Boredom

I think the state of boredom has been given a bum rap over the years. I understand, by definition, it is not fun. I am also well aware that almost universally whenever people talk about it, they present it in a negative light - as if they are confessing a secret. Usually, people announce they are in this state with a heavy sigh, a roll of the eyes, or by falling backwards onto a pillow. This declaration is almost always followed by either a look of frustration or self pity as if feeling bored is something that has been forced upon them. How come people don't react that way when they are experience feelings such as joy, curiosity or contentment? Why can't people take ownership of feeling bored in the same way they do those and other feelings?

With the right attitude, boredom can actually be a good thing. In an environment when many of us of all ages are bouncing from one responsibility or activity to another, boredom represents a time out; an opportunity to reflect on where we are at that moment and what we might want to do next. In that sense, then, it can be a time of activity and self-challenge: "I am bored right now but when can I start doing so I won't be unbored five minutes from now?" If you think about it, that's a pretty imposing question. It can almost make being bored a safe haven from the challenge of having to make a choice or be creative or proactive. Besides, if one really is committed to doing nothing at any given moment, then what better mental state to be in than one of boredom?

Full disclosure: I do not find writing about boredom to be boring. It's actually kind of fun. I was not feeling bored at the time I began this entry and I know I am not going to be feeling that way any time soon after I am done. Generally, I am reluctant to let others know those times when I am feeling bored. But as I reflect on this particular state of being, I am coming to believe there is no need for anyone to feel shy, embarrassed or upset about this feeling. It is normal and, even more importantly, an opportunity to enter into activity that is productive and fun. What could be worth communicating more than that?

The State of Us

A little knowledge is a good thing. A lot of knowledge is even better. But lately it seems as if more and more of us here in the good ol' USA have neither. Our basic awareness of general facts appears to be on the decline. In a recent edition of the newly-revised Newsweek magazine, the results of a test given to 1,000 American citizens on our nation's history, system of government , rights and responsibilities and integrated civics revealed a disappointing lack of knowledge. Nearly 40 percent of the men and women who took the test failed. This is not good. Questions asked ranged from being able to name our current vice president to being able to identify at least one U.S. territory.

It is not my purpose to criticize those who did not do well on the test. I have no doubt that I, too, would have been stumped by a number of the questions. Plus, test-taking, no matter the topic, is not always the easiest thing for many of us. Nevertheless, these results suggest many of us are turning away from learning where we as a people have been and only taking a passing interest in where we are currently. And, as far as developing a sense of possible future trends goes, forget it. Where does that leave us and what does this hold for us in the future? To me, more and more American citizens are taking a detached perspective on life itself. Other than their own specific trials and tribulations, people seem to becoming less and less inclined to become active players in life beyond their own landscape.

Results of this trend already seem to be manifesting. For instance, generally fewer people vote in election. Elected leaders strive to generate support by relying more on emotion-leaden messages than facts. Image and symbolism are trumping reality. Ignorance and dishonesty are being masked in rhetorical spin. The result a more easily manipulated and passive population that seems oblivious where they are being led, what is being said to them, and how any of this is affecting their lives, their country and their world. Ironically, it may take an extremely emotional, powerhouse communication effort to shake people out of their current self-absorbed stupor. We need effective and responsible communication to save us from ourselves.

"All the Noise Noise Noise!"

Is there such thing as too much communication? Can people communicate to the point of actually damaging connections with others and causing people to tune out the message they are trying to get across? I do not believe so. Effective communication is not like ice cream - something that most everyone enjoys but usually becomes ill from when they eat too much of it. Effective communication does not work this way, particularly if it includes active and sincere respect and listening. People respond well when they believe they are being respected and listened to. That may not be any kind of unheard of revelation. In fact, it may seem like a no-brainer. Nevertheless, it is amazing how often so many of us communication wanna bes do not remember it and, even worse, do not practice it.

If it is true there is no such as thing as too much communication, then why does it feel that way so much of the time? Why does it feel like everywhere we turn we are bombarded with messages, information, opinions, etc; or, as Dr. Seuss' Grinch says, "All the noise noise noise!" We feel like we are getting hit with noise because we are. It turns us off because we feel as if all these sounds are coming at us without giving us opportunities to process it and then respond. Those sounds come at us with relentless regularity. It is enough to make us want to tune it all out. In fact, this is what we do so much of the time. While that is understandable, this represents a dangerous trend because the result is we end up missing information that is important to hear and learn.

