Falling for Distractors

In testing parlance, a distractor is a possible answer that is intended to distract the testee's attention away from the central idea of the question or the central goal of the task. It is intended to give information on the ability of the subject to identify the main idea or goal, and as well, to maintain focus to completion.

In a focused debate, distractors are frowned upon, and those trained well in both logic and argumentation, become skillful at identifying them in order to avoid using them, and in order to parry them in a debate. However, those of us with "different minds" (as Temple Grandin so charmingly calls Aspies, etc.), no matter how well trained in logic, usually fumble the on-your-feet thinking part of such discussion, and can be distracted in to latching onto the distractor. This is why training and practice are mandatory for us.

And it gets worse when dealing with what passes for political debate currently, which is usually driven by partisan loyalties rather than full understanding of issues, and is focused on "talking points." Here, the object of the discussion is not to get to the bottom of an idea--in fact, ideas are assiduously ignored--rather, the goal is to score fictitious points for your team.
And since many Aspies do not get that, and we continue believing that the discussion is really to get to the bottom of an idea, and some of us like to argue, we often fall for the distractors in a political argument.

A perfect example happened in a series of exchanges between three libertarians and a partisan progressive on my Facebook Wall. I had posted a link to yesterday's blog entry--The Janus Face of Tyranny--there yesterday. The first comment was by Mark--who on the blog itself used to comment as 'Anonymous'--whose comment was a distractor intended to shift the discussion toward the administration and Democratic Party's talking points about the healthcare bill. In fact, it was such a distractor from the actual ideas outlined in the blog entry that I believe that Mark never got the point of the blog, or else he didn't bother to read it, so this morning I helpfully pointed it out for him. But not before I, too, succumbed to the almost irresistable urge to distraction.

Instead of addressing the historical comparison being made in the blog entry, Mark's first comment was a demand that since I don't like the so-called "healthcare bill", what would I do to "fix the system."

There were fourteen or fifteen comments already answering his question, which took the whole discussion into the simplified and somewhat unreal realm of talking points. "Fixing the system" was not what the blog entry was even about. Rather the point of the blog was that Pelosi's gambit to pretend not to vote on the bill by "deeming" it passed would awaken the anger of even more Americans at the incipient tyranny of such an action. The tyranny is not only in the legislation--which is about far more than healthcare; it is in how the Congress Critters intend to avoid responsibility for it, and at the same time consolidate their power.

You can read the whole blog to explore the other point I introduced: That the anger of the people at this kind of corruption is not partisan, and that the division between the political elite and the ordinary people who are expected to pay for their blindness, is rapidly assuming powder-keg proportions. There is indeed tyranny afoot here, and this is not the first time in the history of the world a government has become so blind to reality with severe and lasting consequences.

In any case I foolishly courteously but briefly answered Mark's question well into the comment thread, stating mostly that I thought that the answers provided by the two other bloggers were reasonably close to what I would have said with a few exceptions that I proceeded to outline. as far as I was concerned, the discussion was over.

But then I got another demand from Mark that I should come up with a solution to "fix the system", and the assertion that "we need to" stop a race to the bottom among insurance companies. These are talking points straight off of Moveon.org's playlist. And I finally cottoned on to the fact that this was no discussion to get to the bottom of a problem or an idea, at least not from Mark's perspective. In fact, strictly from reading his comments it's hard for me to tell whether or not he knows much about health insurance or healthcare at all.

In any case, these demands that I should come up with a solution to "fix the system" are in fact distractors. For I have never expressed a desire to have one centralized "system" for health care, nor am I unhappy with my insurance plan, which is the proximal target of this bill.

The distal target is for the federal government to take control of healthcare in this country, and to destroy any private insurance, as well as for it to gain control over the medical and financial records of the citizenry of the United States. The structure for this is in the bill, as well as much more having to do with education, the regulation of our diets, and other such that we do not even know about. And there will be more to come, because Obama, Pelosi and Reid have also stated that by "deeming the bill passed", they will then be able to change things in the bill afterwards. (!)

