This is incredible...

Always be asking questions and never cling to the answerrs.

Lao Tse said
"The master is free from his/her own ideas."

Check it out and enjoy :)

A-Day-at-the-Park

Feel free to comment and ask your own questions
I always love hearing from you...

Talk to me...

Found this today.

I would love to hear what you think about it...


Post a comment and then link it to your facebook.
Maybe we can hear from a lot of peope in the next few days...

Be happy.
:)

How you see the world...

I saw this and started to think about information and its relationship to power.
But also about how we deal with information.


I think the mind is a mash-up thing.

It takes in lots of information every day. But it takes in that information in an interpretive way.

We do not just log information. We filter it through our view of the world.

We reject some information regardless of truth because we don't like how it clashes with what we already "know."

We accept some some whether it is true or not because we want to believe that which brings us peace.

That's how lies work - we want to believe them.
But remember that to believe in something does not make it true.
To believe is to say, "I cannot show this to be true, but I will act as if it is anyway."

We take in new information and mash it with what we already believe and then form a new world view.

Every one of us has a world view. And if you took each world view and compared it you would find that they are very different. Vastly different.

Consider the idea of perspective - where you stand when you look determines what you see.

The life you live detemines what you see.
Your gender, race, religion, income and family make-up are the beginning location of your point of view.
Your home town and education have an impact.
Your values - self-created or inherited - are a big part of the filter.
Your tastes will limit what you are willing to see and what you ignore.
Your age determines what you saw and what you were only told about.
We all know about Hiroshima but very few of us actually experienced it.

All this past experience will determine how you interpret new experience.
Experience is deceiving.
Experience is only that. It is not, in itself, truth.

Even your dreams at night are experiences. But you wouldn't call them true.

Don't confuse what is real with what you experience.

I think the only way to find truth is to accept that you don't have it yet.

Every idea is a mashup of past ideas and new experiences and each of them is a function of where you were standing at the time.

The Tao Te Ching says, "The master is free of their own ideas."

Don't cling to your ideas.
Get as much information as you can.
Seek out information that disagrees with your world view.
Be open to it.
But use your mind not to collect information.
Use it to filter it.
Not everything you see and hear is true.
And ask the question - "Why is this person telling me this?"
That question usually helps you see control and influence.
Because people use information more than anything else to have power over others.
Even friends and loved ones use power.

A Lie is only believable because you want to believe it.

And then go ahead and mash it up. I love hearing about people's different world views.

Check it out
http://twistedsifter.com/2013/08/maps-that-will-help-you-make-sense-of-the-world/
 

Persuasion...

I read a pretty good article today.

I think it has merit. The author makes meaningful accurate points. And, of course, I love it when someone tries to explain power dynamics. :)

However, I like to encourage you to use your power analysis - the fundamentals we have talked about. You need to know more than what works - you need to know why it works.

I think that if you did your power analysis you could figure most of these points yourself.

1.They are purposeful.

Yes persuasive people use power sparingly because they know - it destroys trust. Power is using people's needs against them. When a Subject of power benefits from what the Actor is providing then they can live with that violation of trust. But when we see someone benefit from exploiting our needs we will forever be cautious with them. That's why persuasive people use compassion or collaboration rather than influence.

2. They Listen and listen

Yes. If you do not know what the other person needs and how that need fits into their life you will have no hope of addressing that need appropriately with your mechanism.

3. They Create a Connection

This is true but it is also why I hate power. How effective is it that someone pretends to be a caring friend when they are simply a calculating predator? It is easy for us to persuade a friend for they believe that we are acting selflessly and in their best interests. It is also why friendships end the instant it is obvious that the interaction was simply a self-interested power play.

That's why I encourage compassion and collaboration. If the connection you create is perceived as artificial the power will be transparent.

4. They Acknowledge Credibility

Sounds like a manipulation to me. But he is right - it works.

Why?

Because everyone needs self esteem and when someone offers a little puffery to improve your self-view, you like them better and are more likely to listen. After all, if she said I was good looking, she must be trustworthy. If he said I was smart he must truly like me and won't hurt me.

