It occurs to me that you have put up a Sterling defense against the slings & arrows of those who deem "vast social knowledge" to be some sort of necessary er "talent". And your honesty about your omissions - is indeed commendable, after the shock wears off.
I wonder if maybe it isn't the definition of "vast social knowledge" that is the key here? After all, what is "vast social knowledge?" Social is society, isn't it, or the concept of socializing (i.e. familiarizing people with how society is), to be more exact. I know a lot about society, just not government in general.
Perhaps one should also look at how it is placed in one's life? If someone for example, works for the government, (as I did once, I was a federal employee), then that someone perhaps should have some concept of the institution one is working for. In my case, I did have that concept... and it didn't impress me. Thus when I was given the chance to cease to be a federal employee, I took it gratefully.
But if someone is not high on the social ladder, (i.e. well known or famous), and is not exposed to many situations requiring that "vast social knowledge", which from the past posts, I conclude also includes politics, they have less need to know the finer points of government, politics and the like.
Interesting that you used the word "talent" to describe having that "vast social knowledge", because I always viewed a talent to be something you were inborn with, rather than something you learned, although not denying that you can indeed learn a talent. I would consider it more of an ability to have and express that "vast social knowledge" than a talent, but I digress.
Since the word talent is used, perhaps it is simply then that some people learn that "talent" far better than others? To learn a talent, one must enjoy it, to start with, one must have interest. Otherwise, trying to teach your child to play the violin, will only result in squealing sounds that disturb the neighbors.
Maybe I was turned off by politics, maybe I was simply not interested, or more likely, maybe I was simply more interested in something else, but I tended to learn the history of our forefathers taught in grade school/high school long enough to pass the necessary classes and get on to the ones I wanted to take.
So, to consider having that vast information a necessity, well, it's a little broad. I suppose to a degree it would be, but to another, it would be well, more than one needed. And who defines vast, anyway? To me, the word vast describes something like the Grand Canyon, or an endless chasm disappearing into darkness.
I have the basic tools of democracy, and minimal politics. I don't remember all these details by memory, most of the time I must be reminded, probably because other things I deem far more important reside in my memory. But when I need the knowledge, (i.e. to vote, or do some other political thing), I can access it.
As for putting up a sterling defense, well, I feel I hold my own against those that I have no emotional attachment to. This only because you all do not know the places to hit me where it will scare, weaken or hurt. Not yet. Believe me, I fail more in those arenas where I actually know personally and care personally (nothing bad intended here), for those people. I like all of you, and I like this board, or I wouldn't be here, but none of you have the knowledge and keys to get inside me and damage anything as of yet... except maybe for Orion. Not unless you accidentally stumble on one of my weak points.
But there is a flip-side (to being flip)pant - you may well be *Right*er: on the highest scale imaginable - that of, not cluttering-up mind with pointless traditional dances of the massively pecking-order kind! (Escaping all manifestations of Politics alone.. would relieve the mind of the tiresome burden of thousands of patently useless opinions, stored asif they meant something).
Hehee, well I can't escape all politics, because as you said so yourself, (and I responded to in Open Forum and then manually moved it to Politics, politics are everywhere. I agree wholeheartedly with you, I said many things in that post that prove that we can't escape politics. And you are right about relieving the mind of patently useless opinions, because although I respect all opinions and everyone's right to theirs, I can't see the need to maintain a running memory log of who has what opinion at every turn. :)
Well, ya gots moxie - and ya ain't 'stupid' either, but you do have a couple decades of catching up to do, IF.. what you want IS - to play with the general population -?-
Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment. Honestly though, I'm not sure if I want to play with them so much as coexist amongst them. :)
Unless!! you are among that rarefied elite [??] as really Can:
Just ignore the whole suppurating Mess of modern spin-doctored mass kultur!
Well, I think there is a different between ignoring something and doing your best not to let it affect you in negative ways, but I see your point.
Now IF.. you Can really tune out all the BS around you -?- why then:
So maybe.. you can make a giant leap past most folks around: and just continue to ignore all that early-conditioning you have miraculously managed to miss! This may be no 'affliction' at all! ie Make Lemonade.
Are you in a sense here, saying, make lemons out of lemonade, i.e. gain something from my loss of information? I'm not really sure what early-conditioning you mean here, because I feel I was conditioned early about politics, anyway, since Dad more or less made me do what he wanted at the polls for years. But maybe it's a good sign that when I was free of that influence, I was able to step back and look at it myself, rather than go on in that conditioned response to be like Dad. Maybe that's what you mean, if that's the case, yes, I can ignore and move past that early influence and conditioning, and I have. :) I no longer vote a given way because dad said so, I vote based on how I feel and believe.
(And no, I'm not being even a teensy-bit snide in this suggestion; IF.. you can indeed Bring It Off. << Gawd Knows this kultur *needs* a few contemporary icons, oases of Sanity and Disinvolvement.. within an ocean of unrelenting noise and Elimidate concentrated commercial nastiness.)
I don't think you're being snide. In fact, I take this post as a compliment of sorts, albeit a wondering one. :) And you are right, disinvolvement, although hard, is necessary sometimes. If you don't have those Devil's advocates, or neutral parties at times, you can't see past your own emotionally charged feelings.
And you seem well suited in attempting to achieve a certain sort of 'harmoniousness?' amidst your flock elsewhere. Surely that is a clue as to your destiny?
I'm not sure what that means, unless you mean my yahoo groups, because I do strive to have a harmonious group of people who respect one another's opinions and coexist in a peaceable manner. Something that as you know, is very hard to accomplish and maintain in this new and embittered society.
Go For It.. and I shall light incense at the altar certain to be erected.. in time.
Don't worry, Ashton. I realize that you cannot "strive" for Sainthood. :) I didn't set out to "strive" for honesty either, just set out to live it and be it. :)
Ashton, somewhat enviously..
Enviously? Why would you want to be like me? I lived a sheltered life, I was naive to the point where I got into harmful situations more than once, and the only thing I can truly say I'm proud of is that I managed to get past it all to become who I am today.... maybe that's enough?
And Ashton, I want to add that you have become both intriguing and educational, and I am learning more from your posts than I ever thought possible. And YES, that IS a compliment. :)
Nightowl >8#
"I learned to be the door, instead of the mat!" "illegitimi nil carborundum" (Don't let the bastards grind you down)
Comment by Nightowl