SANITY

Posted on May 12, 2024

Today, the real crisis—national emergency—in these United States is the glaring absence of unifying, political leadership. Our politics has evolved to be a circus of “entertainers” who are orchestrating a dirty, 2024 election duel of parties who have obvious inadequacies, partial truths and lack the perspectives to address the complex issues facing the world today.

The recycling crisis of the absence of unifying, political leadership and limited perspectives offers the opportunity to study, reflect and itemize policies of particular interest to us; and to choose unifying political leaders who are ethical and moral, are guided by core values and guiding principles and have a track record of leadership successes through team play. We need leaders who listen to differences, who can transcend and include differences; and can unify diverse strengths. We need politicians who will facilitate hope for this great country, put us back on the track, and restore the brightness, sparkle and shine of our democracy.

Seven key brand attributes to look for in candidates who are marketing qualities for elections are as follows:

LEADERSHIP: This quality is an attribute of an individual’s brand; and is an earned, trust based, influence relationship between the respective leader, other leaders and followers who intend ethical and moral change that mirror common purpose.
INTEGRAL ETHICS: Integral connotes comprehensive, whole, balanced and “best of the best.” Ethics is sincere, private commitment to doing what it takes to expand awareness and show up with caring, love, compassion and a life of full integrity: “walk the talk” in every area of life and “model the way” as an individual; in relationships; and by skillfully helping and supporting others.
MORALS: Judgments made by an individual and concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness and badness of human character.
VALUES: Determine what a person pays attention to and how the person acts. Examples: trust and trusted; integrity; direct; open; honesty; caring; compassionate; moral; health, wellness and well being; financial viability; leadership; hope; and peace-of-mind.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES: Core values that are articulated. Examples: Do not lie, cheat or steal, nor tolerate those who do. Objective, not self-serving and act in the best interests of the people and organization being served. Committed to the concept of 100% responsibility: life happens because of me and not to me. Do not blame others, learn from one’s own experiences in an intentional and self-directed manner and apply that learning to new challenges. Set a good example for physical health, emotional balance, mental clarity, spiritual awakening, ethical behavior and integration of hidden, denied and repressed reflections manifested in the world. I am a student of life. I am silent self alone. I do everything with love. No matter what I am experiencing, it is arising in the awareness I am.
FOLLOWERSHIP: The actions of someone in a subordinate role. The intentional practice on the part of the subordinate to enhance the synergistic interchange between the follower and the leader. Team play: good leaders have practiced being good followers and are good followers.
INTEGRAL POLITICS: Awareness and understanding of the inadequacies of political parties because of limited and partial views that do not address the complex issues facing the world today. Requires a transcending and including leadership philosophy to unite multiple perspectives.

In Integral Life Practice Wilber et al offer, “People born with beauty, privilege, wealth, and fame sometimes make poor use of all of their advantages, diminishing themselves and those around them.” As Americans, we can select good political leaders who transcend and include, appreciate the strengths found in diversity and can lead efforts to restore the global shine and sparkle to our painfully evolving nation and world. Some glaring policy needs: 1) respect for the role of the media who need to be objective, not self-serving and held accountable for delivering messages that are in the best interests of Americans; 2) infrastructure maintenance and evolution for tomorrow’s needs; 3) comprehensive reform of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security and reined in healthcare costs; 4) comprehensive immigration reform; 5) foreign policy that strengthens alliances around the world; 6) simple, equitable tax system; 7) sound economy, balanced budget and sane trade policies; 8) stop the scourge of the opioid crisis; 9) tough, finely tuned, well-trained military, space forces and artificial intelligence resources; and 10) comprehensive environmental programs. Let’s do our homework and cast votes for political leaders who are objective, not self-serving and make decisions that are in the best interests of an America for Americans.

COLD PRICKLIES

Posted on May 4, 2024

A quick and dirty assessment of current reality offers that “We the people” have allowed politicians to abdicate responsibility for America’s democracy, and have most likely ignored a political revolution that has led to the current, manifest consequence, “cold pricklies,” non-functional government entities. The painful results: foundational core values, morals, codes of ethics, and guiding principles are eroding; historic institutions have been and are being deconstructed; and America has devolved from a democracy to a veiled aristocracy.

As the 2024 election nears, “We the people” have work to do to facilitate the election of leaders who inspire, rally, offer hope, and energize folks to climb aboard the American train and actively participate in the evolution of a desired American global character, one step at a time. A nice place to start is to create a vision, of a desired future state. Here are some ideas.

INSPIRATION and EXCELLENCE through VISION and CORE VALUES

We have a clear, easily understood statement of the desired future state of America for Americans.
We have core values, codes of ethics and guiding principles manifesting morals that are life protecting and life enhancing; and that guide right or wrong behavior.

CHARACTER DRIVEN, INNOVATIVE LEADERSHIP

We have leaders who are objective, not self-serving and make decisions that are in the best interests of the people served.
We have leaders who create trust-based influence relationships and accept 100% responsibility commitment.
We have leaders who transcend, include, and unify differences and diverse strengths.

INVOLVED, PARTICIPATING, EMPOWERED PEOPLE

We know that when our people put their conscious and subconscious minds to work on an issue, a solution will be found.
We recognize that people are our greatest asset.
We put quality in all we are and all we do: we are the “best of the best.”
We are good leaders and followers, empowered to make a difference and committed to active participation in evolving America’s desired future state.

