Welcome to column 21.23, and thanks again for reading, subscribing, and sharing. This column is part of my quest for a unified world and country that can become a better (make that .. Great) place for all.
Today I was reading an article from one of my favorite writers, Heather Cox Richardson (link below), where she stated that Trump had not wanted an investigation into Hunter Biden, but had wanted to make it appear as though he did, to ensure it would play on the media. This disingenuous diversionary tactic is common as written in 21.22 (Clutter) and 21.16 (Control). Often these media-hyped communications take on an appearance of taking action but in fact there is no accountability, while the act of sharing mis-information blamelessly popularizes the finger-pointer. Senator Joe McCarthy (red-scare fame), George W. Bush fingering Iraq, and now many GOP leaders who point to the election process, are all typical of those who create or follow the latest bandwagons without holding any accountability: media, companies, personalities, and philanthropists. These finger-pointers appear to be patriotic but don’t do anything but try to help their own image while controlling the message and rarely adapting as new information arises. Be wary of investors or non-experts who espouse a message but limit their committed actions or do not readily adapt to new information (the infamous “yeah-but”).
The sad thing is that the current GOP efforts (Florida, Texas and Georgia notably) divert attention from coherent processes that could otherwise improve the elections by promoting consistency, accuracy, and availability. Sadder still is all of the great effort by election volunteers and governmental officials and security professionals who have continued to be unrecognized and yet have improved the process.
Glenn Greenwald, lawyer and author who has primarily focused his work on those who lie, deception specialists, and legal actions, has his own blog which recently has condemned evidence-absent media / journalists for their complicit bias. CNN’s recent hire of a known biased government-propagandist, Natasha Bertrand, and the media’s focus on getting on a bandwagon rather than the truth (re: the capitol, Russia bounties on soldiers), helps appearances but avoids accountability for spreading unsubstantiated facts.
Following Glenn Greenwald’s recent article on the false “woke”ness of companies is today’s New York Times article on the history of companies appearing as though they are supporting civil rights but not, and my prior writing (21.20, 21.17, and 21.13) on inexperienced people with money (e.g. Bill Gates) who fund unfortunate work (fake meat) while denigrating the great work of others (pasture farming, methane reduction, the value of building immunity through hormones and proper supplementation). So the reality is we need to be careful about our trusted “sources” that might not be experts and possess knowledge that may be biased or incomplete, posture and appear as though they are engaged, when they might be just keeping up appearances. This includes me personally, as bias can be sourced from the groups (media, family, companies, religions, political) we follow, what we have learned (read / been told), our financial and societal aims, and the hopes of those around us. Perhaps we need to deeply learn and experience things ourselves while continually reassessing our sources of information; transforming appearances into confident ownership.
At work I was asked to watch a video on bias. The video was presented (I think created) by an MBA absent of any background in psychology. The information and presentation was good, the parroting of concepts was rational but with a biased tone - my bias on the subject would undoubtedly be different, not better! I value when a PhD with experience speaks about science or bias or technology or health. I am not suggesting other people should not have perspectives (as you and I do) but advertising ourselves as experts when we are not is false advertising. I understand that someone with a PhD may not be balanced and can be quite biased - but there is a higher likelihood of merit as their deeper understanding might give them a more complete perspective, confidence in recognizing varying thoughts, peer-review accountability, and awareness that they should take ownership. I admit my Bachelors degree and MBA in Information Systems is not the same as a PhD; I feel for everything I know, there is much more to know in any subject! Nonetheless, I feel I know and understand a lot, integrate information across disciplines well, and try to be unbiased while checking my own actions and beliefs. I do take ownership for my words; as I have written, “Turning Pro” is about committing your passions and intentions into reality and transforming hopes and appearances into reality; hence, I created this column. I hope all readers of this column develop and ascribe to their own beliefs and actions - holding themselves and others accountable while openly discussing approaches and actions. The link below from the Podcast “You are Not So Smart” on beliefs (with an M.D. from the department of Neuroscience at UCSF), is enlightening.
