on human interaction- part II

Here’s how I began my earlier post about E=mc2:

Paul admonishes us in Romans 12 to be 'transformed by the renewing of your mind.' It is with this goal in mind that I have sought to understand the basic tenets of quantum physics and Einstein's relativity. It has to do with our foundation of knowing. You see, we all see things from a particular perspective. We even see the Bible and God's instructions for our lives from our own perspective. So in order to 'renew my mind' and see God's word in a fresh light, I'm checking out other foundations of knowledge from which to see things. (Although truthfully, I'm starting to figure out that perhaps the best way is to not have any foundation, or perspective, at all- a really frightening thing when you think about it!)

When I went back to read it I surprised myself. I had forgotten some of the things I said- in particular the idea about having no foundation, no perspective. Back then the thought was scary. I had a tremor, a vague notion, half-formed but with enough shape to discern its most essential characteristic. But the uncertainty it engendered, coupled with the certainty that this was a radically different way of viewing things, made me anxious.

Because our platforms are our identities. Are you shy or outgoing? Optimistic or pessimistic? Are you a Teacher? Preacher? Lawyer? Doctor? 20-Something? 30-Something? Father? Mother? Are you kind? Do you have a bubbly personality? Are you intellectual? Are you artistic? Are you Republican? Democrat? Communist? Are you an Oregonian? Californian? Yankee? Southerner? Homebody? World Traveller? Do you like Hip Hop? Rock? Pop? Jazz? Prefer Spicy Foods? Meat and Potatoes? Vegetarian? Are you Organized? Are you a slob? Are you poor? Rich? Middle Class? Are you American? Are you...a Christian?

Can you imagine who you would be....without any of these?????????

on human interaction- part I

Ok, so we’re back to E=mc2 (Groooaaaaannnnnnn!- stay with me here, I think I’m on to something.) If you remember my talk before I used the phrase ‘inertial frame of reference.’ Think of it this way. Imagine two platforms placed at different angles to each other. (Ok- don’t imagine it- look at the picture below)

See how the lines indicating height, width, and depth (x, y, z) are all pointing in different directions? The ‘x’ of one platform doesn’t line up with the ‘x’ on the other platform. Each platform is a different ‘frame of reference.’ So, a scientist sits on the first platform, doing his little experiments and writing down his little math. Everything works pretty well- good enough for government work. He jumps over to the other platform, does the same experiments, writes down the same math, the numbers are a touch off but on the average they work about like they did on the first platform. BUT- while he’s on the second platform he looks across to his experiment on the first platform and notices that it doesn’t seem to work right all of a sudden- the math doesn’t work out. “Crap,” he says. “It’s different over here. When I’m on Platform 2 looking over at Platform 1 things don’t work out right. I bet there must be a platform where everything works out perfect and then that will give me the clue as to why the others don’t work out.” So off he goes looking for that perfect platform- the place where everything is ‘right’- the ‘inertial frame of reference.’ Long story short: he’s going to be looking for that ‘platform’ forever, ‘cause there ain’t one.

Along comes another scientist. We’ll call him...uhm...Einstein. “Hey, buddy,” Einstein says, “Let me show you something.” He points to a dotted line that was formed when the first scientist looked from Platform 2 to Platform 1 (and from Platform 3 to Platform 1 and so on and so forth- to and from every Platform he occupied in his search for THE Platform.) Einstein continued, “Those lines are a relationship between all those platforms. Now I’ve discovered this little equation that shows that all those relationships, those dotted lines connecting the platforms, are the same. So that leads me to conclude that there is no ‘One Platform’ that everything is based off of- the base is the relationship.”

When I looked at it this way I was blown away by the concept that the only constant was a relationship. You see, we all operate from our separate platforms- our own way of viewing the world that is the sum total of our genetics, our raising, our education, our memories, etc. And I’ve noticed that many problems between people arise not because one person is right or wrong but because there has been a misunderstanding from the fact that things look and sound differently when viewed from different platforms. Or problems arise because people’s sense of identity and security is wrapped up in the ‘orientation’ of their ‘platform.’ Therefore, any other viewpoint/platform is seen as a threat- defensive posturing and/or tense relations ensue. It’s my experience that human interaction is a result of ‘my platform’ vs. ‘your platform.’- we try to defend our platform or change other people’s platforms or we align with those whose platforms are the most similar to ours. Yes, even positive, healthy relationships result from this thinking- it’s just that the two platforms correlate enough to cause a minimal amount of friction (witness the plethora of online dating sites that attempt to match your ‘platform’ with someone else’s!).