TEAM ORIENTED RELATIONSHIPS and COALITIONS

We are leaders in quality relationships and strengthen alliances around the world.
We build diverse coalitions and make “equal” equal.

QUALITY ENVIRONMENTS and CULTURES

We have cultures and working environments that are challenging, exciting and fun.
We lead global environmental preservation and improvement coalitions.

PROACTIVE, LEADING-EDGE SYSTEMS and INSTITUTIONS

We build proactive, simple systems and processes that are affordable and can cope with the expected and unexpected.
We have institutions that are second to none.
We have a military and space force that are well-trained, pro-active, and ready.
We have respected proactive systems that control the flow of information, methods of communication and conduct within the nation.
We have political parties and political leaders who are our democracy’s gatekeepers and are committed to improving our democracy.
We know how to win a war of competing global visions that include cyber information; space; and underwater.
We have an infrastructure that satisfies current and evolving needs.
We have an economy that is thriving for all.

FLEXIBLE STRUCTURES

We have flexible structures that have qualified staff and that are dynamic and aligned to meet strategic objectives and respond to changing internal and external environments.

We are now able to develop policy strategies, followed by detailed planning of goals, objectives and action plans, that move us from current reality toward the vision. A few policy strategies might include election security, comprehensive immigration reform, affordable healthcare, free education and leading edge curricula reform, foreign relations, environmental control, taxation, economy, tariffs, financial viability, media and judicial system and processes. Let’s move from a current reality of “cold pricklies” to a desired future state of “warm fuzzies” for all Americans.

HIT ‘EM HIGH and STRAIGHT

Posted on May 1, 2024

Reading and managing a golf ball’s flight through manipulation of golf swing principles is an interesting challenge and learning opportunity for every golfer. John Jacobs, Practical Golf, offers, “The only purpose of a golf swing is to move the club through the ball square to the target at maximum speed.”

There are five ball flight laws that control a golf ball’s flight: clubface angle, clubface path, the angle of the club’s approach to the ball, the centeredness of impact of the ball with the clubface and the speed of the clubface at impact. The two primary variables that control ball flight direction are clubface angle and clubface path. Clubface angle at impact controls 85% of golf ball flight and 15% of golf ball flight is controlled by clubface path at impact. This offers a clear message: if the desire is to control ball flight, work on managing clubface angle first.

Clubface path at impact, the initial ball flight direction, can be inside-out, straight or outside-in to the ball-target line. Clubface angle at impact, the secondary ball flight direction, can be closed, square or open to the ball-target line. Together, clubface angle and clubface path result in nine different ball flights for right-handed golfers that can be read and managed:

Inside-out path, closed clubface…push-draw
Inside-out path, square clubface…push
Inside-out path, open clubface…push-fade
Straight path, closed clubface…straight-draw
Straight path, square clubface…straight
Straight path, open clubface…straight-fade
Outside-in path, closed clubface…pull-draw
Outside-in path, square clubface…pull
Outside-in path, open clubface…pull-fade

Grip[1], aim[2], position[3], swing plane[4] and release[5] are the primary principles (main causes) that can be used to manage clubface angle and clubface path. The only missing ingredient is time on the range hitting balls to learn to read ball flight and experiment with and manage the club-ball impact variables. Jack Nicklaus, Golf My Way, contends, “Whatever any golfer does with a golf club should have only one purpose: to produce correct impact of club on ball.” Have fun, hit’em high and straight!

[1] The placement of the hands on the club: positioning the palms, fingers and thumbs to allow a fluid motion during the swing.

[2] The combination of alignments of the clubface and body in relation to the target.

[3] The relationship of the back of the leading hand and the forearm: flat, cupped or arched-bowed.

[4] The tilt and direction of travel of the inclined plane that is made by the shaft of the club as it moves through the backswing and the downswing.

[5] The movement of the body that returns the clubface to a square position at impact in the forward swing, freeing potential energy in the moving clubhead.

BINOCULARS

Posted on April 20, 2024

Let us take out our binoculars and peer down the road, and simply be objective, not self-serving and visualize what would be good for America today and for future generations. America is at a crossroads, a fulcrum, a tipping point, between a democratic republic—freedom—and autocracy—control. As Americans, we each need to decide what type of country we desire; and what each of us can do to facilitate the strategic, competitive, common-sense battle with our principle global competitor, China. Some folks will pitch-in and make things happen; some folks will watch what happened; and some folks will wonder what happened.

In the hyperpolarized environment there are a bunch of tasks that need to get done: non-political voting rights management, technology building, inflation management, infrastructure maintenance and improvement, jobs creation, healthcare, childcare, immigration reform, countering systemic racism, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, minimum wage, climate control, confronting home grown, white supremacy, terrorism, fair share tax reform, sanely evolving through pandemics and preparing for future pandemics, education re-tuning and funding, sane gun control, policing in communities, foreign policy, et al. As the two Japanese characters for crisis offer, with danger comes opportunity. The danger is continued and expanded division and autocracy…control; and the opportunity is to work on our unhealthy personal and collective issues, participate in interactive dialogue and coalitions, and get done what is good for all Americans…freedom.