It is a power play within a power play using levels of needs that co-exist and can be used in compound to get you to the point where you want to trust.

5. The Offer Satisfaction

I think he means - they give a little to get a little. That's power - a quid pro quo - this for that - great powerful people were masters of giving a little until it is time for the big ask. That's how politics and organised crime survive - they keep giving until it is time for the big ask. Needs and abilities.

This is the art of playing power. And it certainly works.

Regardless of the art - in the end when the big ask comes - you know you have been played and the trust is gone forever.

6. They know when to shut up

The art of using power has many secrets. Not the least of which is to keep it secret.

Remember power works usually because people are not thinking it is power. It is because they have been fooled into thinking it is helpfulness.

All power destroys trust. Don't ever forget it.

Once it starts to smell like power - because people press too hard or talk too much - people become cautious and start to re-evaluate the process.

Shutting up is knowing when you have crossed from looking helpful to exposing your use of power.

7. They know when to back away

Again this is about the playing of a power dynamic.

If it is to work, it can't feel like power. When you push, you create those feelings of fear, anger or excitement. If you are using power and you create those feelings in a way that they are dominant, you risk exposing your power play.

Playing power has art to it. Mostly it is about keeping suspicions down and being focused on the needs.

Again, why not just put all the mutual benefits on the table and then agree to collaborate. If you both agree that it is in your mutual best interests to work together and give each other what each needs, then you don't ever need to persuade.

Trying to help is a great way to make real friends.


Yup. It's a very accurate article. I like it.
And the power analysis will tell you why.

There Oughta Be A Wall

 

There oughta be a wall - a great big wall a mile long and 10 feet high.

All along the top of the wall there would be signs with titles. The titles would represent every major issue in our lives today. Here in this society - in this global-everyone-included-everyone-matters world that we live in.

The titles would be things like “War in Iraq” or “911 Truth” or “Genetically Modified Foods” or “NSA Privacy Invasion” or “Right to Work Legislation” or “Executive Compensation” or “Bank Bailouts” or “The Occupy Movement.”  Or any other issue as and when it arises.

It would include any meaningful issue we are divided on and people call each other names over. The issues have to have significance. They have to matter to the future of the world.

The wall has to be maintained and taken care of so our great great grandchildren can see it and know.

Under every issue title there are two sides to the wall. One side painted red and one side painted green.

Under every issue each of us has to write our name in our own handwriting in permanent ink. Write it proud and clear so everyone can read it. Read it forever. Either we are for it, or we are against it. But you have to put your name up there.

You can change your mind. You can get that permanent marker and cross your name off one side and write it on the other. Everyone will be able to see that you changed your mind. You are allowed to change your mind.

But you have to write your name. You have to make a choice. You have to have an opinion (cause everyone does anyway) and you have to state it so everyone can see where you stand. So your grandchildren can see where you stood.

No free passes. If you don’t write your name you are part of the problem. No “I am not sure” or “It depends.” You have to state your view.

To not write your name is to be a part of the problem.

To change your mind is a sign of strength and courage. Because you went and looked and reconsidered and decided you were wrong and decided to take a different stand.

Now everyone can see where you stand – where you stood. They can see which side of the wall you were on.

Now your great grandchildren can say, “My great grandpa was one of the people who chose to plant GMO’s and that is why we don’t have bees any more.”

“My great grandmother said that this constant state of war was necessary to protect our country and now we live in a radiated world of nuclear fall-out.”

“Grampa said that terrorists should be held in detention centres and denied their rights. That is why when I exercised my free speech I was locked away forever.”

“My Great Aunt Sally said bailing out banks was good and now the USA is bankrupt and I live in a society without health care or highways.”

Now those are just my points of view. It could turn out the other way.

“My Grandpa said GMO’s were bad and now 10 billion people on this planet are starving.”

“My Grandpa said that 911 was a lie and because we let down our guard we were invaded.”

“My Grandpa said that bailing out banks is a type of communism and should be stopped. Now we have a monetary crisis.”

