Tag: writing

Posted in Philosophy

Escape the Prison of Reflection: A Parable of Ego and Humility

Posted on by simplebender

An older man, with an air of superiority, left his opulent, gilded house and strolled into a bustling marketplace surrounded by his fawning, obedient minions. He proudly carried a polished, reflective, framed glass. His head held high, he admired his own reflection as he weaved through the crowd. The crowd could see him, but he could only see himself, and he was thoroughly pleased. He barely noticed those on either side of him as his minions pushed them aside out of his view. When he did catch a fleeting glimpse, he compared himself to them—the merchants, the homeless, the travelers, the artists, and the minorities—with his arrogance, ignorance, and bombast on full display, he declared, “I am far superior to them all, and they should be forbidden from saying otherwise.”

But as the day wore on, dust gathered on the glass. His reflection grew dim and distorted. He frowned, exclaimed how unfair and unacceptable the conditions were. He lifted his feeble arm and wiped it with his soiled sleeve. Raising it again, he loudly demanded that the crowd see him as he saw himself, even through the grime. Some ignored him, some laughed, and the braver, at great peril, mocked him. His anger rose, and his threats of retaliation grew robust and offensive.

At last, an old immigrant woman left the row of unpicked crops and approached him, offering nothing but silence in her weary eyes. With her weathered hands, she took the glass gently from his manicured fingers, turned it around, and asked, “What do you see now?” The mirrored glass, once a tool for self-admiration, now became a symbol of understanding and empathy as he viewed the world rather than himself.

The old man was initially taken aback but remained self-absorbed. In the mirror was no longer his own face, but the faces of the people around him—each one bearing burdens, scars, joys, and pride of their own which he had never truly seen or bothered to comprehend.

The old woman’s voice was a gentle, refreshing breeze: “The glass is not for self-worship but for understanding. Turn it outward and you’ll see the truth: you are not the center, only a small part. Your ego makes the glass a prison; humility makes it a window.” Her words carried a profound truth that seemed to resonate in the old man’s heart.

The old man, humbled by her wisdom, lowered his head. For the first time, the marketplace seemed vast and vibrant, filled not just with his own reflection but with the dreams of real people. He left the market, dusty and disheveled, and a question lingered for all who watched: Will he remember what the mirror revealed, or will he brush away the dust of human humility and return to the prison of his own reflection? As the old woman returned to the field, she turned and said: “We should all look into our own reflective glass and ask ourselves, how much of him are we?”

Always feel free to re-post—anywhere, anytime, to anyone—share freely.

NeverFearTheDream simplebender.com Stand For Truth

If you’re looking for daily thoughts and insights you will want to start the morning with:

For Every Problem...A Solution...
Lap Around the Sun: Daily Steps Forward

If you know someone who is facing any facet of Alzheimer’s they might gain some insight from:

Joy in Alzheimer’s: My Mom’s Brave Walk into Dementia’s Abyss

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Posted in Philosophy

Four Cascading Truths of Change

Posted on by simplebender
  • No situation is beyond change.
    • A shared vision and a sound strategy can shape that change.
      • Everyone must help make a difference.
        • No one is free of responsibilities.

Re-read those slowly. These truths have outlived generations because they work—alone or together. Like people, they stand stronger when connected.

Change is never still. It may be welcome or feared, but it will come. When we craft a common vision and act with purpose, change can be shaped instead of endured. That means leaning in—not leaving the work to “them,” whoever they are, nor just to yourself. Those who only watch from the sidelines end up resenting the outcome. Those excluded will also be resentful and work to sabotage the effort. Find a way to have a shared vision or the vision will eventually fail.

Being part of change means being accountable: creating, planning, and carrying some of the weight yourself. If everyone contributes, no one is left out—and no one is left behind.

The work never truly ends. When one change is complete, we pause, assess, and begin again. Done well, change builds its own momentum and draws people forward. Done poorly, it collapses under its own weight—because one or more of these truths was ignored or broken.

Bring everyone along. Let everyone contribute to their capacity. Share both the burden and the credit, but never the blame, that’s on you—and then—and only then will you change more than you ever imagined.

Always feel free to re-post—anywhere, anytime, to anyone—share freely.

NeverFearTheDream simplebender.com Stand For Truth

If you’re looking for daily thoughts and insights you will want to start the morning with:

For Every Problem...A Solution...
Lap Around the Sun: Daily Steps Forward

If you know someone who is facing any facet of Alzheimer’s they might gain some insight from:

Joy in Alzheimer’s: My Mom’s Brave Walk into Dementia’s Abyss

Please consider following simplebender, you’re reading makes my writing more fun..…

Comments and thoughts are always welcome and feel free to re-post …..

