Skip to main content

Generals, Politicians, and Pundits


An interesting point about our military leaders and those of any responsible country is that they are scholars of war, conflict, weapons, strategy and tactics.  They all attend a war college to learn their craft.  Almost all have read extensively on the subject.  Some are historians of their profession. Many are articulate communicators about their operations, needs, equipment, troup strength, training, and promotion practices. They are sincere professionals – whether you agree with them or not.

Now contrast this with the typical politician, especially elected officials.  Few have studied politics.  Few understand much more than pre-written talking points on any topic.  Few have any training on compromise and the other crafts of legislation. Most leaders probably rely more on intuition and instinct than any form of analysis. Putting your faith in politicians is therefore a risky belief.

Next contrast this with pundits and news commentators.  Now we are dipping down yet another level into worlds of the hypothetical combined with anonymous sources. Some are good; some are stupid. All rely on your need for a particular feed. Too depressing this is, to venture further.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Please Comment.

Popular posts from this blog

Behavioral Science and Problem-Solving

I.                                       I.                 Introduction.                Concerning our general behavior, it’s high about time we all had some understanding of how we operate on ourselves, and it is just as important how we are operated on by others. This is the wheelhouse of behavioral sciences. It is a vast subject. It touches our lives constantly. It’s influence is pervasive and can be so subtle we never notice it. Behavioral sciences profoundly affect our ability and success at problem-solving, from the elementary level to highly complex wicked problems. This is discussed in Section IV. We begin with the basics of behavioral sciences, Section II, and then through the lens of multiple categories and examples, Section III. II.     ...
Post a Comment
Read more

UNCERTAINTY IS CERTAIN

  Uncertainty is Certain G. Donald Allen 12/12/2024 1.       Introduction . This short essay is about uncertainty in people from both secular and nonsecular viewpoints. One point that will emerge is that randomly based uncertainty can be a driver for religious structure. Many groups facing uncertainty about their future are deeply religious or rely on faith as a source of comfort, resilience, and guidance. The intersection of uncertainty and religiosity often stems from the human need to find meaning, hope, and stability in the face of unpredictable or challenging circumstances. We first take up the connections of uncertainty to religion for the first real profession, farming, noting that hunting has many similar uncertainties. Below are groups that commonly lean on religious beliefs amidst uncertainty.   This short essay is a follow-up to a previous piece on certainty (https://used-ideas.blogspot.com/2024/12/certainty-is-also-emotion.html). U...
Post a Comment
Read more

Mediocrity

 Once of the worst things that can happen to a young person is to be told their mediocre performance is good. For me, I was told the opposite, that my efforts would end me in failure. That was a spur that dug in deep. I would prove him wrong.  And I did.  Do not praise mediocrity, no matter how much it makes you feel good or your target. 
Post a Comment
Read more