Six Tips for Light Hearted Thinkers.

Laughing Toward Truth: Six Tips for Lighthearted Thinkers - By Maya Talisman Frost

Do you believe in the power of your convictions?

It's time to lighten up.

People love attaching themselves to ideas. We can get pretty feisty when one of our beloved beliefs is challenged. We're too busy defending to spend our time analyzing.

Truth has a tendency to get in the way of our beliefs. We like having our rules to live by, our reasons for feeling righteous, and our excuses for ending intellectual exploration. Just as we climb up a ladder, we like counting on certain rungs to hold steady. Thinking about cracks just makes us uneasy.

That approach works if your goal is to reach the top, but it doesn't allow for much examination or lateral growth. Plus, there's always the risk that you'll come crashing down.

Quick quiz: What fills you with more satisfaction--being right or discovering the truth? Of course, the best scenario is discovering that you knew the truth all along. Validation is a huge motivator. That's why we find it more exhilarating to win an argument than to learn more about the other side.

It's kind of like that whole "life is about the journey" concept. The thrill is in the seeking. We've forgotten that. It's as though we went on a treasure hunt, stumbled upon what we thought was the hidden booty, and now we've become complacent.

What if what you found wasn't the real treasure? What if the whole point was to keep looking?

Thinkers have been wrestling with the concept of truth for ages. Socrates was fond of saying that there are only two kinds of beings who do not need philosophy: the gods, who are already wise, and the fools, who think they are wise. We want to be in that large middle group of people who recognize their lack of wisdom and continue their quest for truth and knowledge.

It's helpful to be reminded that our role as humans isn't to figure things out--it's to KEEP ON figuring things out. Don't take my word for it. Here are some truisms about truth from some formidable thinkers.

#1 "The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd; indeed in view of the silliness of the majority of mankind, a widespread belief is more likely to be foolish than sensible." Bertrand Russell, British mathematician

Can't think of any widely held absurd beliefs? You're not trying hard enough! Fashion, pop culture, politics, (gasp!) religion, and virtually every other arena of modern life is full of examples of ideas that have somehow taken hold but defy logic. Good Thinker rule number one is simply this: Never accept an idea just because everyone else does.

#2 "Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods." Albert Einstein, American physicist

Leave it to Albert to maintain that crucial sense of humor and humility. The more we know, the more we get a clue about how much we don't know. At least, that's the way it's supposed to work. You probably know people who haven't quite come around to that realization yet. Get there now. Accept it, celebrate it, and keep on thinking.

#3 "Believe those who are seeking the truth; doubt those who find it." Andre Gide, French writer

Your best bet is to hang out with those who are happy to admit that they don't have all the answers. As friends, co-workers and party guests, they tend to be a lot more fun, anyway.

#4 "Chase after the truth like all hell and you'll free yourself, even though you never touch its coattails." Clarence Darrow, American attorney

Play the game and have some fun with it, even if you never score. Remember playing games with your friends way back when you were five? You didn't have a clear sense of the rules or even the point of the game, and neither did anyone else. It didn't matter. The reason you were playing was to simply enjoy the game, even if that meant making it up as you went along.

Approach truth-seeking like a five-year-old playing a new game. Don't get caught up in the regulations, and don't keep score. Who cares who's winning?

#5 "And we should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once. And we should call every truth false which was not accompanied by at least one laugh." Friedrich Nietzsche, German philosopher

Nietzsche saluted the creative force that feeds us. Despite a life of ill health and misery, he recognized the value of joy in the seeking of truth. Most of us have it a whole lot easier than Nietzsche. We have no excuse for not laughing.

#6 "Truth is mighty and will prevail. There is nothing the matter with this, except that it ain't so."Mark Twain, American writer

Truth doesn't rise to the surface. You've got to dig for it. Truth doesn't automatically rule; fallacies with excellent public relations campaigns tend to dominate in our culture.

Truth isn't easy, but it isn't supposed to be. If you want to dive into the human experience in all its glory, you're going to be wading through a lot of ideas masquerading as the truth.

Think for yourself, and have some fun with it. Look for truth in the unlikeliest places. Find the absurdity in every idea. The best philosophers have loads of laugh lines. Start creating yours. You'll become a better thinker, a happier truth-seeker, and a more excellent human.

 

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Struggle a Little - Then Fly!

Struggle a Little - Then Fly!
By Author Unknown

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly, that he brought
home.

