Month: February 2010 | the Wakefield Doctrine Month: February 2010 | the Wakefield Doctrine

God said to Abraham, kill me a son. Abe say, man you must be puttin me on

(Man, tough Post.)

I mean, I know what I want to talk about, but it’s how to talk about it that has me dialing: 1-800-kitchensink.
You do not want to know how many drafts it has taken to get even this far.  But write it I will. (remind me to tell you later about how helpful our Miss Sullivan has been).

Let’s start at the beginning (…”and go on till you come to the end”  L Carroll):

‘The Wakefield Doctrine is built upon the idea that everyone experiences the world/reality differently, from one of three overlapping but distinctive perspectives… maintains that this characteristic perception of reality can be grouped into three distinct types, called for reasons stated elsewhere, clarks, scotts and rogers.’
…we also possess the potential to see the world as a clark or a scott or a roger.  It is only the predominance of qualities from one (over the other two) that makes us what we are.  No one is only clarklike or scottian or rogerian. (source:  About: The Wakefield Doctrine (italics added).

Why quote that which we all know?

To assert balance.
In the last few Posts we have received a good amount of input from the scottian perspective.  We appreciate this.  The Doctrine is being read by more and more (repeat) Readers because of this input.
(and)…it is the nature of  scotts to present strong opinion on all matters, the topic  of rogers being no exception.
(All Opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the person, character or self-identified entity attaching their names to said Opinion.  These Opinions do not necessarily reflect the Opinions of other Progenitors or Downsprings.  All Comments are possibly incorrect, with the exception of those from the one with the marked penchant for parenthes(es))1

 So, let us go right to the matter at hand.

Rogers
are awful…
they are awfully opinionated and parochial, they are awfully judgemental and closed minded and obsessed with the mundane and the measurable and the repeatable and the consistent and the reliable and…it is a good thing we have rogers or we would all be living on the open savannah, sleeping in trees and looking over our shoulders every time we tried to have a drink of water.

Our scottian brethren (in fact our individual scottian aspect) are not incorrect in their assessment of the foibles of the rogerian nature; they are simply limited.  Their Comments are direct and without nuance or subtly,  you know:  scottian.  But neither are they (the scotts) at fault, they are merely expressing their perception.
Having said that, I would not want to fly to Vegas in a plane designed by scotts (or for that matter, a plane built by clarks).
In the first case, the plane would have 5  over-sized jet engines stuck on various sections of the fuselage, mostly towards the back of the plane, painted bright colors and the pilot would be expected to be able to stick his head out the window to scream at other passing jets.  In the second case, the interior would consist primarily of couches (with pillows and quilts),  that while comfortable, would tend to slide around (a lot)  and there would be 6 or 7  bathrooms taking up the entire back half of the plane.

(You get my point).

It is a given here at the Doctrine that those who participate are assumed to be able to handle whatever forms of interactions occur.  And while we maintain the editorial right to shape expressions of opinions, it is with no small amount of pride that we can say that has not happened yet.  What you read is the direct and un-abashed thoughts and opinions of the contributors.

But that is only half of the challenge we faced sitting down at the keyboard here.

The other half (and possibly the half with the greater significance for this thing of ours) is how to speak to them (rogers and scotts and clarks),  as brother Malcom said:

“And during the few moments that we have left, we want to talk, right down to
earth, in a language that everybody here can easily understand.” (Malcolm X)

The simple fact of the matter is that if not written in the ‘language’ of the type, no message will get through.  Another way to say it:  if I do not manage to ‘speak scottian‘ to a scott, my message will be misinterpreted at best and totally unheard at worst.  If I cannot speak to a roger in the language of the herd then I will be treated as noise.

This is the dilemma we face with this Post.

But, fuck it.  We are writing (this) which is not the same as assuming that we are communicating (with the Reader).

Hey scott!  Hey!!  Don’t eat all of the local herd or you may find yourself having to go outside of your own hunting grounds…getting hungry…getting weak…finding new hunting grounds and finding…a whole new pack of scotts…(and we all know how social and co operative scotts are). (Can you say, ‘the weak and old simply get left behind to die’?  I knew you could!)

