Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)
Short Post. Tuesday. Have 17 minutes. (yes, including editing) (very funny).
This is not meant to be odd, for the sake of being odd, it’s just what has occurred to me this morning. (Insight #1 worldview of clarks: because there is no such thing as permanent, variations of a standard is natural to the point of being inevitable). But I am stuck with it, (the form and the worldview), so lets just try to make the best of it.
So, I’ve recently found myself in a recurring struggle (with myself), over the question of how successful this blog has been in introducing the Wakefield Doctrine to people and (in) helping them use it’s principles as a way to better understand what the hell is going on around them. Of course, in order to have a proper struggle, you need at least two sides, a conflict between two differing views or viewpoints or opinions or values or positions. Basically between what is and what (I believe) should be. In my case with the Wakefield Doctrine blog, it is the question: am I successful in my efforts? For the most part I feel the answer is ‘yes’. Then, without warning and on a suspiciously cyclic basis, I encounter successful blogs/books/ideas/ways-to-improve-your-quality-of-life, and I stop and look at my own efforts and think, ‘damn, I am so not even close to doing this correctly/effectively/successfully!’ I see sites and blogs and books and they present themselves as ‘real’ or ‘credible’ or or something that the Wakefield Doctrine clearly lacks. Now, I do ask for feedback on occasion and some will say that, in my presentation, I am too quirky and others will say I need to be better organized. I accept those suggestions, but they are of the nature of (the) simple presentation of the ideas. There is something more…something about the other sites/blogs/ideas. There is, with these others, a respectability, an attitude of being real, and… well you’ve seen them out there, no need to continue too much more on the theme of what the successful personality theory people are doing.
I suspect that I should look at what I am doing, for a clue, for a way to change the approach I am taking. So I thought, ‘well, clark, what is this thing you are doing, what is the Wakefield Doctrine‘?
the Wakefield Doctrine is a helluva useful tool and a perspective on behavior and a way to better understand the behavior of the people in our lives.
For the record, I know what the Doctrine is and I believe in its potential and how useful it can be. Seeing my one line description (in block quotes, no less) I believe I see the problem. The Wakefield Doctrine that is described up there? It is a thing. An idea. With potential (but no life). It is dry and impersonal. It is abstract, and lifeless. What the hell.
so…my time is up today.
I think I need to either change my goals or find a way to present the Wakefield Doctrine in a manner that makes clear the energy and life and ‘holy-shit-how-cool-is-this?!’ and ‘hey!! you-should-read-about-this-Doctrine-wait’ll-you-try-it!’ or ‘oh man!! this-is-so-cool!! come here!!’
(this actually took 37 minutes and I haven’t proofed it all that well)
About clarkscottroger
While I think you’re on the right track in saying the others have a “real” quality to them, perhaps that is more of a pseudo-authenticity…that said I think where you are possibly lacking in presenting this as a tool in the manner I think you’re referring to is that (yes the organization…I don’t think the quirky hurts any personality theory) it is presented too casually… ie you don’t make pretense of the authority with which you speak of the Doctrine…(and I didn’t proof this at all.)
zoe
I find myself in a bit of a conundrum, I expect the Doctrine to have the answer (worse, I believe that the Wakefield Doctrine has the solution)… while I agree with the too causal (ha ha typo! I mean casual, of course!) but it’s worse…
there is no life, no excitement no… emotional content to the way I present this thing…(now observe as) I walk into the (pre)arranged corner… the Doctrine is accessible and usable by a certain percentage of clarks out there… but until I develop my rogerian aspect, then it will remain a …curiosity, a clever little insight in to the nature of the humans that I find myself living among
…starting to piss me off
“…starting to piss me off.” Well that’s a good sign isn’t it? No change happens until we are uncomfortable enough to allow such change. Yes? Perhaps what you’ re feeling is ” changes a comin'”? I mean, you cant deny your posts have been more touch feely as of late…perhaps your discomfort is that yes, you are having a hard time giving up your well worn “prearranged corner,” but also that for the first time you are acknowledging the need and willingness to do so? Please know that I say none of this as platitude, but maybe you are on your way and don’t even know it yet because its too fucking uncomfortable to acknowledge.
oops…big fingers hit send…Lastly , you are not the distant clark you think you are in those vid chats… people are drawn to them for a reason…each other yes, but … c’mon open your eyes.