What’s needed is an ‘E=mc2’ of human interaction - something that takes the focus off of ‘platforms’ and on to ‘relationships’. I feel the implications of this are huge (as evidenced by the physical ‘shudder’ I experienced coursing up and down my spine and throughout my entire body when I hit upon it.)- we’ll explore this further in my next post.

Thoughts on a Merger...A Merger of Thoughts

“Yeah, I might lose my job!” Words you don’t usually here. Yet, as odd as it sounds that’s kind of how I’m feeling at the moment. Let me explain. My employer, Mt. Hood Beverage, is merging with its cross town rival Columbia Distributing (and Gold River Distributing, a downstate “cousin” of Mt. Hood Beverage.) Naturally there are many, if not all, employees a little anxious regarding their job status. My status is in no way secure...yet I fail to share in the anxiety. Why, you ask? The short answer: because of ten years of reading books most people don’t care to read and learning things most people don’t take the time to learn. Allow me to expand...

Ten years ago I was working at a business leadership seminar company in Lexington, Kentucky. I was exposed to the ideas of a man named Tom Peters- in fact, I can say in full confidence that his book “Circle of Innovation” literally changed my life. One of his stock-in-trade ideas is that the ‘new worker’ is basically on her/his own. Mergers and buy-outs and reorganizations and what have you have taken away the idea of job security. The worker’s only ‘security’ is in the strength of her/his own resume of (hopefully) stellar work history and job performance. In this brand-laden society, each individual is her/his own ‘brand’ – ‘Me, Inc.’ In essence you are your own business entity, regardless of your status as self-employed or W-2 wage earner. As long as you are constantly striving to improve yourself, to learn new skills and/or to hone your current skills through a stream of successful, impactful projects then you can have the best form of security- the choice of employers from your ever expanding list of job offers. Being the independent type I was enthralled with the idea- with that image. However, he’s even come up to an endpoint in that idea. On page 315 of his latest book, Re-imagine, he ponders the question of what happens when the need for your skill set has been completely eliminated due to changes in technology or market trends or competition. At the time of his writing, he had no answer. I feel I do...

Enter life-changing idea/book number 2: Rich Dad, Poor Dad. I first saw this book in Abilene, TX when my manager at Oak Express (where I served for a short stint as a salesman) was reading it. I was intrigued and read a couple of pages, hoping to get my hands on it some time in the future. When I moved to Portland and hooked up with the world of investment real estate through the mortgage industry, I encountered the book again as it was one of the bedrocks of investors, especially real estate investors. (short disclaimer: to avoid being labeled as one who just jumped on the ‘Rich Dad’ bandwagon, I want to note here for the record that long before I read his thoughts on investing in general and real estate in particular, my wife and I had looked at our rent check going out and said, “We need to find out how to get on the ‘other side’ of this check. Because our landlords haven’t had to do anything, and every month they get a check from us!”) One of his ideas in that book is ‘Mind your own Business.’ Again, regardless of whether you are self-employed or other-employed, you are your own business entity. And your ‘business’ is building up investment income to give you security for when the employment income gets turned off (by disability, retirement, lay-offs...mergers... you get the idea). Businesses seek to obtain assets that keep them a viable business- a hedge against the down swings of an unpredictable market. Individuals-as-businesses should seek to obtain no less than the same.

And so, in the midst of this merger I ponder a merger of these ideas. Your job security does not rest in your employee name badge, but rather in your ongoing creation and re-creation of your resume of job performance. That way instead of being thankful that you’ve been hired (“Yeah, I got a job!”) you can trust in your abilities to get hired, and re-hired, and hired again, over-and-over (“Yeah, I have my choice amongst all these job offers!”). But ultimately, those incomes are merely the start- for in turn you, as owner of ‘Me, Inc.’ are also continually working to build up your assets to the point where your bills are covered whether you get a paycheck or not (“Yeah, I don’t need a job!”) That way, if and when your skills are no longer needed/wanted, you have an answer.

So I’m enjoying being part of a ‘history-making’ event (this merger is a pretty big deal). I’m enjoying witnessing the growth of an investment (bummer I’m not a shareholder). In artistic terms, seeing a company rise from $270 million in annual sales to an estimated $1.2 Billion in estimated sales is aesthetically pleasing- I am enjoying the beauty of it. And because I don’t place all my bets in the traditional ‘job security’ mindset, I’m enjoying the freedom of an educated mind- and look forward to what God brings from the education He’s provided me with (and regardless of what books I read or what things I relentlessly study, I believe they are things God is teaching me... but that would be a different post.)

And so in the immortal words of Michael Stipe: “It’s the End of the World as we know it... and I feel fine.”