So I answered the second demand that I provide a solution this way:


1) I am not sure who this WE is that you keep talking about. Please define your terms. In a free country, WE don't have to do anything. Each individual determines who she will associate with (free association) and what she will do with her life. The obligation of the individual extend only to respecting the natural rights of others. Otherwise, it is a matter of choice.

2) Are you getting yourself and your family prepared for those economic hard times? 'Cause the "government" is really the people who pay taxes, and at a certain point they won't have any more wealth for the bureaucracy to take from them and it won't be worth it for them to work hard. Then a real race to the bottom will begin.


3) I think you misunderstand my courtesy in discussing your demand to be a concession to your premise that there ought to be one healthcare system controlled by the government. So let me clarify: I do not have to present any ideas for how to "fix the system" because:

a) I do not agree that there ought to BE one system controlled politically; and

b) I believe that the bill before Congress now is a monstrosity that is being "shoved through" for other purposes--(and that is, since you missed it, the main point of my blog post).This bill will not fix anything; and

c) It is you who want to create a system. You are free to do so. Just count me and any others who have other plans for our lives out of it. This is not a democracy. There should be no mob rule. If you want to make a system, go ahead and do it, and recruit others who want to participate. And determine how you will pay for it without forcing those who do not like it to do so.

I concluded by making a demand of my own--that on my Facebook page and my blog page, Mark should respond to the ideas in my blog post or to the three statements I made above.

I find talking points to be extremely boring. As a libertarian, my preference is that everything I do is for fun or profit. Or both. Talking points are neither.

Over 500 Posts and Butterfly Fun!

Wow! I just noticed that my post on Sky Magic was my 500th post on this blog.

I started blogging on Sunday, December 3, 2006, and my first post was Why I Homeschool: A Response to Dr. Phil. When I re-read my first post, I was both amused and amazed. I have certainly learned a lot about formatting, posting, and blogging since that day just a little over two years ago when I started this blog.

I am also amazed by what has happened in our personal lives since that day, and what changes have come to us and the world since then. I am also impressed by the amount of learning that I have done, thanks to my fellow bloggers! Long life to you all!

I am now sold on the power of journaling!

And now for some fun!

Frankie, over at Kitchen Table Learners has given me a Butterfly Award. I know I have received some other awards during this very busy fall, but I kept delaying my response until I forgot altogether. So I am not going to make the same mistake with this one.

The rules are to link to the person who gave you the award, post the graphic, and name ten blogs for the award in turn.

Ten is hard for me, but Frankie named a few that I had already named.

Here are my ten:

Boy Story . . . And Beyond!

Homeschooling the Doctorate!

The Thinking Mother

Corn and Oil

Junkfood Science

Mom in Madison

Deliberate Wanderer

Magpie Ima

Rational Jen

NeuroLogica

Some of these are mothers, one is a dad, some are homeschooling, and some of these are about science. Among them, there is quite a diversity of ideas: religious, non-religious, scientific, and political. I like something about each one, and none of them reflect my ideas and opinions completely. That is why I have learned so much!

One more thing: each of these blogs links to a whole world of blogs. Following links can bring you to more blogs that I'd like to put here, but then I'd go over the limit.

Enjoy!

Clarification Based on a Comment and a Link

I thought I had said everything I wanted to say about the election and my response.
But I do have something further to discuss.
It was provoked first by a comment to my post last Wednesday, The Morning After.
In that post, I embedded a video from You Tube that featured a parody of the old Soviet national anthem. The parody pokes fun at the Obamaniac's rather messianic view of him, among other things.

The anonymous commentor--aren't they always anonymous?--thought that my post was "disrespectful" and that it is "One thing is being unhappy with the politics of the winner. Another one entirely is bashing the candidate that won."

I think I answered the issues well in follow-up comments and in my more reasoned post Making Ready. The tendency of Anonymouses towards no sense of humor aside,I had the sense that there was something wrong with the idea that the conclusion of a presidential election is necessarily like that of a football game, and the consequences of the ideas are just as fleeting. But I have had a bad virus, and clarity has also been fleeting. Fortunately, Kathy Jo in What He Said, found someone who said it better than I can! This is very good.