One day a small opening appeared he sat and watched
the butterfly for several hours. It struggled to force
its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to
stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had
gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther.

So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a
pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of
the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily, but, it
had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. He
continued to watch the butterfly, he expected that, at
any moment, the wings would enlarge and the body would
contract. Neither happened!

In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life
crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled
wings. It was never able to fly.

The man acted with well-intentioned kindness but he
didn't understand the consequences. The restricting
cocoon and the struggle required to get through the
tiny opening, were nature's way of forcing fluid from
the body of the butterfly once it achieved its freedom
from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our
life. If we were to go through life without any
obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as
strong as we could have been and we could never fly

Morale: So the next time you are faced with an
obstacle, a challenge, or a problem, remember the
butterfly. Struggle a little - then fly!

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THE DEATH OF COMMON SENSE

THE DEATH OF COMMON SENSE



COMMON SENSE, (CS) lived a long life but died from
heart failure at the brink of the millennium. No one
really knows how old he was since his birth records
were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He
selflessly devoted his life to service in schools,
hospitals, homes, factories and offices, helping folks
get jobs done without fanfare and foolishness.



For decades, petty rules, stupid laws and frivolous
lawsuits held no power over CS. He was credited with
cultivating such valued lessons as to know when to
come in out of the rain, the early bird gets the worm,
and life isn't always fair. CS lived by simple, sound
financial policies (don't spend more than you earn)
and reliable parenting strategies (the adults are in
charge, not the kids).



A veteran of the Industrial Revolution, the Great
Depression, and the Technological Revolution, CS
survived cultural and educational trends including
body piercing, whole language and "new math".



But his health declined when he became infected with
the "If-It-Only-Helps-One-Person-It's-Worth-It" virus.
In recent decades his waning strength proved no match
for the ravages of overbearing regulation. He watched
in pain as good people became ruled by self-seeking
lawyers and "enlightened" auditors. His health rapidly
deteriorated when schools endlessly implemented zero
tolerance policies on nail clippers, charged
six-year-old boys with sexual harassment for kissing a
classmate, suspended a teen for taking a swig of
mouthwash after lunch and fired a teacher for
reprimanding a student who was shouting vulgarities in
class.



Finally, CS lost his will to live as codes of ethics
became contraband, churches, synagogues, temples and
mosques became business enterprises, criminals
received better treatment than victims and federal
judges stuck their noses in everything from youth
clubs to professional sports. As the end neared, CS
drifted in and out of logic but was kept informed of
developments, regarding questionable regulations for
asbestos, toilets and mandatory air bags. Finally when
told that the homeowners association restricted patio
furniture only to that which enhanced property values,
he breathed his last.



CS was preceded in death by his parents Truth and
Trust; his wife, Discretion; his twin daughters,
Responsibility and Accountability; and his son,
Reason. He is survived by two stepbrothers, Whiner and
Busy-Body. Not many attended his funeral because so
few realized he was gone.


--Author Unknown

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EACH DAY IS A GIFT

EACH DAY IS A GIFT
by Author Unknown

The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady,
who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock,
with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly
applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a
nursing home today.

Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making
the move necessary.

After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of
the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her
room was ready.

As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I
provided a visual description of her tiny room,
including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her
window. "I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of
an eight-year-old having just been presented with a
new puppy.

"Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the room .... just
wait."

"That doesn't have anything to do with it," she
replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead
of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend
on how the furniture is arranged, it's how I arrange
my mind. I already decided to love it. It's a decision
I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice;
I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I
have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or
get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.
Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll
focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've
stored away, just for this time in my life."

She went on to explain, "Old age is like a bank
account, you withdraw from what you've put in. So, my
advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness
in the bank account of memories Thank you for your
part in filling my Memory bank. I am still
depositing."

And with a smile, she said:
"Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less."

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Character

Character

Character is the sum total of a person's values, beliefs and
personality. It is reflected in our behavior, in our actions. It
needs to be preserved more than the richest jewel in the world. To be
a winner takes character.

George Washington said, "I hope I shall always possess firmness and
virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most valuable of all
titles, the character of an honest man."
It is not the polls or public opinions but the character of the
leader that determines the course of history. There is no twilight
zone in integrity. The road to success has many pitfalls. It takes a
lot of character and effort not to fall into them. It also takes
character not to be disheartened by critics.

Character is a Combination

Character is a combination of integrity, unselfishness,
understanding, conviction,
courage, loyalty and respect. What is a pleasant personality with
character?

