The second article on the Frontal Cortex is interesting.
A wonderful example of this kind of thinking, right now, is Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian PM, who simply cannot understand why people are making a fuss about him (how old is he? 60s? more?) spending lots of time with young women - very young women - underage females. He silences all opposition and seems to be Teflon-coated...until the last day or two (LOL).
What's bizarre is that he is so popular. I can only think that he is living the "fantasy" that many Italian men would like to live. He's the Alpha "lad" and they wish they were he.
The female Italians don't seem so keen on him, however. Wonder why? :blink:
Reading such articles is both enlightening and frightening. So many, practically everyone is seduced by power. What makes me think I would be any different if I had it? If I had the resources and opportunity, I like to think I would behave equitable and compassionate, but I don't know.
Society loves it when one of the powerful falls. We shake our heads and wag our fingers when in reality we may want to take stock of our own choices and reactions. How do we treat those who are weaker, like the elderly, the poor, the sick, or the single pregnant woman who can't speak English?
its a different system.. in the *real world* that is.
even when I grade a student.. they STILL have the right to appeal. Even to more than one authority..
Why do you think that policy was adopted in the first place? Someone, probably several, before you abused their power and students paid the price, I would guess. So you see, what you are saying relates very much to this topic imo.
its a different system.. in the *real world* that is.
even when I grade a student.. they STILL have the right to appeal. Even to more than one authority..
Give em a freebee or two . . . don't mark it . ... . they come back and complain about a different question. . . you say "I see, you disagree here . . .fair enough . . . well I'll give it to you this time . . . wait! . . . I just noticed this other question . . . it's answered completely wrong but I gave you credit . . . "
I think its a little like the Peter Principle. Everybody rises to their level of incompetence, but few are willing to admit they've reached their level of incompetence and go back to a level where they are competent.
Same with power. Lets face it guys, you don't rise to the top of the food chain because of your winning smile. The further up the ladder you go, the more you have to sell yourself out; the more you have to compromise your principles.. With that, occassionally comes the chance to do some good, sometimes. Out of this rises that sense of entitlement. I can just hear Saint Vic now: After all the good I've done, I deserve...(fill in whichever vice here).
Though we know what it does, few are willing to give it up in favor of a life of more integrety.
I think Ayn Rand said it best: Honesty is realizing you can't fake reality; integrety is realizing you can't fake yourself.
Consider Craigmeister, he knew how to play the game. Then he got the brass ring and found himself in the situation of a dog having caught a car. As our fearless, chosen leader, he was obviously over his head. From the year I spent in TWI2 and the few teachings I heard from the guy, he had no leadership qualities at all. He always struck me as someone who was threading water.
He was way to reactive to be a leader. Leaders are proactive, that's why they're leaders, they're ahead of the pack. But not the Craigster. The war between good and evil wasn't enough for him, he had to be at war with the world. Then ultimatly his own people.
Sad really.
He should have hit the showers and demoted himself to water boy.
The further up the ladder you go, the more you have to sell yourself out; the more you have to compromise your principles..
SoCrates
I'm just not ready to concede that point. I think there are still good people out there with power, at least I hope so. I agree with everything else you say. Including the part where you said VP considered himself entitled to things because of the perceived "good" he did.
I'm just not ready to concede that point. I think there are still good people out there with power, at least I hope so. I agree with everything else you say. Including the part where you said VP considered himself entitled to things because of the perceived "good" he did.
BA, I agree. There are good people out there. People who understand the first principle of power: the more you use, the less you have. How does this work? Who has more power? The boss that has to tower over you and make sure you do everything or the boss who tells you to do something, walks away, and knows it'll get done?
By selling themselves out, I mean: intuitively, we know good from bad. Before we do something, our value structure tells us whether we're doing right or wrong. Too many times, I've encountered people who were willing to do wrong in the name of brown-nosing.
One place I worked, a guy would get his boss women. Another place I worked, the boss would get extras from the distributor and not claim them. Another place I worked, the boss would come up short on the budget, so he'd come up with a reason to withhold the employees raise and say they'd be re-evaluated in six months.
Then there are the people who relish firing employees. I worked one place where the boss was bragging about how she fired one employee "with class." She made her clean the whole office, then informed her she was fired.
This doesn't even start into the micromanaging Way people I've encountered, but I think you get the idea.
All these people knew they were doing wrong, but they compromised their values to "get ahead," that is, to get more power.
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Ham
From your second link
the "answer" to the problem seems simple. Just take your power back. No more slavish servitude.. no more "love offerings."
no more motorcoaches and no more free plane tickets, gasoline, traveling (over)expenses..
nothing.
Not even one thin, over-worked dime..
seems a lot of exwayfers haven't learned the lesson..
what a day it has been here..
this has been my fourth semester (hopefully not last.. well, maybe *they* will let me teach something else) teaching college intermediate algebra.
I could get up in front of people and present subjects prior to this.. but.. I never planned or taught a whole class in this manner before.
considering how I conduct a class now, compared to the first time around.. it would have been more ethical if I had paid THEM, instead of them, ME..
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Twinky
The second article on the Frontal Cortex is interesting.
A wonderful example of this kind of thinking, right now, is Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian PM, who simply cannot understand why people are making a fuss about him (how old is he? 60s? more?) spending lots of time with young women - very young women - underage females. He silences all opposition and seems to be Teflon-coated...until the last day or two (LOL).