And that's the last of the links for the day!

Feeding the Trolls OR All Those Wasted Bytes

Well, folks, I've been had.

I hate it when I do something stupid.
Like feeding internet trolls, for example.
You know, like the "objectivists" who have been commenting on previous posts.

I enjoy the few actual readers I may have left. Those who are still coming back even though this wearisome BS is becoming overwhelming.
I enjoy people who give thoughtful intelligent comments that enlighten me, and give everyone a chance to think about an issue or subject.

And I appreciate the kindness of those who have supported me by gently pointing out that I have been 'infiltrated.' I also appreciate those who took the time to think about the ideas presented.

Trolls, on the other hand, are a pain in the tuchus.
They deny that they stated what they stated.
They manufacture "objective facts."
They use emotional tactics like "you should be ashamed of yourself" in order to distract from the obvious. They have no argument.
They use every logical fallacy on the list to evade real discussion.
And when the blogger tries to end the discussion, weary of the BS, they indignantly cry that the blogger is "censoring" them. This is a demonstration of how superficial is their understanding of commonly used terms.

I don't know who they think they are impressing by these tactics. I suppose they do it to impress each other. They have no ideas and no principles. Sophists to the end, the goal is clearly the game.

I have learned my lesson. The only bright spot is that N. and I are using the BS to study logical fallacies and to learn how to avoid them in real discussions of ideas.

At the moment, I have no more time to waste on BS.
Too bad it's virtual as I have some roses that could use the real stuff. Well aged.

Gentle readers (and by this I mean people who can actually read for comprehension--trolls can't) I beg your pardon, but I will be turning on the comment moderation feature. Those of you, like the commenter Josh, who may disagree with me but are honest in your disagreement will have comments considered and posted.

When I have gotten rid of the trolls, we can go back to normal.

I fed the d--m trolls. So now I have to moderate for a while.

This Just In: Blogger Reflection Awards

Crimson Wife over at Bending the Twigs has given me the Blogger Reflection Award along with five others.

Blogger Reflection Award: this award should make an individual reflect upon five bloggers who have been an encouragement, a source of love, impacted you in some way, and who have provided an example. In other words, five dear bloggers whom, when you reflect upon them, you are filled with a sense of pride and joy. . .of knowing them and being blessed by them.

I am honored, Crimson Wife! And I will be in the Bay Area week after next. Maybe I can buy you a cuppa and some of that wonderful San Francisco Sourdough Bread!

And there are some blogs that come immediately to mind when I think of "encouragement" " source of love" and being "blessed by them." This community of homeschool bloggers has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to this! So here are my five, though it could easily have been more!

First, is Megan from Down Under, who hosts Imaginif... She is also author of Homeschooling Aspergers blog (on hiatus at the moment), and she was one of my first friends in the blogosphere. Although she is currently hit a rough patch in her life, she is still the dear, unfailingly loving, person she has always been. She is a blessing, a person who puts her heart and soul into advocating for abused children and for the safety of every child. Megan, I am still saving my pennies (and airline miles--does United fly into Brisbane?) for that trip down under, so that we can sit by the pool with a cuppa and solve all the problems of the world.

Another is Woman of the Tiger Moon. Beth is a single mother who has homeschooled one child to adulthood and is homeschooling two others, while continuing her own education. She is a person who is very accepting of differences and talks to her readers from the heart and with beautiful phrases. And her pictures are amazing! I come away from every post with a feeling of joy and wonder at the way she finds "serenity and grace" in her life.

And then there's Kathy Jo over at Barefoot Meandering and her husband Ernie at Deliberate Wanderer. Just the name of her blog makes me want to take my shoes off and go wandering over the green fields of Tanglewood Farm. They are people who inspire me because of how tenaciously they go after their dreams. And as they learn how to farm, they see every day as an adventure and every setback as a learning experience. Kathy Jo's joy in life is a pleasure to behold. And she has a wicked sense of humor as goes about her days homeschooling her boys. And Ernie is always ready to share his wisdom and advice and humor on his blog, making me think and providing me an example of someone who lives what he believes.

