Tag Archives: human nature

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Thinking

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How we think is key to the way we define ourselves.  Each individual has a unique way of thinking.  Thoughts drive our behavior which is core to how others perceive us.

How we think not only drives the perceptions of others but also how we perceive ourselves.  Our thoughts can bring us joy or sorrow depending on how we process and interpret them.

Our type of thinking typically falls into one of two major groups; emotional feelings or logical thoughts.  These are not independent of each other and combine to create an integrated behavioral outcome.

Emotions

Your subjective feelings are something that cannot be observed but are ultimately developed in your mind.  Your body, environment and thinking processes all influence them.

These feelings are unique to us but sometimes will be relatively the same as others who are experiencing the same influencing factors.  For example, if you are on an obviously sinking ship the majority, if not everyone will experience some form of fear.

Of course, on occasion the feelings are unique to us, love is an oft-cited example of this. That is the feeling of love for someone or something else can be very personal.

Logic

Using a system or set of principles of validity we develop an assessment based on reasoning.   Logic and emotional thought patterns and processes are very different.

Emotions can be more involuntary.  Logical thinking is typically both conscious and fully within our control.

Whichever type of thinking you are practicing at any given time, it defines you.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

My Opinion

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It is natural to form a view or conclusion based on the facts as we interpret them.  The factual analysis is most likely colored by our bias, conscious and unconscious.

These beliefs, or opinions are typically less strong than positive knowledge but backed by observation and data making them stronger than an impression.

Our own filters and personal perspective can make these conclusions unique.    Others may share your opinion, or not but exercise caution about treating an opinion as knowledge just because of what others think.

Benefiting from Opinions

To a large extent sharing your opinion and listening to those of others can provide you with valuable insight.  Often this can include a view you had not thought of.

This can come as direct feedback from others when you share your thoughts, or just a personal aha moment one your part triggered by someone elses opinion.

Ultimately opinions can form the germ of an nacient strategy.  However, it makes sense to validate the facts as you proceed before leaping full bore into a tactic in support of the strategy based on opinion alone.

The opinions value lies in the framework it creates.  In essence, a place to begin.  It is critical not to let the opinion alone drive action, the lowest risk approach being founded in positive knowledge.

Unforunately, reality bites and positive knowledge is not always at hand.  Hence the formation of opinions and their associated actions.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Why can’t we be friends

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In the early 1970’s a pop/rock band called War released a song called “Why can’t we be friends” .  The song reached number eight on the billboard top 100.

I was reminded of the song during a discussion today about traveling around the world.  A colleague had recently returned from a vacation to Israel and of course this led to questions about personal safety and discussion of the dangers in that part of the world ensued.

It was commented how ideal it would be if we could move from country to country/ region to region without fear.   A noble ideal to be sure.  War’s song title came to my mind and I lamented “Why can’t we be friends”

Why can’t we be friends?

This is a legitimate question.  Personally I fear the answer lives within the very nature of being human.  If you believe the studies of Darwin, we are after all descendants of animals.  Basic survival instincts and  emotions  (admittedly honed through generations of evolution) remain no matter how civilized we become.  These feelings and emotions allow us to overlook the sanctity of life, to become enraged at others and to even harm them.

Our intellects allow us to twist political and religious concepts to justify unfriendly actions and feel good and righteous in doing so.

Civilization is just a man made artifact and there is a strong argument that since man made it, man can break it.   And does.

Is there hope for the human race?

Can we evolve to become peaceful entities that are able to universally and unilaterally answer the simple question about universal friendship in the affirmative, “Yes we can be friends without pause or exception”.  Can we then practice this concept totally and without fail?

All of this is feasible; However, I would postulate a major  change in the underlying nature of humans is needed to bring it about.

We can always dream.