September 30 #100: Pedantry/ Fantasy/ Therapy

My good buddy Alex hasn't come up with his 3 sermon words yet for me to write about and I need to pop out this blog before tomorrow, so I consulted a "random word generator" because the Internet is that awesome. I then had to consult Wikipedia on what the words meant, just to be sure and clear headed.

Pedantry according to Wiki = (Adjective) To show excessive concern with formalism and precision, or to show off ones learning. It has a negative connotation and is often associated with the word "condescending".

OCD is actually an extreme version of someone overly obsessed with rules, regulations, and practices. People who are pedantric insist on following the "correct" use of the rules and have problems with change or new lines of thought.

Fantasy according to Wiki = Long definition mostly referring to Fantasy writing, but ultimately including: Imagination, Magic, Supernatural, Myths, Hidden Truths, Mystery, Underlying Themes...

Author Terry Brooks states: "People who view fantasy as second rate or childish are usually people who don't read or understand it. I like to tell them that good fantasy is social commentary combined with good story telling -Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, the Oz stories, and so many others. Sure the stories take place in an imaginary world. But those worlds mirror our own and tell us things about ourselves that need to  said and understood. I also like to tell them how often other forms of literature use fantasy as the bedrock of their own stories. Fantasy transcends its own form in wider scope than any other type of writing."

Therapy according to Wiki = Attempted remediation of a health problem, usually following a diagnosis. Relating terms: Psychotherapy, Preventative Therapy, Supportive Therapy, Over Treatment...
Categories:
Matter - dealing with Drugs/Genes/Hormones/Body Function
Energy - dealing with Electricity/Light/Sound/Temperature sensitivities
Human Interaction -dealing with Counseling/Social Disorders/Educational Disabilities/Relaxing/Sleeping/Eating...

Alright, interesting topics.

Pedantry



A new word for me. Essentially the same as condescending. I hate being around people who abide heartlessly by arbitrary rules they hold everyone around them to and look down on those who are not as elitist as they are. The only upside is the fact that they lead lonely lives and struggle with change. Pedants could never do what Steve Jobs, Martin Luther, Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi, or any other visionary individual has done. They cling too tightly to the established way of doing and thinking and fail to intake even the thought of new possibilities. They are therefore less adaptable and more set/closed minded. You need to be open and receptive to the people and the world around you, otherwise what good will all of that obtained knowledge do if you never apply it in any way other than to to tell others you have obtained that knowledge. You are your own dead end telling the people that then road ends with you. People will just end up driving forward and creating their own path around you.

Fantasy

I know this world well :)

I get lost in it every once in a while to the extent that at some points I actually get bored with my imagination because no new or interesting thoughts or ideas are coming in to add depth and insight to my dreams. I think is why I subconsciously seek knowledge. To fuel my imagination and expand my understanding of the way the world is, but more importantly, the way it should be. I'm like a sponge absorbing facts and data around me to compile and compute reality into a greater world than the physical one I am present to. I then seek to bring that dream back into reality, finding the bridge between what is and what could be. But fantasy alone is useless without its application into reality. It's kind of like being Pedantry, only instead of withholding and feeling superior about your Knowledge, it is about your Vision.

Therapy

I've actually spoke on this topic before. Therapy kind of has negative connotations because people who really do need it would sometimes rather ignore their issues than admit they need to see a therapist. People have a hard time admitting they need help. They want that sense of control, which ironically they'll never get if they don't tell their Ego to shut up. The only danger you can experience with therapy is getting misdiagnosed, over treated, or have severe side effects to medication they give. I'd say over treatment is a major issue these days. It's hard to draw the line where people are just struggling and people really do have a defect that can only be aided through therapy of some sort. Lots of kids are being put on medications that are causing them more damage than good because people think it's safer to medicate a person than to let them go without, when actually the opposite can be just as true.

For instance, my sister Emily has ADD. She started showing signs of it when she was about 6 or 7. Although it was only a moderate case, my mom had her put on an experimental drug called Aderol. The side effects turned out to be worse than the treatment. It seems like, if my sister had been raised to manage and overcome the issue, she would have been far better off in the long run. I think people should try therapy first, but always keep in mind they have the power to ultimately overcome their problems if they put in the effort, time, and energy to do so.