[OBW]

One of the hardest things for many, including the extremely intelligent, is to separate what they think and what they say from who they are. On this forum we argue (in the sense of discussion and debate, not fighting) about things.

I have views based upon many things. I like to think that they are all entirely rational and soundly founded on whatever is thought to be the most important touchstone for the subject. But it is often not entirely true. Sometimes I discover that I am relying on secondary sources that are not representing the primary in a faithful manner. Sometime worse than that.

And when I build my own conclusions on questionable sources, others may see them for what they are. Or others may be seeing mine from their own faulty base. Or we may both be completely off-track, but in different ways.

So when someone says that my perspective or conclusion is a fairly tale, that is not a condemnation of me. It is only a comment on the position I am holding. I can choose to be insulted and refuse to even rethink my position. I can stick to my guns as blindly as those who are holding other positions.

Or I can accept the somewhat extreme reference to fairy tales as an indication that someone thinks I am missing something important and at least consider any alternate thinking that is provided. And once I have done that, I can conclude that they have not swayed me and return to explain why my position is not (in my opinion) a fair tale. I don't even need to refer to their characterization. Just state my reasons for continuing with my position.

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Separately, while I never had the opportunity to be close enough to Lee to be ignored by him, the behavior that others have noted was quite evident. He seemed almost disinterested in anything in any meeting unless it was his own speaking, or was someone else making reference to his teaching, especially when the whole place was stirred-up about it.

But to defend him (just a little, and very distastefully), can you imagine the implications of Lee actually jumping up because he had a sudden realization and saying something? Something that he had not had time to vet and filter? Given the way we gladly hung on every word he uttered, if he sat down, then went home only to realize that he had said something that was not entirely accurate (and for him, that did not square with his own system of teachings), what do you think he would find? The next day, before he could do any "damage control," everyone who was there (and probably people all over the country due to phone calls) would be jumping up and shouting about this latest "gold nugget" from Lee and how wonderfully meaningful it was to their lives.

I personally think he would deserve it.

And having said that, he probably didn't ever speak like that because he was above it. He wanted to keep a kind of separation between himself and even the elders around him. I recall that when Max was doing all the stuff he did, the other elders (who had previously been in private meetings with Lee at least weekly) were clueless because they were not privy to any of it. Even they were outsiders at that time. (Of course, Max had no idea how much of an outsider he was. Max was mostly a tool of Lee to set the stage for his rise from "trusted adviser" to "chairman of the board.")