I had a dream last night.
Heh. That opening makes me think of a song (from the Romeo & Juliet soundtrack), but it's true.
It was weird, actually, because it felt like I was having a deep conversation with someone, then woke up before it came to a conclusion. Then fell asleep and had a deep conversation with someone different... and that happened maybe three or four times?
It's gone all fuzzy now, and trying to put it into words makes it even fuzzier. Things that seemed so clear in the dream suddenly aren't. I've already forgotten what was said, and just remember the gist of it. Except even that starts seeming less clear when I try to put it into words. We were discussing... my purpose? Goal? Perspective on life?
Gyah!
I just remember the answer, which I hadn't gotten around to giving before waking up. Which was that I sought understanding.
It's an impossible task, I could spend a thousand lifetimes learning everything I could and it still wouldn't be enough. But I am generally curious by nature. It doesn't matter whether it's about quantum physics, history, biology, art, computers, national security, philosophy or what. I do have a preference, in general, for anything related to human nature.
I suppose it's a bit because I believe that "He who controls others is powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still" (from Lao Tzu), or perhaps even Sun Tzu's quote:
I do remember reading the Lao Tzu one a long time ago, as a child, and having it sink in. Perhaps that's part of why I've chosen to focus so much on human nature... understanding myself and others around me.
Understanding...
Well, I don't think I'll ever get bored with that one. Over and over again, the great challenges of our day appear to be wicked problems. I still recall a really good analogy for that, though I forget which book I'd read it in. They described a wicked problem as though you were in a room full of furniture, each of which was connected to something else in the room, and you were trying to rearrange everything. Except moving one item would affect whatever was connected to it, so you were never able to do just one thing without considering the impact it would have on everything else in the room.
Solving a wicked problem requires a lot of study and understanding, like untying a Gordian knot the long way (instead of slicing through it with a sword.) We, as humans, generally get fed up and prefer the sword cutting solution... but ultimately that path has consequences, too.
Namely, well... if I could generalize one thing about a 'wicked problem', it's that there will probably be unintended consequences.
Whatever you are trying to do, if the task is complicated enough, it's almost impossible to predict and foresee all that will come from making that decision. For example, Reagan's decision to reduce funding for facilities treating mental illness contributed to a rise in homelessness (for those who had nowhere else to go) and meant more prisons had to pay money to treat mentally ill inmates.
Could that have been predicted? In hindsight, it seems a bit obvious... but from what I recall of the political climate at the time such a consequences wasn't even on anyone's radar.
I like trying to learn a little bit of everything (and a bit more than that in certain areas), of having enough of an understanding that I can somewhat predict what questions need to be asked in order to find those unintended consequences... before they become a reality.
It does make me a bit of a "jack of all trades, master of none" and it's not the sort of thing that's easily captured on a resume. Nor the sort of thing that I've ever drawn recognition for (an old ex of mine once said I had an amazing talent for being overlooked. I could write a nice little post on the topic of invisibility, and why my friend and I had an inside joke about it, but I don't feel like doing so right now.)
Anyways, I had a dream last night, and it meant enough to me that I decided to write a post about it.
Heh. That opening makes me think of a song (from the Romeo & Juliet soundtrack), but it's true.
It was weird, actually, because it felt like I was having a deep conversation with someone, then woke up before it came to a conclusion. Then fell asleep and had a deep conversation with someone different... and that happened maybe three or four times?
It's gone all fuzzy now, and trying to put it into words makes it even fuzzier. Things that seemed so clear in the dream suddenly aren't. I've already forgotten what was said, and just remember the gist of it. Except even that starts seeming less clear when I try to put it into words. We were discussing... my purpose? Goal? Perspective on life?
Gyah!
I just remember the answer, which I hadn't gotten around to giving before waking up. Which was that I sought understanding.
It's an impossible task, I could spend a thousand lifetimes learning everything I could and it still wouldn't be enough. But I am generally curious by nature. It doesn't matter whether it's about quantum physics, history, biology, art, computers, national security, philosophy or what. I do have a preference, in general, for anything related to human nature.
I suppose it's a bit because I believe that "He who controls others is powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still" (from Lao Tzu), or perhaps even Sun Tzu's quote:
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”
I do remember reading the Lao Tzu one a long time ago, as a child, and having it sink in. Perhaps that's part of why I've chosen to focus so much on human nature... understanding myself and others around me.
Understanding...
Well, I don't think I'll ever get bored with that one. Over and over again, the great challenges of our day appear to be wicked problems. I still recall a really good analogy for that, though I forget which book I'd read it in. They described a wicked problem as though you were in a room full of furniture, each of which was connected to something else in the room, and you were trying to rearrange everything. Except moving one item would affect whatever was connected to it, so you were never able to do just one thing without considering the impact it would have on everything else in the room.
Solving a wicked problem requires a lot of study and understanding, like untying a Gordian knot the long way (instead of slicing through it with a sword.) We, as humans, generally get fed up and prefer the sword cutting solution... but ultimately that path has consequences, too.
Namely, well... if I could generalize one thing about a 'wicked problem', it's that there will probably be unintended consequences.
Whatever you are trying to do, if the task is complicated enough, it's almost impossible to predict and foresee all that will come from making that decision. For example, Reagan's decision to reduce funding for facilities treating mental illness contributed to a rise in homelessness (for those who had nowhere else to go) and meant more prisons had to pay money to treat mentally ill inmates.
Could that have been predicted? In hindsight, it seems a bit obvious... but from what I recall of the political climate at the time such a consequences wasn't even on anyone's radar.
I like trying to learn a little bit of everything (and a bit more than that in certain areas), of having enough of an understanding that I can somewhat predict what questions need to be asked in order to find those unintended consequences... before they become a reality.
It does make me a bit of a "jack of all trades, master of none" and it's not the sort of thing that's easily captured on a resume. Nor the sort of thing that I've ever drawn recognition for (an old ex of mine once said I had an amazing talent for being overlooked. I could write a nice little post on the topic of invisibility, and why my friend and I had an inside joke about it, but I don't feel like doing so right now.)
Anyways, I had a dream last night, and it meant enough to me that I decided to write a post about it.
He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.
Lao Tzu
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/lao_tzu_385970
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/lao_tzu_385970
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