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7/31/2019 Article I Cycles

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AMERICAS CYCLES: Why America needs both liberals and conservatives

By Marilyn MacGruder Barnewall

In October 1990, Alvin Toffler accurately pointed out in his bookPowerShift, that ideals

inherent to traditional wealth in the world as we have known it are changing. We have

slowly moved through currency stages... from coin to currency to plastic to knowledge.Toffler correctly points out that today's new wealth is knowledge. And though Toffler was

right, he did not sufficiently explain the difference between information and knowledge.

As Toffler said, though, without knowledge in today's status of economic change, onecannot maintain let alone achieve wealth. We live in a nation wherein the economy is

based on information, technology and service and the last two in that list are dependent

on the first: Information.

Knowledge should not be confused with "information" and that is what the nations of the

world are doing possibly on purpose. In our information age, never before has so much

information been available to people by a simple click of something called a mouse.And people tend to think by soaking up information they have gained knowledge when,

indeed, they have only gained information. Some very unscrupulous people realized this

and began massive campaigns to distribute disinformation. It is the latest, most up-to-datemethodology devised to exercise power over the masses. Disinform them, divert their

attention from real problems by misinforming them about issues. Keep them focused on

the wrong issues so they totally overlook the real problems (problems are bigger deals thanissues because they represent the core from which all issues derive). Its called

Psychological Operations or, Psy-Ops.

It is a subtle but mystical conundrum that in the midst of an economic base change rooted

in technology and information, few really understand the value of the information theyhold. Fewer still appear to know what to do to maximize the value of accessibleinformation. Only when people apply information and understand whether it works or

doesnt work for the good of society or to achieve specific objectives (not good for society)

does information become knowledge. Information requires experience to become

knowledge. Until then, it is just information. Many people believe this is a major part ofwhat is wrong with the Obama Administration it has information experts that have no

idea they must first test information and understand how it works before it becomes

knowledge. My personal opinion is that this administration knows precisely what it isdoing.

I, for example, am very knowledgeable about certain things I spent my life gatheringinformation and putting that information to work, testing those certain things. As a

result, I have a lot of knowledge about banking, for one thing. On the other hand, I am a

functional idiot when it comes to anything involving mechanics. I could digest all of the

information in the world about how the transmission on a car works, but my inability to putthat information to work precludes my ever having knowledge about motors and

transmissions and all things mechanical. I might even be able to give someone else

directions on how to repair that transmission (based on the information I have in my head),


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but my inability to understand it, build it, and test it will forever preclude me from having

knowledge about it.

Understanding what I just said is the beginning step each of us must take to understand the

difference between information and knowledge. Is it important for you to know that fact?

Only if finding the truth is important to you. That is the same process one uses to findtruth information to knowledge to wisdom. One does not find solutions to important

questions with information; solutions require knowledge. Without knowledge, it is

impossible to know which questions to ask when you come to a crossroads. Should I go

forward? Should I turn left? Should I turn right? Do I need to backup a bit and startover? And, if you do not ask the right questions, you rarely get the right answers.

Part of the reason for the confusion enveloping our society today and it is a worldwideproblem, not just American is the lack of understanding about the differences between

information and knowledge. We went through this same phenomenon when we moved

from an economy driven by agriculture to an economy driven by manufacturing. To people

who had traveled by horse and buggy all their lives, the Model T Ford looked like a hugeleap into the future. It was just the beginning. No one realized the many products that

would emerge as we went through the 100 years (from 1860 to 1960) of the

industrial/manufacturing economic cycle. We moved from the horse and buggy to jumbojets during that time. As one new product was created from information, knowledge was

gained and another new product resulted and another, and another, as that process

repeated itself over and over again. We are only halfway through our technology,information and service economic cycle there is much yet to come and we should all

hope what comes is based on knowledge, not information.

And then, of course, there is step three: Turning knowledge into wisdom. Very few people

achieve that objective and even fewer public servants.

What is wisdom?

There are many words that define wisdom but defining it and gaining it are two different

things. Probably the most well rounded explanation is that wisdom desires goodness forthe total of society. But there are provisions in that sentence. One must be able to define

goodness, for example. Is it to give a man a fish? Or is it to teach the man to fish? Is it a

combination of both to give him a fish while making sure he learns to fish tounderstand the weaker side of human nature sufficiently to know that if it is allowed, the

man will let you give him a fish as long as you are willing, even if it means weakening

him.

Wisdom is being able to logically define the end of a behavior pattern (like the man/give a

fish/teach to fish dilemma) based on true empathy for others which involves an

awareness of our own self weaknesses (our egos which sometimes enjoy having othersdependent upon us). To achieve that, we must have self awareness (which means we must

investigate our own psyches). Few people do that willingly. Its a painful process.

Wisdom means caring enough about those things dear to you to accept responsibility for


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your successes and your failures in life. When people have the capacity to reflect on life

and find within that reflection the serene, and realize the importance of integrity and ethics,

they develop compassion. Without compassion, it is impossible for human beings toexhibit wisdom. But again, one must be careful how the word compassion is defined.

As I said, there are many words that define wisdom. The question is, how does one getfrom knowledge to wisdom? Moving from knowledge to wisdom is a bit like moving from

information to knowledge but its a far more personal journey that requires a person to

question every opinion held, every decision made, analyze every hope, and be willing to

risk failure when to not take that risk would be damaging to the whole. Its part of thereason soldiers are willing to lay down their lives for their countries.

One then utilizes the above standards to evaluate those things in life about which one hasgained knowledge. Its a lengthy process and usually requires a lifetime to achieve it

which is why so many tribal peoples hold the aged in such great respect. Not all aged

people are wise and they know that but they also know it is rare for youth to achieve

wisdom. They may have great information and, over time, great knowledge but it takesa lifetime of living to develop wisdom.

My point is this: Conservatives and liberals see things differently usually diametricallyopposite one another. Why is it that people can see Gods reasons for almost anything they

find distasteful, but conservatives see no reason for liberals, and liberals (even more

vitriolic towards conservatives) see no reason for conservatives. Each has an immensedislike for the philosophies of the other, seeing no sense in them whatsoever. Do you

really believe God put both philosophies here with no good purpose?

The next four articles in this series will explain what each group believes and why the other

group finds it harmful. It explains the cycles through which America (and all nations) goesand points to the reasons for them. Did you know that liberals rule for 50 years to befollowed by 50 years of conservative dominance? Take a look at American history

which is what the next four articles will do and you will understand the reason for the

opposing beliefs which dominate Americas 50 year cycles.

Problems with this philosophy arise only when one group does not stand up for the

standards associated with the two personality styles liberal and conservative. And thats

where we find ourselves today. That is where the madness of todays society has takenus where liberals arent liberals, they are socialists/communists, and where conservatives

arent conservative, theyre fascist one-worlders.

We need to get back to basics. Or, we need to do away with the two political parties we

currently have and create two others where liberals dominate their party and conservatives

dominate theirs. If we do not, we, as a nation, are lost.

You probably wont enjoy or find amusing this series of articles. They arent easy

reading but they can explain a great deal (if youre willing to listen).


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