An opinion is that cultic-tribal addiction—political party sorting—is simply unresolved discomfort within the emotional body, the unhealthy self, or as offered in Integral Life Practice: A 21^st Century Blueprint for Physical Health, Emotional Balance, Mental Clarity, and Spiritual Awakening (Wilber, Patten, Leonard, and Morelli, 2008, Boston, MA: Integral, page 41, 92-93),

…the shadow or dark side of the psyche, those aspects of ourselves that we’ve split off, rejected, denied, hidden from ourselves, projected onto others, or otherwise disowned…repressed unconscious…because we’ve pushed or pressed it out of our awareness, and unconscious because we are not aware of it…But the fact that we are not conscious or aware of the shadow does not mean that it has no effect: it just expresses itself through distorted and unhealthy means-or what is typically called neuroses…safety and security are sought by bonding together and identifying (fusing) with a tribe in order to persevere and protect against outsiders. Allegiance and admiration are given to the chief…emergence of a sense of self (ego) distinct from the tribe, although it often acts impulsively on behalf of its favored group.

Undoing and reintegrating this repressed and denied unconscious to improve our psychological health is process and is not easy; however, the work can free energy that has been spent shadowboxing with the self, making excuses, spinning, blaming, and telling stories. An initial step is simply a sense of openness and a commitment to face everything and fear nothing, just sit in the flames of the unresolved discomfort and give birth to penetrating insight and skillful means. We are simply witnessing the evolution of the human condition, and with patience, persistence, education, compassion, learning, and spirituality, we can move forward together, not further divided, and closer to autocracy, more lying, zero leadership, an orchestrated overthrow of elections, bypass of constitutional order, accelerated division and violence, racism and white supremacy, direction of a violent insurrection, and committed students of Vladmir Putin and his Ukraine disaster. Individually and collectively, we can grow common good, compassion, virtue, mindfulness, awareness, virtue, and self-restraint, and quiet the insatiable, unhealthy ego; and the dampening of anger, egotistical pride, jealousy, envy, doubt, ignorance, attachment, and fear can begin to free energy to nurture peace-of-mind and a sense of happiness and joy. Let us get this job done for all Americans, not just a select, partisan few. Casts, conflicting political messages, and deliberate, negative words that separate, attack, and divide are simply wrong. If open to the challenge, ready for the opportunity, and in need of a boost to get started: 1) In her Mindfulness Journal, Catherine Price recommends, Buy a pack of small stickers—any kind will do—and place a dozen or so around your home and office in noticeable places, such as your bathroom mirror, your computer, the back of your phone, the wall behind your kitchen sink, your alarm clock, or the cover of (your) journal. Every time you see one of these stickers, STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING, BREATHE, AND BE. 2) Locate a credible meditation instructor, learn to meditate, uncover the silent watcher, and resolve to create self-restraint. 3) Three questions for reflection: What unlocks compassion? What manifests happiness, joy, and peace-of-mind? Can vulnerability, openness, and honesty be healing?

There are no regrets in life, just lessons! Today, it feels like the country is regressing. The country needs to evolve.

BUDS and BLOSSOMS

Posted on April 13, 2024

Anais Nin expresses the experience beautifully, “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” (Dr. Susan M. Johnson, Hold Me Tight, 153.) Maybe! And an obvious question: What do these words have to do with anything?

The simple answer: Take off the presented Self mask, the culturally created, fear bound, in the bud, “should be,” and simply blossom by being authentic, open, honest, and vulnerable. Let’s peek at recent headlines.

Ukraine-Russia War, Israeli-Hamas War, fraud, daily polarized, hatred circus of unfolding 2024 Presidential Election, voter suppression, corruption, violence, and deconstruction of federal court system. A helicopter view offers that the least common denominator is emotional sickness from an overwhelming dose of “Demon Dialogues” (“separation distress,” relationship storms, love starvation) (Dr. Susan M. Johnson, Hold Me Tight, 45, 48) Quite simply, we have lost sight of the fact that the need for love is in the human genes and is not about bargains, reasoning, and deals about profit and loss. It is sane, conscious, emotional responses and mutually satisfying experiences in a partnership. The perception is that one becomes so addicted to the Demon Dialogue loop, pattern, habit, that it becomes impossible to see the forest for the trees, be vulnerable, open, honest, and simply share our human love needs, just blossom as life was meant to be.

Several years ago, it was a great deal of fun to create a blossoming lotus tattoo for the back of the right hand. The inspiration was a shared legend about 10,000-year-old lotus flower seeds. They shelter and lie dormant at the bottom of the swamp, eventually begin to geminate, grow through the thick and thin muck of the swamp, and eventually emerge and blossom for the world to see and admire, sparking beauty. Yes, simply modeling the gift of human life unless for some reason one becomes derailed, distracted, confused, culturally groomed, brainwashed, and unable to blossom. I call it stuck in the swamp’s misery loop.

On the heels of six months of energy psychology, deep inner digging work with an energy psychology coach, it has been humbling and awakening to evolve to the work of Dr. Susan M. Johnson (Attachment Theory in Practice). Her work offers that our journey is inside out as opposed to the culture dictates of outside in. The inside out journey is to have conscious experience of the dance of emotion (anger, fear, attachment, egotistical pride, jealousy, envy, shame, shock, etc.) and attachment style to “music,” 1) targeting for a shift of emotional music to decrease the “Demon Dialogues” and simply be open, honest, and vulnerable and love the Self and one’s chosen partners in life; and 2) confronting perceived attachment style threats to unfold love for the Self and chosen partners. The goal is to have the music, the dance, and the dancers become one, just cannot tell the dance from the dancers. As Anais Nin offers, “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” (Dr. Susan M. Johnson, Hold Me Tight, 153.) We just need to move through the swamp, wake up, look around, take a helicopter ride, and look around. Peace-of -mind and a foundation of compassion for purpose and connections are a few deep breaths away. Eventually, the compassion scab comes off and we become one with the suffering of others. Quality, common good, authenticity, and virtue can certainly become a blossoming way of life. Staying in the bud is not a fun, joyful way to live this wonderful gift of life. Stressful, too…and the body keeps the score. And boy is it ever difficult to be open, honest, vulnerable, and bare the soul. And tears may come as love needs are uncovered and shared!

