Mindconnection eNL, 2011-03-20

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This practice is self-defeating on many levels. And it really buys you nothing. People may approve of you for not thinking, but that doesn't mean they will respect you for it.

It really is possible to have the respect and approval of others while still being you. But, you may not please some people. In those cases, it's their problem rather than yours.

Thinking isn't an adversarial process. Neither should be the discussion of differing ideas. We all have different experiences, and so may have different ideas about the same set of facts. This isn't a bad situation. It's a situation you can use to mutual advantage. Some suggestions on how:

• Clearly articulate the underlying facts, and seek agreement on those. If they are facts, after all, they are not opinions or viewpoints. In an intelligent discussion, this often gets down to a brass tacks review of sources. In some cases, you may need to agree to disagree. In others, you may both find you had previously been misled or misinformed. Isn't it wonderful to discover the truth? If your discussions allow you and others to be sounding boards for each other, then this is what will happen.
   
• Listen to the other person's viewpoint. This doesn't mean look for what's wrong with it. This means try to understand it. Ask questions along the line of "help me to understand" rather than "let me trip you up."
   
• Ask for more information. If someone presents a viewpoint you've never considered, don't reject it out of hand. If the subject is at all interesting and worthwhile, you might want to follow up on it to find out more. Or, by getting a little more information you show respect for the other person while also learning this topic isn't one you wish to pursue.
   
• Before jumping into an argument, look for areas of agreement. This has nothing to do with standard debating procedure, but it has a lot to do with being a good conversationalist. Nobody likes to be greeted with "you are wrong" right off the bat. That approach tends to make the other person stop listening to you, too.
   
• Be respectful. A caveat here is that respect is earned. If another person has been intellectually lazy and astounds you with ignorance presented as fact, you are within your rights to not seriously entertain that person's viewpoint. This doesn't mean you have to abandon civility, but you aren't obligated to pretend the person is behaving properly. Nor must you pretend an ignoramus is on your level. Don't engage in "the earth is not flat" conversations. You can, and should, object to having your time wasted in this manner. Simply point out that the other person needs to do some basic research before you can have an intelligent discussion on this particular topic. Then change the subject.
   
• Refuse language manipulation. You step right into the brainwashing trap when you use the same wrong language as a brainwashed person. Examples of things that have names inversely related to what they actually do are the Patriot Act, the Stimulus Plan, Daylight Savings, and Health Care Reform. Not only should you not use these lying labels, you should apply a truthful one. That way, the discussion doesn't begin with a lie and isn't framed by lies.
   
• Praise what's right. A disagreement doesn't mean you are in a situation in which the other person needs to be brought around to your point of view. Possibly, you are both right, you are both wrong, you are both partly right. It's not about being right. It's about learning. Take that attitude, and you'll find that informed people will enjoy challenging you and making you smarter. When you learn something from another person in this way, be sure to say something positive about the experience. Even if you don't learn something but the conversation was intellectually stimulating, let the other person know it was and that you enjoyed it. That keeps stimulating conversationalists coming back.

Personally, I don't practice all of the above with consistency. But I do aim for that. Not because I want someone's approval, but because I value other people. Whether they choose to approve of me or not is no reflection on me.

Rather than seeking the approval of others, turn it around. Make it a situation where you are the one giving the approval. This gives you an amazing amount of personal power. If you're not already doing this, try it for 30 days and you will not go back to the old way.

Neither did I. But according to Obama's economic policies, you can. Somehow, draining the capital from the economy will cause its level to rise. It's amazing what kind of "hope and change" we are getting. Now we can pretend to change fundamental mathematics, and hope nobody with a lick of sense will notice that it just does not work.

Because of these policies that are done out of either abject stupidity or extreme malice (you decide), the economy continues to be "in the weeds." While there are easily-implemented fixes to get us going the right direction, none of them involve stealing so don't hold your breath for them to be implemented.

What to do?

You actually have many tools to help you survive Obamageddon. In this and subsequent issues, we will present ideas that can immediately help you and the various unemployed people you know.

Remember $4 a gallon gasoline? Remember Arnold's famous line in the Terminator, "I'll be back"? These two will soon have a high correlation. And you can look for gasoline to shoot right on past $4. Maybe twice that by this time next year. But why wait until then to save money? Two quick tips:

1. First of all, drive less. You're smart enough to figure out how (and we covered it in past issues). Come up with a plan, and make it happen.
    
2. Second, "deposit" the difference between what you actually pay and what you would have paid (with gasoline at $8/gallon) into a special "account." It need not be an actual bank acct. If you're a mortgage holder, applying the difference to your principal is not a bad idea. You could invest the difference into tools, books, workout equipment, or other expenditures that put you in a better overall position. By making your gas seem more expensive this way, you'll be more motivated to use less.

In future issues, we'll be presenting other "what you can do now" practical tips for dealing with this economic depression. Thinking these tips over and then implementing them can make a huge difference in your stress level and in your financial security.

It's important that you realize where we (the USA as a nation) are and how we got here. Note that I don't blame Obama for the entire mess; it started with Woodrow Wilson (the worst US President of all). The problem with Obama is he is metaphorically pouring gasoline on the house fire. Instead of helping, he's making things much worse.

The most likely cure for Obama is the Democratic Nominating Committee (DNC). In US history, several sitting presidents have not been nominated by their party for a second term (President Tyler, for example) despite seeking that nomination.

With any luck, this will happen with the next "election" for President. The R wing of The Party isn't fielding anyone electable (same as last time), so if the D wing wants to avoid looking completely irresponsible, it will replace Obama with someone who is only moderately insane.

Make a point of letting the DNC know Obama is unacceptable (unless, of course, you believe in that lake draining theory and if that's the case contact me right away to get a great deal on the Brooklyn Bridge). I can't imagine why any Democrat would want Obama to be anything but the OTP that even rappers are now saying he should be.

But perhaps Americans will actually use their voting power and refuse to accept either of The Party's candidates. Perhaps the mudstream media will not vilify a candidate for the "mistake" of making a Constitution-based government his platform, as they did with Ron Paul. And perhaps pigs will fly.

Given the likely outcome (the stealing will continue) of the next fake "election" for President in our ballot-controlled system, you can't count on any hope of change any time soon. Instead, keep your finances in order, make your health a priority, and continually build your brain. Americans typically don't do any of these three things. Do all three, and you will be in a relatively excellent position.

For example, the standard treatment for prostate cancer is to treat the PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) rather than the cause of the cancer. The PSA is easy to measure, so it forms the basis for what to do to the patient. This is the same thing as looking for the proverbial lost nickel under the street lamp instead of where you dropped it.

Similarly, the treatment for heart disease doesn't focus on improving the patient's cardiovascular-related behavior. It focuses on reducing cholesterol. But cholesterol isn't the problem. This is like "treating" the water that comes out of fire hoses if a forest is on fire rather that attacking the fire itself. The latter is done by removing fuel ahead of the fire so it literally stops cold in its tracks.

Prompted by events in my own life, I wrote an article that you will find informative. I hope you will find it life-saving for yourself or someone else. Read it here.

Shortly after turning 50.

At www.supplecity.com, you'll find plenty of informative, authoritative articles on maintaining a lean, strong physique. It has nothing to do with long workouts or impossible to maintain diets. In fact:

• The best workouts are short and intense.
• A good diet contains far more flavors and satisfaction than the typical American diet.

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