And, of course, there is Miranda up at Nurtured by Love, blogging from the beautiful wilds of British Columbia. It is so much fun to check in and see what she and her tribe of unschoolers are up on any given day. I take joy in the beautiful music she and her daughter make using the Suzuki method (Miranda posts snippets to give readers a listen) and laugh about how they deal with life, wild (bears and wasps) and domesticated (the AD). This is one of the blogs from which I have gained the courage to move toward unschooling. N. thinks this is the greatest blessing of all!

That's five. And there could have been more. But really, two posts in one day? Neither of which are about the COH?

Boy are my hands tired.

Bloggers for Positive Global Change

I have been remiss!

I have been tagged in the last month for several memes and I have not dealt with any of them.


I have some excuses:

1) It's the "lazy, crazy days of summer" in the nothern hemisphere
2) I have had some stuff I really wanted to write about

3) I am working on a presentation I am giving at the New Mexico Javits Grant Gifted Conference


But today I opened my e-mail to find that Megan, of Imaginif and Homeschooling Aspergers has given me a meme that I really can't refuse.

It is the Bloggers for Positive Global Change award.

The meme is from Climate of Our Future, whose mission statement is:

"Our particular mission is no small task — changing the world we live in for the better — but we take great comfort in the fact that we’re not struggling alone to achieve this."

Over at Imagine If, Megan said this about my blog: "....In a single blog, she has taught me about American history and Judaism. Peaceful to her bones, this one woman oozes social understanding, acceptance of diversity and helpful knowledge beyond belief."

Wow! When I looked at the blogs she put me in company with, I am humbled. I mean, I'm just a "homeschool mom" with some things I want to say. I guess the best way to actually deserve this award is to point to blogs that I look to for inspiration and guidance. And I guess I'll have to come out of hiding about global climate change and science as well. Oh, boy!

So here goes--5 Blogs that I turn to for inspiration when I am feeling too small to make a difference:

Life Without School : This unique blog is put together by 13 "featured authors" who have their own blogs as well. They manage Life Without School as a "blogging community" that includes blogs about all aspects of homeschooling by guest authors, as well as pages and pages of information for anyone interested in homeschooling. The featured authors comprise a very diverse group and the blogging community allows for an even greater diversity of voices to be heard. This blog is an inspiration to me in many ways. They are voices for positive change.

Consent of the Governed : Homeschool mom turned activist and researcher, Judy provides a great deal of varied information about the legal issues involving homeschooling, as well as commentary on the educational establishment and government that keeps me thinking. She is also a researcher for National Home Education Legal Defense. Based in Connecticut, this is a non-sectarian alternative for those of us who want to pool our resources to preserve our freedom to educate our children ourselves.

Edie Neurolearning Blog : The Edies are on hiatus right now, due to illness in the family. They might not be posting for a while, but their blog is a magnificent resource for those of us educating children with learning differences. Through timely discussion and reviews of neuroscience papers, the Edies show us the wonderful diversity and potential among our developmentally different children. Posts like Gifted? Autistic? Quirky? - Embracing the Different , give readers a way to imagine each child as an individual with much to offer our world, if only we are willing to appreciate difference and nurture each child. These people are truly out to change the world on behalf of our gifted and neurodiverse children.

Nature Skills Blog : This blog is hosted by The Wilderness Awareness School in Duvall, Oregon. Hosted by students in the year-long nature awareness adult program, this blog teaches a variety of wilderness survival skills and links up with the NatureTalk Forum, for students in the various programs of the school. The whole Wilderness Awareness School community is a voice for positive global change in that it seeks to help us re-learn our link with the world of nature. We often act as if we are aliens on our own planet. The Wilderness Awareness School is one of several organizations that seeks to help us remember that we are children of our mother, the earth. For without that awareness, how can we be expected to change our relationship with her?

