Cold Hard Logic
We have a new word of the year, courtesy of the eminently qualified people at Merriam Webster, who have pronounced Dr. Steven Colberts phrase truthiness as the embodiment of this annus horribilis. Those of you unaware of the good doctor's work, truthiness is a satirical term which refers to person who claims to know something intuitively, instinctively, or "from the gut" without regard to evidence, logic, intellectual examination, or actual facts. This kind of evocation is a constant factor in American politics, it being just about the sole kind of justification the White House has ever put out for any of its policies.
The word has been chosen at an appropriate time, because I also am under siege due to my logical approach to life, being told to advocate something else then cold rationality in my daily interaction. Now I think it's fair to say that cold rationality is one of my strong points, and that it is one of the aspects of me that I actually like. I don't like doing or thinking things that have no connection with reality in real world situations. I'm not dismissing the power of imagination or the utility of a flight of fancy (who doesn't indulge in those) but I don't think decisions and words should be wasted without regard this requirement.
Others would disagree suggesting that I should replace my logic with...Well they haven't been forthcoming about what I should replace it with. I think the alternatives would either be more gut instinct, more random behaviour and less planning. An adaptation of truthiness if you will.The value of spontaneity is something that I can appreciate, and it really is something that I don't do a lot of. It might be just the way I'm configured but I also feel that I don't have the people around me to let me be spontaneous in a meaningful way with constructive results. Saying silly things has never appealed to me; I'd rather be actually witty or telling jokes which I flatter myself but I think I'm good at playing with words instead of doing silly things which I can't do because I have the grace of galloping hyena.
In the end though I'm comfortable with what I am, I like being rational, and thinking things through before committing myself to anything. It's what I'm used to doing, and it seems idiotic to resile from a position that is eminently rational to a position less rational because of no articulatable benefit. So till the case is better made, I'll be staying the way I am.
The word has been chosen at an appropriate time, because I also am under siege due to my logical approach to life, being told to advocate something else then cold rationality in my daily interaction. Now I think it's fair to say that cold rationality is one of my strong points, and that it is one of the aspects of me that I actually like. I don't like doing or thinking things that have no connection with reality in real world situations. I'm not dismissing the power of imagination or the utility of a flight of fancy (who doesn't indulge in those) but I don't think decisions and words should be wasted without regard this requirement.
Others would disagree suggesting that I should replace my logic with...Well they haven't been forthcoming about what I should replace it with. I think the alternatives would either be more gut instinct, more random behaviour and less planning. An adaptation of truthiness if you will.The value of spontaneity is something that I can appreciate, and it really is something that I don't do a lot of. It might be just the way I'm configured but I also feel that I don't have the people around me to let me be spontaneous in a meaningful way with constructive results. Saying silly things has never appealed to me; I'd rather be actually witty or telling jokes which I flatter myself but I think I'm good at playing with words instead of doing silly things which I can't do because I have the grace of galloping hyena.
In the end though I'm comfortable with what I am, I like being rational, and thinking things through before committing myself to anything. It's what I'm used to doing, and it seems idiotic to resile from a position that is eminently rational to a position less rational because of no articulatable benefit. So till the case is better made, I'll be staying the way I am.
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