What's bizarre is that he is so popular. I can only think that he is living the "fantasy" that many Italian men would like to live. He's the Alpha "lad" and they wish they were he.
The female Italians don't seem so keen on him, however. Wonder why? :blink:
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Ham
Yeah.. it was an evaluation day.
The boss comes, sits in the back of the room. We are psychically connected. How, why I have no idea.. but somehow I know the day the boss is coming..
The first semester, I was a horrible teacher. Of course, every grad assistant could not claim better..
four times through this, and I am starting to figure out what to fix.. so I really hope it isn't the last time around.
so I ask the question. Am I getting close to a "fair" rating yet?
and.. no comment..
well.. you are doing a lot better.. you could try doing this, or doing that..
the only *real* power I have is to issue a grade. And I do my best to do that fairly..
what does this have to do with the topic of this thread? I dunno.. but it got me thinking of other things..
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Ham
its a different system.. in the *real world* that is.
even when I grade a student.. they STILL have the right to appeal. Even to more than one authority..
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Broken Arrow
Reading such articles is both enlightening and frightening. So many, practically everyone is seduced by power. What makes me think I would be any different if I had it? If I had the resources and opportunity, I like to think I would behave equitable and compassionate, but I don't know.
Society loves it when one of the powerful falls. We shake our heads and wag our fingers when in reality we may want to take stock of our own choices and reactions. How do we treat those who are weaker, like the elderly, the poor, the sick, or the single pregnant woman who can't speak English?
Why do you think that policy was adopted in the first place? Someone, probably several, before you abused their power and students paid the price, I would guess. So you see, what you are saying relates very much to this topic imo.
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Bolshevik
Give em a freebee or two . . . don't mark it . ... . they come back and complain about a different question. . . you say "I see, you disagree here . . .fair enough . . . well I'll give it to you this time . . . wait! . . . I just noticed this other question . . . it's answered completely wrong but I gave you credit . . . "
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Ham
ha! I've done that a couple of times..
some of us try to avoid it. The power, that is..
then there is some group, committee or something that calls us on it..
I like the Jeffersonian plea. "he who governs least, governs best.."
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So_crates
I think its a little like the Peter Principle. Everybody rises to their level of incompetence, but few are willing to admit they've reached their level of incompetence and go back to a level where they are competent.
Same with power. Lets face it guys, you don't rise to the top of the food chain because of your winning smile. The further up the ladder you go, the more you have to sell yourself out; the more you have to compromise your principles.. With that, occassionally comes the chance to do some good, sometimes. Out of this rises that sense of entitlement. I can just hear Saint Vic now: After all the good I've done, I deserve...(fill in whichever vice here).
Though we know what it does, few are willing to give it up in favor of a life of more integrety.
I think Ayn Rand said it best: Honesty is realizing you can't fake reality; integrety is realizing you can't fake yourself.
SoCrates
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Ham
everyone raises to their level of incompetence..
that is only the FIRST semester.
after that.. *they* learn to turn it down, a bit..
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So_crates
Consider Craigmeister, he knew how to play the game. Then he got the brass ring and found himself in the situation of a dog having caught a car. As our fearless, chosen leader, he was obviously over his head. From the year I spent in TWI2 and the few teachings I heard from the guy, he had no leadership qualities at all. He always struck me as someone who was threading water.
He was way to reactive to be a leader. Leaders are proactive, that's why they're leaders, they're ahead of the pack. But not the Craigster. The war between good and evil wasn't enough for him, he had to be at war with the world. Then ultimatly his own people.
Sad really.
He should have hit the showers and demoted himself to water boy.
SoCrates
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Broken Arrow
I'm just not ready to concede that point. I think there are still good people out there with power, at least I hope so. I agree with everything else you say. Including the part where you said VP considered himself entitled to things because of the perceived "good" he did.
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So_crates
BA, I agree. There are good people out there. People who understand the first principle of power: the more you use, the less you have. How does this work? Who has more power? The boss that has to tower over you and make sure you do everything or the boss who tells you to do something, walks away, and knows it'll get done?
By selling themselves out, I mean: intuitively, we know good from bad. Before we do something, our value structure tells us whether we're doing right or wrong. Too many times, I've encountered people who were willing to do wrong in the name of brown-nosing.
One place I worked, a guy would get his boss women. Another place I worked, the boss would get extras from the distributor and not claim them. Another place I worked, the boss would come up short on the budget, so he'd come up with a reason to withhold the employees raise and say they'd be re-evaluated in six months.
Then there are the people who relish firing employees. I worked one place where the boss was bragging about how she fired one employee "with class." She made her clean the whole office, then informed her she was fired.
This doesn't even start into the micromanaging Way people I've encountered, but I think you get the idea.
All these people knew they were doing wrong, but they compromised their values to "get ahead," that is, to get more power.
SoCrates
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Ham
the more you use, the less you have..
that's the key to everything, isn't it.
I could have buried my last arrogant egotistical employer..
no, it would not have been worth the "investment"..
"use it or lose it" really was, for lack of better words, a devilish concept, wasn't it?
as it is.. I walk away, and his own children will pick at his bones..
can't say I didn't offer a few alternatives..
one of them was "buy gold. while you can.."
and the dumb bastard just followed the market..
now.. considering he would have close to double his investment, rather than half..
well.. less for the kids to fight over, I guess..
sowie.
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