The Dead Cat

“The eye is diverted from the real business, it is caught by the spectacular action that means nothing--nothing at all.” ― Agatha Christie

In politics there is what many call a "Dead Cat" strategy. In its simplest form, this strategy is a diversionary tactic most commonly used in politics. When things are not going your way or the news is bad for you, throw a dead cat on the table which will divert attention from something damaging to you by giving people something more dramatic or shocking to talk about.

In use and metaphorically speaking (there is not a real dead cat on the table), please will shout "Hey, there’s a dead cat on the table!" People will then be talking about the dead cat, the thing you want them to talk about, and they will not be talking about the issue which has been causing you so much grief.

If you can make a comment or stir something so shocking that it shifts the entire focus of discussion to something else. What you did not want to talk about will no longer be talked about. How can anyone not talk about the dead cat? They have to because it is so outlandish and eye catching.

Very powerful in shifting and gaining media attention.

We have seen plenty of this during our most recent election process and it continues post-election as well. By nature we humans are curious to the wild and shocking noise which permeates our social and news media outlets. My father always said, the squeaky wheel gets the grease and that is very true.

By simply focusing on the squeaky wheel, are we forgetting to pay attention to the other three wheels? The air leaking quietly from one tire or the wear of the tread on another which are equally important. Do we do it to fool ourselves into thinking everything is okay in our lives?

Do we throw dead cats to deceive ourselves?

How many times have we allowed ourselves to be diverted by the bright and shiny things. You want to that new job which promises great sums of money but are unwilling to admit that you do not put in the effort in your current job to advance. It could be a relationship in which you want the handsome attentive man or the attractive fawning woman but fail to measure your own self.

The promises made to us and by us are the dead cats thrown in front of us. They distract us from what is really going on in our life. It could be politics, relationships, our money, job and even our religious beliefs. We deceive and are deceived by the diversions created.

How do we remove the dead cat?

The first thing is to realize that the dead cat is on the table and to ask why was it thrown out there in the first place. We must always question why the topic changed. Is it in order to focus us on something more important or keep us from discussing what truly is important.

Secondly, we must hold ourselves and others to task in understanding and resolving what really matters. The dead cat is not the important thing here, it is a ploy to keep us from holding ourselves or others accountable. We should not allow the diversion to hold our attention.

The last thing is to call it what it is, a diversion of the truth either in social media or the news. Call people out on it and bring the attention back to the important things. Call yourself out on it for only we can allow ourselves to be deceived by the dead cat on the table.

Stay inspired my friends!

The Ass in the Lion's Skin

“Oh, what a tangled web we weave...when first we practice to deceive.”
― Walter Scott

From Aesop ... a story.

An Ass once found a Lion's skin which the hunters had left out in the sun to dry. He put it on and went towards his native village. All fled at his approach, both men and animals, and he was a proud Ass that day. In his delight he lifted up his voice and brayed, but then every one knew him, and his owner came up and gave him a sound cudgeling for the fright he had caused. And shortly afterwards a Fox came up to him and said: "Ah, I knew you by your voice."

Aesop's moral - Fine clothes may disguise, but silly words will disclose a fool.

Stay inspired my friends!

Continue To Make A Difference

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” ― Desmond Tutu

Despite our ever changing world and disagreements we have, I shall continue to do so.

If a man is called to be a street sweeper
He should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted
Or Beethoven composed music
Or Shakespeare wrote poetry

He should sweep streets so well
That all the hosts of heaven and earth
Will pause to say
Here lived a great street sweeper
Who did his job well

~Martin Luther King, Jr~

You can make a difference every day simply by doing what you do to the best of your abilities.

Stay inspired my friends!

Are You Ready

“We are not preparing for the world we live in - we are preparing for the world we find ourselves in.” ― Michael Mabee

Today, November 7, 2016 is the day before our presidential election here in the United States. A day which seems long in coming and very unconventional one to say the least.

The pundits, the memes, the arguing and the craziness which have marked this particular election will reach a full crescendo today. There will be last moment appeals for one candidate or the other and enough predictions to fill a rain barrel or two.

What just happened.

Much of what we witnessed over the past year has been both historical and hysterical in nature. The unexpected has happened and the division has widened among citizens and family members alike.

We have our first female presidential candidate who carries with her like any lifelong politician (male or female) both the good and bad baggage of a long career in politics. There are people deeply divided and opinionated of this candidate for these reasons.

On the other side we have a truly non-political candidate who many have referred to as a carnival barker. But there are many things he says which resonate with people due to the failure of our entire political system to address in a meaningful way.

Outside of the United States, many have commented on what they would call the demise of our democracy and the system used to elect a President. And the fear is not as much how we have gotten to this point but what will happen after the election results are in.

What Wednesday will bring.

At some point on Tuesday night, the projections and results will come in and we will know who the next President of these United States will be. The person might be your candidate or maybe not, but how will you respond?

Will you accept the results and implore your fellow believers to join and support the new President. Or will you continue to be a part of the political problem that all of us seem to agree needs fixing?

And yes, much of our change relies upon the politicians themselves. But we can be the ones who start the change by changing our ways, by lowering our own divisiveness in how we use social media and in our conversations with others.

The show must go on.

After we have made our choices on Tuesday and had our celebration or pity parties on Wednesday, the act of getting on with the business of life remains. We can choose to continue our complaints or to hold a victory over others.

Or we can choose to work together in a civil and respectful way to bring the changes all of us can agree upon. If not, life and all of its consequences will proceed without us one way of another.

My belief is we will be better regardless of Tuesday's outcome because we can be.

Vote this Tuesday and stay inspired my friends!