Junkfood Science : The mission statement of this blog is: "The truth about food, fat and health. Learn the science that mainstream media doesn't report and how to critically think about the junk they do that's not fit to swallow. Plus some food for thought." We live in a world in which one of the accepted prejudices has become intolerance against fat people. The powers that be would have you believe that all of us will be healthy if only we are emaciated as fashion models. at Junkfood Science, Sandy S., BSN, RN, CCP, keeps me up to date about the real science behind the propaganda put out by the diet industry. And she reminds me that human beings come in all shapes and sizes, and that this kind of diversity, like any other rooted in biology, is important for our health, happiness and our future as a species.

So there they are--five blogs that I think are voices for positive change in our world.

Check them out.

And here are the rules for the Bloggers for Positive Global Change Award:

1. When you get tagged, write a post with links to up to 5 blogs that you think are trying to change the world in a positive way.

2. In your post, make sure you link back to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme.

3. Leave a comment or message for the bloggers you’re tagging, so they know they’re now part of the meme.

4. Optional: Proudly display the “Bloggers For Positive Global Change” award badge with a link to the post that you write up.

The Thinking Blogger Award

I have been tagged!

I have received the Thinking Blogger Award. My blog was listed on the blog Falling Like Rain as one of 5 blogs that causes readers to think.

This is a meme that has rules!

1. Link to 5 blogs that make you think.
2. Link to the original post about the Thinking Blog Award so that people can go find the exact origin of the meme. (I have linked above).
3. Optional: Display the Thinking Blog Award with a link to the post you wrote. (I am working on this).

It is always a pleasure to find out that what I write makes someone think. At Falling Like Rain, my blog was praised as follows: "This mom has a unique perspective and a writing style that always makes me think about whether or not I am living what I believe."
This is touching praise, indeed. In order to live with integrity, every person must consider this question every day of life. Writing my blog requires to constantly ask myself this question, too.

So now I will list 5 blogs that make me think. Those of you who are listed, please go to the original site (link above) and then, if you choose, follow the rules above. I am imagining a whole wonderful tree of bloggers that make us think!

Disclaimer: I am an equal-opportunity thinker. I enjoy blogs whose authors have very different perspectives that come from many different experiences. From considering the words of others who are different than me, I learn the most.

"Ben Zoma said:
'Who is wise? The person who learns from all human beings. As it is said: From all my teachers I have gotten understanding.' " Pirke Avot 4.1

Five Blogs That Make Me Think

1. Homeschooling Aspergers : Megan in Queensland Australia regularly posts very educational information about life in Australia. Her perspectives on children's safety, raising a son with AS, life "down under," and on homeschooling keep me thinking all the time.

2. Barefoot Meandering : Kathy Jo is homeschooling her kids in my old stomping grounds in Illinois. Her posts keep me laughing, crying and thinking. I am always eager to find out what new developments have happened in the Land of Lincoln. She makes me think about all the details that go into constantly improving the homeschool experience.

3. Kitchen Table Learners : Frankie is a homeschooling mother of one, a child with AS. She shares her perspective on many different aspects of homeschooling and raising a child with an ASD. Her blog brings up a myriad of different ideas and things to think about.

4. Homeschooling the Doctorate? : This was the first homeschooling blog I looked at. The name intrigued me because I am also working on my doctorate. Sarah and Stephen are both working on doctorates in theology and they homeschool one son and are expecting another child. Their posts are informative, funny, touching and wonderful! A good mix of all aspects of their lives can be found here! They make me think about the fact that although their beliefs are not mine, their commitment to living them is.

5. Woman of the Tiger Moon : Beth is homeschooling her children and working on her degree at the same time. She is raising very unique children. She blogs about her experiences and those of her children with a great deal of insight. Her blog makes me continually expand my maps of reality and consider the importance and value of each person I encounter.

It was hard to limit the blogs to five! I was helped by the fact that a number of blogs I read have already been nominated. In fact, someone nominated the Edie Neurolearning Blog just yesterday! There are several others that displayed the award already. In the interest of sharing the wealth, I have nominated other blogs.