DEMON DIALOGUES

Posted on April 6, 2024

The Ukraine-Russia War, the Israel-Hamas War, the daily polarized, hatred circus of the unfolding 2024 Presidential Election, voter suppression in an historically respected democratic republic, corruption, violence, and deconstruction of a federal court system, these have been just a few of the recent headlines. A helicopter glance offers that the least common denominator is that we are suffering from an overwhelming dose of “Demon Dialogues” (“separation distress,” relationship storms) (Dr. Susan M. Johnson, Hold Me Tight, 45, 48) Quite simply, in this combat veteran’s words, we have lost sight of the fact that the need for love is in the human genes and is not about bargains, reasoning, and deals about profit and loss. It is sane, conscious, emotional responses and mutually satisfying experiences in a partnership. The perception is that one becomes so addicted to the Demon Dialogue loop, pattern, that it becomes impossible to see the forest for the trees, be vulnerable, and reach for our human love needs satisfaction.

On the heels of six months of energy psychology, deep inner digging work with an energy psychology coach, it has been humbling and awakening to evolve to the work of Dr. Susan M. Johnson (Attachment Theory in Practice). In the words of an Infantry soldier her work offers that our journey is inside out as opposed to the culture dictates of outside in. The inside out journey is to have conscious experience of the dance of emotion (anger, fear, attachment, egotistical pride, jealousy, envy, shame, shock, etc.) and attachment style to “music,” 1) targeting for a shift of emotional music to decrease the “Demon Dialogues” and simply be open, honest, and vulnerable and love the Self and one’s chosen partners in life; and 2) confronting perceived attachment style threats to unfold love for the Self and chosen partners. The goal is to have the music, the dance, and the dancers become one, just cannot tell the dance from the dancers. Concerning attachment theory, Dr. Johnson offers,

The powerful emotions that came up in my couples’ sessions were anything but irrational. They made perfect sense. Partners acted like they were fighting for their lives in therapy because they were doing just that. Isolation and the potential loss of loving connection to a few loved ones is wired in by millions of years of evolution. Distressed partners may use different words, but they are always asking the same questions, ‘Are you there for me? Do I matter to you? Will you come when I need you, when I call?’ Love is the best survival mechanism there is, and to feel suddenly emotionally cut off from a partner, disconnected, is terrifying. We must reconnect, to speak our needs in a way that moves our partner to respond. This longing for emotional connection with those nearest to us is the emotional priority, overshadowing even the drive for food or sex. The drama of love is all about this hunger for safe emotional connection, a survival imperative we experience from the cradle to the grave. Loving connection is the only safety nature ever offers us.
These emotions and attachment needs were the plot behind negative interactions like the Demon Dialogues. Now I understood why this kind of pattern was so complicated and never ending. When safe connection seems lost, partners go into fight-or-flight mode. They blame and get aggressive to get a response, any response, or they close down and try not to care. Both are terrified; they are just dealing with it differently. Trouble is, once they start this blame-distance loop, it confirms all their fears and adds to their sense of isolation. Emotional edicts as old as time dictate this dance; rational skills don’t change it. Most of the blaming in these dialogues is a desperate attachment cry, a protest against disconnection. It can only be quieted by a lover moving emotionally close to hold and reassure. Nothing else will do. If this reconnection does not occur, the struggle goes on. One partner will frantically try to get an emotional response from the other. The other, hearing that he or she has failed at love, will freeze up. Immobility in the face of danger is a wired-in way to deal with a sense of helplessness.
The key moments of change in Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) were moments of secure bonding. In these moments of safe attunement and connection, both partners can hear each other’s attachment cry and respond with soothing care, forging a bond that can withstand differences, wounds, and the test of time. These moments shape connection, and that changes everything. They provide a reassuring answer to the question, ‘Are you there for me?’ Once partners know how to speak their need and bring each other close, every trial they face together simply makes their love stronger. No wonder these moments create new dances of trusting connection for couples in EFT. No wonder they make them stronger as individuals. If you know your loved one is there and will come when you call, you are more confident of your worth, your value. And the world is less intimidating when you have another to count on and know that you are not alone. (Dr. Susan M. Johnson, Hold Me Tight, 46-47)

Not being alone is simply in our human genes! With proper, sane, human attention, it feels like we can turn these cultural Demon Dialogues around and motor to have the love we each need. And we have a lot of work to do…Ukraine-Russia War, Israel-Hamas War, daily polarized, hatred circus of the unfolding 2024 Presidential Election, voter suppression, corruption, violence, and deconstruction of a federal court system scream of a least common denominator of suffering from an overwhelming dose of “separation distress.” Quite simply, we have lost sight of the fact that the need for love is in the human genes and is not about bargains, reasoning, profit and loss, and hate slinging at fellow human beings. It is sane, conscious, emotional responses and mutually satisfying experiences in partnerships when the dance, the music, and dancers become one.

