What's Going On Tonight
It's pretty bad when the only two stations you watch both have Dennis Miller on them at the same hour. But he picked Dodsworth to show on TCM, and I like that one. Walter Huston was an interesting actor.
My brother is in the hospital, having found out he has a valve defect after all these years, but thankfully no blockage. When I saw him a month ago he was having trouble with bronchitis, finally went to a doc in the box (love that expression), who sent him to a real hospital; had a catheterization, should get out tomorrow. This is a concern. I wish I could go see him, but he is 650 miles away; there's a reason that families shouldn't be so far from each other.
This administration baffles me when it isn't hacking me off.
Anyway, back to the subject of fear. Fear is an excellent motivator. Whether its use is always ethical or respectful or truthful is another matter, but it will work. We do most of what we do out of some sort of fear of some sort of negative consequences.
Guilt, on the other hand, is and is not a good motivator, although it's closely tied to fear. The guilt-inducer has convinced us to be fearful of a consequence, but it's imaginary disapproval of someone who may or may not matter. Why do I feel guilty that I ate some fig bars tonight after dinner? On the other hand, why did I feel guilty enough before God to convert to Christianity? The fig bars do not forgive me; the guilt from sin has an answer.
Fear and guilt should get our attention but not drive us. WE are not given a spirit of fear. We often quote that but not the rest, leaving a vacuum. We are given a spirit of power, and love, and a sound mind.
My brother is in the hospital, having found out he has a valve defect after all these years, but thankfully no blockage. When I saw him a month ago he was having trouble with bronchitis, finally went to a doc in the box (love that expression), who sent him to a real hospital; had a catheterization, should get out tomorrow. This is a concern. I wish I could go see him, but he is 650 miles away; there's a reason that families shouldn't be so far from each other.
This administration baffles me when it isn't hacking me off.
Anyway, back to the subject of fear. Fear is an excellent motivator. Whether its use is always ethical or respectful or truthful is another matter, but it will work. We do most of what we do out of some sort of fear of some sort of negative consequences.
Guilt, on the other hand, is and is not a good motivator, although it's closely tied to fear. The guilt-inducer has convinced us to be fearful of a consequence, but it's imaginary disapproval of someone who may or may not matter. Why do I feel guilty that I ate some fig bars tonight after dinner? On the other hand, why did I feel guilty enough before God to convert to Christianity? The fig bars do not forgive me; the guilt from sin has an answer.
Fear and guilt should get our attention but not drive us. WE are not given a spirit of fear. We often quote that but not the rest, leaving a vacuum. We are given a spirit of power, and love, and a sound mind.
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