It is not so much my intent here to critique the noise or sounds with which we are being inundated. Rather, my focus is on how we respond to it. Simply tuning it out is perfectly logical. After all, for example, who wants to hear some blowhard wax philosophic about things we either do not care about, know about or agree with? At the same time, however, how are going to get a better handle on our own convictions and expand our own base of knowledge if we do not expose ourselves to all sides of an issue or topic? We cannot rest on what we know. Instead, we must use that as a springboard to delve into what we do not know. No question that dealing with the noise in this kind of proactive way is harder than simply tuning it out. But in the not-so-long run it gives us better ammunition to be more effective communicators for several reasons: it increases our knowledge base, helps us be better listeners , and helps us better understand and appreciate others.

Communicating Responsibility

All of our hearts go out to the people of Japan as they deal with the growing dangers of spreading radiation, the result of possible meltdowns in three of the nation's nuclear reactors. This horror happened, of course, as a result of twin-natural disasters: a tsunami and an earthquake. That a nation - any nation - would be hit with one these crisis is staggering enough. But for one country to face all three simultaneously is mind blowing. Plus, the reality that the situation for Japan and its millions of citizens may very well get worse makes it even more gut wrenching. This is why a recent cell phone conversation captured and splashed over You Tube of a UCLA co-ed bad mouthing Japanese citizens living in America who are trying desperately to call home to check on family and friends was and is so upsetting. The poor taste and ugly insensitivity displayed by this young person were nearly as captivating as the tragedies themselves.

To her credit, she apologized via the student newspaper. But her three-minute tirade was immortalized for all to see. How long she will have to carry this albatross around her neck remains to be seen. She communicated a dark side of herself. We all do at times. As was the case with her, there are moments when sides of ourselves we either try to keep hidden or only let out only under certain circumstances are revealed. We are caught off guard. We are exposed by others. Or, in this case, we are unknowingly being watched or monitored. None of the scenarios are good because part of who we are that we ourselves are probably not keen on are laid bare for all to see, including those who do not look upon us with much regard, appreciation or understanding.

I applaud this person for taking responsibility for her behavior. I will give her the benefit of the doubt and assume it is sincere. Far too often, not many people appear to be capable of even that. She was caught communicating badly and she sought to rectify it by communicating in a more responsible manner. Bottom line: this the way for communication miscues to be handled. No passing the buck. No excuses. No diversions. No lies. Instead, taking ownership of the bad behavior and moving forward to behave better. Allowing yourself to remain vulnerable to criticism. None of these so-called "fix-it" strategies are easy to do because those who were hurt by the bad behavior are understandably often slow to move on. Communicating and behaving responsibly go hand-in-hand. They are also the best way to reverse a negative situation.

Possible Communication Solutions

In my most recent blog I shared my concerns about the future of the United States. I expressed concern that communication is not nearly as responsible as it needs to be in our nation and said two of the biggest and most influential culprits are the media and politicians. The media is too niche -oriented and far too many politicians are not working on behalf of the greater good of society because they are blinded by their own ideologies and desire for power. The result is our nation is in a downward spiral on a number of fronts, including economic, cultural and education. My comments represented a broad brush without acknowledging small pockets of media outlets that really are trying to be informative and contribute to the national dialog and politicians who are putting the welfare of the nation ahead of their own political standing. Two I will cite are The News Hour with Jim Lehrer and U.S. Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, who lost his bid for re-election in 2010. Granted, it is a short list, but, to me at least, it contains impressive entries.

Assuming for a moment my concerns regarding the state of communication in America are valid, what can or should be done about it? I have a thought regarding both the media and elected officials. Regarding the media, particularly the cable networks, a better job of identifying which of their programs are opinion and which are straight-news should be done. A person might argue that viewers should be able to distinguish between presentations of straight news and opinion pieces. Sadly, what people should do versus what they are able to do is not the same. The line between straight news and opinion shows has become far too blurred. My sense is many of the the cable shows are doing all they can to purposely keep make that line invisible as a way of more easily incorporating their biases into their news broadcasts. If they can't or won't reverse this, then perhaps the Federal Communication Commission should require them to do so.

