Words of Wisdom from Master Yoda
I am a "Star Wars" fan. One thing I particularly enjoy about "Star Wars" is Yoda. It's hard to not be enamored with a guy who's less than three feet tall and take on evil dudes more than twice his size- and win (or at least, in the case of Episode III, not get turned into green goo).One of the most fascinating things about Yoda is the words he uses. Forget the fact that most of his sentences are backwards. We still understand the point he's making. He is the epitome of wisdom and truth, and fans love him for it.
As I read fellow blogger- UTmorMAN's post yesterday about the "Ogden Complex", I couldn't help but think of a few things that Yoda has said. One of the quotes I will use in a future post. The first one I thought of also tied into a previous post of mine when I talked about the "Worst Four Letter Word". In Episode I: "The Phantom Menace," Master Yoda meets with young Anakin Skywalker and senses the fear in him. When Skywalker asks, "What has that got to do with anything?" Yoda responds, "Everything... Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering... I sense much fear in you."
I don't profess to be anywhere near Yoda-caliber in personality, "Force sensitivity", or the like, but I see his point. There is much anger and hate being exuded by some within the community. Taking Yoda's observation, we can trace much of that hate back to fear- hence, the "Ogden Complex".
Ogdenites are afraid. We're afraid of failure... again. Much of the problem is our view of past events. We look at an emplty lot where there used to be a mall and say we failed with the mall. We see that people aren't "flocking" to the new townhomes on 25th Street and chalk it up to some failure. We look at the exodus of stores from Ogden (Cross Western, Hastings, Deseret Book, etc) and call t failure. I think we have a failure mentality. We look at change as failure.
Mostly, we look at the "vision" for Ogden's future and fear. "What if," we ask ourselves, "we try the rec center, gondola, river project, etc. and we FAIL?"
So rather than confront the fear, we (meaning those who hate) hide the fear behind a wall of hate. Yes, we are all afraid that failure is a possible outcome of this. But as the saying goes, "'Tis better to have TRIED and failed, than to never have tried at all."
May the Force be with us all!
posted by Lancer at 9:14 AM
6 Comments:
I have news for you both. Many Ogden citizens believe the current city council has fallen asleep at the wheel.
It's not encouraging to hear from people like you who take their inspiration from imaginary Star Wars characters.
Let me break it to you gently: Rational people make decisions based on perfomance.
We have council people whose perfomance is so bad they would have been fired YEARS AGO, except in a socialist Big Government echo chamber like Ogden City.
Many of us are wondering about the contaminated Mall-site, which neither of you seem to want to talk about. Please explain to the rational among us how Ogden City wound up paying $10M for an apparently-contaminated site, without even having done a soil test prior to its purchase? A rookie real estate agent would know better than that.
And please tell us how the four laggard taj mahals in the hood contribute to the bottom line, and how that contributes to return on investment? Any private broker would have been fired in cases such as these.
Please explain how ignoring obvious problems, and "always looking at the bright side" is a serious approach to Ogden's very serious problems.
Please explain why Ogden citizens shouldn't fire the incomptent council people who've led us into out present mess?
I've talked to most of the current council candidates, and most of them understand the current council problem. Most of them are much smarter than you two rolled together, BTW.
What makes you people think you have the only "key to the kingdom," I ask?
Every one of the candidates I've talked to is four-square for progress in Ogden.
These are VERY smart and concerned people.
Unlike you two though, they realize the current direction is completely wrong.
We'll have progress in Ogden; but I'm afraid we'll have to do it without you two Star-Wars clones.
Rudi, I've been following these posts (yours included) and after reading your latest response to Lancer's last posting, I just have a burning question. I understand that there are differences of opinion in what we want "our" Ogden to look like. I am assuming that what we currently have is not it for you because it is certainly not what I want to see. I care about the way we are perceived along the Wasatch Front as the "armpit of Utah". I want to see something happen to bring back business and vitality to our city. I have not fully understood what all of your issues are with the current city council, though I am sure you'd love to tell me. "Their" vision is of a boom ski town with increased commerce downtown and a gondola system that is unique and would bring renewed interest in our city from surrounding areas. What is your vision?
