Category: Psychology

Quote from today’s Huffpo written by David Roberts

Read the whole post here.

 

Many people in the environmental field — and I’d even generalize to progressives, broadly speaking — seem to be operating on a set of assumptions:

  1. The facts, organized and clearly conveyed, should carry the day.
  2. When facts do not change minds, more facts are required, perhaps delivered more slowly.
  3. When facts do not change hearts, more facts are required, perhaps delivered more loudly.
  4. Those not swayed by facts are intellectually, possibly morally, deficient.
  5. If sticking to the facts means losing a debate, well, that’s the price of virtue.

An extraordinary phone call

Last night I did a wide variety of untoward things.  I refused to participate in somebody’s addiction by applying my “new moral standards” (aw, go ahead and snicker, I don’t blame you) and it actually worked.  My interlocutor quit the behaviour.  The phone call transitioned from something stupid into a demonstration of mutual trust and friendship.  So instead of feeling lousy and abused this morning, I feel like a human being with some pretty remarkable friends.

Way better…..

Peggy Lee….

I thought I’d cheer myself up by listening to Fever by Peggy Lee, and I thought I’d forward the link.

Although I didn’t sleep for nearly long enough, I got up this morning feeling more rested and less pained than I have in quite a while.  Last night I made an honest effort to apologize and make it up to somebody I’ve wounded. I was told that I have Borderline Personality Disorder, that I have no notion about friendship, that I walk through life like a victim, that every interaction is a competition for me and I have to “win”, and that I have a black belt in cruelty and hypocrisy.

So I guess it’s fair to say she’s not in a forgiving mood.  Me, I’m feeling way better.  I tried to make amends.  I listened to her carefully.  Then I went home and asked Dr. Filk if he thought I was cruel and hypocritical, and he pulled a face.  After admitting that he could think of thousands of unpleasant comments to make about me, he simply didn’t buy cruel and hypocrital. Dr. Filk has lived with me for the best part of a decade.  He’s certainly seen me at my worst and I haven’t noticed him sparing the horses when it comes to offering opinions.
Keith, of course, whose commitment to accuracy is both part of his charm and an ongoing trial, said, “Well you’re no crueler than most and somewhat less hypocritical,” which I thought was pretty cool, actually.  I mean, you don’t expect to come off well if you ask your kids something like that.  Haven’t seen Katie to ask her, but it should be really intense when I do.

In the meantime my back and my leg are feeling much better.  And I’m going to do standup tonight!  Actually I’m going to do a little bit of standup and Miss Manners Has Her Say.  Yes, please! No thanks! Maybe later! (as the chorus goes).