You mention in your post that you are not a linear thinker. That jumped out at me because I’ve held for some time now that there are certain psychological conditions that may be hallmarks of people on the far left, among them, an inability to think in a linear fashion. I wonder if you could categorize your political stance?
This comment fascinates me. Last night, while it was snowing, I began to formulate a response. I posted it, went to sleep, and woke up about five times to edit and add to it.
Being sleep deprived, I accidentally deleted the post. Fortunately I hadn’t deleted my e-mail.
I can’t reconstruct the post exactly, but I will rewrite it.
If anybody can explain the logic behind the comment I will give you something.
A comment by me: I didn’t say I couldn’t think in a linear structure, I said that I’m a non-linear thinker.
Big difference.
I arrive at answers through inductive reasoning. This means that I see the answer that is the wanted one or the socially accepted answer, plus several more without going through the steps. This is called thinking outside the box, and is generally admired. In a discussion I can argue for the other answers I see and get people not only to agree to their validity but to act on them.
I can go through all the steps when I need to. As I mentioned in Fiction or Fact, I have been a legal, tax, factual and social science researcher. This assumes the ability to organize information, and to summarize and/or critique it concisely and clearly. I have to put on my linear cap when doing this. I’m especially good at, and love critiquing social science studies.
I’m a licensed social worker with post grad training in research. I did better in my research classes than 95% of the doctoral candidates. Obviously my naturally non-linear thinking has not impaired my ability to organize material or to function on a very advanced level.
I have two questions for the man who made the comment. I’m not putting his name in here; it’s in the comments in my prior post.
1) Define “far left.” This one makes me laugh because I imagine people who are now old lefties at a Paul Robeson concert before I was born.
Then I imagine the PBS video of the making of The Weavers Reunion. Yes, Pete Seeger, Ronnie Gilbert, the wonderful Lee Hays, and Fred Hellerman are/were red menaces. And probably non-linear thinkers.
When I think of the Far Left, like The Weathermen. While they were too far to the left for me, I would have admired their intent, had they not used violent means.
So I have no idea what leftist groups the commenter meant. I never condone violence; I don’t sit around and plot the overthrow of the United States Government, or believe that any violent action against my country is acceptable. Remember, I live in Manhattan. I know what it’s like to live through a terrorist attack.
I don’t believe in violent action toward any country. I accept that war is sometimes necessary and would have accepted a war against Bin Laden soon after 9/11. But that didn’t happen.
The commenter while pretending to be nice was completely insulting. I might have respected the comment a bit had he specifically stated the “psychological conditions.”
As a therapist who is licensed by the state of New York, I would have been glad to answer. I will anyway.
I suffer from obsessive/ compulsive disorder, panic attacks, anxiety, ADD and some learning disabilities. I have frequently mentioned them in my blog. I don’t spend my time thinking about them, and am not an angry person, which is something the commenter might have meant in a larger context.
Somehow I don’t think that the commenter was looking for my answers. I believe that I know what he was referring to, but wanted to test me. There are three conditions that come readily to mind.
I believe that the writer is also talking about rational vs irrational thinking and behavior.
Truthfully all fringe groups might be said to have members that are angry, irrational or suffer from paranoia, schizoid thinking and/or borderline personality disorder. Personally I believe that most members of society feel borderline at times. I don’t find any shame in these conditions. I do find shame in comments meant to incite.
I really detest people who lack the chutzpah to say what they mean. While I believe that people in our country, and probably everywhere now, lack manners, I also believe that taunting a person with a comment like the above one is cruel, and the commenter should have stated his question so that I could have answered it.
Don’t ever underestimate a non-linear thinker. We tend to rule.
here is the first comment from the delete
New comment on your post #166 “If I’m not a linear thinker does that mean I’ m on the far left?”
Author : Catt
URI : http://cativa.blogspot.com
Comment:
So if my line of thinking looks like one of those old Spirograph pictures…is that bad?
Sorry - couldn’t resist!
You can see all comments on this post here:
http://courtingdestiny.com/archives/2005/02/25/if-im-not-a-linear-thinker-does-that-mean-i-m-on-the-far-left/#comments
d post. Thanks Cat!
New comment on your post #166 “If I’m not a linear thinker does that mean I’ m on the far left?”
URI : http://www.crankyliberal.blogspot.com
Comment:
He mentions in his comment that he has held for some time now that there are certain psychological conditions that may be hallmarks of people on the far left, among them, an inability to think in a linear fashion.
Yeah - its called genius. What do you think thinking out of the Box is supposed to mean?
See I have held for some time now that their is a psychological condition of people on the far right that limits their ability to think in anything more than rigid dogmatic limited thought.
Small brains.
You can see all comments on this post here:
http://courtingdestiny.com/archives/2005/02/25/if-im-not-a-linear-thinker-does-that-mean-i-m-on-the-far-left/#comments
I think there are certain psychological conditions that are hallmarks of people in general, regardless of where they fall on the spectrum of political beliefs.
I think that comment was just meant to incite some kind of angry response from you, and I think you did a good job of not giving that person that kind of response.