They have shared specific ideas on how to accomplish their vision. I want to understand what projects/ proposals are "yours" or those of your associates. What is your plan to bring about your ideal vision of Ogden?
I've never heard your response to such questions and would truly like to know. Having a different vision is one thing. But naysaying and negativity will never bring about the change we both profess to look for.
If you actually do respond, but don't answer these questions, my only conclusion can be that you love to hate and oppose more than you love to solve Ogden's problems.
Well, Rudi, you've proven my point. I apologize if abstract thought is a bit above you, but if all you can see by this post is a fan talking about "Star Wars", you've missed the point of my post entirely.
I was not writing that article as "Yoda-worship" or anything of the like. I was merely using Yoda as a framework from which to describe the utter hatred which is rearing its ugly head around this city. I feel that the theory of hatred being borne of fear is a very valid one. And, given our past history, it's logical that many citizens are afraid. That's no reason to not forge ahead.
What I see is that there are some who wish to moan, complain, and gnash their teeth at any potential idea, tearing down any (in character and in ideals) who dare to support the "evil regime" of the city council.
Others (like myself) have concern for the future, yet don't allow that concern to stifle their enthusiasm for the potential of "what may become".
You tell me who's more afraid.
Oh... and about the being silent on the rec center... I re-read both my article and Steve's comments- we both mentioned it.
You want to know about my vision for Ogden, Stork? How nice of you to ask.
Although I find it difficult to believe you have no comprehension of my political and economic beliefs, if you've been following my blog as you say, I'll give it to you in a nutshell.
I believe in free markets and capitalism. Lancer and his buddy Steve believe in central control. I believe in the primacy of traditional individualism and free agency; these two believe in suppression of individual agency and government intervention to serve the "greater good." I believe in Adam Smith's invisible hand; they believe in the statist 'iron hand." I'm optimistic about the traditional American system of free enterprise as the engine for the creation of prosperity; they're pessimistic about it, and believe prosperity can only be achieved through drastic and aggressive state intervention in the marketplace. It's my belief that both of these fellows are infected with socialist values, but that doesn't make them bad. They merely lack the economic and political sophistication to recognize their ideas for what they really are. They're both honest and decent fellows, I'm sure -- although sadly misguided.
As for our pathetic city council; I've watched them operate. What's clear is that the bulk of them long ago gave up any pretense of acting as a proper legislative check and balance against the administratiive branch; and they have for the most part abdicated their duty to independently evaluate and supervise administrative actions. They behave effectively as a rubber stamp for any scheme that comes out of the mayor's office. As a result, we build empty residential taj mahals on lower 25th steet (Union Square would have been lost to foreclosure but for the arrival of a "white night" at the 11th hour,) and wind up with fee title to a tce-contaminated mudhole in the center of our once-thriving downtown business district.
And for a great example of the free market acting at its best, consider the pending hotel-gondola project. Although this project raised eyebrows a little bit while the principals (still undisclosed) temporarily fished for public money (who can blame them for that?), the principals have now come clean and announced that they'll finance this project entirely with their own private funds. They'll build out this wonderful project completely without a public contribution, except for the granting of necessary easements, rights of way and permit approvals. This is free market capitalism at its best; and it illustrates what can happen if government would just "butt-out."
And while I'm sure our mayor and council will take all the credit for the arrival of this new economic savior once the i's have been dotted and the t's are crossed, my own private and well-infomed local sources advise that this project would be arriving with or without any particular action on the part of Ogden city government.
I could go on for hours about it, and will be happy to correspond further about this via email. if you like; but I do hope this gives you a general idea of my philosophy.
And an aside to Lancer: I'll remind you that I'm not the one who seems to have difficulty with abstract thought; and I'm not the one who looks to George Lucas screenwriters for philosophical inspiration, either.
One should not make issue out of exception, Steve.
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