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-the Wakefield Doctrine- ‘the coolest thing about the Wakefield Doctrine?’

Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)

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The coolest (and best) thing about the Wakefield Doctrine is not that we get to make statements such as “Everyone lives in a perfect world”, and it is not the fun of asserting, “Everyone works exactly as hard at life as everyone else does.” Nope making these statements isn’t what this Post, (and its tantalizing questionistical subtitle), is proposting.

What does makes the Doctrine so cool, is that if a person is able to apply the perspectives inherent in the Doctrine to their world, these (and many other, equally outrageous declarations), become totally self-evident and, true even.

You know whats the hardest part of this ‘applying of (a) Wakefield Doctrine perspective’ process? (And it’s not confined to the Wakefield Doctrine), its that any philosophy or belief system that offers an alternative path (in life and such) always demands payment in exchange for it’s benefits. And, just to make matters worse, the price is not, strictly speaking, a ‘quid pro quo’*. What is asked for/demanded, for the privilege of enjoying the benefits of an additional perspective, is that one relinquish the bedrock-certainty of knowing the nature and character of reality. Many Readers are muttering into coffee-shadowed cups, “Hey! I’m open-minded. I know lots of people who see the world different than me, and, well, I got no problem with that!”

(…almost. this close. Unfortunately, that is not the level of acceptance of the validity and reality of another’s worldview required in order to take full advantage of a perspective(s) as contained in the Wakefield Doctrine.)

But enough of the coyness. Here’s a fun** experiment. I was roaming the contemplative and hallowed halls of the Facebook the other day, and a person wrote about losing friends. He concluded that the cause was related to the current politico-cultural mashup thats currently sweeping the world, (like a seaweed and ice cream sandwich wrapper cluttered wave, moon-pushed up the beach farther than any of the previous 3,897 waves). Anyway, being a thoughtful person, he wrote that maybe it was something in him, maybe his own views (on the state of ‘the world’) were at the heart of the problem of otherwise seemingly compatible people running away.

I offered the following: find a person in your life that has seemed like a normal, regular person who, if they are not currently long-standing friends, have the resume to make a successful bid for the job… except of one part. They are totally fervent believers in (fill in the blank with politics/religion/scientific opinion…whatever). You are forced to scratch your head and think (or say), “I just don’t understand how a person like Joe/Jane can believe in that!! He/She is an intelligent, educated, accomplished person, but they believe in….” Now imagine that, from their perspective (i.e. the reality that they are experiencing) there is nothing incongruous in their beliefs.

When you can be comfortable with that, you’re ready to pay the price for the power of alternate perspectives on reality.

And, the irony is that for most of us, when we confront the notion of surrendering the exclusivity of an idea or belief, premise or tenet, our initial reaction is that we are being threatened with a loss. When, in fact, when we accept that our belief or tenet or premise or perspective is not exclusive, we open ourselfs to adding to what we have, what we are.

Ya know?***

*  Latin phrase inserted to culture-up this little post, and since there isn’t an ‘Illuminated Text’ font handy, this will have to suffice to provide, you know credentials.

** no, really, it is fun

*** well, sure I can explain what I mean by the cool thing about making inflammatory and outrageous statements and claims and such… have to be the next post… be sure to bring along your scottian aspect!

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clarkscottroger About clarkscottroger
Well, what exactly do you want to know? Whether I am a clark or a scott or roger? If you have to ask, then you need to keep reading the Posts for two reasons: a)to get a clear enough understanding to be able to make the determination of which type I am and 2) to realize that by definition I am all three.* *which is true for you as well, all three...but mostly one

Comments

  1. This was interesting reading, Clark, because I so very often find myself wondering how someone I admire and respect can take such an off-the-wall position on some issue. I find it very difficult not to reassess their overall sanity, and yet I can understand what you are saying about their seemingly incongruous beliefs being perfectly in sync within their own view of life. I will try to remember that the next time I find myself shaking my head in confoundment!

    • clarkscottroger clarkscottroger says:

      What is the Sherlock Holmes quote, “Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.

      Confronted with the same conundrum and with the aid of the Wakefield Doctrine, I am now far more comfortable with, with the rather pervasive cognitive dissonance we are all subject to these days.

  2. Sageleaf says:

    Meee, too. I echo what Josie said. In fact, I have a cousin who sits on “the other side” and she’s such a cool person. But I’ve often wondered if they wonder the same thing, too. Except…man…I just feel like the other side is…not for Robin Hood. He always wanted to help the people. Distribute and make friends with everyone except the hoarders of all the gold. LOL
    Oh well…I think I might have to go to the next fabled story…They say that Goldilocks had long golden hair you could climb…like a vine!

  3. Bein’ all introspective and such this evening, it is a bittersweet reminder you’ve put out there – about the price to be paid. Enlightenment ain’t free as they, (no wait, they didn’t) say.
    The notion/concept/perspective of considering 2 other personal realities aside from your own, surely demands that one have an “open” mind. But how open are most for being shown that one’s own “reality” is not the only one out there!