"Thinking Aloud"

[housewolf]

One of many things that have stayed with me since watching HBO's mini-series "John Adams" on Sunday.


The miniseries' second installment, titled "Independence," begins in 1775 with that second congress. Adams finds himself a respected but unpopular member of the club.

Benjamin Franklin (Tom Wilkinson) is talking to John Adams (Paul Giamatti) about the ways and wherefores of politics. Franklin chided JA about a speech JA gave in opposition to a vote, telling JA that he lost anyway, and all that was served was that he made enemies over it. The witty Benjamin Franklin cautions JA to be more "politic" in his pronouncements.

"Do you not believe in saying what you think?" Adams asks with some astonishment.

"No" the learned Franklin responds, "thinking aloud is a habit responsible for much of mankind's misery."



(Something perhaps worth giving some thought to.)

[bryant69]

1. What is this forum but a collective "Thinking aloud?"

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[housewolf]

2. Hmmm... Seems to me a forum like this is for discussion

of things you've already thought about.

[bryant69]

3. I would say there is more evidence to support my position. n/t

[housewolf]

4. Perhaps that's why there is so much snarling and gnashing of teeth here

and so little real exchange of ideas or debate.

[bryant69]

5. Bingo. n/t

[trof]

6. Thinking aloud best done solo.

There is a woman in our Democrats club who will say at almost every meeting "I'm just thinking out loud here, but...".

And I know that we're off on yet another time consuming series of windy disjointed stream-of-consciousness tangents and sub-tangents and what-ifs to whatever it was we were discussing in the first place.
By the time she finishes I can't remember what we were talking about.

It's gotten to the point that there are audible groans every time she says "I'm just thinking out loud here...".

Oh, and she's on the county and state Democratic Committees, and an alternate delegate to the convention.
I fear for our party.
:-(

[housewolf]

7. Perhaps someone could anonymously slip her a note

with this quote from Ben Franklin, it might give her something to think about.