zoe
agreed. and, I have in fact, gotten ‘this far’ by continuing… whatever it takes has been the watch word since this blog started. and I do have to recognize that anyone I would say to, ‘hey! you wanna hear a really cool personality theory that not only makes sense of the behavior of the people in your life, but will let you self-develop yourself for real…not like all those other brands’… I need to take the Pepsi challenge here…
but, in all seriousness, I have just a sense of how changy the changes that are necessary for me to make in order to take this thing ‘to the next level*’ and eww…. do I have to? lol
*hate that expression
Okay, so heres a big freaking surprise… I don’t understand something… lol
I guess I don’t get why the need to change in the first place. Why aren’t you just indicative of who you are? ie a clark with a secondary scott and tertiary roger? WHy the need to develop another aspect? So you can prove it is usable as a tool? WHy does it have to be you? Are you just putting that pressure on yourself… I mean its obvious you believe it can be done and have seen it so in others… just cuz you don’t choose to ascribe to a larger roger (lol that sounds obscene) must you? Not that you shouldn’t if you feel the need for personal change, but if its just in terms of the Doctrine isn’t who each of us are enough? I like the idea of you building up your sensitive side (which I don’t believe is not as nonexistent as you would like to believe) but if it makes one uncomfortable and they don’t feel the need for it then isn’t that a counterproductive use of the theory? All this philosophizing is frying me brain!
effed up the double negative but you know what I mean?
zoe
I believe it has to be me… (sounds better to say, ‘in order to validate the efficacy of the Wakefield Doctrine as an aid to developing mal- or under developed aspects of ones personality, the founder of said Doctrine is the logical and reasonable candidate (“…will demonstrate Ten somersets he’ll undertake on solid ground.”)
(lol as long as I don’t too seriousey I suspect I’ll be alright no matter how the Great Demonstration comes out!)
Hmmmmm…you’re an interesting dude yo…can’t wait for the great unveiling professor…
I read every single post you put online. If that doesn’t prove you are doing something right, I don’t know what else to say.
I really don’t have time time to read a lot extraneously (sp?) so I have to choose what I do read very carefully. I am a top reviewer on Amazon as you know … why is that? Because I make the committment to try my very hardest to convey to my readers WHY THEY SHOULD READ what I suggest. This can take a huge investment of my time, And does, People do recognize I am sincere and care when I review.
Now, there are 3 main reasons I read your blog. Fun, Intelligent, Original
I HAVE learned and been helped by your philosophy, as well. Thanks!
jny
jny
thank you for that… I appreciate your thoughts and take them to heart.
I share some of what zoe and the prettiest of jeans has to say…
Tricky business getting “popularized” on a mass scale. I’ll try to keep my thoughts brief.
You have spread the word of the Doctrine on an international level. It has been acknowledged. How many readers are embracing it as a life tool, hard to say.
In my opinion there is no doubt as to the veracity of the Wakefield Doctine. I can personally attest to it’s efficacy. One of the fun aspects to using the Doctrine for me has been pulling out the Ken Burns and/or genealogy bit and blowing the minds of perfect strangers (rogers). Cooler than cool.
But the more far reaching value in the Doctrine (as has been stated) is that it allows for an individual to understand the “whys” of other people’s behavior. Understand our own. With that understanding comes choice and the choices are not always easy. I for one do not believe that ignorance is bliss. Serve it up straight and on the rocks baby.
It is often said about the Doctrine that it is simple but not easy. Like learning a foreign language there’s a lot of “rote” learning, there is learning of nuance. It takes time and patience and… and…blah, blah,blah,blahblah. Where the fuck is the scott when you need one!
Books. Bestselling books are often the vehicle to popularity. I really don’t have any suggestions right now at this moment except to say continue writing the blog, engaging people via vid chats and phone calls and radio shows. Somewhere along the line, if you let go at the right time, you will know how it is to do this thing.
Getting a famous person interested in the Doctrine couldn’t hurt. Me? I’d work on getting Samuel L. to sign on as personal spokesman for the Wakefield Doctrine. LOL Behold…..
Suggestion: Join the A to Z Blogging Challenge in April and blow their minds. That should help put you out there. Google it. I have done it for three years. If I do it again, it will be four years. It is really easy for people who write blogs on a regular basis.
J
thanks for that idea… I am making a note to sign up, I think I have to wait until we get closer to the start…
Maybe it’s a clark thing: the perennial struggle of identity in a website….
Cyndi
yeah… when you think about it… we are the ones (for whom) reality is ever-changing, there is no constant …so I guess I better either get used to it (well, it’s only been a fricken lifetime, lol) or crank up my rogerian aspect