ain't so.

This question might ruffle our feathers—Are we tempted to “think of [ourselves] more highly than [we] ought to think?” ItchieBitchie says—Not me but my sister-in-law does for sure! ANYWAY, I read this while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it--For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly. RickyRick says-- I’ve been a Christian for nearly 60 years, and there are still a lot of things I have questions about. I don’t think anyone has it all figured out and if they think they do, they don’t for sure (i.e. that is also my opinion).

Will Rogers said--Do the best you can, and don't take life too serious.

Niles also said--Intellectual humility has received a fair bit of research attention lately. Among other things, this research has pointed to the many benefits of being intellectually humble.”  What do you think they may be?

Am I willing to change my opinions and to hear opposing viewpoints? Am I willing to allow some space for doubts and remain open to shades of grey? Am I willing to strive for curiosity and humility rather than certainty and arrogance? I have some questions that I need to answer. Yes, I do. That ruffles my feathers, yes it does!

Have a FUN day my friends unless you have other plans. (-:

erv

MyFriendJean said—It’s more pleasant to give than receive…especially medicine and advice.