Getting politicians to place their own needs and desire for power and voter support behind the greater needs of our country is a tougher nut to crack. We are talking human nature here. Fundamentally, people want to be accepted and influential. This is especially true of public officials. As is the case with many of these men and women that depend upon the goodwill of constituents for their professional survival and well being, these representatives often tend to say what they feel people want rather than should hear when it comes to matters that are complex, deep-routed and controversial. This is not good enough. Neutral measures of political effectiveness and, yes, collaboration should be identified and implemented that rank politicians by how well they advance measures that assist their constituents as well as by how often and well they confer and collaborate with their peers. The more they collaborate with persons of the opposite the party the more likely they are to receive a high ranking. Effective communication generates partnerships. But because too many politicians are focusing on their own interests, there are few meaningful partnerships in Congress and between The White House and Congress these days. That must change.

A Plea for Communication and America

America is shooting itself in the foot. Repeatedly. More and more people are acknowledging this reality, yet no one seems to be able or willing to stop it. In fact, the trajectory our nation seems to be on is to actually increase the self-inflicting wounding. This is insane, disheartening and frustrating all rolled into one. Why do I feel this way? Why, when I survey our land, its people and leaders, do I see a great nation on a downward spiral that only seems to be escalating in momentum? The answer lies in communication. Bottom line: we are doing far less of it than ever before and what we are doing is not nearly as good as it used to be.

Two entities deserving the bulk of the blame are the media and politicians. Let me start with the media. We are now in an era of what I call niche journalism in which an increasing number of outlets, print and electronic, gear the way they report news and cover the world to match the perceived political perspectives of targeted audiences. This is not to say straight news presented in an unbiased manner does not still happen. But the volume of it is definitely not what it used to be. Such a reality contributes to the growing division among our people in which makes it more difficult for folks to see their many commonalities they share. Instead, they see little else but division. Another major entity that is contributing mightily to our nation's decline are politicians. The rise of efforts in a number of states to squelch a union member's right to collective bargaining is a current example. The drive to do this as led by right-wing politicians is a disgrace and has nothing to do with addressing budget shortfalls as many claim. It is a naked power play designed to make more difficult a person's ability to be heard. On a national level, members of congress are so entrenched and blinded by their ideologies that the notion of collaborating with those belonging to a different political party has disappeared.

I am heartened by the actions of the brave souls who have been protesting against those in power who seek to squash them. Power often brings out the worst in people. That sure seems to be the case of the republican governors and state representatives, for instance, who are trying to ram through polices making life more difficult for those who already are struggling and making life more easy for those already in positions of influence and comfort. It is perverse logic that is contributing to the economic decline of our nation. Even more importantly, if left unchecked and unaddressed, it will do permanent damage to the soul of men and women who are America's foundation. The heavier the weights dropped on people the more difficult it is for them to be heard, to make valuable contributions and, ultimately, to survive. All of us need to fight these ugly trends. I honestly believe the fate of our nation, including the many freedoms it supposedly represents, rides in the balance. We ordinary citizens need to do all we can to communicate our displeasure and anger at these powerful trends. I close with a great quote from Stephane Hessel: "the create is to resist; to resist is to create."

The Great Unifiers

Each year polls are taken on who people feel was the greatest president in our nation's history. Almost without exception, the two top vote getters are George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Why is that? Certainly, the specific times in which they served as our nation's chief executives were factors in their perceived greatness. Equally important, of course, was their leadership performance during those significant times. Washington was our first president. As a result of his behavior as a soldier and statesman, he served as a symbol around which the citizens of our very young nation rallied to fight for independence against a super power and then remain together when victory was won and the challenges of being brand new were present. During his time as president, Washington was not immune from criticism. But regard for him was so great that taking action against him was viewed as being ill-advised. Over sixty years after Washington stepped down, Lincoln took the reins at a time when our still-young nation was breaking apart. He had plenty of open opposition, but as a result of his great wisdom, courage and heart, Lincoln successfully kept our nation intact. Washington and Lincoln were greater unifiers.

It was their ability to unify that enables these two to remain in such great public regard so long after their deaths and the unique challenges they faced have been met. The success of Washington and Lincoln to bring people together was the direct result of their ability to communicate. While their styles of communication may have been different, they were extremely effective. Washington carried himself with great dignity and self respect. He possessed an unlimited love for family and for those who served under him, particularly his soldiers, and a willingness to subject himself to as much hardship and danger as others during the struggle for American independence. The financial and personal sacrifices he made during his many public years to better serve the people and their fledgling nation were not lost on those around him. Lincoln was much more articulate. With his words and unshakable vision, he, too, instilled loyalty to him and, more importantly, to the country itself.

