[FRIAM] The World Turned Upside Down (and what to do about it)

[Nick Thompson]

Dear Marcus, Owen

 

Allow me to heckle, if you will.  Marcus, your post exemplifies a theory of human nature which is summarized by the motto, in caloris veritas.  It is the idea that we speak the truth when we speak in the heat of the moment.  Trump is a wonderful demonstration of the weakness of this theory: he always speaks impulsively, but never manages to speak the truth about anything.  I think it’s equally plausible to assert that we come closest to the truth of any matter when we speak with the keenest awareness of the social consequences of what we are saying.  

 

Hey Frank; did I get the Latin right?  

 

Nick 

 

Nicholas S. Thompson

Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Biology

Clark University

 <http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/> http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/

 

From: Friam [mailto:friam-bounces at redfish.com] On Behalf Of Marcus Daniels
Sent: Thursday, September 14, 2017 12:21 AM
To: Complexity Coffee Group <friam at redfish.com>
Subject: Re: [FRIAM] The World Turned Upside Down (and what to do about it)

 

Owen,

 

On several occasions over the years, I have been advised by `neural third parties' that the content of my writing can be edgy, but that in person I'm "Not that way" or "He's fine."   Now, some people think that in-person interactions are more representative of a person's character.   That if we just get in front of one another and _see_ the others' feelings, all conflict will be resolved.  No.  I would suggest Roberts' (Friedman, and other popular writers) preoccupation with civility is mistaken.   Civility may keep people from killing each other, temporarily, but it certainly isn't informative.  It is just the application of social skill, and this is not the same thing as listening, thinking, or being honest in debate.  It is a weak facilitator.  The problem with the current situation is that one side is just dishonest.  In the ternary world of politics, the `don't care' folks are in the crossfire, and that is appropriate.

 

Marcus

  _____  

From: Friam <friam-bounces at redfish.com <mailto:friam-bounces at redfish.com> > on behalf of Owen Densmore <owen at backspaces.net <mailto:owen at backspaces.net> >
Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2017 9:04:42 PM
To: Complexity Coffee Group
Subject: [FRIAM] The World Turned Upside Down (and what to do about it) 

 

Medium, my current outlet of choice, has an interesting "story" (Medium deals in Stories, not Tech nor Politics nor ...). It echos a lot of what we've been dealing with.

​    ​

https://medium.com/@russroberts/the-world-turned-upside-down-and-what-to-do-about-it-2dc27d1cf5f5 

 

​Somewhat dark, but awfully close to home.

 

   -- Owen ​

 

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