Jock's Wisdom for the 21st Century

[Jimmy Todd]

One of my favorite lines from Jock was when he counseled JR on the value of subtlety: "Lack of subtlety turns friends into enemies and enemies into fanatics."

The world today could heed Jock's words. I see a total lack of subtlety in all the debates and controversies today. It seems it's one extreme view to the next being shoved in people's faces. For example, the craze to pull down statues and "cancel" people for every little thing. All this does is make people who might be open to their basic points shut them out. Eventually, it will lead to an extreme backlash.
Jock was so right.

 

[Alexis]

I don't think that subtlety really has much place in debate. Usually both parties are trying to get their point across in the bluntest possible way. If you approach a debate, say political, in a subtle way you risk your opponent gaining higher ground and quashing your voice. How do you fight one extreme view by being subtle? I don't see how that could be effective in any situation.
I don't know about cancelling people for every little thing, it seems like something that only has power to those who believe in it, but if someone is a liar or fraud why not expose them for that? People aren't just going out and pulling down any old statue are they? They are taking a stand. How could you make that same powerful impact by being subtle? Lie down and be walked on?

 

[Billy Wall]

In all my life, I have never once heard anybody describe the KKK or any other white supremacy group as domestic terrorist. But I’ve heard Black Lives Matter called domestic terrorist. Now pulling down some statues of slave owners and people who fought to keep slavery alive is considered domestic terrorism? The one good thing that has come out of all this is that we’re now seeing just how racist this country truly is.

 

[Swami]

Another quote from Jock, during "Paternity Suit", after JR had wiped the floor with Cliff again, was "you've got to leave a man some dignity".

Swami

 

[Barbara Fan]

"A womans place is in the bed room not the boardroom"

"Ewing women dont work"

"You're over stepping your place Miss Ellie"

Not quite 21st century for me mg:

 

[Alexis]

"A womans place is in the bed room not the boardroom"

"Ewing women dont work"

"You're over stepping your place Miss Ellie"

Not quite 21st century for me mg:

I knew he's said these kind of things but I was too lazy to go find the direct quotes. Thanks! Sometimes "wisdom" can be outdated.

 

[Jimmy Todd]

I don't think that subtlety really has much place in debate. Usually both parties are trying to get their point across in the bluntest possible way. If you approach a debate, say political, in a subtle way you risk your opponent gaining higher ground and quashing your voice. How do you fight one extreme view by being subtle? I don't see how that could be effective in any situation.
I don't know about cancelling people for every little thing, it seems like something that only has power to those who believe in it, but if someone is a liar or fraud why not expose them for that? People aren't just going out and pulling down any old statue are they? They are taking a stand. How could you make that same powerful impact by being subtle? Lie down and be walked on?

My interpretation of Jock's quote is that there are different ways to make one's point. Sometimes it's necessary to Be blunt or brutally honest. Yet, there are times when going full force, "guns blazing," as it were is counterproductive. At those times it only serves to engender hostile feelings all around. People who would be open to listening to a point of view are then only going to react from an emotional place. Nothing is solved, and from what I'm seeing, hate is being replaced with other kinds of hate. Nobody wins in that situation.
Subtlety does not have to ne synonymous with weakness. It takes strength and intelligence to know when to apply it.

 

[Frank Underwood]

A person can make a rational point, but if they've said anything questionable before, some people will try to use that to invalidate everything that person ever said. We're seeing that happen in this thread. IMO, subtlety should always be our response of first resort. It's only when that fails that our response should escalate to something more blunt. I don't believe that means cancelling people for every offensive thing they said, or destroying every piece of property in sight. However, people do have legitimate grievances with both the police and the government. Regardless of what people think of the protests, JFK said it best when he said "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."

Of course, being blunt doesn't mean being degrading either. Like, say, calling someone a moron, a racist, and an idiot for discussing how most people can find something to be offended by.