19 Comments
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Mark Miller's avatar

Thanks for link ("poem" above)!

It will come in handy when I try to figure out the cause-and-effect relationship highlighted by Professor Jacobson-

"However, Professor Jacobson told Newsweek that "although California has the second highest electricity prices in the U.S. and high penetrations of renewable electricity, the two facts are only a correlation, not a cause and effect.""

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John Droz's avatar

Mark: Let me paraphrase — "There are none so blind that they choose not to see." And don't forget the related info in a prior commentary <https://criticallythinking.substack.com/p/the-true-cost-of-wind-energy>.

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John Joyce's avatar

“If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;”

Duh!

…you will be a man my son, although a Teflon one.

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John Droz's avatar

John: I suspect the point is that the object of good thinking should be informed actions.

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Chris Denton's avatar

I have an ancient flat top desk 7 feet wide. I keep a copy of this poem "If" taped to the old fashioned Typing Board which slides out from below my desk top. I draw out the board and consult the poem any time that I need a reminder that civilization is a state of mind of finely tuned self-discipline.

Chris

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John Droz's avatar

Chris: Sounds like a good waym to get inspiration...

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Owain Glyndŵr's avatar

My father had me memorize this when I was 12 or 13. It came back as I watched this fantastic video that I have forwarded to friends and family.

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John Droz's avatar

Owain: Thank you.

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Bob Armstrong's avatar

However , I cannot forget the ' marginal in Mad Magazine in the 1950s .

Poorly paraphrased :

If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs ..

... You're probably missing something .

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Cathy Kaech's avatar

I was raised on Mad Magazine and Cheetos...LOL...

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John Droz's avatar

Cathy: As the saying goes: "that explains a lot."

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John Droz's avatar

Bob: So you subscribed to Mad, eh?

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Bob Armstrong's avatar

I don't think I ever had a subscription ; got it over the counter .

Subscriptions went from Donald Duck to Popular Science to Scientific American , adding Playboy in later high school .

Dropped those for Science by grad school , and that for Dr Dobbs .

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Barbara Charis's avatar

My absolutely favorite poem IF by Rudyard Kipling. It was my mantra as a teenager. It taught me a great deal about dealing with life. Sydney Powell did a beautiful rendition!

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John Droz's avatar

Barbara: Agreed!

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Barbara Charis's avatar

Wouldn't it be great, if IF and other poetry were taught in our schools today. We were blessed to have had the opportunity to be exposed to some great literature, when i was in high school.

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John Droz's avatar

Barbara: Agreed again.

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Tess Schmigiel's avatar

This video is INCREDIBLE!! Really makes you aware of it all!!!

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John Droz's avatar

Tess: Incredible is an appropriate word. Please pass on my substack to get others to sign up! It's free!

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