Communication in the form of consistent deed, heartfelt words and and clear vision is an unstoppable force. In all of us it instills hope, inspiration, purpose, and knowledge. As public servants, Washington and Lincoln personified this very definite reality. It is also worth noting that coupled with these qualities is the fact both Washington and Lincoln were accessible. Neither man withdrew from public contact, challenge or interaction with others. They did engage in exchange and did factor in other perspectives into their own thinking and decision making. Thus, in my view, their willingness to listen greatly enhanced their leadership and unifying abilities. It also made them the great communicators they were.

A Vote for Free Speech

For more than a decade now I have not been a fan of the United States Supreme Court. In too many instances to my liking various members of this august body of jurists seem to have tossed aside their charge to be objective, fair and judicially responsible in order to push forward their own political, social and personal agendas. Not surprisingly, in my view, our country is the lesser for it. Having said that, a few days ago the Supreme Court made a brave decision on behalf of free speech and deserves to be recognized for it. I am referring to the case involving members of the infamous Westboro Baptist Church. Specifically, the high court protected the right of members of this church to conduct anti-gay protests at various high-profile events, such as funerals for members of the military.

Make no mistake, the hateful philosophy of the Westboro Baptist Church is reprehensible. The hate speech it spews is beyond defending with the important exception that in our country it has a right to do just that. Freedom of speech is a core philosophy of our form of government. Thus, it needs to be defended and upheld irregardless of how ugly it might be. Free speech often is messy and controversial. In the words of Chief Justice John Roberts, it is also powerful and "can stir people to action, move them to tears of both joy and sorrow, and inflict great pain." Bottom line: free speech is not easy. I have no doubt that every member of the high court detests the words put forth by members of Westboro Baptist Church. Yet in an overwhelmingly majority vote of 8 to 1, they stood tall for free speech. Good for them and good for all of us.

Being able to speak freely gives all of us great power. The question for those wielding that power is how we exercise that kind of special clout. Do we handle it with great responsibility? Do we use it to be build or tear down? I have raised these and similar questions before when it comes to free speech and will continue to do so. In the world of professional communication, how one utilizes this power defines their quality and merit. Professional communicators may be polished and articulate, but if they use their power of speech to deceive and do harm, then they are no better than followers of the Westboro Baptist Church who devote so much of their to preaching intolerance. Thank you U.S. Supreme Court for defending our country's right free speech. Let us hope that all of us, including professional communicators, do all we can to practice it with great responsibility and a sense of regard for others.

Strong Leadership and Communication

There have been a number of comments in the news lately about how various public officials have been showing "leadership" by taking definitive stands on various issues. For instance, the governor of Wisconsin has been praised by some for being a leader in his efforts to reduce the ability of union members to participate in collective bargaining. There's no question that Governor Walker has been quite clear as to his position on this matter. He has also made it known that he is unwilling to compromise on it. For some, this represents leadership in the best sense: the Governor has clearly communicated his position along with his intent not to adjust it in any way. His supporters claim he is being strong and providing a clear choice for them to support.

But what if the manner in which Governor Walker is handling this issue is not an example of clean leadership? According to the polls, the great majority of the citizens of Wisconsin do not agree with his position. They do not believe union members should lose their right to collective bargaining. The Governor knows he is going against the will of his constituents. He knows he is attempting to take them in a direction they do not want to go or believe is the best way to go. But Governor Walker is doing it any way. He, of course, is not the first leader to push for actions that are opposed by the majority of those he has been elected to represent. Even his numerous attempts to justify his position have via speeches and interviews have not resulted in any increase in support of his position. What does this suggest about his abilities as a communicator and the specific message he seeks to communicate?

Effective and successful communication is often messy and time consuming. It is far more difficult than standing in front of a podium or a microphone and stating one's position or viewpoints, and ignoring other perspectives. Unfortunately, thus far, this is all that Governor Walker has done. In his various public appearances he has made it clear he has no interest in entering into a meaningful dialog with those who disagree with him and seeking common ground without preconditions. Is this leadership? Perhaps it is technically-speaking. But it is the kind of leadership one equates with bullies. Is he being "strong?" No. Any one with power, such as the governor of a state, can seek to ram through whatever legislation they wish by not trying to be inclusive or build bridges with others. Dialog, compromise and establishing common ground with others is a challenge, but make no mistake it is one that is most worthwhile. Strong leaders and effective communicators understand this. Thus far, Governor Walker and others in positions of leadership who exhibit the same style do not.