#390

I think it's interesting how much arrogance exists in fields of study like health, medicine, nutrition, fitness. Know-it-alls are annoying. Especially given the vicissitudes of what they 'know.' For example, they tell us: "Okay, this time we got it right, we know for sure that fat is bad for you. Uh, I mean carbs. Did I say fat? Carbs are bad, carbs and inflammation are killing you!" Debates rage about a thousand other substances. Salt, butter, meat, alcohol, insulin, hormones, ketones, nightshade veggies, whatever. I just wish they'd be like, "This is our advice, but research is still emerging and evolving." That's all. Instead, we get, "Okay, this exercise will help your knees, because the old one I prescribed actually damages them. But this time I know I'm right." Okay, I'm just crabby this morning. Obviously, medical conditions exist that still escape our understanding and treatment. And that's okay. I just appreciate humility, especially when it's called for based on reality. Our elected officials should have some humility. But then maybe they'd be trounced in elections when perceived as weak, waffling, uncertain. Voters: "This dumbass admits he's not 100% sure how to fix things! What an idiot! I ain't votin' for him!" Okay, but once you take office, and dig in and begin the work and begin to collaborate... nevermind. I'm whining. In my field, technology and engineering, there's a widespread understanding that devices, for example, are going to get faster, smarter, smaller, better. They just are. It's an undeniable trend we're not only okay with, we're excited about. We look at the first smartphones we developed – and the components, technology, materials, and designs that comprise them – and they're laughably clunky and inadequate. Of course, that's judging by today's standards, but back then there was still a similar sense, an understanding that this or that bit of hardware or software was going to be much improved someday. And it is. And maybe someday we'll 'know it all,' or we might be able to say – with a straight face – that the overall technology growth curve has flattened, if only just a little, but we ain't there yet; we ain't even close. And I think that's just as true in health, medicine, nutrition, even fitness. I appreciate good advice, and very often follow it, but I take it for what it is. There are arrogant A-holes in tech too, by the way. The human race is loaded with big-talkers and self-promoters and, honestly, they often achieve breakthroughs and great things. Things that empathic, humble wimps like me aren't achieving. So I'm grateful for the A-holes, even as I hope they evolve personally, just as their fields of study do.

As a parent who – for better or worse –parents the way I do, I often wonder about the difference between leniency and negligence. If parenting is a map or chart, and these two are neighboring regions – as I'm assuming there's 'proximity' between the two – of course I prefer to be in 'lenient.' 'Negligent' suggests no expectations, no oversight. That's not me. M 'n' m get good grades and generally behave, among other shining qualities. Nor would I wish myself in the region of 'overly-strict and suffocating.' Which is not a concern, as I'm not even capable of that style. This, by the way, I'm not proud of; in some situations it's very called for. And, anyway, how does one find the 'perfect amount of discipline and direction' region? Pretty sure I've never stumbled into that one. Never visited, never even sniffed it breezes. Does such a place exist? I think it does, but there are only vacation homes there, condos maybe, places not occupied very long by the same commendable people.