Hey roger…get over it.  The herd is all there is… until you look up.  Once you see the herd,  I hate to burst your bubble pal,  you ain’t in the herd anymore.  And try as you might, you can never, never bury yourself in historical novels and documentaries by Saint Ken, never go back to that bovine indifference to the werld.  And those scotts that you love supplying food for and the clarks that make you feel so better than…guess what?
They know that you know.  And know that you know that they know…

oh clark…don’t think you can type yourself out of this one…no, there will be no literary constructs to divert the Reader.  No mf…you of all of the three forms, you are the one to indulge in the ‘people? can’t we all just get along’  bullshit.  Which, when you really look at it, is a sin against all that the Doctrine stands for… goddamn dude, you really think that just sitting there and typing this shit week after week was going to change you into the real person you have always been afraid that you are not?  Well, you may be on track but you better be prepared to step outside of your perfectly defined-surely-this-includes-all-inferences-and-possibilties little world.  As the Lady would say, ‘You been told’.

Welll…that sort of went all toyota on us, didn’t it?  (Heh heh)  …oh Janie!

what? no…busy now…come back.. oh alright!  Now I am called in to lighten things up? Any of you real people/Readers think through the implications of using a ‘literary construct’ to lend a sense of reasonableness to the shenanigans that go on around here? Even a hint of how messed up that is?  No, I didn’t, think you had…
Hey, did you know that the old janitor/music video guy (Mr. B, I believe) was once a professional musician? yeah! he was just telling me…no,  not too old man tries to recapture… but I am an ‘A’ student in the Doctrine and I did not know that a roger could deliberately give up his rogerian expression…yeah me too.  Anyway  he had to run and left the following music  said that if you don’t try too hard you will get the connection…whatever
…can I go home now? this does get just a bit tedious…

1) In case of disagreement, the protocol will be followed:
we are right and you are wrong…

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a Tale of a Fateful Trip

Interesting? Simple? Informative?

(Alex? I’d like Wakefield Doctrine for $500.)

So today’s Post will give you a perspective on clarks, scotts and rogers  in the words of a clark and a scott and a roger.

With each Post we strive  to present the Wakefield Doctrine in ways meant to help you, the Reader to grasp the concept of the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers) in such a way as to be able to apply it to your daily life. Our  goal is that there will be a moment in the course of your day at which you will stop and say (to yourself or aloud):   “Oh my god! there are such things as clarks and scotts and rogers!” “And they’re frickin everywhere!”

So for today’s Post, something from (three of) the Downsprings (here at the Doctrine).

Question:  What is the most important thing about your scottian personality that you believe most people do not get?
 GlennPeople sometimes think I’m cruel—or mean-spirited. I am not. I enjoy people immensely. I am capable of more compassion and empathy than most people I know.  As a scott I am devoted to being the center of attention. I use humor as one of the ways to get people to pay attention to me. I love put-down humor. I love being the butt of other peoples’ humor—as long as it’s funny, I don’t care. But some (rogers especially) have some kind of “rule” against put-down humor. Oprah must have told them that good people don’t do that to each other. It’s “hurtful”. Fucking babies. I engage in humor only with people whose company I enjoy. If I bust your agates, it means I like you. A guy I play ball with, a classic weak roger, recently took me aside and ASKED me not to put him down anymore. As soon as he asked me, I stopped liking him—so, problem solved. He no longer exists to me. Here’s what people don’t get:  Ignoring you means I dislike you—not that I respect you. Busting your balls means that I like you—and I respect your ability to handle it—and give it back.  When I told a slightly stronger roger about this weak- assed request from this asshole, he said to me, “You have to earn the respect of your peers—not BEG for it”. Seems so obvious to me. Hard to believe people can be so intentionally sensitive. A lot of rogers LIKE victimhood. It’s the only power they’ll ever have.  Poor fucks.

 Question:  What is the most important thing about your clarklike personality that you believe most people do not get?
Downspring#1 Humor.  People (some) sometimes do not get my sense of humor. Granted it is on the dry side but I do have a good sense of humor and fun.  A kid at heart.  But here’s the thing – many people “do not get” a lot of things when it comes to clarks.  These are mostly the rogers of the world. To be fair there are a select few that do “get me” however, next to other clarksscotts “get” me quicker than rogers.  Perhaps it is because scotts see a little of themselves in clarks.  I actually am a friendly person but as a clark am often seen as “aloof” and “distant”, even “snobbish”.  How so very far from the truth.  It is just that it takes a certain amount of time for a clark to “reveal” him/her self – to decide how comfortable they are with another.  There is an automatic instinct in clarks that allow them to either dismiss or accept a person pretty much in the first few minutes of meeting them.  Similar in a sideways fashion to scotts in that respect but without the hunger element present.  Let’s not forget the “underestimation” of clarks.  Geez, I could probably go on and more in depth but  

 Question:  What is the most important thing about your rogerian personality that you believe most people do not get?
Phyllis: I guess, as a roger, I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about if people understand me or not. What’s to understand. If you don’t understand something that is important to me, I am quick to enlighten you. The task at hand is more important than the “personality” behind it. I am not friendly, not kind, not generous; but people tend to see me that way and why change their view.

