Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)
Janine and Kate (FOTDs1) do this thing every Friday. They call it a blog hop and it is, in part, a way to let blog writers visit and read other blog writer’s blogs. Given how little extra time most of us active bloggers have in any given day, this is a very good way to help me ‘get out more’, to read people who I may not otherwise read. The ‘hook’ to their blog-hop is called, ‘Finish the Sentence Friday’ and as you probably are suspecting, it involves… completing a sentence in what one hopes is a clever, creative and entertaining manner!
We participated back in January, got snowed under (literally and figuratively), and did not do so again until now. Today I thought we would participate for two reasons: a) we like Janine and Kate and them (Dawn and Stephanie), and 2) it would be an opportunity to see if I am capable of writing an interesting Post in under 500 words.2
Here are the ‘Rules’
(and)
Here is the ‘setup’
”Speaking from experience, I’m going to give you a little advice on…” …personality theories in general, and the Wakefield Doctrine specifically.
The human urge/drive to understand why people act the way that they do, surely is at least the second thing Man experienced when he: evolved, was created, got out of the Flying Saucer, stopped hitting each other with femurs. The manifestation of a self-conscious mind, not just self-awareness, but the curiosity into the motive of others.
(scene: paleolithic cave, somewhere outside Les Eyzies about 25,000 years ago. Quentin Tarantino and Jessica Alba would not be arriving for at least 24,990 years)
Mrs. Magnon: “Hey, stop with the wall already and come over and eat!”
Mr. Magnon: “Why doesn’t she understand how important this is?”
We all know the rest of the story.
As persistent, pervasive and fun the desire to understand why people act the way that they do may be, the drive to understand ourselves is even more …basic. And so it should come as no surprise that there are so, so many theories to explain your behavior and her behavior, the children’s behavior…. for that matter the dog’s behavior!
Simply put, personality theories are mirrors. And just as it is impossible to walk past a mirror without looking, understandably difficult to put down the magazines with the article about Kirsten or Beyoncé, ( the cover, ‘Beyoncé reveals all! yes, I used a body-double for my Honeymoon‘), we understand that trying to read, while in a checkout line, about a test that will allow you to discover if you are compatible with your spouse of 20 years or the girl/boy who sits in front of you in History 101. We understand!
…and before anyone says, ‘I never look in the mirror as I walk by!’ No, of course you don’t. …what mirror?
The thing is, we are all curious and we are all trying to make (our) relationships satisfying. That is why we have personality theories.
(Afraid I am approaching 500 words.)
real quick, the Wakefield Doctrine (specifically) is really useful and totally fun, for those people who have a certain kind of curiosity and intellectual self-confidence. The reason it is fun, is that it is based on the notion that personality theory must begin with how an individual relates (themselves) to the world around them and from there, the real fun…. identifying the three personality types in the people in your own life, in other words, seeing the clarks and the scotts and the rogers around you.
I stop.
Don’t forget to go and read all the other Posts that are at the bottom of Janine’s Post, y’all
1) FOTD Friends of the Doctrine, which means they be on our blogroll and such
2) We’ve been trying to find a word-diet that we can live with, our rogerian aspect has been manifesting of late and rather than buy a larger sized blog theme, we thought we would try to slim it on down, ya know what I mean?
About clarkscottroger
Totally fun post today, y’all. LOL
Thank you for posting the rules.
I will check out all blog sites listed up above. Don’t know if I will actually finish any senten
I loved how you used this is and gave a bit of advice about personality theories, specifically the Wakefield Doctrine and even included a bit about Pavlov’s dog!! Great job and thanks as always for linking up with us Clark!! :)
@Janine
my pleasure as always… I will read and Comment on the others through the course of the today today!
Awesome way to incorporate FTSF into the Doctrine! I’m trying to get a friend of mine to read this; she’s very intellectual and could stand to benefit from your awesomeness here. :D
@Cyndi
Tomorrow is Saturday… you know what that means! lol serially, hope you can call in tomorrow (if you do, remind me to explain the Secret Project Project which I forgot to write about this week…) also would love to hear about this friend she a clark or a roger? (technically she could be a scott… nah, lol) but it is possible for a roger or a clark to present with excessive intellectual giftism.. be cool if she would join us, but the truth of the matter is that you are the exceptional one, Cyndi. Most of the people who know about the Doctrine can see the idea of the Saturday Night call as being fun, but do not have the: drive, the adventurous-ness, the willing to do something scary (i.e. call in to a conference call of people they have never met…any number of reasons. (Although you know who I really want to get to call in? Terrye lol that would be fun.)
