The following article was originally written in 2007, under the pen name of Blind Melon Ugly Dude – it was put in the category of “Fuzzy Logic”. I republished it on Open Salon in 2009 because it still seemed relevant. In light of recent current events, the point I hope to make is even more important now than ever.

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Incite Vs Insight – A Plea For Reason

It is perhaps an ironic twist of fate that, in these trying and potentially dangerous times in which we live, we seem to have leaders (and wanna-be-leaders) who practice incite without insight.

Is it just me? Or has anybody else noticed this:

Political leaders, pundits, news reporters, outspoken (and often self-proclaimed) religious authorities, and sometimes, just “any ol’ body” who can grab a spotlight, microphone or a soapbox are frequently trying to incite people to some action or to a belief that might cause a desired action.

I try to be an observer of people and situations. And while I am almost always willing to admit upfront that “I may not have it exactly right”, it sure seems that many of these “inciters” are not even trying to have insight.

Part of the problem may be right there in the dictionary – my dictionary defines insight as “a clear or deep perception of a situation”, but it also defines it as “the clear, and often sudden, understanding of a complex situation”.

Please try to follow my line of reasoning here – I think that this might be important. There is a big difference between “a clear deep perception of a situation” and “the clear, and often sudden, understanding of a complex situation.”

In order to have a clear and deep perception of a situation, it is necessary to understand the situation – to study it, and look at it from many different angles. In order to practice this type of insight, one must have an open mind and be willing to examine the facts – to come to conclusions by logical deduction.

The “clear, and often sudden, understanding of a complex situation” or what might be called “a flash of insight” could very well be based upon the practicing of insight as I described it above, BUT it could also be based upon many other factors, some of which “just might not be right”.

Do you think that it’s possible that someone can have one of these “flashes of insight” that is based – not on facts and logical deductions, but on gut feelings and emotions? It’s not only possible, but probably quite common. And, here is a worrisome aspect – how many people THINK that they have insight into a situation that is based upon a “flash of insight” that is inspired by gut feelings and emotions rather than TRUE INSIGHT that is a result of open-minded reflection and contemplation?

I hope you are with me so far, because the path of my reasoning is about to get a bit more complex and more difficult to follow (hey, it’s difficult for me to put it into words ..). Please allow me to get to my point by first repeating what I have already stated — but with a more plainspoken and blunt approach.

We have an abundance of leaders and personalities who are inciteful. They act and speak so as to influence your thoughts and actions to be in accord with some agenda. In some cases, they don’t even pretend to have insight (a clear and deep understanding), but they never-the-less try to incite. In other cases, they believe that they have insight (possibly from a “flash of insight”), but in reality have no clear and deep understanding at all.

Some of these inciteful people are quite good at what they do – they encourage listeners to act as they want them to act and to think as they want them to think. There are inciteful people who are convinced, and also convince listeners (who are now followers) that they are insightful. Some of the followers then believe that they also have insight.

- HOLD ON TIGHT, IT GETS WORSE. -

Now, we have inciteful leaders who have no clear understanding of some situation(s), and they have followers who are convinced that the leaders are insightful, and that they themselves understand some particular set of problems so well as to be insightful as well.

Does the phrase, “the blind leading the blind” come to mind? If only it were that benign. I am reminded of a mythical sea serpent who was so large that he encircled the earth and was in the process of eating his own tail, and in so doing, made of himself a noose drawing ever tighter and tighter around the globe.

I have heard it said of “days gone by” that “they were simpler times”. I don’t know if that is true or not – I suspect that there have almost always been complex issues facing us, as individuals and as various collective groups. But I do believe that the world we live in today is plagued by some very perplexing and complicated issues. I also believe that the problems we are facing cannot be solved by inciteful people (and, to be point-blank about it – inciteful people are part of the problem).

