Logical Fallacies

While it is useful to know the logical fallacies to improve debating skills, they do not improve persuasion. It is useful to know what has positive effects, negative effects, or no effects because that will provide information for strategic purposes. In preparing for developing strategies knowing what does not work and why is as essential as knowing what works and why it works.

Paradigm Shifts

One of the most powerful ways to change the world is to cause a paradigm shift. It is amazing how simple a shift can cause a giant tsunami. When people view things different their behavior changes. When we devalue something we totally disregard it and when we value something we revere it. When we believe something is right we allow it and when we believe it is wrong we oppose it. These simple individual actions when they pervade a society do bear fruits, and also generate tangible results.

Actions and Reactions

Newtons law shows that there are actions and reactions in the way matter operates. In one way we can say that for every individual action there is a reaction. The problem with social actions and reactions is the difficulty we have with predicting them but sometimes we can actually control the actions and know the obvious and not so obvious choices available. Some games can train us to consider such outcomes and cause checkmate or endgames. Social actions can also be predictable under certain circumstances. When we act we have the opportunity to contain predictable outcomes.

Intention

All that is required to start change is intention. However, the intention must become manifest within before it can create the change. Be the change you wish to see in the world. It is surprising how simple the being need to be to create a ripple effect of change in others. For instance if you intentionally decide to greet and smile at everyone you see, they will each learn to greet and smile at you every time you see them.

Courage and Action

There are times when the simplest act takes an enormous amount of courage. But the action is taken and not shied away from because of a simple ethical switch that says, "I can do no other." Ethic is possibly the strongest motivator because there are times it even supercedes the survival instinct.

Lies and Consequences

"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.” Joseph Goebbels

Strategy

Strategy is the creative source for change. Simply reacting to an injustice is no guarantee for restoring equity but following a well thought out creative and innovative strategy has a higher degree for success. A well conceived strategy is like a chess sequence where all options are weighed and anticipated. Innovation provides surprise and lacks a previously defined response.

Dignity

Dignity is a measure of inequity. Each individual is born with a built-in dignity meter. Each can measure an equity equilibrium. Each can measure a tilt of dignity in either direction, up as in the case of praise and down as in the case of indignifying moments.
When the negative dignity measure becomes unbearable it triggers a call to action. However, too often, society requires an adjustment or recalibration in the dignity setting and if it is lowered often enough in small enough doses it can become undetectable for almost a lifetime.

Courage of Action

To take a small step requires courage. If the small step is the first in a series of small steps the courage to confront those future steps can become overwhelming. The good news is that when a small step is morally and ethically inevitable the courage to support it materializes when neccessary.

Simple Change Rules

There are a few simple change rules. But knowing the rules or understanding the nature of change is simply a first small step. The larger issue facing change agents is taking the first small step. So rule 1 is change is simply talking small steps but the gap is in knowing and taking action. All the knowledge without any action amounts to no real tangible change. Very little knowledge but taking a bold step creates change even though action without thoughtfulness is simply creating change that must later be undone.

Child deaths in Chicago

What we need in Chicago is a creative solution. So far the politicians are talking which is not going to solve the problem especially since they did not talk to the community. While they will keep talking as long as the camera lights are on they will be gone on to the next talk soon enough. What we need is a creative solution from some creative leadership to address the problem head on in an innovative new way. So far there are not enough strategists who can analyze and describe the problem in an action oriented manner. Mass Community Action planning is what is required combined with bold creative leadership.

Creative solutions

We are constantly confronted by bureaucratic systems that have no soul and are heartless in its implementation of unfairness in the pursuit of profit. Once in a while we get so indignant we start searching for creative solutions or loopholes in the bureaucratic mess. This is an antagonistic environment so it requires a series of extremely sensitive moves in order to achieve success. Basically we have to snooker the bureaucrat using the rules and policies manual they call a bible. Try it the next time you encounter inequity and injustice and share your creative achievements.

Welcome and Join Me

This blog is about changing the world. Each person has the ability to change his or her world and also in doing so change the whole world for everyone else. We simply need to do it intentionally and it will be empowering. I will share small steps and in following them we can judge for ourselves on the results.
Since I am a technology educator I will follow my call in education to change my life and my world. A simple curriculum for changing the world can be based on a school curriculum enhanced with life skills that are not covered in schools today.
School curriculum topics include math and science and some of the topics not covered in school can include how to use technology in an ethical manner and how to organize a community to address social injustice. I will share some lessons here so please feel free to join in and learn whatever interests you.