Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)
Today’s Post prompted, (or inspired or… instigated or, maybe insinuated), by Friend of the Doctrine, Cynthia Calhoun. Cynthia does have a way of writing Comments that make me think, “Hey, clark, dude, your Reply is approaching 500 words! What say you take it and make yourself a Post and all.” Which is what I’ve done again, here today. Hey before we get to Cynthia’s Comment, did you know that she’s like this talented artist person too? And…and! she has a new site, being Miz Zeitgeist, she’s like totally got the adult coloring thing covered. She’s got this Facebook page
So, to the Comment
You remember the line from Beetlejuice (cuz I know you’ve seen it) when Lydia says to Barbara (the ghost) and Adam (the other ghost): “I myself am strange and unusual”? I always identified with that line.
For some reason this post made me think of that line. Maybe it was the last part talking about fun…enlightenment and…imagination.
HA!(and the Reply) …the imagination is key to applying the Doctrine…. I’ve tended to downplay how very real personal reality is (many people will give lip service to the concept …like the cool kid who, alone without the company of the other cool kids, stumbles into the company with clarks they’re all, like “oh yeah? Well I’m weird too!!”)
…but I should do a post on the reality of personal reality.
the Wakefield Doctrine is a tool, a perspective on life, a way of seeing the world as the other person is experiencing it. There are three ‘worldviews’, and the one, (of the three), that you grow-up, develop-in and live you life in is your ‘personality type’. By knowing the characteristics of each of the three worldviews, you will not only know more about the other person than they know about themselves*, you will be able to predict their behavior to a remarkable degree of reliability.
About this reality of personal reality matter. As alluded to in my reply to Cynthia, the key is found in the (proper) use of imagination. When we use the Wakefield Doctrine to (better) understand a person, or their behavior, the first step is to discover their predominant worldview. There are simple steps to aid a person in the identification of a person’s ‘personal reality’, the simplest and most concise description, (of this process), is to suggest that you ‘observe the person and infer how they are relating themselves to the world around them’. (The ‘how’, in the case of identifying predominant worldviews is simply, ‘as would an Outsider(clark)’ or just like a Predator(scott) or perhaps more like a ‘Herd Member(roger)’.)
That’s the simple, easy part. The difficult part is to take the ‘reality’ in ‘personal reality’ to heart.
Lets say you have a relative, kinda young, (the early annoying 20s, lets say), and he needs to get a job, earn some money, get on with life. He’s bright as anyone needs to be, is not afraid of work and yet, he doesn’t seem to really ‘want it’ He mumbles and waits (ok… you’re all good enough to recognize a clark…to the point)
Aggravation shows it’s crinkly-starched shirt head, usually right after having a heart-to-heart talk with this person. You explain, slowly, carefully and directly, the few simple steps he needs to take to get the job he wants. And he agrees, and acknowledges your advice. And nothing happens! he misses an opportunity, forgets to call the person you know who was willing to take him all…. you get frustrated and upset at his refusal to listen to your well-meant (and genuinely-would-actually-work) suggestions.
From the Doctrine perspective: he is right and you are wrong.
No, I’m serious! Sort of… it’s not that he was lying when you had your conversation and he promised to do everything you suggested. It’s simply a matter of his reality (predominant worldview) is different from yours.
Different. Personal. Reality.
(no, nothing real weird…just different.)
but there is a way to help. by accepting the notion that he is experiencing the world differently than you are. reality
*unless, of course, the other person is also a student of the Doctrine, but then, the two of you can have a great time watching the clarks, scotts and rogers around you!
About clarkscottroger
Let’s see…well that was fun to read. :)
Second, I totally thought of the Doctrine when they came out with the new Progressive commercial and Flo is clarkety clark. Especially in this new one. She’s totally the outsider. Haha.
Third. We were talking about the Doctrine while making dinner. So as we see it, it’s the clarks are the ones who “colonize” a new, cool area in a town or suburb or a neat place in the next town over. But once enough clarks bring the culture, then the professionals want to move in and get their culture. Thus starts the cycle of gentrification and more high-level city-like development, changing the landscape of that little town/locale forever. For better or worse, mind you.
These are some thoughts I was having as I was making dinner. Yeah. This is what I do.
:}(so much for emojological writing!)…. Flo is such a clark! (she is that perfect example of the clarklike female…. focus on the head…. (particularly the eyes)… be attractive, dress counter to the cultural expectations (I mean, seriously, try as I might I can’t get a picture of what she has on below the neck and above the feet…. which, are in many commercials, sneakers)
clarks the explorers (as opposed to the trail blazers and the new settlement organizers scotts and rogers, respectively)
the price of not requiring the past
Someone should tell him there’s a rapid expiry date on the ‘head in the sand’ approach to life.
the problem with the real reality model, in respect to our people is that the sand immediately around our heads stays the same, but the beach does not
(what?!!?! jeez sometimes I confuse myself! But, good point. Unfortunately expiration dates are ignorable…way, way past the time that the thing we seek (or believe that we need to seek) has changed and gone sour or dried up or simply no longer applies…. but, even though, as defined by the reality a clark might be in…. there is a way to see that which is not there…. after all, we are, all of us, heir to ‘the other two worldviews’.
the real problem is that we update ourselves on the changes that we are accomplishing)
Ah yes, the ‘updating ourselves’ thing…i keep forgetting to do that :)
I totally do almost all the time…. but, but! not all the time, anymore. I attribute that directly to the Doctrine and the clarks that I find myself in the company of… the real pain of the Doctrine is often found when we discover an opportunity to help another clark…. because, maybe not quite as bad or as often or any other qualifier but the fact is when I see a clark, I see myself*
* perhaps more in keeping with the recent conversation about the reality of worldviews, it might be better that rather than say ‘I see myself’ I should say: “I see another person who grew up in the reality of the Outsider…. so, lets look closer and see what I can learn, how did he cope with disappointment how did she manage to hold onto to her sanity…. where are….
not a bunch of clones of clark
a world full of people who grew up experiencing the world as an Outsider…. meaning you have seen the world as I have…. similar compensations and similar adjustments and solutions. much to my benefit
Oh man! I need to get in on this conversation but have to go to work!
I’ll be back tonight!