All the Answers
Someone told me today that I don't have all the answers, which was interesting even though I already knew that. It was interesting, because I don't think I give off that know-it-all vibe to most people. This was in the context of a political discussion, though, so I can understand why he would get that idea.
Still, it got me thinking about something one of my professors told me during my graduate work at Missouri State in the political science department. (I was studying public administration, not political science proper, and I made sure to avoid the poltical science grad students as much as possible, because they really did think they knew all the answers.) He said, "This program won't teach you all the answers, but when you leave here at least you'll know what some of the questions are."
When I graduated, I realized he was right. I had realized what questions to consider when going into my own organization a couple of years later and determining the best course of action, as well as what questions to consider when thinking of other, more generalized systems.
But that doesn't mean that I am completely without answers. Sometimes, you have several answers already, and could pick the right one if only you knew the right question, and that is something I'm fairly good at. Often, what appears to be the problem on the surface, isn't really the problem at all. Unfortunately, most of the big issues of the day are too complex to have answers so straightforward, though many people try to pretend they aren't.
Just as an example: illegal immigration in America. How many sides are there to this issue? Probably as many sides as there are people who have a stake in the outcome, which is damn near everyone in the world. Business owners, farmers, consumers, taxpayers, the children of the immigrants born in this country, the families remaining behind, everyone effected by the economies that both thrive and suffer because of illegal immigration, and of course the immigrants themselves - they all have a stake in what policy or policies are chosen, and every possible policy combination will have unintended consequences and side effects.
Anyone who says they have the answer to the immigration issue is going to meet with my skepticism. Usually, people think a complex issue is simple because they boil it down to two choices, rather than the myriad that really exist, and then they downplay or ignore the negative consequences of the choice they prefered from the start. But the real world just isn't that simple. The best we can do is come up with the best combination of policies we can, then try to clean up the side effects as they creep up. To even come close to doing that, we first have to determine what the real issues are driving the controversies. In other words, we have to ask the right questions.
Thinking about this, though, I realized that we aren't all doomed to ignorance. Even on issues where it is impossible to know the answer, it is at least possible to know what the answer isn't. With illegal immigration, for instance. I may not be able to answer questions about whether all current illegal immigrants should be deported, or whether businesses should be fined, and if so how much, without studying in great detail all of the socio-economic ramifications of our options. I can, however, tell you that the answer to illegal immigration is not to give each illegal immigrant coming into the country a stuffed teddy bear... just as an example.
What is the square root of 288, times the number of teabags in China, divided by the number of hairs on my cat? I don't know, but the answer isn't "blue."
So, even on the most complex of issues, while only a fool would say they know the solution, it is not impossible at all to point out the absurdity of answers that some people toss around.
And then, answers can be absurd on the face of them, like saying the solution to high prices at the gas pump is for everyone to start driving more, or they can be absurd because they go against our core beliefs. For instance, if someone were to say to me that the solution to our problems in Iraq would be to pull our troops out and just nuke the place (and yes, people have said this to me), I would reject it out of hand as absurd, not for logical reasons but because it goes against my most basic humanist principles.
And so no, my friend, I don't know all the answers, but I'm glad to say that I do know some of the questions, and I am certain that I know what many of the answers aren't.
Good night.
Comments
It's like Thunderdome... but for socks. Two socks enter, one sock leaves.
And, yes, according to the Internet, it was Voltaire who said that... and the Internet is never wrong!
"Still, it got me thinking"
Exactly. That is what this post is all about. The ability to think, to deduce, to recognize, to absorb. Everyone has this skill, but the final sum is available to only a few.
Especially when discussing politics. Always avoid the adamant ones.
...to think, to deduce, to recognize, to absorb...and I would like to add, to compromise. Since every issue/question has the potential to have many viable answers, it only stands to reason that we'll spend most of our lives compromising with our neighbors. Only, it seems to me that nowadays people put a lot of effort and importance into "being right" instead of doing what's right for those involved.
Ya know, like most kids, I had all of the answers 'till I turned 18.
Now, I don't know a whole lot at all.
(-Not that I'd even want to or anything...)
Especially when discussing politics. Always avoid the adamant ones.
It's true that there are some things that I won't budge on, particularly when talking about matters of basic principle. When it comes to complex issues, though, never trust anyone who thinks they have it all figured out.
And as for immigration issues, well, what you need is a little test like we have here for people seeking citizenship. how aussie are you
Here's a modest proposal: everyone, born citizen or naturalized citizen alike, has to reapply every 10 years and go through citizenship tests to prove that they are American enough to live here. If not, it's off to Guantanamo.
and I would like to add, to compromise
Agreed. Compromise is indispensible in our political system.
I do have all the answers! Unfortunately I have forgotten any of the questions...
Life is a jeopardy, so please frame your answers in the form of a question, and you'll be halfway there. :->
Daryl, my son, you never cease to challenge and inspire me. I am certainly more inclined to respect someone when they admit they don’t have all the answers, but is willing to listen. That is much unlike a doctor today that when a suggestion was made, he proceeded to point to the title on his identification badge and barked “What does that say?” Fortunately, I was not present during the incident, because I am sure it must have read “ASSHOLE”.
As others have alluded to, the older we get the less we are certain we know. But this is what hopefully keeps us enquiring and paradoxcally knowing more than we believe we do.