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

Friend of the Doctrine Mel, with a hat in ‘Michigan’
(from our series: ‘Didn’t I see the Doctrine in…’)

(Towards the end of last week’s Posts, we began to look at a ‘problem’ reported by our friend, Cynthia:

“Outsider. This could be my motto for life. I’m surrounded by rogers and um…ya know…have figured out that the office environment…well…let’s just hope the rogers don’t gang up on me and kick my ass.”

this ‘problem’ serves us well, both as an illustration of the Doctrine as a tool of understanding and as a tool for self-helping ourselfs. By this I mean, (that) when we feel uncomfortable in a social context, the source (of the feeling) is ‘without’. We are charged by the Doctrine* to never forget that the responsibility (for the feeling) is ‘within’.

… the answer to the question posed in our subtitle?

( Here’s a funny thing. In answer to my rhetorical question,  I started to write: ‘it depends on a person’s predominant worldview..’  Which, of course, would have been a followed by an explanation of how, of the three personality types of the Wakefield Doctrine, clarks are the only ones who need the insight that is available.  But then, I stopped. And I thought to myself, I thought, “Wait a minute!! You’re about to be wrong!! The benefits of the use of the Wakefield Doctrine, as a perspective on the behavior of those around us, is not limited, constrained, defined or otherwise affected by a person’s worldview! It’s the same for scotts and rogers as it is for clarks.)

the Wakefield Doctrine is one more way to perceive the world we live in. It is not the Answer. It is not (even) an Answer. It is way that allows a person to come closer to seeing the world as the other person is experiencing it.

If you are inclined to feel apart from the world, wonder if there is something that everyone knows that you do not, then the you might be living in the personal reality of the Outsider (clarks);
If you are impulsive and emotional (without taking people….personally) and yet are surprised (but not overly concerned) when people get exasperated with your suggestions to ‘do something/anything’, then you might be living in the personal reality of the Predator (scotts) and
If you are living and, the odd thing is that you’re curious about this Doctrine thing, in a world that, while challenging is and can be quite satisfying, even with the seeming reluctance (and, at times it seems, stubbornness ) of those around you to do it the Right Way, then you may very well be in the worldview of the Herd Member (rogers)…

all three of these perspectives are the ways that people relate themselves to the world around them. Consider that, ‘the other person’, today is dealing with the same situation (as you are), however, they are experiencing it from one of these three perspectives. But remember, although knowing this does not change them, knowing this might change you.

* the Wakefield Doctrine is for you, not them