¨ It is a class by itself.
¨ It is composure.
¨ It is poise.
¨ It is surefootedness and confidence without arrogance.
¨ It is being considerate.
¨ It is never making excuses.
¨ It is knowing that courtesy and good manners take many small
sacrifices.
¨ It is learning from past mistakes.
¨ It has nothing to do with money or blue blood.
¨ It never builds itself by destroying others.
¨ It is substance, not just form.
¨ It can walk with the elite and yet maintain the common touch.
¨ It is a gentle word, a kind look and a good-natured smile.
¨ It is the secret pride that stands against tyranny.
¨ It is comfortable with itself and others.
¨ It is the classic touch that gives the winning edge.
¨ It works wonders.
¨ It accomplishes miracles.
¨ It is easy to recognize, hard to define.
¨ It is accepting responsibility.
¨ It is humility.
¨ It is graciousness in victory and defeat.
¨ It is not fame and fortune.
¨ It is not a plaque.
¨ It is permanent.
¨ It is intangible.
¨ It is being courteous and polite without being subservient.
¨ It is being classy without being corky.
¨ It is self-discipline and knowledge.
¨ It is self-contained.
¨ It is a gracious winner and an understanding loser.

More difficult than success itself is; how we handle success. Many
people know how to become successful but after they become
successful, they don't know how to handle it That is why ability and
character go hand in hand. Ability will get you success, character
will keep you successful.

We don't unfold or discover ourselves , we create and build ourselves
into the kind of person we want to be.

Character building starts from infancy and goes on until death.
Character does not need success. It is success. Just like a gardener
has to keep weeding to prevent weeds from eating the life of the
garden, we need to keep building and developing our character by
weeding out our faults.

Adversity Builds and/or Reveals Character

Under adverse circumstances, some people break records and others
break down.
A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor can you get the finest
steel without putting it through fire. Similarly, adversity reveals a
person's character and introduces it to himself.

There is a saying that came from Russia: "A hammer shatters glass but
forges steel."
There is a lot of truth in it. Are we made of glass or steel? It is
the same hammer. Just like carbon determines the quality of steel,
character determines the quality of man.

--Author Unknown

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The Nail

The Nail

A man and a nail had a conversation.

The nail said to the man: "For years as I remain stuck in this wall I
have wondered what my fate will be."

The man said: "It appears that many things could happen. You could be
ripped out with pliers or the wood you rest in could burn or the
plank could rot -- so many things."

Said the nail: "I should have known better than to ask such foolish
questions! Nobody can forsee the future, let alone a variety of them,
all so unlikely."

It is always shocking to hear the raw truth. What we don't like is
the bitter pill, but we like the one that is sugar coated. So the
nail waited, until someone else came along, someone who would talk
intelligently, and not threaten him.

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So, do we really want to hear the truth about us, or even our present
situation?
Have you ever felt like the nail? How well do you confront reality?

-  Doug Constant

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The Truth (A lesson in Communication)

The Truth (A lesson in Communication)

There was a security guard who continued to be deployed for 3 years
in the same establishment.. One night he got drunk. This was the
first time it ever happened.. The duty manager recorded it in the log
book,; 'The security guard was drunk tonight'. The guard read it and
he knew this comment would affect his career, so he went to the duty
manager ,apologized and asked the manager to add that it only
happened once in  3 years which was the complete truth. The manager
refused and said,: what I have written here is the truth.

The next day it was the guards turn to fill in the log. He
wrote, 'The duty manager was sober tonight.' The manager read the
entry and asked the guard to change or add to it explaining the
complete truth because this implied that the manager was drunk every
other night. The guard told the manager that what he had written in
the log was the truth.

Both statements were true but they conveyed misleading messages
_______________________________________________________________

Another Lesson in communication

This reminds me of the two priests who got into an argument about
smoking and praying at the same time. They couldn't resolve it, so
they decided to each write the Pope and have him decide it.

When both had received their answers, they got together. "What did
His Holiness tell you?" asked the first.

"He said that it was fine," answered the second. "What did he tell
you?"

"Very strange," responded the first.
"He told me that it was forbidden. What did you ask him, anyway?"

"I asked if it was all right to pray while smoking. He said that
prayer is always appropriate. What did you ask him?"

"I asked him if it was all right to smoke while praying. He said that
smoking would defame the sacred act, so it is forbidden."

Often, it's all in how you ask the question!

~Alan Klein

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