Posted in Current Events

Faceless Justice:

Posted on by simplebender

When did masks shift from villains to “authorities”?

If you're doing good you shouldn't have to hide behind a mask....

When I was a kid, masks were for the bad guys. Bandits in Westerns, bank robbers with bandanas, the Klan hiding under white hoods, and the muggers in dark alleys. A mask meant you didn’t want to be recognized because you were doing something you shouldn’t be doing. Evil hid its face. Goodness walked in daylight.

But now? Somewhere along the way, the script flipped. Those we were told to trust—law enforcement, federal agents—have adopted the mask. Acting with impunity, ICE officers are staging “operations,” Homeland Security agents are sweeping into neighborhoods, even U.S. Marshals and Border Patrol units, all with faces hidden. They now resemble the masked members of Patriot Front or Blood Tribe. Once respected symbols of authority, they are now appearing faceless, anonymous, and interchangeable. Supporters argue that the masks protect officers from retaliation or online targeting, but to the rest of us, it appears to be a means to avoid scrutiny and shirk accountability.

The claim is they’re targeting “the worst of the worst.” That phrase is supposed to conjure violent criminals, cartel bosses, or human traffickers. Yet the data tells a different story: government data shows that the majority — often well over half, approaching 70%—of ICE detainees have no criminal record at all. They’re being seized at immigration hearings where they’ve come voluntarily, pursued through farm fields, even pulled from schools and churches. They are NOT gunmen. Not the “worst of the worst.” They are just the easy ones. The soft targets. The ones who won’t shoot back.

Which raises the uncomfortable questions: do the masks hide fear, or shame? Fear of retaliation if they went after actual hardened criminals? Shame at arresting the powerless in the most public and humiliating of ways? Or maybe the mask makes it easier to see human beings as quotas instead of neighbors. Is this about public safety—or about hitting administrative numbers?

It’s a bitter irony. The only true ‘good guys’ who still wear masks today are doctors and firefighters. Their anonymity is a sacrifice, not secrecy. They shield their faces not to hide, but to protect and survive, thereby shielding others. That’s the difference. One mask hides identity to avoid accountability; the other shields life in the service of it.

The lesson is as old as childhood morality tales: if you hide your face to do your work, maybe, just maybe, it’s the kind of work that shouldn’t be done in the first place.

NeverFearTheDream simplebender.com @simplebender.bsky.social Stand For Truth

If you’re looking for daily thoughts and insights you will want to start the morning with:

For Every Problem...A Solution...
Lap Around the Sun: Daily Steps Forward

If you know someone who is facing any facet of Alzheimer’s they might gain some insight from:

Joy in Alzheimer’s: My Mom’s Brave Walk into Dementia’s Abyss

Please consider following simplebender, you’re reading makes my writing more fun..…

Comments and thoughts are always welcome and feel free to re-post …..

Posted in Current Events

Uniquely American: Civil Discord and Disobedience

Posted on by simplebender

Ideas can wound more deeply than fists—their scars often outlast bruises. But dissent isn’t treason; it’s the American expectation. The audacity to voice a contrarian view without fear of punishment was once a defining feature of our national character. That freedom, that courage, is slipping.

A fundamental right is to stand, speak, write, or peacefully protest what you believe is wrong. It’s a moral responsibility at the core of our civic being. It is how we started. As Americans, it is who we are.

Yes, this right has been repeatedly abused and suppressed: during the Civil Rights Movement, LGBTQ advocacy, and Black Lives Matter protests. These weren’t our proudest moments—they were our failures. And yet, we are better than those moments. And we are better because of them. Just as we should be better than today’s attempts to silence pro-Palestinian and pro-Ukrainian voices, or to weaponize immigration enforcement.

Yes, public safety matters. And yes, misinformation can be dangerous, especially when weaponized at scale. But the line between protection and suppression is perilously thin. When fear becomes a rationale for silencing protest, we drift toward authoritarianism under the guise of security.

But let me be honest. I write this as someone of privilege—a white male in the dominant race and gender. I’ve never feared for my safety when expressing my views. I’ve never had to calculate the cost of speaking out to simply be heard. That insulation is not universal. And acknowledging that it is the least I can do.

