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Are They Crazy?

“Decision making isn’t a matter of arriving at a right or wrong answer; it’s a matter of selecting the most effective course of action from among less effective courses of action”.  ……..by Phillip Marvin, Developing Decisions for Action, 1971, chapter 6

Decisions by committees…good concept…democracy, majority rules, sharing of ideals, etc…

Here is the flaw that lies…”not in the concept”…but many times in the end result of those decisions.

How many times have you heard or read a decision that was made by a group of individuals (a committee)…and you asked “How in the Hell could anyone think and agree that’s a good idea?”

For the sake of simplicity…let’s look at all committees as a “jury” of 12 individuals that make decisions that can affect our lives.  To name just a few …school boards, city councils, committees within committees of government agencies, board of governors, advisory boards, church boards, etc…You get the point?

After reviewing all the facts and options…one’s intellect and common-sense should led to a rational and justifiable decision (don’t confuse intellect with education)… but here lies the answer to the question “How in the Hell could anyone think and agree that’s a good idea?”… because not all committees consist of objective and intellectual individuals.  As the fictitious character Forrest Gump said “stupid is as stupid does”.

Examples:

  • Twelve left wing liberals or 12 right wing conservatives in two different committees viewing the same set of facts…will arrive at a different solution to the problem at hand. Common-sense and objectivity will not exist in either of these environments.
  • A committee of 12 individuals with 2 strong personality that agree…and 10 passive individuals that don’t have a clue are easily intimated and will probably vote in line with two other members…and if those two are “idiots” that would answer you question.
  • A committee of “dueling personalities”…where you have the majority voting with and for the dominate “personality that they liked best”…the subject matter was lost in the duel itself.
  • The committee of “self importance”…the individuals that are so enamored about being on “the committee”… but don’t have a clue and could care less about indulging into researching the subject matter at hand….but will always go along with the majority and are happy as long as their name is pronounced or printed correctly.

NOW…let’s thank the individuals that dedicate their time for the right reasons.  Not for recognition or monetary reasons…but because they may have the experience, expertise, or passion for the subject matter that lends value to that committee.  In the public sector these people truly are public servants that make decisions for the benefit of others.

The reason we may not think or hear about them as often is because they don’t readily factor into… “How in the Hell could anyone think and agree that’s a good idea?”

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Brain to Mouth Filter Disorder (BMFD)

What do a pre-school child (4 to 5 years of age) and a super senior have in common?

There is a good possibility…it’s a Brain to Mouth “Filter” Disorder (BMFD).  In one… it has yet to be installed and… in the other… it could be worn out.

When you were four years old you probably had a tendency to repeat things that you had heard that may not have been appropriate…or innocently expressed how you felt without any consideration of others.  If you are in your super senior years…you may have a tendency to verbalize what others would consider inappropriate…but you don’t care… “you say what you mean…and mean what you say”.

Somewhere in between these ages most people develop a “filter” within themselves… that prompts them to ask “Is this an appropriate thing to say”?  Now of course…we allknow some people that have traveled through life without any “filter” at all…which could be more disturbing that we care to explore.

As one ages the “filter” that processes the intake of information prior to responding becomes less effective and results in quicker, honest, and sometimes hostile and more direct responses.

Example: (Joe at the age of 40 having a conversation with his 40 year old friend Fred).

JOE:  “Fred what do you think of the political structure in today’s society”?

FRED:  “I believe that we have a good check and balance system…etc…”

JOE:  “That’s very insightful…I have never viewed it from that prospective”.

Joe 40 years later asking the same question… to a “forty” year old friend Tom.

JOE:  “Tom what do you think of the political structure in today’s society”?

TOM:  “I believe that we have a good check and balance system…etc…”

JOE:  “You stupid SOB…I can’t believe that anyone could be so damn stupid to think that way”!

…I believe that you get the point.

The real question is: Has Joe gained more knowledge to change his point of view or has aging just brought on a more aggressive behavior?  We could continue with more questions…but the complexity of the answer is never simple and would need to be analyzed on an individual bases.

I recall a certain individual that I meet in college…and after several conversations…I thought that he was the stupidest individual that I had ever met (please do not confuse intelligence with education).  By circumstances I had the opportunity to meet him again 40 years later in a business environment…and in spite of his education and life experiences…in my opinion he is still the stupidest individual that I have ever met.  Aging does not always bring wisdom with it…sometimes it’s just a process of getting older.

