Tag Archives: conventional

Conventional Thinking

Conventional Thinking: (adj) conforming or adhering to accepted standards of conduct or taste

I do not know why some things become “conventional thinking.”

It isn’t because they make sense, and certainly not because they are productive.

I guess there’s an abiding premise that we need to stop trying to improve things, and settle for inadequacy.  Perhaps it’s our down payment funny wisdom on words that begin with a C
on original sin: “I am not worthy of good things.”

Conventional thinking insists that the American system of politics has value. The fact that it doesn’t work, causes strife, ignores the needs of the citizens and is an overblown ego trip doesn’t deter us. Like little munchkins singing for Dorothy upon her arrival at Oz, we chorus our praise to the American system of “checks and balances”–which never check anything and certainly are imbalanced.

Why we accept the conventional thinking that the God of the Universe is desperate for our praise and worship is peculiar. And do we really believe that He made the penis and vagina but recommends that we only use them for urination? This is beyond me.

And finally, how did we ever get tied up in the conventional thinking that fifty percent of the population can be at odds with the other fifty percent and giggle about it, because after all, “men and women will never understand each other?”

I don’t know what convention caused conventional thinking.

But I do believe it’s time for us to convene once again.


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Words from Dic(tionary)

dictionary with letter AAffliction: (n) something that causes pain or suffering

Sometimes Webster is so conventional and bound by society that he (or she?) speaks words in the definition as synonyms which are not necessarily meant to be.

For instance, pain and suffering.

Even though it is a legal term, it is certainly possible to have pain without turning it into suffering. Matter of fact, most of the quality people I have known in my life do deal with some sort of affliction which causes them pain, but they refuse to succumb to the drain of suffering.

Is pain necessary? Let’s rephrase that. Is affliction necessary?

I think there are three things that go into making a good human being:

  1. Talent
  2. Perseverance
  3. Humility

I do not know if it is possible for us to gain the humility to display our persevered talent without overcoming a bit of affliction. After all, we admire the person who wins the race much more after we understand that the course was run while overcoming a sprained ankle.

Maybe it’s sick. Perhaps it’s a penchant we all have for the macabre or the bizarre. But affliction is what proves our mettle and confirms that we have overcome pain without languishing in our suffering.

Because on the other hand, if someone is in pain, and we know they’re anguish is real, after a while we grow impatient if they continually remind us of their suffering.

Affliction is what life gives us to determine our level of passion for our pursuits. It is the badge of honor we wear when taking our place on the victor’s stand. It is the proof that we were not only trained to achieve our goal, but worthy … because we endured to the end.