Before I get to beautiful examples of true “woke”ness and accountability, I’d like to share the lyrics and music from Jack Johnson’s Cookie Jar:
And I would turn on the TV
But it's so embarrassing
To see all the other people
I don't know what they mean
And it was magic at first
When they spoke without sound
But now this world is gonna hurt
You better turn that thing down
Turn it aroundWell, it wasn't me, says the boy with the gun,
Sure, I pulled the trigger but it needed to be done,
Because life's been killing me ever since it begun
You can't blame me because I'm to youngYou can't blame me, sure the killer was my son
But I didn't teach him to pull the trigger of the gun
It's the killin' on his TV screen,
You can't blame me it's those images he's seenWell, you can't blame me, says the media man
I wasn't the one who came up with the plan
But I just point my camera at what the people wanna see,
Now it's a two-way mirror, and you can't blame meYou can't blame me, says the singer of the song
And the maker of the movie which he based his life on
It's only entertainment as anyone can see
It's smoke machines and makeup, man you can't fool meIt was you, it was me, it was every man,
We've all got the blood on our hands
We only receive what we demand,
If we want hell, then hell's what we'll haveAnd I would turn on the TV
But it's so embarrassing
To see all the other people
I don't know what they mean
And it was magic at first
But let everyone down
But now this world is gonna hurt
You better turn it around
Turn it around
Jack Johnson's You Tube of of Cookie Jar
From reading multiple and deep biographies of the writing and communications from George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, I am increasingly awe-struck by their words and their methods of interacting with others; taking responsibility, delegating and communicating. In today’s world I see fewer role models (Angela Merkel being a blessed exception!) as I am reticent to trust that a leader is being genuine and self-less. I am sure time will show me that there are other great leaders. It was great for me to hear of President Biden’s visit with former President Carter who I hold in high regard for his many positive actions despite a few giant and unfortunate ones (Iran’s hostage taking, being blind to Reagan’s treasonous deal with Iran while he was running for President, and letting Volcker run roughshod over the economy) .
In reading The Children (link below), I was greatly inspired by many great people including John Lewis. At the time of the civil rights movement being launched in the late 50s and early 60s there were 2 pseudo-competitive groups; The one led by Martin Luther King (SCLC) and the one led by James Lawson (SNCC), as he mentored a truly non violent (Mohandas Gandhi-inspired) approach increasingly led by Diane Nash and then after marrying James Bevel, James. John Lewis (of the SNCC) followed a more adaptive and unifying course with Dr. King’s SCLC. The beauty of Diane Nash and John Lewis’ heroism in the face of brutality and hatred is rightfully storied based on their work in Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and elsewhere. Lewis’ willingness to fight for his beliefs led him to be one of Robert Kennedy’s closest advisors as he ran for the Presidency in 1968 and he was with Robert Kennedy when he was assassinated in Los Angeles.
Women (Diane Nash) and Men (e.g. Lincoln, Lewis) like these are truly inspirational for having meaningful beliefs, accentuated by knowledge and experience, that are acted upon while communicating with, and adapting to others so as to forge a new future without waiting for media-approval. From what I have read of Lincoln and John Lewis, they took accountability for human lives, they spoke in support of their beliefs, and they did the right thing for a wider group of people.
As we approach memorial day and head into the summer, these attributes are good ones to accentuate. Avoid appearances alone and when we hear from the media about elections, the media, Covid-19 and climate change, we should identify the beliefs, the knowledge and experience, how their course has been transformed (adaptation), and the committed actions.
Thanks for reading and until next time!
Joyously,
Richard at richardferdman@substack.com
Books, Articles and Podcasts inspiring this or referenced within include: Apr 30 Heather Cox Richardson, The Children by David Halberstam, Glenn Greenwald's column, Glenn Greenwald's Liberty and Justice for Some, NYT Dealbook 5/1, Russian bounties - FALSE, Capitol - Brian Sicknick's stroke, Woke Companies, Journalists lies, John Lewis, Washington, American Revolutions, Hadza, The Mineral Fix, Hormones, Hormones- wikipedia, Hormones in Vertebrates, Grass-fed, Grass-fed beef benefits, lab meat problems, science of fake meat, Paul Saladino, Omega-3, Émile_Baulieu, The Overstory, Trials, You are not so smart (204 on Apple) -Robert Burton You are Not So Smart web site , Lyrics: Jack Johnson's Cookie Jar, You Tube: Cookie Jar, Jack Johnson, Team of Rivals, Genius of Abraham Lincoln, Student Non-violent Coordinating committee, Turning Pro by Stephen Pressfield, The Blind Spots between Us (How to overcome unconscious bias)
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All content above is © Richard Ferdman 2021, Photo below is from Susan Parker (April, 2021).
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