Blog #128--Interesting Tidbits Not Included In Book, Part 3

Since my book “It’s a Secret, So Pass It On: a Toolbox For Life” is designed to show connections between everyone and everything, the list of potential topics is practically endless. This is the third in a series of blogs that include short topics not included in the book.

Tidbit #1: Many people aren’t familiar with Margaret Hamilton, but she had a long and distinguished career as a character actress in a wide variety of roles. By far her most famous role was the Wicked Witch of the West in the movie classic “The Wizard of Oz.” She did so well as the green-faced woman with the diabolical laugh and hatefulness to match, her character is often considered iconic for how a witch is supposed to look and act.

But while she continued to work throughout her life, there were times when her notoriety limited her. Those who became scared upon watching her as the witch tended to look negatively upon her, perhaps believing incorrectly that she and the character were the same. I understand she sometimes was passed over for roles simply due to the backlash from her performance as the witch. To make matters worse, she received burns on her face and hands while filming the movie when her clothing caught fire in the scene with the Munchkins where she disappears in an explosion of fire and smoke.

Ms. Hamilton died in 1985 at the age of 82. Fortunately, more people began to accept her without fear before then. They would ask her to demonstrate the witch’s voice and mannerisms, and most were able to overcome their self-doubts and appreciate her talent. That had to be a relief for the hard-working actress.

Karma balanced for Ms. Hamilton when she was asked to be one of the voices of an animated sequel to “The Wizard of Oz.” She played the role of Auntie Em. Now that is a true role reversal. I hope it pleased her as much as it did me.

Tidbit #2: Over the years, a wide variety of adjectives have been used to criticize those who seem below average in intelligence. Words like “moron,” “dunce,” “idiot,” “stupid” and other similar derogatory terms are used to push someone else down so we can feel better about ourselves by comparison. Some people are innately slow learners by birth and/or their early upbringing; they cannot help themselves. But there are others who may have functional brains but who often arrive at incorrect answers. I believe there is a simple explanation for the latter group.

A person who is totally self-centered cannot arrive at correct answers to problems. We all try to escape reality at times, but some people are simply unable to look beyond their own noses. When we are self-centered, we lack perspective and conscious awareness because we are using mostly one side of our brains. Understanding requires us to recognize others in our environment and the complex roles they play in our lives.

A failure to see how we are part of a bigger picture causes our minds to spin in a tight circle without a logical balancing mechanism. We try to draw everything to us without giving out energy to help others and balance our intake. The result is a distorted view of our reality. A lack of awareness causes us to draw incorrect conclusions. So being a “moron” or some other analogous term is often the result of being totally selfish.

Tidbit #3: Researchers studying financial market equity analysts at the University of Iowa, led by professor of marketing Tom Gruca, suggested that those who write up explanations for their economic forecasts tended to have what he called “confirmation bias.” These analysts tended to maintain their original perspectives even when new information contradicted earlier assumptions.

A control group was created for comparison. This group was not asked to explain their thinking on market forecasts. They tended to modify their opinions when new information became available.

Gruca and his associates are not behavior specialists, so they provided minimal explanation on why this difference occurs. Once we defend our thoughts on a subject publicly, we tend to hold onto them even when confronted with proof of our error. We are more protective of our thoughts because we have set them in cement by sharing them with others. Perhaps this phenomenon is similar to how parents protect their children. The more we attach ourselves to our beliefs, the more likely we are to continue that guardian role even when our beliefs are wrong.

Regardless, this study tells us to take others’ suggestions and predictions with a grain of salt until we can study the situation for ourselves. After all, the “experts” may be wrong.

Food for thought: It is refreshingly simple to tell the truth all the time. Lies may seem to have self-protection value, but they create a complexity that becomes increasingly difficult to maintain. Once we choose honesty, we lift a major burden from our shoulders. Try it. You might like it.

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