Have you checked your “filter” lately? Check it for tolerance and understanding…but never let it filter out truth and honesty.

Johnny J. 

DISCLAIMER: The information presented is either my opinion or information obtained from sources believed to be reliable and factual; however, I make no representation as to the completeness or accuracy thereof. Any errors, including misuse or misspelling of words is either due to my fingers hitting the wrong keys, oversight, or my own ignorance.

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Shame on Us

“The Intent”

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common Defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

We the People…hmmm…what an honorable and interesting concept.

 “The Reality”?

Unfortunately it has become more evident that…

 We the Politicians…

…will lie, pander, and do whatever is necessary to preserve our well being.

…will be irresponsible with the money that we take from you without hesitation.

…will use your tax dollars to support the projects and groups that can keep us in our position so that we can maintain the status, lifestyle, and perks that we have become accustom to… regardless of how ridiculous or expensive the projects may be.

…will pledge not to diminish any perks or privileges that our predecessors have established on our behalf, and if we can add to them…it will gain us admiration of our fellow co hearts.

…do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Do all politicians fit into this framework? … that’s for you to determine. There have been honorable people that have gone to Washington with a mission to do the right thing…but when self-importance, power, influence and status begins to take precedence over that intent…then their mission has failed. When a politician asks his or herself… “Is this decision going to affect my ability to raise money for re-election or cost me votes?”…he or she has sold out.  This is one of the key arguments for term limits….the “idiot” factor is a topic for another day.

“Needed Change”     

We the People…need to wake up… listen… and get involved. Don’t misunderstand me…we need leaders…we need responsible individuals in Washington to communicate with each other and determine and implement decisions that are best for the welfare of this Country.  The concept of our system was well thought out as a check and balance system. “We the Politicians” of today have become an embarrassment to that system. It is our responsibility to elect the right individuals to fill these positions…and replace the ones than can’t. You or I don’t have to run for a political office…we don’t have to be a political pundit…but we should be informed in order to make an intelligent decision when it becomes time to exercise our right to vote.  With today’s technology it is easier to verify the claims and positions of the individuals that are pandering for our vote ….but it is our responsibility to use these sources that are available…and if we don’t “Shame on Us”.

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“It Just Wasn’t My Time”… 2018

A few months ago I experienced an unexpected episode…Cardiac Arrest.

People often use the terms heart attack and cardiac arrest as interchangeable, but they are not synonyms.  In cardiac arrest the heart rhythm causes the heart to stop beating.  Without quick treatment, it causes sudden cardiac death. The national average survival rate is a little over 10% and survival with good neurological function is little more than 8%.

I wasn’t familiar with the information above until after my episode…”I am one lucky guy”.

I can honestly say that my wife loves me…otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this.  In the middle of the night she noticed that I was moaning but not breathing…she immediately dialed  911, and with the instructions on the other end of the phone she begin to perform CPR until the first responders arrived. With their training and equipment they took over and after a few minutes I was rushed to the hospital… where my wife was told of the statistics that I listed above.  If the roles were reversed I am not sure that I would have been able to deal with those words and expectations…she truly is the better half.

I was told that a series of techniques was used by the doctors and their staff to stabilize me and prepare me for surgery…at which time I received three stents in my heart.  My wife was told that the next 24 hours would be critical…and not to expect the best…if I survived.

I was in the hospital for four days…but it wasn’t until 3 days after leaving the hospital that I was made aware of what had occurred….even though I remember nothing during that 7-day period.   My wife informed me that after surgery (and regaining consciousness after the critical wait period) that I had normal conversations with friends and the hospital staff…well “almost” normal conversations…once again I had beaten the odds in regard to the neurological functions.  My “buddies” tend to disagree with that assessment.  My response to them…I went in “brilliant” and came out “normal” just like you guys.  That really is “guy humor”.

Seven days after the cardiac arrest my wife and I visited the team of first responders, doctor and the hospital staff to thank them for their help and involvement. I special thanks to the friends that reached out to my wife and gave support and encouragement…to all we are eternally grateful.

Life is a gift with an expiration date, but apparently… it just wasn’t my time.

Johnny J

Side Note:  Goggle the American Heart Association and learn more about the cause, prevention, and how to respond to someone experiencing cardiac arrest…learn CPR.