But there oughta be a wall.

There oughta be a wall because everyone who does not voice an opinion is part of the problem. The only thing necessary for the success of evil is that good people do nothing.

There oughta be a wall because everything we do, say or think has an impact and we are responsible for that impact. And we should be held accountable by the people effected by our decisions.

There oughta be a wall because everyone needs to think it through and get the information they need to make an informed decision. If there was a wall there would have to be freedom of information and everyone could find answers to their questions. They would make a choice and live with the consequences.

I don’t know if things would change.I don’t know what everybody thinks. I just know that we all need more information and those who are making the decisions need to be held accountable by future generations.

If they were, if they had their name permanently beside an issue, they would be more likely to think of the future.

Today I read about 40 million bees dying in Ontario. There oughta be a wall so we can know who is responsible. No corporation bashing. Just the people hiding behind the corporation making the decisions. Put your name on the wall.

Mr. Snowden thinks everyone should be aware they are being tracked and listened to. Of course they should know. Government that hides their practices is corrupt and irresponsible. Some say Snowden is making us unsafe. I think he is protecting us. The Tao says, “To have an enemy is to be an enemy.” I am nobody’s enemy. To mistreat your people is to invite revolution. If you don’t know that, you don’t belong in government. But either way – put your name on the wall.

9-11 was a lie. Call me a conspiracy theorist or any other name you can come up with. I don’t care – just put your name on the wall.

Our government is bashing workers to support the corporate profit motive because they give more donations to win elections than individuals do. You gotta be one lousy economist to not realize that if workers don’t have money to spend there will be no economy. Maybe I am wrong – but put your name on the wall.

The future will show who was right. I can live with that. But don’t be afraid. Life will continue. It is all going to happen anyway.

But there oughta be a wall.

Money

Listen to this while you read...



Most of us agree, Money is Power.

So how powerful are you?

Ever wondered exactly how rich you are?

Just for the fun of it, consider today that you are rich. Very rich.
Are you then very powerful?
Just wondering...
:)

Talk soon

Power, Manipulation, Creation and Love

Here's a little something to listen to while reading...



The first glorious summer long weekend of the year is here.


And of course in my sick, twisted way it has me thinking about power. It has me thinking about how things work. It has me thinking about making and creating. It has me thinking about love.

I love these days. The sun is out. The air is warm again. The birds sing. I think it is the song of the bird that moves me most.

I play a little catch listening to the skate boards do the clickity-click over the sidewalk while the little girls next door squeal in the cold water of the sprinkler.

I barbequed some burgers for Chuck and his boys. All night video game party ended with their collapse in front of a movie. Morning now, and I command them to clean up the mess in the basement. In spite of my authority, or maybe because of it, they smile and thank me for letting them stretch the rules. We all pretend it’s summer. It is a long weekend after all.

I cut the grass for the first time this year. It looks like a yard after two years of digging up dandelions. Pesticides are easier but they give me the creeps so I try to honor the new laws.

Bill was a little more spring-ish than I. He had me digging in his garden three weeks ago and gave me dozens of perennials for my place. I finished planting them today. I planted a few of them a couple of weeks ago and they have come on strong so I am sure I will have a garden in no time.

Veggie seeds will get planted later.

My mother always planted tomatoes and peppers. She taught me that no matter where you live, you can grow some food

I will plant some zucchini. It grows easy and I like the taste.

About 20 years ago I planted my first big garden. Forty feet by forty feet. Everything from potatoes to carrots to beans and peas. I don’t even like peas but I grew them anyway. 

It is fun to borrow the power of life and pretend that I am responsible for the flowers that will soon bloom and the food they will yield.

It is pretending. I didn’t create it.

Last night I made burgers but I didn’t create them. I took what life produced and manipulated it to a tasty treat. I may make a good burger but I didn’t create it.

My back says that I was the one in the yard with dirt in my fingernails and sweat on my face. I dug and raked. I pulled up earth and gently pressed roots. And watered

But I did no more than move the force of life from one place to another. I made a garden but I didn’t create it.

