Think

Thinking is not on our high priority list; it is not our every day thinking that is being referred to here. For the most part, many of the decisions made on a daily basis are as a result of learned experiences that have gone through an evaluative process that enables us to function without any real thought. The thinking that we fail to do is related more to situations that are in flux as a result of changing variables. The thinking that is being addressed here is the thinking that one goes through when learning a new skill; it involves using all of one’s senses and continually evaluating the results of an action. In the sphere of human interaction the variables are continually changing, even if one were to be in the same location, with the same person, and dealing with the same subject, the results of the second encounter may not be the same as the first encounter.

It’s impossible to dedicate the time required to evaluate every aspect of our lives that have an impact on us when they have a wide range of variables that are continually changing, what is needed is a shorthand system that will cut through the chaff. One need not analyze the motivation behind each action to come to a conclusion that what is being presented is not realistically feasible; this shorthand procedure should enable one, with a limited amount of basic knowledge, to establish that a suggested course of action is impractical. The application of this shorthand procedure can be applied to many of our prospective political leaders; this is, or should be, an area of concern for all citizens, because of the impact their decisions have on our lives. The shorthand principles that a person develops will tend to be individualistic in nature, but the results should be measured as to their practical application. The point is that your system of evaluation should have a high relationship to the expected outcome.

One thing is clear, when it comes to evaluating the potential actions of our politicians their party affiliation cannot be relied on. Most politicians avoid telling the electorate where they stand on many points, and rely on emotive descriptions that allow the electorate to paint the picture they would like to see. Therefore, one may suggest that the more a candidate relies on emotive rhetoric, rather than a principled presentation, the less likely the expectation will be fulfilled. To carry a presentation even further, by outlining the actions needed to correct a problem the potential representative will be giving the voter a clearer perspective on the principles that are employed by the candidate. Many of our elected officials are disinclined to present their true feelings, because they feel the electorate cannot tolerate the actions that will have to be applied to correct a problem; this view has some validity, but the only way to correct this problem is to make it clear to the voter that sometimes it takes some drastic actions to correct a problem.

It would be helpful if the electorate could honestly reflect on some of their own personal financial problems and what lead up to them, and then make a comparison with the actions of the government. One thing is clear; we cannot continue to ignore the Nation’s fiscal condition. We would all like to go back to paying attention to those things we consider to be important, but can this be accomplished with a government that is making those determinations for us. The electorate is going to have to make a choice as to whether they are going to control their lives, or is that decision going to be made by the government. If the electorate wants to be in charge of their lives, then they will also have to accept the consequences of their actions. As a culture we seem to be more inclined to blame others for our shortcomings, and this is not going to change unless we allow people to operate freely and to give them the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. Many immigrants came to this country because they perceived America to be a place that an individual could make his or her own mark as a result of their individual efforts. One may suggest that there are plenty of nations in the world that allow the government to control aspects of their lives, but there was only one that said it was the individual’s responsibility to make his or her own way. It would seem that we are losing that value.

Charlie Allo