Saturday, July 07, 2007

slippery when wet...........


Crash Davis: It's time to work on your interviews.

Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: My interviews? What do I gotta do?

Crash Davis: You're gonna have to learn your clichés. You're gonna have to study them, you're gonna have to know them. They're your friends. Write this down: "We gotta play it one day at a time."

Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: Got to play... it's pretty boring.

Crash Davis: 'Course it's boring, that's the point. Write it down.

Taken from the movie Bull Durham.


Trust is built on integrity. There's nothing more repulsive to me than realizing I have been duped by a slippery person who projects an image of honesty and trustworthiness. Though I try to give someone the benefit of the doubt, when it comes to the field of politics, I seem to have run out of patience with the jargon based postering ever present in the spin that is spewed out on a daily basis. Who does one believe? How can one form an educated opinion on any party, on any issue when it seems like we never have a clear picture or an honest take on any situation?


Politicians and bureaucracy would eat their own young if it meant that they would look good in the polls. Fuelled by fear.............fear of being perceived as inadequate, incapable, impotent.....fear of not looking strong in the eyes of the voter............fear of showing any vulnerability........our systems churn out the most innocuous weaseley prose as a means to cover up one's zits. Does anyone really believe any politicians these days? What about televangelists? Talking head journalists? Publicists? Talk show hosts? Lawyers, Salespeople, Mechanics, appliance Repair people............and the business world all have their own jargon, their own way to persuade, dissuade, and cover up the truth. I don't care what flavour or stripe they represent, our public figures ooze slipperiness. There seems to be no way around this beady-eyed problem because it has spread like the Black Plague and has infiltrated all forms of media, marketing and our way of life.

It's enough to make you crazy trying to figure out who to believe as we continue to drown in a slippery slope sea of cliches and over-burdened concepts.


"at the end of the day......"

"above board......"

"just between you and me......."

"trust me........."

"I'm here for you...."

Is sincerity a thing of the past? I don't think so. In fact, I believe we are way more alert and aware of the tactics and spins thrown out at us on a daily basis. I believe we have developed a more sensitive doublespeak filter.........one that can sniff out what is simply slippery goobledeegook from honesty. Integrity is making a comeback.......the problem is that anyone who has honest to goodness integrity is intelligent enough not to waste their time running for office. On the surface, that may feel like it's a shame, but I believe people with true integrity are looking at different ways and means of making an honest difference in this world. It may be the more difficult route.......because their is an awful lot of slippery stuff to shovel out of the way.........but in the long run, doing the right thing and finding the right way to lead will ulitmately win out.



To quote Crash Davis................."And God willing.................we will win."


for more slippery sonnets, snipes and scenarios............check out Sunday Scribblings.........

10 comments:

Bar L. said...

Great movie, great post! I certainly hope sincereity is not a thing of the past, but it does seem to have diminished

Canadian Sentinel said...

Um... I think that may be a pic of a ferret, judging from the fur coloring patterns... but they're closely related to weasels.

Kind of how Conservatives are closely related to Liberals. One only wants to have the former in the House, as the latter are, well, weasels, and will only keep on going "pop" * Hahahahahaha! :b

* In this context, "pop" means to be corrupt and all that stuff we saw with, for example, ADSCAM.

Yep... we Tories are the cute & cuddly little creatures, while the Grits are the weasels...

With apologies to any big-L Liberals, but your guys in Ottawa do frequently deserve to be called "weasels" for a whole lotta reasons, as they're wont to behave as such... Besides, they call us Tories worse than "weasels", so fair's fair. Cheers! :)

Matthew said...

This comment really struck me:

"I believe people with true integrity are looking at different ways and means of making an honest difference in this world."

I think that is exactly right. I know not all politicians are crooks but I do wonder about the motivations of anyone trying to run for office. Are they motivated by true intention?

Makes me think of a story that I may be remembering incorrectly. Goes like this (short version): spiritual teacher Krishnamurti meets with the Prime Minister of India (maybe Indira Gandhi) because she would like to talk about how to better the country, make peace, etc. He tells her to immediately leave office and step out of that game.

Aside: there is a tidbit about K's meting with her in his wikipedia entry.

Either way an interesting and important topic!

gautami tripathy said...

Very thoughtful post. Insightful asnd interesting.

Rob Kistner said...

"No -- but truthfully", that was a great little post! ;)

Maree Jones said...

I think the lies, spins, bs and double talk are all to maintain a thin veneer of control. I think at heart most people like the believe that the leaders of their country will protect them and keep them safe from the big bad. When a person stops believing that, things get scary. So as much as I KNOW the people running my country don't really know what they are doing, another part of me desperately wants them to know...otherwise, how safe am I really?

JP (mom) said...

Brilliant commentary on the slippery slope of insincerity. xx, JP

awareness said...

Layla....I loved that movie...havent seen it in years and need to find a copy....good viewing for the upcoming all star break.

Sentinel Guy....if this is a ferret, than he's a weasel, because his little face popped up when I googled weasel images!! Weasels everywhere in all stripes and colours I'm afraid. But, have not lost hope....just calling it as it is....

Matthew...will look it up. thank you. it's a sad state of affairs that we are constantly second guessing motivation these days...or perhaps we always have but kept more quiet about it over a sense of misplace loyalty.
I honestly do believe there are many, many many who are doing the best they can to make this place a better place to live, to connect with others.....and to live a life where genuine honesty and integrity are at the core of their being. Quietly, they make differences everyday in the people they come in contact with.....one person at a time....

maybe that's the key. maybe we just need to go about living and making choices based on these simple tenets and things will unfold as they should and could.

gautami.......thank you. i really appreciate you visiting every week.... enjoy your day.

Rob....well......honestly? Thank you. A much different take on the prompt than yours (which I loved!!)

Beautiful witch..... I completely agree......when we stop believing, my feeling is that we then spiral into a pit of frightening snakes or something......Yeah.....will continue to give them the benefit of the doubt even if its for my own sanity. :)

awareness said...

Deb.........thank you.......slippery isn't one of my favourite words.....and God forbid anyone uses that adjective to describe my behaviour. But, it's a good word to jump start many themes!!

Cherie said...

Halleluljah!!!!