So, there you have it, direct from the source(s).

These are not paid actors, no one has been scripted, prompted, encouraged, pychoanalyzed or dramatized, they are simply answering a question. One of the three above will resonate (with you) and the other two will make you think of someone you know.

Your assignment today is simply to go about your day and from time to time, ask yourself, ‘is this (person) a clark, or is she a scott, might he be such a roger’?
If you are not certain, jot a note to yourself and when you come back, if you are still not sure then write us a Comment, give us a description and we will be glad to help.

Mr. B?  A moment?  You know a lot of us like most of your videos. Yes, of course, you’re welcome.  What? No, we have gone over that and we agree that all that unpleasantness is behind us. Years and years ago, a different time and place, we both agreed. Yes, I understand.  What I wanted to talk to you about is that we need to get even more eclectic in the video music.
Yes, I relate to all of it, but there is a large part of the readership of the Doctrine that did not live through those times.  You have the music background, I am sure you will find samples of music that will ‘broaden our appeal’. Yes, even the Slovenians. As a group they are quite sophisticated, I know I feel the same way. So if you would…
What? Which other matter?
Oh, that other matter.  Yes I will concede that you were there before the (current) Progenitor. But we have had the name the same for all these years, well I supposed if you wanted to ask him. Yes, it was a trying time for all of us…yeah I’m sure she was worth giving up a friendship for…is there any doubt? We recently had a scottian female/rogerian male perspective in one of our Posts.  No, I don’t mind. Yes, being alone does afford you time, by all means, you may approach Miss Sullivan for help with something like that. We are all fond of Janie.

We’ll talk more later,  yes I promise. The music?  Oh yes, I believe the second floor Ladies Room is next on your schedule…no, no you’re entirely welcome. Yeah anytime.

not amused, Mr. B, not amused.

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I just want to celebrate, yeah, yeah another day of living

…always on a steady course, talk to… Oh!  Hey did not see you click in.
What?  Yeah, am that old, but come on!  What is there not to like about the theme song.  It is bright, upbeat, optimistic and above all welcoming.  In a qualified, “why yes, the answer is here” (with this horse) and you can ask for enlightenment, sort of way.  Further, we are entreated to go to the source…but there is a catch.
“..he’ll give you the answer that you endorse’… now just what the hell is that supposed to mean?  Is that a threat?  You will accept the answer you are given without reservation or questioning?  But this was Post Cold War, c 1961, not the most secure time in the culture’s history.

Anyway,  Mr Ed is not the theme of today’s Post.  Arnold Ziffle is!  (For you younger readers, it will all become clear as you read)

As if!  sorry, could not stay quiet.  No, not upset!  Just that rambling old creators make me want to just grab their collars and give them a good shake!  SOMS? lol  What is that?  No! I’m sorry did not mean to be so insensitive…dontshake.com? really is a site? lol  I’m soo sorry.  See what these old writers make me do?
Those old shows are kind of cute…some even funny..more videos to come?  Well at least the teacher is back, won’t have to have Ms. Ack teach…really…all semester? Where is my guidance counselor…SHH he’s coming back…

The theme?  Oh, yeah, right, the theme.  With a straight face you ask what is the theme of today’s Post?  It is the same as that of every other Post since this thing of ours has started.  See the title at the top of the web page?  What does that say?  ‘Wake  Field   Doc   Trin’  keerect.  Since this is the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers) I guess I had better start talking about the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers).

(Good to see the roger back at the keyboard.  And he is correct…I do welcome the input and content and contributions of all the Progenitors and Downsprings.  And the input from our new friends as well.  Hey Pixie!  Hope you are having fun at the beach!  (btw Pixie will have a blog up and running soon, it’s in the blogroll now.   But is still ‘under construction’ as those little website drawings of construction guys so succinctly put it.)

So today’s lesson is also kind of a quiz.

