What makes sense LO6149

John Paul Fullerton (jpf@mail.myriad.net)
Thu, 21 Mar 1996 09:09:45 -0600

Replying to LO6136 --

Matzdorf, Fides wrote:

> John Paul,
> I think you need to distinguish between perception of circumstances (first
> para) and perception of people's behaviour (second para). You can check
> out your interpretation of your perception of people's behaviour with
> those people before moving into action - you can't ask circumstances
> though... Makes all the difference!

I understand what you're saying. Yet there's other evidence that might not
be seen unless the interrogators all question themselves as well. "Did you
take that cookie?" "Oh, no, mama." So asking doesn't always get the
answer.

On one hand, it's obvious that animals "go by instinct"; it may be less
obvious that "instinct" also affects us. When I respond critically to
situations that I don't for some reason like, and when I see that the
person in those circumstances cannot change them, then the criticism seems
more like instinct than right thinking or kindness. I did not mean to
imply that "others" are my problem. If I have a problem, the problem is
me. Nevertheless, how people behave can - and should - be treating others
easy. "Dressed to kill" is one way of not doing that! If there's something
that stirs my instinct, then the problem is me, if it is a problem.

The main point, with the example as a particular, was that things can be
affecting actions and those things can basically be unknown to the
individual. So they can't think on the basis of knowing those things, and
though the effect is strong, there's no thought that it can be
successfully resisted or resulting behavior chosen differently.

Have a nice day
John Paul Fullerton
jpf@myriad.net

-- 

John Paul Fullerton <jpf@mail.myriad.net>

Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>