I see the 3 a.m. wake up call did you well. I’m salivating at the bell as my hunger for more continues. A 500 word limit? Bah, humbug! Continue as long as the heart desires, or until you have to commit to employment demands. In response to your invitation a few days ago (concerning the Saturday evening call) I have to say I usually work until 8 p.m. on Saturday evenings, and then it’s close to an hour drive time home. Home obligations (eating, showering, kissing the cat and petting the wife, etc.) tend to make my visiting a very doubtful happening. I’m sure I would enjoy it, though. Perhaps, one day when the world is sunshiny and my time is indeed my time, it could occur! Great Job!
@Rich
…will be fun, look forward to when it’s possible for you to call in everyone would enjoy…hey! wait a minute! You know we do the drive from my automobile, which is not overly safe, but! if you have (or are planning to) get a bluetooth for th car… call on in!
I should post the Video of us nearly driving through a stoplight, yes, the conversation was that engrossing!
And thanks for the many ‘jumpstarts’ that reading your blog provides.
I love being able to relate to my children on their level. Knowing how to interact with them in such a way that they feel valuable is priceless.
@Molly
cannot disagree with that, the (potential) of bridging the gap between all people (of all ages) is very cool
That was actually fascinating, and it made me want to read your blog more. I think the personality theories are so interesting, and you have one of the most original blogs I have ever read. Oh, and “hitting each other with femurs” made me chuckle…Glad you linked up with FTSF- thanks!
@Stephanie
thank you, I was serious about liking these blog hops as a way of me to ‘get out more’. Its funny how the first thing I learned/was taught when I got into blogging was the key was to read other blogs and establish networks connections and friends which is most of what I did for the first couple of years, then the demands on time rachet up and I find myself limited to my blogroll (for new reading), thank you for this opportunity.
Intriguing stuff! I may have to look into this more. I like your ‘theories are mirrors’ theory, but I now want to know whether they are mirrors based only on perspective or whether any of them are objective (in which case how come I can find two theories which contradict!) Oh the thinking this will take!
@Considerer
For the Doctrine ‘perspective’ is everything, in our terms we talk about worldviews, that personal reality that we all have that says not only are we inclined to behave thus and so, but the world itself is inclined to behave thus and so for us…in our worldview (perhaps differently or, at very least not perceivably from my personal reality). The Wakefield Doctrine is simpler than I often explain it, lol but we welcome your questions! Plus we have a ‘call in’ every Saturday night. It’s fun!
I’m so glad you linked up with FTSF because I’m not sure I’d have found you otherwise. This is fascinating. I can’t wait to read more – I’m constantly striving to better understand some of my 3-year old son’s behavior (he’s on the autism spectrum). I’ve bookmarked your page. If you have specific posts that you think would pertain to his behavior, I’d love if you’ll let me know. Thanks much.
@Kristi
thats one of the things that I enjoy about the FTSF, lets me read (and meet different bloggers that I might not have come across otherwise)…
It’s funny about the Post (actually about the whole blog) the structure and organization of the page is kinda ad hoc, with the fixed pages providing a source of information on the underlying principles (of the Wakefield Doctrine), but it is the Posts that ‘the conversation’ about the Doctrine can be found.
It’s interesting that even though the principles are established, with more and more people reading about the approach we take towards understanding people and behavior ( the idea that ‘personality’ or at least a person’s understanding of another personality, must begin with an appreciation of how the person relates themselves to the world) the more facets of this thing come to light. Very much interactive.
I will be happy to see if I can find some POsts that might form the basis of foundation and let you know.
…hey! you know…. if you are not overseas (timezone problems) we do this thing I call the Wakefield Doctrine Saturday Night Drive (which is one of those conference call things, you are welcome to call in…the direct conversation (next Post will be relating this Saturday’s Drive)… you might enjoy that it’s a way to have specific information, although the Posts are, of course, totally fun to read too!
Good to hear from you.