Website Translator

May 27, 2010

Creative Design Thinking


Update June 6, 2010:
Humble - Having a feeling of insignificance, inferiority, subservience, etc.

Humility - Modest opinion or estimate of one's own importance, rank, etc.

Although related derivations, humble as used below is distinguished as support for an individual's creative ideas and designs in debate.
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From Einstein: His Life and Universe, p432 (America)

“What makes the new arrival devoted to this country is the democratic trait among the people…No one humbles himself before another person or class.”
This was a function of the right of the individuals to say and think what they pleased, a trait that had always been important to Einstein. In addition, the lack of stifling traditions encouraged more creativity of the sort he had relished as a student.

“American youth has the good fortune not to have its outlook troubled by outworn traditions.”



May 14, 2010

Free Choice, Commitment, and Due Process


In a free democratic society, individuals have rights guaranteed by law along with their preferred religious practices governing how people live their lives. Much is made in America regarding race and relationships and it gets a great deal of attention. So much that fraternal agreements and understandings regulate initiation rituals to reinforce separation. During the creation of American society, recognition of some humans as property was allowed and through enlightenment and years of legal evolution the framework was amended to grant freedoms to all. Given this development, how could any ethnic group claim ownership or violation of property rights with an interracial relationship? Even further to the point within a given racial or ethnic group? Not even the heavily referred Bible recognizes adultery without a prior marriage commitment. Neither the constitution nor the Bible identifies these relations as violating the law. Any attempts to carry out punishment or restriction are themselves liable improper judgments. Trying to keep separate 300 million people is just not practical nor socially & economically desirable. Neither is the idea of genetically re-engineering an American Black race.

My experience has revealed that the admittance of liability or wrongdoing is very hard to achieve from some groups or people. Primarily, the accused or guilty party tries to mitigate the financial punishment for such actions without establishing a legal precedent. Regarding relationships, I look for compatible personalities, matching of values and goals, and partnership more than I do race or ethnicity. I do not regard matching within your own ethnicity nor pre-arranged relationships as a personal responsibility which contradicts the values I embrace as American. History is important but not determinant. There are many groups in society that make “racial solidarity” their cause and path toward success. However, separation solidarity is neither the American history lesson nor the direction of a progressing democratic society. Choices are made when people are comfortable understanding the agreement with some future predictability of the outcome. There are common interests within ethnic groups and they do not limit choices and freedoms. Community commitment and free choice are not mutually exclusive ideals.

The use of fraternal, religious organizations to create career liabilities and family hardships for anyone that does not conform to someone’s ethnic definition is a liability increasing social costs burdening the state. It limits earning potential (tax revenues to government), committed family development, and reinforces ethnic stereotypes. An even greater threat to the democracy is the delay of due process to protect the organized, fraternal violations of law in an attempt to replace with a subjugated group belonging. So, does the American democratic experiment continue to grow or do we fall victim to the separate, (prophetic) group commitments creating its own rules difficult to globally enforce and adjudicate within the legal system of equal justice?






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update: December 2013


May 10, 2010

Explanation and Critique of Quadrant Labels: Individual and Social


The labels used in the Assets and Values blog post were, as previously stated, personally derived through observation of political communications and societal descriptions via commentary and publications. The Social designation assumes a governing philosophy of shared responsibility for the community to ensure care for the human condition. Further extrapolation of this description with varying degrees of adaptability reflects a political view of government’s role in society through institutions and programs for protection of citizens; ensuring healthcare; security; limits to risk of loss against economic fluctuations in employment; and extreme inequality.

The Individual label description was based upon a promoted political ideology by the conservative groups that have historically influenced policy. Their position is that the individual has control and influence to determine his/her economic success. In a Democratic-capitalist society, this concept supports the psychological desire of its citizens to believe that their hard work and ability will determine the level of success and wealth. Important to effectively sustain this philosophy is the assurance of equal and fair opportunity; legal protection and treatment; access to necessary economic input factors; and individual freedoms outside of community and social organizational hierarchy. Talent and ideas should be allowed to prosper and flourish within the law beyond the confines of any potential hierarchal limits exclusive of tests of loyalty and morality. Without this criterion the Individual label identification is generally less applicable given the varying degrees of adaptability and application.

Political governance assuming the Individual philosophy would unintentionally lead to the devaluation of community institutions necessary for healthy development of a thriving society by claiming parents solely responsible for children / family welfare. This would exclude the contributive impact of the family church; children’s schools; social organizations such as Boys' and Girls' Club, Boys' and Girls' Scouts, summer camps, Little League, and all other participative organizations.
The only useful political purpose of the Individual philosophy would be to transfer economic burden to reduce budgets and impact the public where resources are needed the most. The destabilizing impact of such budget cutting politics are somewhat reflected in Greece, Portugal, Italy, and Spain. Deficits and debt levels are an issue along with some other unique problems specific to the European Union. Currently, three of the five (3 of 5) countries experiencing the worst of the economic downturn are in the Individual-Conservative quadrant and four of the five (4 of 5) identified represent the Conservative section of the graphic. The first place I would begin to investigate for a possible solution would be the wealth and earnings distribution (levels of inequality).


Reported importance of religion in daily life from a statistical sample of opinion from the populations!
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8-29-2013