The other day I had commented on a YouTube video from a left-leaning economist who was touting solutions akin to socialist economic theory. I was met with another commenter telling me that I had no economics degree and thus, my views were to be completely rejected. Further, I hadn’t done any research on the topic, quantifiable research, therefore the academic socialist leaning fellow was the one to follow. Interestingly enough, I have a series of economic eBooks, have written on the subject, participated in free-market capitalism and watched economic affairs and studied economic history for years. Still, that wasn’t good enough, I am not to challenge the experts or question authority – really?
I’ve always believed that the most important thing is to ask questions and challenge the norms, that’s how you grow, how you should learn and how you get to truth. Last year, an acquaintance and I were talking about the importance of questions, he stated;
“If you question each and every person, animal, mechanism you come across in essence everything is both the teacher and the student. The main point is, you must ask the questions otherwise you never gain the amazing different perspectives. I am trying to think of a model to show how this could be artfully depicted as a brain and the different doors each different perspective can open.”
Good point, and maybe it’s like Reagan said to Gorbachav; “Tear Down this Wall!” Or maybe an invitation into another domain is the answer, “come see the other side of this wall” – that would be better than forced diversity to rebalance the human nature to self-segregate by groupings – nationality, culture, religion, socio-economic status, education, profession, hobby, etc.
My acquaintance noted that “engaging another’s perspective can open a door which can lead to another previously opened door which can then make sense of things in an entirely different light and change your life philosophy, the way we treat cancer, anything and everything.”
Absolutely, I agree but with a caveat; you cannot force it, you have to allow the curiosity and desire to go have a “look see” at the other side, humans innately are curious if you let them, and people share experiences, the more different they are the more notably worth sharing in their minds. Speaking of cancer, it’s like using cancer’s strategy for a better purpose.
My acquaintances then explained that the way we run our think tank is similar; “Bringing minds together to delve into and combine experience and knowledge and of my engineering idea website concept. I call it RE. RE-think, RE-search, RE-design, RE-evaluate, RE-duce, RE-ceive, RE-pay, RE-st, RE-start.
Yes, I like it very much “RE” or re-engineering social structures. I like the OODA Loop – Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act. Observe the domain, orient to work with it rather than against it, decide what to do, and then act. Colonel Boyd was a fighter pilot in the Korean War era, he invented the OODA loop there, and maintaining energy in a dog fight. A lot of that can apply to your concept of RE. Plus, I like RE, because it is Really Efficient – Really Simple, like RSS, real simple syndication.
As the conversation went on, my acquaintance stated; “This question asking is truly the essence of celebrating the differences in each person, thing, being. Celebrating not by just saying, ‘I am okay with all other beings’ but by engaging all other beings and allowing their difference to further open your mind! Much in the same way where saying I’m Sorry is meaningless without actually changing what you are sorry for, celebrating diversity is hollow without engaging diversity.”
This way of thinking is best. For instance, I usually read things I disagree with or do not fit into my beliefs, created stereotypes, profiling, understanding, I look for something new, a new point of contention, a new way of doing things, something unique, I immediately reward my brain for finding the nuance – chemical splash – ah ha moment – N400 brain wave stuff, irony – etc. best way for imprintation, thus the mind now works to seek, solve, satisfy curiosity, ask more questions, that’s the way to innovate and we can even create an Artificial Intelligence to do this, I am convinced of it now.
Talk about a personal tech brain assistant – wow? What if it asked the questions before you could? Since each person is a culmination of their thoughts, experiences, observations, five closest friends, circumstances, belief system, barriers, and box – there are endless possibilities – maybe not infinite but huge nevertheless.
Now then, back to the original example; if we refuse to allow questions of authority, then we are all doomed to repeat. In the case of the economics of socialism, if we don’t speak now, we already know what will happen later – why shouldn’t someone speak, question and shout – the emperor wears no clothes? Please consider all this and think on it.
