Free Speech vs Political Correctness

I was thinking about the idea of free speech and the censorship, and political correctness after I heard a commentator on the radio complaining about how political correctness is limiting our right to free speech. The main point he and his guest were making is that people should have the right to say whatever they want about individuals and groups without the "political correctness brigade" bringing them to task and causing them or their reputations harm. 

Words are powerful, they can be used to incite peace or violence. I remember when I was growing up, we were taught a song "Sticks and stones, will break my bones, but names will never hurt me." This was taught to help us deal with name calling and bullying without resorting to physical violence to get even. Even though I had the song down and could use it, when words were used against me, I felt hurt and angry.  Words can be used to create images of wondrous worlds, adventures, and fun, and they can make us laugh, cry, or be afraid.

Political correctness means that we take the time to think about and understand what our words mean and how some words are damaging and hurtful to groups and individuals. Political correctness means that if we understand that words we are using can debase, belittle and demean others.  At an early age, we understand that words we use have power and we can use the power of words to help or hurt. In earlier times, the majority of people in our society did not seem to care that their words hut minorities and others. As our society matured, and minorities and others started to demand their rights, the majority of us realized that the words we were using could be hurtful. So over time, the language used to describe minorities and others shifted from words that were hurtful, to words that were respectful.   As a result, phrases and words used in earlier times were deemed to be incorrect. Our society is a better place than it was because we have been forced or have learned to control what we say and so to not hurt others many of us don't use these the words used by our parents and grandparents.

A saying I learned and one that I believe is true is "The pen is mightier than the sword." The pen is used to write down words and once written those words have a power that lasts longer than the might of any sword. Words form ideas, ideas, form opinion, opinion forces action, action changes events.  

As powerful members of society began to lose power, the term political correctness has gone too far started to appear in print and in speeches and in private conversation. As power shifted the rhetoric around political correctness increased and more and more people began to believe that political correctness has gone too far.  "This is a phrase used by some to take us back to a "better time" and at the same time devalue the respect that society now has for minority groups and individuals. 

We as a society were moving away from the idea that if a person or a group was different because of their ethnicity, color, religion, sexual orientation or disability they were different from the majority. There is a small but vocal group in our society who want to move back to the days when we could disrespect a person, or a group of people because they were different. They toss around the concept of political correctness impeding our "free speech" and claim that free speech is more important than political correctness. This claim is made so they can again feel free to demean, debase, ridicule or otherwise dehumanize other groups. This is done to hold on to power and stay in control.

Can we have "political correctness" and 'free speech"? The radio commentator I heard and his guest said no, political correctness impeded free speech. I don't believe this is true and I am sad that this idea is starting to make inroads into mainstream media.

There is magic in the moment

We socialize, network but they are not a replacement for the magic that life brings to the table when we meet someone new. Some of the greatest incubators of ideas and innovation come from times when we meet and greet and are open to hearing what the other has to say. 

Be sociable, be a good networker, but most of all be a good listener. Listen and learn, and you will feel the magic that is in the moment when you meet.

Saving Energy – Solutions That Will Not Change Your Lifestyle

We all need to cuts costs but that may interfere with our lifestyle, so here are some ideas that may help reduce costs without causing too much change in lifestyle. The increase and decrease in temperature in the future places great pressures on customers as this may mean only one thing, more power and fuel are needed to manage the environment and make houses more pleasant.

Over the years, new technology has been developed to enhance our living. Power saving methods have not been left out. However new technology, as always, is a bit expensive at first. And the prices will go down after some time. But instead of waiting for a more affordable power saving devices, let us utilize conventional thinking today and do some work in conserving power.

•                  Avoid "phantom" energy users.

Electrical appliances that are plugged into sockets even when not in use consume energy. It is like a turning on the engine of your car and idling for a very long time. A single appliance plugged in may not give a meaningful increase in the electrical bill but letting every device on "standby" can be a very expensive device. Pull the plugs from their sockets from every appliance whenever you don't use them.

•                  Turn down the temperature of water heaters.

Water heaters hold about 40 gallons of water and maintain it at a constant temperature. Forty gallons of water that are sitting in your tank for a very long time consumes a lot of energy. If the water heater is not expected to be used for a while, it is advisable to maintain it at a lower temperature.

•                  The openings and leaks in doors and windows create drafts.

The stronger the draft is, the longer it will take for homes to be heated or cooled - in addition to the extra work that a heater or an air-conditioning system is doing to regulate the right temperature of the house. In newer houses, the difficulties may be few as developers take more notice to seal drafts. Older homes may not be as well sealed. Even if the outer walls are covered, air flow often occurs around wall sockets, switches and vents that could result in water concentration around these areas. A good foam patch could fix the problem.

