[November 13, 2021] Holding onto flawed ideas is not a way to achieve success in our lives. Yet, we continue to hold onto them, however ill-founded they are, stubbornly, painstakingly, and with great emotional attachment. We are comfortable doing so, yet intellectually we understand the disadvantages of what we do.
This problem is why good leadership means committing ourselves to reject bias, ideology, superstition, and other incoherent, illogical, and insupportable ideas and prejudices of the day. Until we have thought deeply about these ideas, we are apt to be persuaded by those deeply flawed ideas.
Here are several commonly held ideas that are flawed. These are often regarded as truth:
- Every person’s opinion, regardless of how poorly it is supported, deserves equal respect.
- All language users hold bona fide, unique definitions for every word they use.
- Language itself is vague rather than our use of it.
- There are no general intellectual standards.
- There are no stupid questions.
- Appropriate intellectual standards are a reflection of gender, race, culture, or period in history.
However tempting these views can be at any time, they are refutable. Being fully immersed in our culture, it is only human that we readily and unconsciously adopt them as our own. While we learn these easily, unlearning them will be difficult. Undoing what we learned can require a lifetime of diligent and rigorous intellectual work. But it is not beyond us. We can succeed.
There is one phrase that encapsulates this challenge; it is intellectual discipline. Unfortunately, we live in a world where discipline is frowned upon and viewed, improperly, I suggest, as a “Western” idea that should be shunned. We are inundated by trivial information, piled high with sometimes interesting facts but devoid of reasoned discourse. We can no longer see what is important or valuable; the swamp has blinded us.
Our formal civilian and military education system needs an overhaul. Too many flawed ideas that now form the basis of our understanding of good and evil are tightly wound up into the fabric of dishonesty and error. We no longer concern ourselves with teaching students how to think and reason but memorize “approved” ideas and repeat them back to us.
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Please read my new book, “Our Longest Year in Iraq,” at Amazon (link here).
Great article, Gen. Satterfield and thanks. Didn’t see it earlier (was on holiday with my kids). Keep up the great work you are doing.
We have a whole butt load of flawed ideas making the rounds in our nation because we have a crap load of cowards who are not standing up and calling bullsh$$ for what it is.
You got that right old warrior. And thanks for making my day.
Old warrior, please keep writing in this leader blog by Gen. Satterfield. You’re the best.
Good point that old warrior is making. General Satterfield has written on this idea for a long time and I’m happy he has pulled it together for all of us to see. Many ideas out there that defy common sense. This doesn’t mean that we should dismiss them without thinking but most have been tried and failed spectacularly (to use Gen. S’s favorite adjective).
Agreed, our education systems need a complete overhaul. But our institutions in general need an overhaul. Less trust in govt, the CIA/FBI/DOJ, our woke military, and a host of other agencies and companies that are going against American traditional values (those ideas that got us the good life).
Yes, Lynn. I agree. That is why I keep coming back to this website by Gen. Satterfield because I get good info and good discussion.
My favorite, “Every person’s opinion, regardless of how poorly it is supported, deserves equal respect.”
Everyone is created equal in the eyes of God. Now that is something that you can take home and remember, not some of those ideas that keep cropping up like Critical Race Theory (based on Emmanuel Kant’s idea that there are no real truths).
Gen. Satterfield, thanks for another article to make me think. I agree that there are many flawed ideas that keep coming back over and over. That is why we need a good education system. By “good”, like you, I mean “efficient” and “moral.” Sadly, our school systems have gone down the Marxist route. And the teachers are boobs if they think otherwise.
But it is never to late to take corrective action. I see it in the articles written by Gen. Satterfield, in his book, and the things he does (like being part of the Boy Scouts).
https://www.amazon.com/Our-Longest-Year-Iraq-Construction/dp/1737915510/
Here is a link to Gen. S’s new book. Buy it how. I read it. Great stuff for every man.
Excellent and thought provoking.
We have a lifetime to figure things out and just when we start to get close, bam, we’re dead. So, that means if we want to really be satisfied with our lives, then adopt a few habits that Gen. Satterfield has recommended. Start with telling the truth and adopting responsibility for yourself and your family. Tadddaaaa…. that’s it. Everything else will fall into place.
Good comment Max. Yes, Gen. Satterfield has focused on some of the important flaws that we all have. Be careful of your prejudices. And remember that assuming things makes an ASS out of / U / and ME. My teacher in High School told me this one and even tho it is common, I remember him every time I hear it.
Every body is equal in skills, talent, smarts, good looks, speed, …. oh, maybe someone thinking that is actually taking speed (you know, you know man, the kind you get with druggggsss!). Oh did I dose off? Kidding of course. Like Brandon always says, “you know, the thing.”
Busted a gut reading this Harold, you are da man!
😎
Good one Harold. Remember, however and be careful, the “government” doesn’t like humor because it might make somebody FEEL bad. So, you know, stop implying that President Brandon is stupid or something or tha thing.
You guys are killing me this morning. Humor, the last vessel of the free.
…… and guns.
Yes, very good. Like everyone, I like humor, esp. sarcasm. Using it like the saying “Let’s Go Brandon,” makes me laugh every time because I’m laughing at the system of twit Marxists and it blows their minds.
Thanks guys.
Yep, plenty of those stupid flawed ideas that just keep coming back like a boomerang. Hits you in the head every time.