The truly brave are those who speak anyway, knowing the risks. Minorities are demanding the rights that this country claims to guarantee. Immigrants who were escaping violence and chasing a future are thrust back into violence. And yet, their domestic complicit employers are not subject to the heavy hand of the law. The Pro-Palestinian voices speaking into the silence of global indifference as their homeland, their homeland of generations, is taken and broken, and their families are indiscriminately killed and starved. And even those supporting Ukraine as it fiercely defends its children and its homeland from slaughter by an invading army.

They are the ones carrying this nation’s conscience forward. They take the blows, not for fame or ideology, but for survival and dignity. The road to a better America is paved by those who get off the couch and speak out through civil dialogue, discord, and yes, disobedience.

This country grows not by force, but by engagement. We will be stronger when those in power trade masks and riot gear for open conversation—and when fabricated, non-existent, dystopian, national “emergencies” are no longer used to justify suppression. When we are afraid to speak out, the words of others fill the void, becoming all that is heard. When those of us who can speak don’t, we become complicit in the decay. The slide is ours to stop; or ours to be held accountable.

NeverFearTheDream simplebender.com @simplebender.bsky.social Stand For Truth

If you’re looking for daily thoughts and insights you will want to start the morning with:

For Every Problem...A Solution...
Lap Around the Sun: Daily Steps Forward

If you know someone who is facing any facet of Alzheimer’s they might gain some insight from:

Joy in Alzheimer’s: My Mom’s Brave Walk into Dementia’s Abyss

Please consider following simplebender, you’re reading makes my writing more fun..…

Comments and thoughts are always welcome and feel free to re-post …..

Posted in Communication

No Comprehension, Just Digital Skimmers and Clickbait

Posted on by simplebender
A-Digit:gettyimages

In our rapidly evolving digital age, we face a critical challenge: a widespread decline in reading comprehension. This isn’t merely about reading less; it’s about how we process and understand information in ways that threaten the foundations of an informed society. Like crossing a pond, hopping from rock to rock, one headline to another, never pondering the depth of the pond.

The modern media landscape has transformed how we consume information. We are now digital skimmers racing through headlines and social media posts without pausing for deeper understanding. Our attention spans have dramatically shortened, trained by endless streams of bite-sized content and algorithmic feeds designed to keep us scrolling. While technology has democratized access to information, it has simultaneously fragmented our ability to process it meaningfully.

When we lose the capacity for deep reading, we sacrifice more than comprehension. We lose the essential tools for critical thinking and reasoned decision-making. Without these, we become vulnerable to misinformation and make snap judgments based on emotional triggers rather than careful analysis. We share articles without reading beyond headlines, allowing confirmation bias to override intellectual curiosity.

The problem extends beyond individual habits. Modern digital platforms, while offering unprecedented access to diverse perspectives, prioritize engagement over substance. Their interfaces exploit psychological vulnerabilities, training our brains to crave constant stimulation. Pressured by collapsing revenue models, traditional media outlets often choose clickbait over quality journalism and editing. The 24-hour news cycle demands speed over accuracy and gore over substance, making it increasingly difficult for nuanced, well-researched stories to find their audience.

Educational systems compound these challenges. Schools focused on standardized testing often prioritize rote memorization over critical thinking skills. Socioeconomic factors are crucial, as reading proficiency strongly correlates with economic status. Cultural stereotypes dismissing reading as uncool or elitist create additional barriers, particularly among young people—the very people we need to have open, inquisitive minds.

The consequences of this decline ripple through every aspect of society. In politics, discourse devolves into sloganeering and tribalism, while voters make decisions based on emotional appeals rather than policy analysis. Business leaders make snap judgments instead of studying data and long-term implications. In healthcare, the inability to comprehend medical literature leaves people vulnerable to pseudoscience, misguided health choices, and misinformation on diagnosis and treatment.

This crisis demands a multifaceted response. While individual efforts to read more deeply and verify information are important, they alone cannot address systemic issues. We need educational reforms that emphasize critical thinking and analysis. Media platforms should reconsider algorithms that prioritize engagement over understanding. News organizations need sustainable models that reward quality journalism. Authors must be succinct and reach their point without much fluff and dithering. Readers need to be able to read above a fifth-grade level.

Reading comprehension isn’t just about processing words. It’s about developing the cognitive tools to understand an increasingly complex world. Losing these capabilities will lessen our ability to engage in reasoned debate, empathize across differences, and make informed decisions about our collective future.

The decline in reading comprehension represents more than an educational challenge; it’s an existential threat to informed democracy and societal progress. While artificial intelligence and other technological advances pose their challenges, the erosion of human capacity for deep understanding and critical analysis may be our most pressing crisis.     simplebender.com

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