3-2-1

Posted on March 30, 2024

The book is Integral Life Practice (Wilber et al, 2008, Integral Books), Chapter 4: The Shadow Module, page 51-52, Gold Star Practice, The 3-2-1 Shadow Process. The assignment is to pick a “difficult person” by whom you are repelled or disturbed: makes you easily triggered, reactive, irritated, angry, or upset; or may keep coming up as an emotional tone or mood that pervades your life. Then follow three steps: 3-Face It; 2-Talk to It; and 1-Be It. The person chosen is Donald J. Trump and he occupied the Office of the President of the United States January 20, 2017-January 20, 2021.

3-Face It: Describe the person, situation, image in vivid detail using 3^rd person pronouns. What is it that disturbs you?

A few of the words that describe this person, who is unqualified to serve as President, are angry, mean, liar, racist, insults, exaggerates, provokes, ignorant, attached to Self, psychotic, spins, deceptions, puts out what he receives back, jealous, envious, disparaging, name calling, sexist, misogynist, sarcastic, game player, tantrums, childish, circus ring-leader, deflector, flypaper for attention, egotistic, id no superego, narcissist, attention wanting, divisive, polarizing, tribal, identity seeker, loud, rude, outrageous, phony, blames, refuses to accept responsibility, confrontational, weak, cantankerous, badgering, threatening, law breaking, like gum on the bottom of a shoe, dictator, deconstructs constitutional, legal, government and political norms, selfish, demagogue, cruel, short-sighted, repulsive, loathed, moral failure, criminal, corrupt, celebrity and right, wrong, should, and ought for you, not me. Thoughts then wander to the Access Hollywood Tape, 12 women with sexual harassment claims, pay-offs to Stormy Daniels and Karen MacDougal; southern border immigration disasters; Mueller Report (Russian interference in 2016 election; obstruction of justice; Roger Stone, Paul Manafort, Michael Cohen, Carter Page and Michael Flynn in prison); impeachment fiasco, quid pro quo with Ukraine; COVID-19 pandemic leadership and management was an absolute chaotic disaster costing American lives; leadership and management of racism demonstrations in the country, to include use of Federal forces to push peaceful protestors away to permit him to have a personal photo opportunity holding a Bible upside down; indiscriminate, self-serving sales of weapons to Saudis; and refusal to change the Confederate commander names of 10 military bases and remove Confederate artifacts that remind of slavery. Moreover, we were witness to a Commander-in-Chief who choose not to champion those in uniform and respect the core values of the military: 1) does not set a good example; 2) lies to self-serve; 3) dismissed as headaches the blast exposure soldiers received from a 2020 Iranian missile attack; 4) in four years he made only three visits to soldiers in war zones; 5) has referred to military leaders as “dopes and babies” when being briefed about the value of allies and overseas commitments; 6) reversed punishments or convictions for troops accused or convicted of war crimes; 7) has excoriated soldiers who irritated him: Senator John McCain, a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for more than five years; Defense Secretary James Mattis: “…the world’s most over-rated general…”; and combat-wounded Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman was “very insubordinate” and fired from the White House for testifying at Donald Trump’s impeachment. Donald Trump is an embarrassment to America.

2-Talk to It

John: Tell me about your childhood.

Don: It was tough. Never saw or talked to Mom. Dad was always working; and when I saw him, he was always wanting to know what I was doing to pull my share of the load. Folks offer that he left me a lot of money. However, not true.

John: Where did you go to school?

Don: Went to grade school and high school in Queens. Then off to a military prep school and Penn State, Wharton. Grades were always A’s.

John: Who were your friends growing up?

Don: Did not have any. Pretty much did my own thing.

John: Tell me about your family life and kids.

Don: Three wives. Not much to report other than great sex. Have five kids: Don, Jr., Eric, Ivanka, my favorite, Tiffany; and Baron. They are highly successful and work in my business.

John: Describe a situation where you helped someone solve a difficult problem.

Don: Filed a lawsuit in Scotland to have windmills removed from the views of my golf course.

John: What do you expect from the people who work for you?

Don: Yes, sir. No, sir. No excuse, sir. Lie, cheat, steal…whatever is necessary to win. Win at all costs. Absolute loyalty. Defend me at all costs. I am a genius and know more than all the folks in the world. I am rich. I am tough and have no emotional attachment to anything. Yes, I do relish the position power.

John: What makes you angry?

Don: Anything that does not go my way or is contrary to my beliefs.

John: What do you do in your spare time?

Don: Watch television, play golf, eat, go to Mar-a-Lago and be with friends, and I just love to be with groups of followers and rally to them.

John: Tell me about your greatest accomplishment.

Don: Being President and rich.

John: What did you like most about being President?

Don: The power of the position.

John: What did you dislike most about being President?

Don: Pretending to hear what others have to offer to solve problems. I can solve all problems in less time and with less effort.

John: Tell me about your greatest disappointment.

Don: Not able to have my own kingdom.

John: What is your greatest strength?

Don: Winning!

John: What is your greatest weakness?

Don: I do not have any. Just ask my kids, wives or those who work for me.

John: Describe a situation in which you failed.

Don: I have never failed.

John: Tell me about your favorite courses in school.

Don: I do not like to study and read.

John: Discuss a person who you admire.

Don: I want all folks to be like me.

John Discuss your biggest mistake in dealing with people.

Don: I do the right thing with all folks.

1-Be It.