I commented on a post titled “Fact or Fiction”. So how much of what you’ve written is fact and how much is fiction? Do you really have some sort of OCD? Incidently, I don’t pretend to be nice, I really am nice. Like far too many on the far left, you assume malicious intent where none exists. I use the term “far left” because the GOP has co-opted most of the issues for which the left was once known and because “liberal” and “Progressive” don’t really apply. Glad I could help.
Gee… and all this time, I thought that you were a staunch, pro-Iraq war, Rebuplican! I was wrong. But then again, I never really read your blog until today. I must have confused you with someone else.
As for me, I’m just another “Moonbat” in Blogdom.
By the way, I love your layout!
YIKES!
I guess Jack Jones does not see the insult in his comment…sad! But, it’s the vast right wing conspiracy that people on the left always blame…hmmmmm, okay!
You have such an amazing, fun, sexy, girly layout. I love it. Very cool.
You go girl!
I don’t know Pia in Real Life, but reading her blog lives no doubt in my mind that she would ever joke (or lie) about any condition, OCD or otherwise. The conditions she lists do not need to be “life-threatening” to be taken seriously by those of us, with minds. WHich side of the brain we use to arrive at that understanding is irrelevant.
BTW, those conditions are all *life altering* which is majoring difficult to live with and not “fixed” solely by the pop of any meds. I’m a type of therapist who counsels, tutors, and gives art instruction to those with all of those conditions (and more!) BTW, it IS rather interesting that I have a waiting list super long; from the feedback it IS due to me thinking with BOTH sides of my brain, although I tend to use the out of the box right side more often, even when I’m using predominantly left-brained thinking for teaching math and science… I’m unconventional, so there is a WHOLE lot of right brain teaching methods thrown in there. It works.
Hmm, I guess I could have summed this up in succinct linear fashion and simply said “Jack, you’re rude and have no clue, ” but my post stands. Pia, well-done as usual!
I heard most Ph. D.’s are Democrats. I don’t know if that’s because we’re smarter or better informed. . . .
Couln’t let your banner pass without saying hello. You’re terrific!
Mac
Well, while the commenter did put this somewhat rudely, I will (unfortunately) have to agree that it’s quite possible that political beliefs could be linked to some kinds of psychiatric disorders.
People with some forms of anxiety are actually better at determining other people’s feelings than those who are without anxiety. If facts like these are true, why would it be a stretch to say that someone with a certain disorder may lean left because of characteristics of that disorder?
-Steve
Games are for Children
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Steve said: “< I will (unfortunately) have to agree that it's quite possible that political beliefs could be linked to some kinds of psychiatric disorders."
Steve, please don’t ever teach a course in logic! Your opinion is ludicrous!
Sorry part of my comment was eaten up. I said the above regarding Steve’s opinion, not Steve.
I think some people the far-right (to flip it around) like to see themselves justified by reason. What could be more emblematic of reason than a straight line? Direct and to the point - unless you travel along it in opposite direction in which case it’s from the point. So you get ‘linear’ thinkers. If linear is rational then non-linear must be irrational. It’s then just a matter of seeing the world in black and white. linear=rational=right-wing=good so nonlinear must be irrational=left-wing=bad.
It’s a fantastic method of reasoning, because if you can’t understand a point of view it’s not because you’re stupid or badly-read, it’s because the other person is mentally unbalanced.
I was going to say that even if it were true simply telling people if they disagree they must be mentally defective probably won’t sway votes to the cause whether you’re left wing or right wing. But I suppose it’s about imposing conformity within a group rather than reaching out to others.
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I will talk about this last post in more depth when I have the time to read it thoroughly
But something jumped out to me:
a UCLA pscychiatrist who helped organize a study about campaign advertising (what campaign isn’t stated.) said that Democrats reponsed with more anxiety than did Republcians when shown campaign ads touching on 9/11 while Republicans didn’t show any statisially significant responses.
Damn straight we did. I live in Manhattan…Oh heck, we’re beginning to have a nor’easter; Monday is my weekend day-so I’m going to post on this-but a first a word from my sponsors–I mean I’m going to post on other things.
Thanks Alun for that thoughtful and insightful post.
Thanks to all the rest of you for your support.
Jack, know one thing: while I might have used your name, that wasn’t really about you or for your. No, Jack, I understand that you’re a concrete thinker so let me say that by using your name in something that might have been inspired by your absurd hypothesis that you have no backing for, I wasn’t “lying>” I was merely using you as a going off point.
I don’t think that too many “self absorbed” people have led the type of life that I have lead.
Would you spend two years in grad school knowing that you were going into a low-paying profession that lacks respect?
I don’t think so.
And your web site with the absurd monkeys is a joke–and maybe derogartory.
According to a study by New York Magazine–a good barometer of people’s feelings–social work is the second least respected field.
The first least repected profession is professional sports.
adhd sucks though… I lose stuff, memory shot and can’t seem to finish projects. my whole life i’ve been told im weird, “special” or not good enough; that i need to “focus” more. there’s too much damn noise and i cant think straight any more. cant write a paragraph that makes sense either. i can think of 1000 useless things, but not the useful thing i want. no one fricking understands me.
I like your website; I will share this with friends