Barrett Dorko
25-05-2007, 05:12 AM
It’s been a quiet week in Cuyahoga Falls…
I wonder when it will begin. There’s no way that this additional travel and lecturing isn’t going to affect me in some way, and I doubt that it will be a positive thing. The physical strain alone to a man in the latter third of his life is going to take its toll and I remain vigilant but doubt that I’ll notice the first signs of this. I wonder when it will begin but I’m pretty sure it’s already begun.
I’ve heard recently of a new book titled Never Saw it Coming (http://www.amazon.com/Never-Saw-Coming-Challenges-Envisioning/dp/0226100324/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-9374717-8174203?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1180047632&sr=1-1) by Karen Cerulo. The read line on the book cover is “Cultural Challenges to Envisioning the Worst.” A review states, “…it is hard to (imagine future disasters because) adaptive behavior hard-wired into human cognition is complemented and reinforced by cultural practices, which are in turn institutionalized in the rules and structures of formal organizations.” In other words, not only are we naturally optimistic about the future, our institutions encourage this, no matter how often we’ve been wrong and thus unprepared.
I speak a great deal about how certain cultural institutions have failed to help us live our lives with less pain and disability, not the least of which is any therapy program that doesn’t teach modern neuroscience. And if I sound cynical about our profession’s future as effective caregivers for a large percentage of our patients, maybe it’s because of what I’ve seen and heard in every corner of this country. I’ve not noticed any sort change in the knowledge base of my colleagues in the past three years and I can count on one hand the number of new voices heard here with any regularity. This is beginning to wear on me, and running on the treadmill isn’t going to enhance my resistance to it.
But I listen to a lot of radio shows while working outside or walking Buckeye and it’s amazing how one will relate directly to some writing I’m in the middle of. This week on This American Life (http://www.thislife.org/) a reporter recounted her experience of traveling for a while with the legendary George Burns (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Burns). She says, “Despite the fact that this is almost precisely the same act he’s been doing for fifteen years, it sounds totally spontaneous, as if he’s making it up right there on the spot. In fact, the act doesn’t vary, but to George it’s an eternal work in progress, and every night he makes microscopic changes. This is how he’s been able to do it for so long.”
Hearing this today I actually grew a little hopeful - mainly because I’ve been doing the same thing with my own act. With any luck (and I should remember not to depend upon that, of course) I’ll maintain my sanity in this way.
I wonder when it will begin. There’s no way that this additional travel and lecturing isn’t going to affect me in some way, and I doubt that it will be a positive thing. The physical strain alone to a man in the latter third of his life is going to take its toll and I remain vigilant but doubt that I’ll notice the first signs of this. I wonder when it will begin but I’m pretty sure it’s already begun.
I’ve heard recently of a new book titled Never Saw it Coming (http://www.amazon.com/Never-Saw-Coming-Challenges-Envisioning/dp/0226100324/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-9374717-8174203?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1180047632&sr=1-1) by Karen Cerulo. The read line on the book cover is “Cultural Challenges to Envisioning the Worst.” A review states, “…it is hard to (imagine future disasters because) adaptive behavior hard-wired into human cognition is complemented and reinforced by cultural practices, which are in turn institutionalized in the rules and structures of formal organizations.” In other words, not only are we naturally optimistic about the future, our institutions encourage this, no matter how often we’ve been wrong and thus unprepared.
I speak a great deal about how certain cultural institutions have failed to help us live our lives with less pain and disability, not the least of which is any therapy program that doesn’t teach modern neuroscience. And if I sound cynical about our profession’s future as effective caregivers for a large percentage of our patients, maybe it’s because of what I’ve seen and heard in every corner of this country. I’ve not noticed any sort change in the knowledge base of my colleagues in the past three years and I can count on one hand the number of new voices heard here with any regularity. This is beginning to wear on me, and running on the treadmill isn’t going to enhance my resistance to it.
But I listen to a lot of radio shows while working outside or walking Buckeye and it’s amazing how one will relate directly to some writing I’m in the middle of. This week on This American Life (http://www.thislife.org/) a reporter recounted her experience of traveling for a while with the legendary George Burns (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Burns). She says, “Despite the fact that this is almost precisely the same act he’s been doing for fifteen years, it sounds totally spontaneous, as if he’s making it up right there on the spot. In fact, the act doesn’t vary, but to George it’s an eternal work in progress, and every night he makes microscopic changes. This is how he’s been able to do it for so long.”
Hearing this today I actually grew a little hopeful - mainly because I’ve been doing the same thing with my own act. With any luck (and I should remember not to depend upon that, of course) I’ll maintain my sanity in this way.