Being a Storyteller

In a recent interview for McKinsey Quartely Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman makes a brilliant point: "Overconfidence is a powerful source of illusions, primarily determined by the quality and coherence of the story that you can construct, not by its validity." We've heard it a million times: The data doesn't lie. But it really matters who is constructing the data and why. Wall Street created well-constructed illusions with its string of alphabet soup derivatives. Now, I better understand what my mother meant when after being caught in a lie she would say, "don't tell stories." It's just that the stories Wall Street tell are detrimental to us and other countries all around the world.

Being Like-Minded

"Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation."

--Romans 12:16

No matter our social status we often desire a circle of greater influence and recognition. But where there is the greatest need there is greater opportunity. This association brings fulfillment on many levels and this wisdom supersedes our daily maneuvering.

Being Constitutional

Why does it appear that some only think that we should abide by portions of the Constitution? The government is ratified to "...provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; To regulate Commerce...To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts..." But some only want to "provide ...for the common Defence." Yet, some claim that the laws passed by others are unconstitutional. If the Constitution ratifies the provision for the "general Welfare" why do some say that this is unconstitutional? If the Constitution ratifies the "progress of Science" how can a president essentially decree through an executive order the restriction of science to study stem cells for life-sustaining illnesses? (I guess that's the prerogative of the president, eh?) And, pray tell why do we cut "useful arts" in schools and give so little to arts organizations? What about the banks? Why deregulate banks when commerce, according to the Constitution, should be regulated? (I guess it has to do with getting the balance right, eh? But the balance seemed to be working jut fine prior the the massive deregulation that began with President Reagan.) All of these, not just the provision of the "common Defence," are constitutional. I suppose some might think that it's not what we do but how we do it. Okay, but why haven't we been effective in governing? Yes, waste and abuse. But has our defense budget, with multiple billion dollar contracts to private corporations, lessen our ability to govern effectively? While we expect defense to have the lion's share in the protection of our country, we should be wiser in the reasons and ways that we launch our defense. To do otherwise would seem unconstitutional, for we will only be largely abiding by portions of the Constitution and not by others. I guess the argument might be that there are provisions for the "general Welfare," and the "progress of Science." But I would argue that if these provisions are unduly restricted and are so small that they can be drowned in a bathtub, as was suggested by the Republican Grover Norquist, are these indeed provisions?

Being Excellent

"Excellence is doing ordinary things, extraordinarily well."

--John Gardner

Discover the ordinary by being exceptionally observant and listening incredibly well. The extraordinary is in the excellence of the ordinary.

(Thanks, DB, for the quote.)

Being Inspired by Others

Temple Grandin is so inspirational. She says "I had to sell my work and not myself." That seems like a novel idea today. But I think we need to get back to that. We are by far too self absorbed and many great ideas are being lost because we are going after the glitter and not the gold.

Grandin also makes another great point: "The autistic mind tends to be a specialist mind, good at one thing and bad at something else." I would imagine that other minds are like this too. It is probably our egos that are so multitudinous. We like to think that we can do everything well.



Here are two more beautiful points Grandin makes. 1) "The world is going to need all of the different kinds of mind to work together." 2) "I get satisfaction out of seeing stuff that makes real change in the real world. We need a lot more of that and a lot less of abstract stuff." So true!

Being President Barack Obama

Today after a year of negotiations President Obama and President Dmitri A. Medvedev agreed to sign a new arms control treaty. The New York Times reports that "they will fly to Prague to sign the treaty on April 8 in a ceremony designed to showcase improved relations between the two countries."

President Obama made the announcement at the White House today. "With this agreement, the United States and Russia, the two largest nuclear powers in the world, also send a clear signal that we intend to lead," he said. "By upholding our own commitments under the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, we strengthen our global efforts to stop the spread of these weapons, and to ensure that other nations meet their own responsibilities."

Will this agreement affect positive relations with Iran?

Being Violent

The violent rhetoric by leaders in Congress has to stop. Minority Leader Rep. Boehner (R-OH) said this about Rep. Driehaus (D-OH) in the National Review: "Take Steve Driehaus, for example. He may be a dead man. He can't go home to the west side of Cincinnati." Boehner said he was speaking metaphorically. That sounds like Sarah Palin speaking satirically. "What's going on?"



A protest is planned in front on Rep. Driehaus' house this weekend. When his address was posted on the Internet protesters were encouraged to "drive by." He has received death threats. Rep. Boehner's words are reprehensible. Leaders have to be held accountable for both their actions and words. Is the one who incite violence as guilty as the one who does the deed?