Quiz? wtf! I have a 3.87 GPA no way I am taking a quiz…psst  Jimmy! let’s get Britney to do her faint in the aisles thing…the old guys will be so ‘concerned’ and ‘helpful’ that we can slip out the back…

The lesson for today is this (disregard Mr. Ziffle and Arnold):  which of the three characters are which?
(I hear contest coming on!)

There are three characters and one is a clark, one is a scott and one is a roger.  There are several ways to solve the problem and figure out which is who, but there is only one right answer.  The contest?  A free hat to the first 5 correct answers.  (No, AKH have not forgotten your hat.)

So look, think and Comment.

Well this has been fun, as usual.

Mr. B. some travelling music please.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqzdKRhBrrg

Yeah,  but talented dinosaurs.

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Various and Sundry

From the Roger;

     Hi, kids. Just getting back to speed after my foray into the wonderful world of evil primary care physicians, graveyard shifts at the ICU, and Italian funeral homes. In that order, sadly.

     Been watching the site on and off, and must say that I think  Clark and I should probably get off our High Holy Progenitor’s horses and let you other  guys run with it for a while. Damn nice stuff. Fun to read and informative.

     Hey Clark- do we need a new Pope-style High Holy Progenitor’s hat? Just a little bit of pageantry? And maybe an official WD anthem….” Pomp and Circumstance” kind of thing?…

    Welcome, Pixie. Glad to have a new set of eyes on this thing.

     In regard to CSR 101;  I’ve nothing to add to the recent activities, just good to see the class going so well. I’ll just hover silently in the back of the room for a bit. But I would like to offer a quick extra-credit assignment; At your leisure, please watch any episode of the sitcom “The Office”, with the WD in mind, of course. Determine who’s what amongst the several prominent characters, and report back with a body count.  Who’s a C-S-R etc.,and how many of each. Of course, I’ve already done this and have a very firm idea of how this should go. But you never know… onward and upward.

     Speaking of the Spatula… here’s a quick anecdote, and then I’m out of here. A few weeks back, (and this just reminds me that I really, really am a Roger) I was standing at my kitchen stove about to cook some hamburger for something or other. I was musing on one of Mel’s posts ( the Sarah Palin thing). I  did a 90-degree turn to the west ( facing the Midwest) , and raising my spatula said ” Those of us who are about to fry…salute you!” Poignant,witty, and until now, completely wasted.

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No time to say hello. Goodbye. I’m late, I’m late, I’m late.

(It is so like this blog to use the more obscure portion of famous quotes. Who’s a clark?) 

I do apologise for the delay in getting this Post to press,  feeling especially bad about there being only two new Posts in the course of this week. Interesting, (to me that is) that it should bother me but, as we have been alluding to in recent Posts, the Doctrine is not only a tool to understand others, it is also a tool to alter oneself. Much more to say on that topic in coming Posts, but to today’s Post. 

Everything we do here is intended to advance the understanding of the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers) among both our established Readers and the first time visitor. Given that there are only so many ways to say: ‘a clark thinks, a scott acts and a roger feels’, or …’a scott in a room alone isn’t’  or even, ‘show me a roger with sufficient and guaranteed food supplies and I will show you the fall of an Empire’…you know, the kinds of things we say here backstage at Doctrine HQ.
As an alternative to simply repeating  Doctrine-sanctioned cant, we offer a ‘storyline’,  A story about a high school somewhere (Millard Fillmore High); a class in the Wakefield Doctrine (CSR 101); several teachers, a principle, a guest lecturer and three students (including the precocious Miss Janie Sullivan). We use this ‘device’ as a vehicle to present the Wakefield Doctrine in a more everyday (and hopefully more entertaining) setting. (If your everyday setting is populated by/of imaginary beings, that is) 

And so today’s Post. 

(We find a certain, well regarded, tenured Teacher Miss Dowd as she catches up with Glenn Miller (who gave a lecture to the class recently) and Ms. AKH a practicum teacher who may be filling in for the regular teacher who is on sabbatical). 

Miss Dowd: Oh, there you two are! I was hoping to catch you before you left. Mr. Miller! I caught your lecture on the CCTV and I must say I was impressed. Although I have to admit at first I thought, “oh great. Another personal coach life trainer with a penchant for the off-color references”.  But then I looked at the reaction of the class, and they were captivated! Very well done!
And you Ms. AKH, you have the makings of a very good teacher, I was just in the classroom and they are still talking about your class. You have the gift, your enthusiasm becomes theirs. 

Glenn Miller: Thanks, Miss Dowd. They are easy students to teach. One of them seems particularly easy. 

