As humans our brain works in ways that make us tend to generalize and categorize things, including the types of people. Being as I am half human (the other three quarters are pure ass...) I do the same. From my observations I see 3 types of people on this board:
- The Activists
- The Rationalists
- The Rest of us (rest-of-us (TM))
The question I wonder is multi-faceted: Which groups have agendas? What are the agendas? Of those who have agendas are there crossovers and if so who would be more effective at achieving the agendas?
I will classify myself as a rationalist. Of course we all like to think we are rational - but there are distinct differences between an activist and a rationalist. By way of example I have pulled off this post to analyze:
I've just received the lastest issue of Freeminds Journal. On the back page is an article entitled "The Pedophile at Your Door" by Mike Pence."The Department of Justice states that between one and five percent of the population are pedophiles. Congregatons of Jehovah's Witnesses typically number around one hundred members, sometimes more, sometimes less. Even rounding in their favor that could still amount to a pedophile per congregation, declaring their faith on the thresholds of our homes."I'll retype it and put it on a new thread. I'm also assuming that all the indepth responses that have been posted on this issue of Franz/Bowen/SilentLambs will contribute thoughtful responses to this article as we're so interested in it? Btw, it's a widely agreed assumption that most pedophiles will never be discovered, nor will most victims of pedophiles who molest ever speak out.
"The pedophile at your door" - what does that imply? To me it implies that most everyone who comes to my door as a JW is a pedophile. Well we know that isn't true. An activist will point out one example and then seek to justify their stance. So if we say that true there are pedophiles in the midst of JW's does that mean they have NO right to knock at your door? Since activists will claim they are rational I assume they can admist that postal workers will also tend to follow average statistics - so they do not want mail delivered any longer then either since the mailman might be a pedophile. In fact if we use the same line of argument as activists use then will we say that "all mailmen are pedophiles"?
When people scream and cry with emotional anger they are not very effective - and they make serious mistakes. Those mistakes can get them into serious trouble at times too. For example, will people make the mistake of posting the names of governing body members (who have boundless resources at their disposal) and claiming that such are pedophiles or inferring that such are pedophiles without SOLID evidence? To do so in an American society you are either very brave or very stupid. Either way you are not rational. The rational person, armed with solid evidence, will use the justice system to fight the battle. Making false claims or aligning/surrounding yourself with others who are emotionally disposed to bring down the WT at all costs will not succeed. The cost will be YOUR credibility and you will not succeed. If you want to use activists for a cause it is a well understood principle among leaders that you use activists - however you have to DIRECT them and they have to use the powerful energy they have to act within planned strategy. The strategy needs to be based on solid evidence which will remain undisputed in a court of law - not threads of unprovable accusations.
Sensationalism only works for a limited time. Make it too strong and it loses its effect. Build up to a sensational ending using rational means - don't shoot off the fireworks before the show.
That's my thought for the week.
Edited by - donkey on 23 November 2002 13:5:6