This week I asked myself, "If I could only choose one, what single, consistently-redundant experience or observation generates the greatest intensity of mind-numbing, jaw-dropping, heart-rending, gut-clenching anger?" My answer? "Most definitely injustice... no, ignorance; or maybe politics (defined as any struggle for power and control); or perhaps bureaucracy... no; it would have to be consumerism; or maybe inefficiency; no... it has to be unshakable certainty in the face of rational, reasonable disagreement... okay... I don't know. I need to dig deeper.

Each of these candidates bring outstanding attributes to the table. Many are interrelated in one way or another. For example bureaucracy and inefficiency are nearly synonymous from the bureaucracy end, but inefficiency can also stand alone. And I believe consumerism and unshakable certainty to be the manipulative, illicit progeny of politics. Additionally, injustice is often the outcome of ignorance, politics, or bureaucracy, while ignorance often appears to be a requirement preceding any one of the contestants. So if this last observation is accurate, it appears that the winner should be ignorance. So I suppose if I could only choose one, my answer would have to be ignorance.

But ignorance is like the elephant that can only be eaten one bite at a time. Yet to think of devouring even one of the six remaining elephants feels daunting and formidable as well. If the elephant matriarch is "ignorance" and if I were to follow the family tree, I believe politics and injustice would be included in the second generation. The third generation would give birth to fraternal twins bureaucracy and inefficiency, as well as consumerism, and unshakable certainty. We would also find many other baby elephants scattered throughout the herd, sharing traits and characteristics of Mom and Grandma and siblings and cousins. Unlike most elephants who limit the size of the herd, this herd continues to grow larger, trampling over everything in sight. I lack confidence that one bite at a time will slow them down, much at all. So what can we do?

Again, I need to dig deeper. So I ask myself, "How can I best react to intense anger brought on by one, (or more than one), rampaging elephant?" Like the earlier question on anger, I have a difficult time coming up with a single answer. The candidates here are uncertainty, truthfulness (not to be confused with unattainable Truth---truthfulness is sincere expression of thought), skepticism, creative tension (defined as nonviolent direct action leading to nonviolent confrontation), and spirituality. Like the previous answers on anger, these answers appear also to be interrelated. Uncertainty and skepticism appear to be nearly synonymous, but I believe uncertainty to reflect an internal questioning within oneself, and skepticism to be a more overt, active questioning of status quo or disagreeable circumstance. And I believe both (uncertainty and skepticism) can lead to creative tension which should then be utilized to lead to negotiation and growth. I believe spirituality to be a result of consistently practicing truthfulness, uncertainty, skepticism, and creative tension. Spirituality leads to a serious consideration of the intangible or unexplainable without inventing implausible explanations. Spirituality is not organized religion. I believe organized religion to be a fourth generation elephant. And, bringing us full circle, truthfulness appears to be a requirement preceding any constructive advancement of the other four entrants.

Elephants are afraid of mice.

A group of mice is called a mischief.

I believe truthfulness to be the first generation Matriarch of our mischief. The second generation includes fraternal twins uncertainty and skepticism; and the third generation would give birth to creative tension and spirituality. As with the herd of elephants, there is the potential for many other mice to share traits and charcteristics of Mom and Grandma and siblings and cousins. As with the herd of elephants, we must not limit the size of our mischief. The greater the number and frequency of mice turned loose at the feet of the elephants, the greater the chance our mischief will frighten them into retreat.

It is a good plan.

Think about it; carefully; beyond (and within) the play on words.

It is a good plan.