•                  If there is really nothing to prepare much cooking for, let the stove and oven rest.

Instead, use the microwave. When cooking in stoves though, the closer the bottom of the pan used for cooking matches the hob ring of the stove, the more energy is saved. Too much flame for the pan and you are paying for heating the air around it.

•                  CFL lights are energy savers.

Using CFL bulbs will save you more than sixty percent of the cost of lighting compared with using incandescent light bulbs. These lamps are a little more pricey but these costs are recovered easily because of their long life and the energy saving features.

•                  Clean appliances regularly.

Dirt and dust interfere with the efficiency of appliances. Leave about four inches of distance between the wall and appliances that generate heat and your walls will not retain the heat.

When in the market for a new appliance always look for the energy coefficient and the energy saving features when you are buying.

Finding the Source of Your Fear

I used to have an irrational fear of horses. Growing up I delivered papers along a river in the country and there was a number of horses that used the trail along the river. Every time the horses came through I became paralyzed and would not move for sometimes hours. I never understood my fear and when I went to University, the group I was in loved to go horseback riding for fun. I joined them a few times but my fear would overcome me and I would have to withdraw. I finally overcame my fear by following some of the steps I outline below. It was not easy but I did overcome my fear of horses.

Unless you get to the source of a problem, it is difficult to solve it. The same is the case with your fears. If you are serious about getting rid of your fears and lead a more rewarding life free of fears, then you need to take care of this step before you can face or overcome your fear. When I found the source of my fear I was able to understand how irrational my fear was. I found out that when I was about 3 years old, I was kicked by one of the horses on the family farm and was out of commission for a few weeks.

Recognizing that triggers of your fears will help you either control, reduce, or fight them. Regardless of the type of fear you have, there is always a source. One approach to overcoming your fears is to take the time to write down your fears and their level of intensity. Then, add a note about environmental, emotional, or other factors that trigger that fear. This may help you trace the source of your fear. Look not only at external triggers but also consider internal triggers. Was there something in your past that created this emotional response? It is basically as simple as asking yourself, “Why am I afraid?”! So I asked that question and realized that every time I saw a horse I had an unconscious flashback to my childhood. Once I realized what was happening I was able to start to take control of my emotional state.

Another significant reason why determining the cause of your concern is of fundamental is that it empowers you to assess whether it is something that you can handle and control on your own, or whether you need expert help. In my case with my fear of horses I was able to take control of myself, but sometimes it is better to get help.

If you want further success in mastering your worries, then you need to take the lead so you can get individual help for whatever fears or concerns that drain you. Here are tips to get you started on the right track:

•                  Remain positive. Fears that produce negative impact are also triggered by negative thoughts and outlook on life. Therefore, you must try to sweep aside those adverse thoughts from your consciousness to stop yourself from feeling sad.

•                  Communicate with your internal self. There is no character who understands your concerns than you do. So, you need to build knowledge about your fears by knowing them and splitting them down into more manageable parts.

•                  Assess your fears. Some concerns are unreasonable and often reside in the subconscious of the person instead of actual reality.

The importance of learning how to overcome your fears is rather obvious. No one wants to live their lives in constant worry or fear, no matter how intense it may be. An anxiety-free life is one that provides more opportunity for growth and liberates you.

Here are techniques that I tried and worked for me, you can try them if you want to find relief from your fears or totally eliminate them:

*Visualization

*Gather facts

*Get professional help

Visualization

Take time each day to find a place where you can be isolated and be able to concentrate. Your objective is to move to a low-stress position where you have power over your fear, instead of the opposite. Imagine your fear as a concrete object that you destroy. You will never realize how it is able to calm you down. I did this first by viewing pictures of horses, and then I started visiting horses that were at country fairs and over time I was able to be around horses without uncontrolled fear taking over me.

Gather Facts

Most fears are caused by the unknown or people's inability to have control over a given situation. When you are experiencing certain types of fear, you need to look at the truth of the circumstances and find the knowledge that you need. The more data the less stressed you become, because you always know you can handle the stress. Once I was aware of the facts and found out that up until and even I was kicked, I loved horses. It was not until I was away from them for about 2 years that the fear took over.

Professional Help

If you are one of those people who doesn’t use or perform self-talk or confront their fears head-on, then it is best to seek professional help. A professional will start by assessing your fears and then suggest techniques that you can employ to combat those fears. Overcoming fears is often a long process, so don't expect to get rid of all your fears (if you have many) at once. It took me about 5 years to overcome my fear and to actually like being around horses again.