Misinformation Sources

In this age of “information superhighway” and its associated diverse media channels, one has to be aware of the multitude of misinformation that is being propagated.

Needless to say, when misinformation is blindly heeded it may cause anxiety and animosity amongst friends and family to reach new heights and, alas, falling from these heights can be very painful!

Hani Badawi
October 16, 2017

Marking Territories

Dogs mark their territory by urinating on trees and walls, never on human beings, whereas pathetic leaders do that by tweeting on their fellowmen/women to the detriment of their nations!

Hani Badawi
October 10, 2017

Chicken and Egg Dilemma

History shows that when respect is demanded via scare tactics and bullying, invariably the outcome is more strife and uprising by the bullied parties.

Unfortunately, it is often the case that the bullied themselves turn into bullies and perhaps that’s the reason for the endless strife and discord amongst individuals and/or nations!

Hani Badawi
October 13, 2017

Your Life is a Garden

Your life is like a garden filled with a multitude of plants. Pluck the weeds, prune the shrubs, keep the bugs away, water the plants appropriately and never ignore the roots.

Most importantly sow more seeds of your favorite plants, ones that will ultimately fill your life with joy!

Happy gardening to all!

Hani Badawi
April 12, 2017

Problems and Solutions

Our knowledge is an accumulation of experience that is reaped via: parental upbringing, siblings, traditional schooling, "school of hard knocks!", friends, work, reading, TV and, last but not least, circumstances.

Correct solutions to mathematical problems, crossword puzzles and any other form of mental challenge depends on one's education and accumulated knowledge and cannot be attained simply via intelligence or inspiration.

If you agree with the aforementioned statements, then let's together address the question: Can we resolve circumstantial challenges through accumulated knowledge?

On posing that question, I suspect you'll notice that a circular argument, similar to the unresolved question: "Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?" is encountered here!

As a result of grappling with this intriguing question for some time, I arrived at the following thoughts (and I would be presumptuous if I were to call it an answer):

· As free thinkers, we naturally accumulate knowledge, and, even when our experience appears to be almost identical, we never accumulate knowledge at the same pace or in the same way

· Furthermore, as our brains are wired differently, our emotional responses in dealing with our circumstances will invariably differ

· In the process of aging we acquire wisdom but our retention of knowledge inevitably diminishes and our memory ultimately fades away

And:

· We adapt and adjust our responses to circumstances differently.

· We continue to fine tune our thoughts as time goes by

· As time is unidirectional and cannot be locked or reversed (as much as we would like it to!!) we are continuously confronted with circumstantial challenges

Inevitably and fortunately there are positive factors that we also encounter over time. Fortunately these have a tempering effect on our circumstantial challenges and allow us to proceed to the next challenge in our lives.

As the saying goes: Life Goes On!

These are my present thoughts on that matter. They may change in time as my challenges dictate!

May your circumstantial challenges always be far outweighed by the positive factors in your life!

Hani Badawi

April 12, 2017

On Judgment and Politics by BCE (Before the Common Era) Greek and Roman Philosophers

"Men of ill judgment ignore the good that lies within their hands, till they have lost it." Sophocles (496 to 406 BCE)

"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." Plato (428 to 348 BCE)

"An orator without judgment is a horse without a bridle." Theophrastus (371 to 287 BCE)

"It is not by muscle, speed, or physical dexterity that great things are achieved, but by reflection, force of character, and judgment." Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 to 63 BCE)

"A hasty judgment is a first step to recantation." Publilius Syrus (85 to 43 BCE)

Hani Badwi

March 25, 2017

Today's Thoughts

Anger and Arrogance are not qualities needed from leaders who are expected to care about the welfare of their nation!

Political Parties are effective in making positive changes only and only if they work towards the betterment of their country and not for their party's gains!

Some politicians seriously believe the following quote by Malcolm Forbes:
"There's nothing wrong with nepotism as long as you keep it in the family"!!!!!

Hani Badawi
March 25, 2017