I am too self-serving, over my head and not qualified for the job of President, simply lost and in need of integral therapy. My base folks need help, too. Please help them. I am too self-centered and just not emotionally connected to learning, sitting in pain, being honest, horror, the absurdity of America’s history and to the humanity of those who dared stand against the system. Ain’t no friends here. Four-hundred years is too long; and the opportunity to begin to unite the country is staring at us. Political party sorted folks need to remove the ego disguises and provide a welcoming, inclusive environment. Quickly change the remaining symbolic reminders of slavery. Let us put together game plans to transcend and include others: heal others, build up others; strengthen trust within coalitions; extend forgiveness; become an active listener; and inspire greatness in others. I am proud to serve alongside each person as we pursue excellence while at the same time respecting the dignity of teammates. Together, we can confront and solve problems with efficient, effective, and compassionate dialogue that seeks solutions rather than sowing seeds of division and disunity. Leadership can and will make things happen!

ID and NO SUPEREGO

Posted on March 24, 2024

As the 2024 Presidential election unfolds, a MUST READ for all voting Americans, whether Republican, Independent, or Democrat, is The Trump Indictments: The Historic Charging Documents with Commentary by Melissa Murray and Andrew Weissmann. They certainly nail what we have witnessed, are witnessing and will witness it in the Introduction, “His ‘brand’…transgression-an id with no super ego.” (xiii) Id is simply the impulsive part of the personality that is driven by pleasure and repulsed by pain and no superego connotes absent the judgmental and morally correct part of personality. Murray and Weissmann offer, “THE UNITIED STATES is venturing into uncharted territory with not one, but four, criminal indictments of a former president for crimes alleged to have been committed before, during, and after his presidency.” (xvi)

As we witness the dark divide becoming wider, deeper, nastier, and darker, contrasting candidates for President is interesting. It appears the critical decision is to vote for the candidate who has a quality profile, i.e., 1) is objective and not self-serving and decides based on what is in the best interests of America; 2) is committed to common good, compassion, virtue, honesty, and integrity; and 3) can best transcend and include others and consciously evolve a sane American culture.

How one chooses to “show-up” in the world can be critiqued by researching, examining, and witnessing talents, skills, and experiences; making observations; and scrutinizing character, personality, mentality, and interests. Let us take-a-look at Former President Donald J. Trump.

Talents, Skills, and Experiences

A narcissistic drama-seeker who covers a fragile ego with a bullying impulse and has taken democracy to the brink. (Maggie Haberman, Confidence Man, 506) Life’s goal has been to gain and maintain position power, at any cost. Witness a track record of business and government failures, investigations and numerous lawsuits and absolute chaotic disasters: most consequential president in history; puppet of Vladimir Putin; foreign policy bullying, badgering, and destroying; abandoned allies; personal business endeavors with several bankruptcies; North Korean nuclear weapons stockpile doubled; pandemic management and leadership was non-existent, dereliction of duty, passed buck off to governors who became blame targets; enlisted foreign interference in elections (Russia and China); several obstruction of justice charges; impeachment proceedings; insurrection; multiple legal cases lost and pending; accepts payoffs for positions; and has numerous Trump party cronies who are lost souls in search of a tribe and chief. No decisions are made based on strategic plans, strategies, goals, and objectives; makes decisions on how he feels at the time; can handle small projects and sign executive orders; not able to lead projects large in scope; selection of judges, environmental deregulations and deconstruction of institutions may be legacy; and immigration policy is inhumane. Is a master at using neuroses [The dark side of the psyche: denied, repressed, disowned and projected subconscious aspects of the Self.] to create stories (“fake news”) that strategically move the “lightning rod” from the Trump Party to others in order to trigger the psyche of perceived “enemies” and his base. Others become the personification of the wrongs and inexcusable of the Trump Party: Russian interference, Ukraine, racism, nativism, gloating, tax cuts for the rich, Supreme Court justices, bullying, outrages, fake news, etc., etc. As Bernie Sanders has eloquently noted, “Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Trump golfs.” Accepting responsibility for anything is not his cup of tea. Blaming others is his ballgame. Just take him Diet Coke, wash his dirty laundry and witness a confusing story narrative, throwing sand in the eyes of the onlooker, claiming that transparently implausible stories were true unless proven otherwise, and denying the obvious truth.

Observations

Donald J. Trump is a genius at networking and using the media to recruit, retain, and fire, at will, addicted surrogates, circles of friends, admirers, celebrity hangers-on, and wannabes who savor and long for safety and security sought by bonding together and identifying with a tribe in order to persevere and protect against outsiders. Allegiance and admiration are given to the chief and clan. Mystical signs, conspiracy, and desires of powerful spirit beings must be followed for the continued safety and well-being of the tribe. Years of behaviors reveal the following:

Does not understand duty, honor, and country.
A cheat, a liar, a fraud, a bully, a predator, a con man.
Racist, incendiary, toxic, casts hate, disruptive, name caller, and divisive, unfit for political office.
Repeatedly has disparaged the intelligence of service members: Americans who die in war are “losers” and “suckers.”
Deny, deny, deny; accuse, accuse, and accuse. The magic formula: D cubed—disease, disaster, division; and he continues to escape responsibility and being held accountable for anything by anybody.
Tax cuts were a corporate “boondoggle.”
Vision for country is merely to fix what his administration undermined, agitated, deconstructed, or destroyed during his time in office. Examples: intelligence, FBI, CIA, U.S. Postal Service, voting integrity, Supreme Court, and CDC.
Stokes fear, celebrity, and brand building; and show-photo opportunity is the foundation for his rhetoric. Is a stand-up comic.
Staff selection of addicted surrogates has been a disaster and revolving door; and demands loyalty even if unethical, yes sir, no sir, no excuse sir; or you are fired.
Surrounded by fixers and “yes men;” encourages rivalries and thrives on personal attacks.
Protected by political party sorted, partisan, power worldview associates of the Federal government institution he and his cronies choose to deconstruct and destroy.
Conspiracist (example QAnon) and guilty of political cowardice, blaming, passing the buck, and dereliction of duty; shirked constitutionally mandated duty and rewards misconduct.
Sexist and multiple lawsuits and misconduct behaviors.
Racist: a person who shows or feels discrimination or prejudice against people of other races, or who believes that a particular race is superior to another.
Dishonest, arrogant, and narcissist; uses position and financial power for personal gain.
Creates martyr complex, irrelevance, and distractions; misleads, boasts and is egotistical, promotes blamelessness of self, never wrong, and anxious to criticize.
People mistakes and poor interpersonal relations skills.
Lies, denies, blames, and spins; egotistical and self-serving; unqualified for the position.
Having been President and playing golf reveal the real person: you cannot hide. Read Commander-in-Cheat.

Character, Personality, Mentality, and Interests.

Low-functioning includes persons who “… do not exhibit polished and polite behaviors as a mask for their manipulations…may lack the education or interpersonal skills to control and deceive. Instead they might use threats, coercion, or intimidation to achieve their desired outcome.” (Source: Dr. Timothy J. Legg, “What Is a High-Functioning Sociopath?”, 5-28-2019, https://www.healthline.com, 1-3.)
Narcissistic sociopath: one form of antisocial personality disorder and is the result of environmental factors such as a child or teen’s upbringing in a negative household that resulted in physical abuse, emotional abuse, or childhood trauma. (Sources: Mary L. Trump, Too Much and Never Enough, 2020, Simon & Schuster; https://psychcentral.com, Dr. John M. Grohol, “Differences Between a Psychopath vs Sociopath,” 5-20-2020, 1-5; Dr. Tarra Bates-Duford, “Psychopath vs Sociopath: 16 Key Differences,” 9-7-2018, 1-3; https://www.health.com, Rosie McCall, “9 Ways to Spot a Sociopath,” 10-4-2019, 1-7.
Gangster, corrupt, and behaves as if above the law.
A stale, nasty breath of death, hate, narcissism, chaos, fear, conspiracy, norm erosion, “dark,” institutional deconstruction, and neo-facism.

Partisan politics is a dangerous duel of limited and partial truths; and binds party sorted folks to fixed, literal or otherwise limiting beliefs and frames of minds. Political party sorted, addicted surrogates make obvious excuses for candidates and excuse the inexcusable with respect to virtue, morality, judgment, intent, behavior, actions, ethics, and laws. W. Edwards Deming remarked, “If a person is not performing as expected, it is probably because they are miscast for the job.” Michael Cohen offers, “No one ever tells Trump the truth about his behavior and beliefs, or the consequences of his conduct and ignorance and arrogance, in business or in his personal life and now in politics. Trump is the boy in the bubble, impervious to the thoughts and feelings or others, entirely and utterly focused on his own desires and ambitions.”

Donald J. Trump is a power-hungry gangster who is unfit to occupy the Office of the President of the United States of America. Examine and deeply reflect on his profile. As a country, we need a President who will lead the country, improve the country, and set the stage for future generations, not one who will continue to deconstruct the many institutions that are the foundation and pillars of the America Americans desire. Read The Trump Indictments: The Historic Charging Documents with Commentary by Melissa Murray and Andrew Weissmann. America needs an individual with healthy ego, the conscious part of personality that mediates between the id and the superego and makes decisions that are in the best interests of the UNITED STATES.

CIVIL WAR of 2024?

Posted on March 17, 2024

Military leaders learn about the principles of war, fundamental truths governing the prosecution of war. The application of these principles to the planning for and direction of war is called strategy; their application on the battlefield is called tactics. Principles of war include the objective, simplicity, unity of command, the offensive, maneuver, mass, economy of force, surprise, and security. [Notes for the Course in the History of the Military Art, Department of Military Art and Engineering, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, 1957, 1-3)

The Civil War of 2024 is revealing strategies and tactics of words and actions either 1) to win votes [Democrats] to improve, evolve and preserve democracy; or 2) to suppress votes [Trump Party], deconstruct democracy and install autocracy.

Three strategies the Democrats have unfolded are to preserve the soul of the American political system, to strengthen the backbone of the country, and to unite the country. Some of the Democratic tactics being used to earn votes are planned improvement “actions” related to infrastructure, cancelling education loans, voting rights, immigration, gun safety, and foreign policy. Continued strategies of the Trump Party are to divide the country, deconstruct and redirect the court processes, retain white supremacy, deliberately fan the fires of racism, sow fear, and to suppress voting rights of minorities through the tactic of voter suppression legislation. Other intentional tactics are lying, working problems, blocking improvements, creating chaos, deconstructing, dismantling, bickering, sowing hate, and dividing.

“Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble.” (Y. Berg) And a person who controls the message of words has tremendous power over others.

