Greg's Rant Today

 

I have yet another new theory.

 

Have noticed that when I talk to people about the things I know, mostly they can't take the information as interesting, and on its own.  They are often very troubled because "I" am the one to impart it to them, and certainly "I" have no right to dare to do that. 

 

My new theory runs like this.

 

When we are young, and have decent people around us, our minds are generally very flexible and open to receiving information.  At 13, the sex hormones kick in, and these change our focus of interest and our brains.  Now I think at about 18, it is "normal" for humans to get another new focus, and this is the desire to push away "domination."  At this age, this probably IS the critical issue before us, at least in the natural state.  So, at this point, it gets harder to receive information (especially from others).  (If you willingly PAY for the receiving of information, then this kindof washes the taint of domination away, however.) 

 

The key in conversation works like this. 

 

If you spout off some information that you have studied, and feel fairly confident about, if the other person ALWAYS responds with something like, "no, it's not the way you say, it's the way I say," then the anti-dominance issue has trumped the natural curiosity about obtaining new information.  In short, it's like the bull who sees the red cloth, and this becomes paramount in the bull's "thinking."  Of course, this is a pity, because then the information can't be discussed in an interesting way, for it's own sake, and little advancement can take place in understanding. 

 

Case 2 is now you spout off some information you have studied and feel fairly confident about.  And now the other person says something like "that's interesting, I never thought about that.  Does it really work that way?  And, if we assume that's true, maybe this and that will be the outcome."  In short, in this case, your sharing of information creates a STARTING POINT for more exploration, weighing, and measuring.  But this second type of response is actually fairly rare.  In this case, the information has been de-personalized and is non-threatening, personally to the person you are talking to.  The red cloth of feeling dominated is held at bay, and some new understanding can take place.

 

I think that in the first case, probably the person has from a very early age FELT dominated by father/mother/sibling (whether justifiably or unjustifiably), and has not resolved this feeling successfully in adulthood.  This is a great pity.  However, it makes sense, because now I believe that the ability to keep "domination" far away after age 18 IS a critical and "normal" thing for humans to try to have.

 

Anyway, give my theory a test, and see if you can identify the people who are in category 1 and 2.  Category 1 is much more common, like about 80%, I suppose.