With power I got the boys to clean the basement. A little seduction with burgers and chips. A little influence by looking the other way and relaxing the rules. Just an inflection in my voice and I accomplish a little control reminding my son who is in charge.

The force of authority gets my son to clean or me to dig dandelions rather than spray them.

With power I can get other people to do things. Say things. Think things. But they seldom do them or say them or think them the way I want them done. Power is never as effective as we think it will be.

I am sure I will be down stairs finishing the clean-up in a few minutes.

Power gets things done but it has its costs. Power destroys trust. Power creates a dynamic that never ends and we must be forever vigilant against finding ourselves victim to it.

Power succeeds at the cost of love.

I can be self reliant and depower the world. If I can be in control of my needs – like planting a garden – I retain choice. I can be confident that what life brings me, I can handle.

I plant my garden and I take power out of my life – as well as GMO’s and pesticides.

Making things for my self is good.

But I didn’t create it.

Creation is something that flows from the power of love. Love is the creative force. Love is the thing that makes all other things possible.

I am not talking about that love-because stuff I have talked about before. And I will probably talk about again.

I am talking about the essence of all things. The force that makes all things possible. The source of life.

Love is the source of life.

Need is the source of power. I can manipulate people with their needs.

I can manipulate the world around me with my abilities.

But can I create with the power of love?

Hmmm… it all starts in the mind. I will start there.

Start with a little love and apply my abilities and next thing I know I have my famous tomato - zucchini - onion soup.

Information

Choice.
It's how we live.
Moment to moment making choices on what to think, say or do.
It's how we want to live.
All we can hope for is the chance to make conscious choices through the day to live the life we desire.

Choice requires information.
Sometimes a lot. Sometimes a little.
As much as it takes to be aware - educated - and make a balanced self-interested decision on what to do, say, or think.

To control information is to have a great deal of power over what people choose and how people make choices.

There are those who love you. They respect you and want you to make the best choice for you. No matter the consequence to them. They want you to know everything and make a good educated decision.

There are those who do not love you. They want you to make the choice that works best for them. They want to use information for power over you.

They want to control, influence or seduce your choices.

They want what they want at your expense.

Unfortunately, our government does not love us.

They do not want you to have access to all the information necessary to make decisions.

They even want to influence you to think that our national government should be coloured blue - the colour of conservatives - not the red of our flag - the colour of Canada. :)

All information should be available to everyone, always. Anything less than that is an attempt at power.

After all, if you were honestly doing what is best for everyone and believed in the democratic process, you would have nothing to hide...would you?

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/vincent-gogolek/harper-government-websites-access-to-information_b_2838916.html

The opposite of power...

Power is the combination of ability and need.

So is compassion.

When one has an ability and they offer to use it to better another person on the condition that the other person reciprocate with something - that is power.

When one has an ability and they use it to better another without demand or expectation - that is compassion.

On one hand you have power - the control, influence or seduction of a choice a subject will make to do, say or think something by offering an ability to help or hinder that subject's need.

On the other hand you have compassion - the offering of an ability to help another without any intention of personal gain.

When one sees power, they are driven to fear, anger or excitement.

When one sees compassion we are driven to tears of love.

I know I was when I watched this.

It's the choice we make every day. It is not always an easy choice.

Power or love.

Which do you choose today?

Choose Me

Power is about choice.

Everyone wants to be chosen by someone. For something. At some time.

At those times we unabashedly use power.

We show the other the best of what we think they want. Then we let them know we could be theirs if they choose us.

Classic seduction.

But sometimes we say - You don't want to miss out on me and have someone choose me before you do...

Fear works sometimes.

But more than having what they want, when we ARE what they want, we get to enjoy control and the negotiation usually goes well.

Why am I speaking about this?

Cause it's interview time. You may be looking for a summer job or your career is beginning. Either way, you are wanting to be the choice they make.

You want to use power.

So I thought I would send out a reminder to keep your power chops up.

Control, influence or seduction - whatever it takes - choose me.

Good luck :)