- AND NOW, AN OPTIMISTIC PLEA …. FOR REASON -

I honestly believe that what we need – are people, and leaders in particular, who actively seek insight. We need problem solvers who are willing to look at a situation from as many angles as possible, and, with an open mind, seek solutions. It is a task that is much easier “said than done”. We need people who are willing to listen to differing points of view, consider all options, and consider the consequences of those options – all the while, seeking to gain a “clear and deep understanding”.

I don’t know who YOU listen to. I don’t know what politcal affiliation YOU have. I know nothing about YOUR philosophical or religious leanings. BUT, I do ask you to consider this: Are the people, the leaders, the groups that are influential in your life inciteful or insightful?

I beseech you to allow me to be even bolder: Please dwell on the thoughts I have tried to convey here – the idea that we need more insight and less incite. Approach the concept with your own set of reasoning beliefs, and see if it holds water, if it makes sense, if it rings true. AND IF IT DOES … please take appropriate action – seek, require, DEMAND more insightful actions and less inciteful actions.

Thank you for reading all the way through – I truly do appreciate it.

What a great song.  What a message.  Please feel it.  Please pass it along.

And here are the lyrics:

I’ve been around a while
I know wrong from right
Learned a long time ago …
Things ain’t always black and white

Just like you can’t judge a book by its cover
We all got to be careful how we treat one another

CHORUS
Skin deep
Skin deep
Underneath, we all are the same
Skin deep
Skin deep
Underneath, we all are the same
We’re all are the same

A man in Louisianna
Never call me by my name
He said, ‘boy do this and boy do that’
But I never once complained

I knew he had a good heart, but he just didn’t understand
That I needed
To be treated
Just like any other man

Repeat CHORUS

I set my child down
When he was old enough to know
I said, ‘Out there in this big wide world,
you gonna meet all kind of folk’
I said, ‘Son, it all comes down to just one simple rule,
that you treat everbody just the way you want them to treat you’

Repeat CHORUS

So, here we have a well-known (and well-respected – at least among the lefties) pundit and his guest.  (I’ll leave them un-named because it’s not all that important who they are, only THAT they are).  They are bemoaning what they consider a political gaffe by the democrats.  They seem to be dumfounded by a lack of political action this close to an election season, and can’t understand why the congressional democrats don’t advance a particular piece of legislation that would put the republicans at a disadvantage – their thinking is that if the righties don’t vote for this bill, they will have a hard time explaining their vote to their constituents.

In so many words, they paint an analogous picture of – America, in trouble, with the democrats as our hope of salvation and the republicans as the nemisis of sanity.  And despite this pundit and his guest’s wealth of political knowledge, they can’t come up with an explanation for the situation they depict.

Well, I have a completely different analogy – for your consideration:

We (Americans) are standing in the deep end of a swimming pool with the water at about chin-level.  Our progressive pundit and his guest are expecting the democrats to throw us a life-line while the republicans are tossing us bricks.  And despite the supposed politial intelligence of this pundit and guest, they can’t see that BOTH the democrats and republicans are secretly gathered in the pump house – pumping more water into the pool.

Looking At Things Differently,
Will Dugan

It’s time for another drum-roll … take your hand off of the mouse and your fingers off of the keyboard, and to the best of your ability (it’s always best to do your best), rhythmically drum your fingers on your desk to simulate a drum roll worthy of …

TAaa DAaa !  Another Section Added to the WillDuWeb domain: Let’s Learn.

As of today, there is only one page in this new section. But, it will grow – I promise you. One of my interests is Digital Photography, so the first page in the WillDuWeb Let’s Learn Directory is:

Rick Sammon’s Top 10
Digital Photography Tips

I believe that you will really enjoy this YouTube instructional video.

Be Green N Growing
Keep Learning
Will Dugan

I do my very best to deal honestly with people.  But, there are times when I have devious thoughts.  I try to express it in writing – to the benefit of … ? hmm, anyone, or maybe someone, or maybe everyone (or at least most everyone).

In the column to the left, there are a list of links to articles that I have published on other websites.  I personally invite you to click on my latest one.

It’s called “Plan For Success In Afghanistan“.

Is Honesty Always The Best Policy?
Will Dugan