As the 2024 election unfolds, political leadership choices will be revealed. More than likely choices will be driven by words pontificating past results and popular actions. A spectrum of positive words that create the stories…freedom, prosperity, security, facts, unity, truth, order, respect, harmony, poise, receptivity, positiveness, team effort, teamwork, childcare, guardians, self-mastery, integral life practice, health, non-partisan, wellness and well-being, mindfulness, awareness, self-restraint, values, equality, fairness, globally respected, quality, guiding principles, ethics, peace, clean air, allies, non-partisan, value in diversity, safe schools, no debt, sincerity, trustworthy, believable, passionate, disciplined, generosity, wise, direct, open, nice, 100% responsibility, apology, loving-kindness, patient, tolerant, compassionate, humanness, beautiful, smiling, et al.

An array of negative words that create the stories…lies, lynching, deception, casts, spins, obstruction, abuse, conspiracy, human scum, traitors, chaos, entertainment, dynasty, autocracy, racism, above the law, divisiveness, partisan, war, bombs and bullets, street shootings, smoke and mirrors, impeachment, corruption, fear, abuse of power, obstruction of justice, cult-like, tribal, business failings, pay-offs, porn stars, partisan vulgarity, broken promises, scandals, low character, bad judgement, failed policies, cover-ups, low intellect, disruption, conflict, deconstruction, selfish, narcissist, demagogue, cruel, fraud, short-sighted, et al.

Words are powerful and the paradox of choice is clear: an America for Americans that is inspiring and visionary for generations to come—freedom, love, hope, happiness, peace-of-mind, purpose, and connections created on a foundation of compassion and common good; or an America for Americans that is evil and dictatorial for generations to come—pay-back, fear, hate, vindictive, intimidation, economic insecurity, casts, racism, decay, and global disrespect. Christian D. Larson offers, “So long as we continue to resist or deny evil, we will think about evil, and so long as we think about evil, evil will be impressed upon the subconscious, that the subconscious will reproduce and bring forth into personal life.” When there is only one power which decides who is right and who is wrong, and who should be punished and who not, we have a form of…dictatorship. (James Heiser). The mission is quite clear: to merge with others to co-create, transcend and include others, and evolve democracy for “We the people…”

WORDS

Posted on March 9, 2024

Military leaders learn about the principles of war, fundamental truths governing the prosecution of war. The application of these principles to the planning for and direction of war is called strategy; their application on the battlefield is called tactics. Principles of war include the objective, simplicity, unity of command, the offensive, maneuver, mass, economy of force, surprise, and security. [Notes for the Course in the History of the Military Art, Department of Military Art and Engineering, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, 1957, 1-3)

The civil War of 2024 is revealing strategies and tactics of words and actions either 1) to win votes [Democrats] to improve, evolve and preserve democracy; or 2) to suppress votes [Trump Party], deconstruct democracy and install autocracy.

Three strategies the Democrats have unfolded are to preserve the soul of the American political system, to strengthen the backbone of the country, and to unite the country. Some of the Democratic tactics being used to earn votes are planned improvement “actions” related to infrastructure, cancelling education loans, voting rights, immigration, gun safety, and foreign policy. Continued strategies of the Trump Party are to divide the country, retain white supremacy, deliberately fan the fires of racism, sow fear, and to suppress voting rights of minorities through the tactic of voter suppression legislation. Other intentional tactics are lying, working problems, blocking improvements, creating chaos, deconstructing, dismantling, bickering, sowing hate, and dividing.

“Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble.” (Y. Berg) And a person who controls the message of words has tremendous power over others.

As the 2024 election unfolds, political leadership choices will be revealed. More than likely choices will be driven by words pontificating past results and popular actions. A spectrum of positive words that create the stories…freedom, prosperity, security, facts, unity, truth, order, respect, harmony, poise, receptivity, positiveness, team effort, teamwork, childcare, guardians, self-mastery, integral life practice, health, non-partisan, wellness and well-being, mindfulness, awareness, self-restraint, values, equality, fairness, globally respected, quality, guiding principles, ethics, peace, clean air, allies, non-partisan, value in diversity, safe schools, no debt, sincerity, trustworthy, believable, passionate, disciplined, generosity, wise, direct, open, nice, 100% responsibility, apology, loving-kindness, patient, tolerant, compassionate, humanness, beautiful, smiling, et al.

An array of negative words that create the stories…lies, lynching, deception, casts, spins, obstruction, abuse, conspiracy, human scum, traitors, chaos, entertainment, dynasty, autocracy, racism, above the law, divisiveness, partisan, war, bombs and bullets, street shootings, smoke and mirrors, impeachment, corruption, fear, abuse of power, obstruction of justice, cult-like, tribal, business failings, pay-offs, porn stars, partisan vulgarity, broken promises, scandals, low character, bad judgement, failed policies, cover-ups, low intellect, disruption, conflict, deconstruction, selfish, narcissist, demagogue, cruel, fraud, short-sighted, et al.

Words are powerful and the paradox of choice is clear: an America for Americans that is inspiring and visionary for generations to come—freedom, love, hope, happiness, peace-of-mind, purpose, and connections created on a foundation of compassion and common good; or an America for Americans that is evil and dictatorial for generations to come—pay-back, fear, hate, vindictive, intimidation, economic insecurity, casts, racism, decay, and global disrespect. Christian D. Larson offers, “So long as we continue to resist or deny evil, we will think about evil, and so long as we think about evil, evil will be impressed upon the subconscious, that the subconscious will reproduce and bring forth into personal life.” When there is only one power which decides who is right and who is wrong, and who should be punished and who not, we have a form of…dictatorship. (James Heiser). The mission is quite clear: to merge with others to co-create, transcend and include others, and evolve democracy for “We the people…”