(Miss Dowd:   Explain yourself Mr. Miller.  If you think you are “shocking” me. Think again.)    

Ms.AKH:  Poor Janie. She just can’t help herself. As this is the first class I’m teaching, it’s a bit more challenging for me. Those  ‘Three Musketeers’ can be very distracting to the class. However, in a way, they are beneficial in that they are shining examples of the (theory of clarks, scotts and rogers) for the class to observe first hand. 

Miss Dowd:  It’s not your place to feel sorry for anyone Ms. AKH, nor make excuses.  Do not underestimate them. If you do your job well those “Musketeers” one day are going to be running our financial institutions, making government policy, discovering cures for diseases and taking us into outer space.  You make sure those “shining examples” are understood by everyone.  It may be entertaining at times but the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers is no laughing matter.  …In any event.. The CSR 101 class is still without a teacher…yes, very sad..soon I hear…but the class is doing independent study and one of the teams asked if I would ask you two the following question:

“Who do you see in the popular culture at large that most exemplifies the clark, and the scott and the roger “ 

Glenn Miller: clarklikeness is exemplified for me by comedian Steven Wright. His thoughts are off-beat, weird, funny and oddly interesting.  He is the dictionary definition of a clark.  For a scott, the example that comes to mind is LBJ.  I know.  Not exactly contemporary, but  He was very attuned to power and and it’s effective use.  One of his power moves was to invite subordinates in to talk with him and during the conversation he would move them along with him to the bathroom off his office.  He would pull down his trousers, and take a dump while continuing the conversation.  Primitive, and effective.  Classic display of raw primitive power.  Any scott would just have to love that move.  For a roger, I think of that queen of all that is good, righteous, and proper:Oprah Winfrey. Like the roger she is, she revels in defining for the rest of us what we all SHOULD be doing and thinking.  She takes herself very seriously.  It is always personal for her.  The other rogers buy in and willingly look to her to find out what books they should read, what political candidates they should vote for, and how they should feel about everything.  Without Oprah to tell them, how would they know?  The whole Oprah phenomenon is a rogerfest. 

Ms. AKH: Einstein!!  Really!  A true thinker.  Just look at the size of his head!  Einstein’s all-consuming energy to learn and theorize about what makes things tick, to put it simply, is a classic clark characteristic. Always striving for more information, a clark will stop at nothing until he is satisfied that all possibilities have been exhausted. This inward inclination can sometimes make a clark seem distant, unaware of what is going on around him.  But the wheels are incessantly turning. Donald Trump stands out when I think about a scott.  Right off the bat you’ll notice his eyes.  They appear to be squinting.  But don’t be fooled by this ploy to hide his predatory intent as he focuses on his next prey.  He emits congeniality while sizing up his next victim.  And just look at the empire he has built for himself.  All of his properties have his name attached: Trump Tower, Trump Casino and Resorts, Trump Taj Mahal, you get the picture.  Finally, who but a self-important scott could get away with that hair and  nickname ‘The Donald’?
Rogers, rogers, rogers. What a herd of do-gooders.  The talk show hosts (i.e. Glenn’s choice of Oprah), Tyra Banks, Dr. Phil. Tough to pick just one so I’ll move on. Don’t want to rock the boat, but Jesus Christ (or any prominent religious leader for that matter) was a roger in my book.  Calm down, this has nothing to do with one’s religious beliefs or morals, rights or wrongs.  It is purely observational – who he was as a man.  Who else could be so entirely selfless while spreading what he believed to be word and healing people without being judgmental.  Who would die on a cross for his/her people?  All was for the greater good of the herd.  Look at the disciples and droves of people who followed him.          

Miss Dowd: And what makes you think that this are the best examples? 

Glenn Miller: Generally when I think something, my brain is what makes me think it.  There is another organ with which I have been accused of thinking, but I fear that Principal Clark would not appreciate any reference to that subject within earshot of his innocent and naïve students. Or any of his other students. 

Ms. AKH:  I concur with Glenn except for the second part (given my anatomy). 

Miss Dowd:  Ms. AKH!  Remember you are a lady!  

Miss Dowd: Thank you so much! I know that the children will be excited…I know, they are not really children but I have been doing this for so long  I think of them as my kids…even if the other teachers may laugh about old Miss Dowd…laughs

Where the heck is that VC (video custodian)? Hey Mr. B!  You want to stay and maybe become a permanent character you can’t be hiding, making time with other guys girlfriends. Come on, lets have something different for today. 

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