The Wise Guys (And Gals)

Anna Gregoline | October 26, 2004
Whom would you identify as a truly wise person? What makes him or her seem wise to you?

I nominate Scott, personally. If I had a serious problem, talking to him about it would be a good idea, as he's fair and balanced in considering options and motivations.

Kris Weberg | October 26, 2004
It depends what I needed. For personal issues, I'd ask my friend David from Chicago. For writing advice, Anna. For intellectual matters, I'd e-mail Fredric Jameson and pray he'd actually respond.

Scott Horowitz | October 26, 2004
Why thank you Anna, I am really touched. I mean we have never met nor had a conversation, but I am honored you think so highly of me (hehehehe, jk)

I really don't know who I could put into this category

Anna Gregoline | October 26, 2004
Thanks, Kris, that's very sweet of you. I don't feel like I help that much with the writing. I wish we could still have our little group though.

Lori Lancaster | October 26, 2004
[hidden by request]

Amy Austin | October 26, 2004
I think the world of my husband. Even though we seem to be very mismatched in our opinions at times, I have the utmost respect for his wit and intelligence. And I supremely envy his ability to take control of any situation with total poise... guess that's why he's in emergency medicine, and I'm not! Even when things must be done in a submissive fashion (i.e., letting someone else think they are the ones in charge), he is one hell of a leader. (Guess that's why he's still in the Navy, and I'm not...;>)

Scott Hardie | October 28, 2004
Thanks for the compliment, Anna; I'm flattered. One of the reasons I discourage flaming here is because it quiets other viewpoints when we should be learning from each other. If Mike Eberhart disagrees with me about politics, it's not because he's stupid or crazy, it's because he knows something that I don't, or more accurately, because he has a perspective that I do not have. I can only learn what he knows or see what he sees by listening to him. So yeah, I try to be fair and consider all sides. There's a reason why people believe what they believe and a reason why things are done or made the way they are, and we act like know-it-all teenagers when we dismiss other ideas because we assume they have no basis or that nobody ever thought them through. We only do ourselves harm with that kind of thinking.

And high-falutin' as that sounds, it answers the main question of where I go for wisdom; I go to people who see things differently than I do. When my cat was having behavioral problems this summer, some of my fellow cat-lovers gave me useless advice such as "spray it with a water bottle when it misbehaves," because they couldn't accept the harder realities of the situation such as the need for some tough love. On the other hand, it was the cat-haters who had no problem telling me to get rid of the cat, and their words helped me accept that it was finally necessary. (Kris also advised it, though it wasn't easy advice for him to give.)

Kris Weberg | October 28, 2004
"Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the wisest of them all?"

"Answer: Probably not the guy reciting doggerel to his mirror."

Scott Hardie | October 28, 2004
I realize you're just making a joke, Kris, but I would add that I didn't mean to sound so ivory-towery with that response, taking the long road to explain the obvious that everybody already knew.

And I want to say again that I'm still grateful for the advice of cat-lovers here on TC back then. You folks gave me good advice; I wasn't referring to you.

Amy Austin | October 28, 2004
I found your point exceptionally well-made, Scott -- you just made my list... ;>