A former boss liked to reference quotes from Sun Tzu’s Art of War. He frequently
applied ancient Chinese military strategy to business decisions and office
politics. The imagery of war made sense to him, but it did not resonate with me.
I’m more Peace Corps than Marine Corps; prefer to think of coworkers
as colleagues rather than adversaries to be defeated or controlled. While
playing the board game Risk
with son Reid I began to understand how some people see war, and life, as a
game to be played and won. I enjoy playing Risk with Reid, but I don’t live my
life as though I’m at war with others. Not usually. The November election,
however, is shaping up to be a battle for the soul of America.
Typically I seek to find common ground with people, to look
for things we have in common rather than focus on differences. I believe it’s usually
better to agree to disagree than to waste time and energy vainly arguing with someone
in hope of changing their mind. I try to keep an open mind about most
things, yet I admit I am biased and stubborn about certain things. I openly
admit I lean left of center politically, and that I don’t respect or trust our
current president. I don’t consider most republicans enemies though I do
sometimes struggle to have productive conversations with family and friends who
lean right, especially Trump supporters.
The piece below from Mother
Jones references language between political rivals…
It’s also key to know
your rival’s language — liberals tend to frame arguments in terms of kindness
and equality, while conservatives favor loyalty, purity, and authority. Trying
to persuade a political foe using your own moral framework is a losing game.
“You have to empathize with them,” says Matthew Feinberg, an assistant
professor of organizational behavior at the University of Toronto.
Red Blue Dictionary
helps people along the political spectrum speak with one another more
effectively. Controversial terms and trigger words are sorted alphabetically
and by category for easy reference.
Living
Room Conversations take the language barrier concept a step further by
offering dialogue prompts and a conversational model to facilitate connection
between people despite differences. They even help to identify areas of common
ground and shared understanding. If my Trump supporting dad and I were on speaking terms I might mention this to him. We tried to reconnect a few weeks ago but the experiment failed miserably.
Reading an article from AllSides.com helped
me delve deeper into media bias, and to be less outraged about Bleach
Gate. I still contend Trump’s remarks during press conferences are not generally
helpful, though I now have a little more empathy for his thought process
because I too sometimes ask questions out loud when I’m thinking through
things.
I can muster empathy for Trump when I think about him in the
context of trying to do the best he can with limited resources and a skewed world view. But my feelings of empathy give way to frustration and anger
when I think about how his actions actually affect people. Despite his
delusions that he is doing a great job, qualitative and quantitative
data indicate that more people are hurt by Trump’s efforts than helped. I will
save my rant for another day. For now I want to get back to the topic of media
bias in the Trump era.
media bias meme
Jonathan Karl, chief White House correspondent for ABC
News, wrote in his new book that President
Trump strategically baits the press into personal grudge matches that undercut
the credibility of the media. “Too often in the Trump era, the press has looked
like an opposition party,” Karl said during a podcast interview.
“He may be at war with the news media, but he is also in
love with the news media… He sees the public jousting with the press as a
critical component of the Trump show’s success,” Karl wrote.
Karl believes the press often plays into Trump’s hands which
results in dangerous effects. “You have basically a third of the country, maybe
more, that essentially won’t believe anything that they see in a newspaper or
in a television news report,” he said.
“For all the spinning and stonewalling I have encountered in
a career covering politics, the disregard for the truth I have witnessed at the
Trump White House is qualitatively different.”
“The president himself has waged a sustained campaign to
make people think the truth is a lie whenever he doesn’t like the truth or it
makes him look bad,” Karl wrote. “This isn’t the dodging and weaving you expect
to see from politicians. This is an assault on truth itself.”
From my perspective as an American citizen, I agree with
Karl wholeheartedly. This presidency is different. I could agree to disagree
with supporters of Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 but I can’t turn a blind eye
to what is happening right now with 45. We are living in dangerously unprecedented
times. The press is not the enemy of the people. Liberals are not the enemy of
the people. Conservatives are not the enemy of the people. Extremists and the
willfully ignorant are our enemies. We
have met the enemy and they are us.
Pogo Trump meme
In the spirit of sharing
softer news and/or silly vibes:
- Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata played on a 1940 harp guitar.
- CBS Sunday Morning: enjoying arm chair tours of museums.
- CBS Sunday Morning: fighting coronavirus with needle and thread.
- CBS Sunday Morning: Nathan Lane interview.
- Comedian dishes out dimes and drops hilarious Ramadan rhymes.
- Ramadan 2020: activities that don’t involve food.
- Squirrel outwitted dog chasing it in the park.
Daily pandemic
update:
Afghanistan's health ministry raised alarm after a small
study with random tests in Kabul suggested that about a third of the capital's
residents could be infected. In Iran President Hassan Rouhani said mosques in
low-risk areas were due to reopen. People in Spain were allowed to go for walks
or play sports after 48 days of home confinement. The number of confirmed cases
across the African continent exceeded 40,000. Aljazeera.com
timeline
3 May 2020
|
Cases
|
Deaths
|
Recovered
|
|||
13:04 GMT*
|
Yesterday
|
Today
|
Yesterday
|
Today
|
Yesterday
|
Today
|
World
|
3,415,632
|
3,506,398
|
239,826
|
245,193
|
1,087,567
|
1,129,810
|
US
|
1,131,492
|
1,161,109
|
65,776
|
67,448
|
161,563
|
173,725
|
NY
|
315,222
|
319,213
|
24,069
|
24,368
|
50,567
|
50,567
|
CT
|
28,764
|
29,287
|
2,339
|
2,436
|
65
|
65
|
NC
|
11,071
|
11,579
|
419
|
430
|
1,808
|
1,808
|
*Documenting time of day because real time data updates
continuously.
Tracking specific states: NY is US epicenter, son Reid lives in CT, and I live in NC.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ https://www.coronainusa.com/
Tracking specific states: NY is US epicenter, son Reid lives in CT, and I live in NC.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ https://www.coronainusa.com/
A moment of silence for those
we’ve lost to coronavirus, including the first
100 in the US.
In the news:
- 34 year old Winston Salem woman shared coronavirus diagnosis and recovery experience.
- Bot tracker analysis confirmed bots and trolls are amplifying ReOpen protests.
- Botanical sexism is partially to blame for seasonal allergies; plant diversity recommended.
- Disinfectant wipes supply chain is improving, expected to catch up to demand.
- Man responded to Trump tweet about ventilators; received $69 million contract.
- Not all science is good science.
- Rent strikes increase as unemployment rises.
- Robert O’Brien: Trump’s fourth national security advisor.
- US Steel layoffs could impact 6,500 employees.
- White House gift shop, a private business not part of federal government, is selling coronavirus commemorative coins; proceeds to be donated to medical research.
- White House responded to allegations Dr. Fauci had been blocked from testifying on Capitol Hill.
Following Kenny Beck’s lead to
share a few signs of hope:
- CA family brings joy to neighbors with silly walk zone.
- KS family recruited to make masks by 10 year old boy.
- MA boy received grand homecoming after beating cancer and coronavirus.
In my personal life…
Reading about political language differences reminded me of Dr.
Gary Chapman’s 5 Love Languages:
1. Words
of Affirmation,
2. Acts
of Service,
3. Receiving
Gifts,
4. Quality
Time, and
5. Physical
Touch.
Greg and I both appreciate acts of service (ex: doing the
dishes) and words of affirmation (ex: thanks for doing the dishes). Greg is way
better than me at gift giving so I feel bad for him when I botch a gifting
opportunity. He doesn’t complain much so maybe that’s not a primary love
language for him, or maybe he just doesn’t want me to feel bad about something
I’m so inept at compared to him. For me quality time is running errands
together, working in the yard together, cooking and eating together, and date
nights. For Greg quality time is sometimes watching tv together. Usually he
doesn’t seem to mind if I’m multitasking (doing other things) while we’re
watching tv but other times he is bothered, as if me not paying full attention to
the big screen is disrespectful to our relationship or to him personally. When
I sense that he may be feeling neglected then I usually stop what I’m doing to
connect with him – unless what’s on tv is of no interest to me. Usually we work
it out; no big deal. I think we both have lower needs for physical touch than
when we were younger, though touch remains a meaningful connection between us.
Small touches like hugs and gentle caresses are enough to help me feel loved
and appreciated most days. Eye contact makes a big difference too, just looking
deeply into each other’s eyes for a few moments. Greg has dreamy blue-hazel
eyes.
For Minerva, words of affirmation don’t mean as much as treats
of affirmation. Acts of service include long walks and car rides. She used to
like playing fetch but not so much anymore. Gifts are appreciated only if they
are edible. Quality time usually comes in the evening when she jumps up onto a
recliner to be closer to us though sometimes she cuddles earlier in the day as
well. Touch is very important to her; no matter how much we pet her or brush
her fur it is never ever enough.
Minerva is Greg’s dog
technically though we both share in her care.
