Why do we think we are better?

[JoeXIII'007]

For all of my years of being in FIRST, I have never thought that I was better than everyone else...

BUT, that is not to say I never thought of what sort of power I really have with hands and mind within reach of technology that could do some cool and/or really freaky things. Power in short, and though I think of this power constantly on a daily basis, a lot of self control and personal moral conviction keeps me silent and prevents me from doing anything near evil and hypocritical.

It is a fact that people take for granted all of the technological wonders of our society today.

It is also a fact that we as engineers, technicians, programmers, scientists, etc. etc. have a stake and will drive technological progress one way or another in the future. Inevitably what we do just might end up in the hands of millions of people.

And it is inevitable that once new technology falls into the hands of millions, the hard work and possible politics that helped get to that point will be forgotten and once again the technology is taken for granted.

Its a continuous cycle.

But is it really their fault?

To answer the question, we are no better than anyone else. People just grow up with different purposes. We serve them, they serve us, its all mutual. And if anyone has watched the "Red Green Show," one quote from there that is said every show rings very true: "We're all in this together." Whether your world is your small town, city, county, state, country, or the entire planet itself, each unit has people to do every needed task, and just like teams, they work together towards relative peace and well-being.

2 cents of some sense

-Joe

PS: and though previous postings of mine may lean on the side that we are morally superior, I do not believe I have ever said that nor maintained such a position. If I did, I hope this changes everything for the moment, because somedays I just get sick of the ignorance of some people (who doesn't?), and it gets to my head a bit some nights... (thanks to working at a department store...)

[KenWittlief]

One of the realities of life that some people never accept is this: you cannot change people, you can only change yourself.

FIRST is not a program designed to change anyone into a better person, therefore whether people involved in FIRST are better or worse than some other group is irrelavant.

FIRST is designed to show people a path that will lead them to a successfull and rewarding career. Gracious professionalism is a part of that - its a way of interacting with other people that keeps things on a positive and productive level.

GP is not a blanket term that means "all things good and moral". The two words have a very specific meaning, and its not about morality or being good in an overall sense.

GP isnt something that you are, or are not - its something you do, that you chose to do, because the results of your actions are better than doing things another way (ranting or screaming at someone when they make a mistake for example).

If you are gracious and professional in your dealings with others, then a lot of work and progress can be accomplished. Things will run smoothly. If you are ungracious and unprofessional, things quickly come to a grinding halt, and insults and finger pointing ensues.

It has nothing to do with how good of a person you are. Its a learned behavior. The most rotten person on the face of the earth can use GP when interacting with other people, to get the results he is after.

[Josh Murphy]

No one individual is better than any other individual. I am not perfect and neither is anyone else on this planet. Everyone is created equal and that is the way I look at it. I have the same oppurtunities as everyone else on the planet and they do to. There is a decision in everyone's life on whether to be a clown or not and that is thier decision, but it in no way shape or form affects me and my choices. I have never let someone tell me that they are better than me nor do I tell people that. GP is a step closer to being a better person and FIRST is not the only way to become a better person like alot of us think. I am not perfect at the GP theory but I plan to try harder just like all of us should to make FIRST an even better place to be around. Never did I say FIRST is perfect because it never will be but it is a good atmosphere to be involved with and I am proud to say I am a FIRSTer.

[Andy Baker]

Originally Posted by Josh Murphy

No one individual is better than any other individual. I am not perfect and neither is anyone else on this planet. Everyone is created equal and that is the way I look at it. I have the same oppurtunities as everyone else on the planet and they do to. There is a decision in everyone's life on whether to be a clown or not and that is thier decision, but it in no way shape or form affects me and my choices. I have never let someone tell me that they are better than me nor do I tell people that. GP is a step closer to being a better person and FIRST is not the only way to become a better person like alot of us think. I am not perfect at the GP theory but I plan to try harder just like all of us should to make FIRST an even better place to be around. Never did I say FIRST is perfect because it never will be but it is a good atmosphere to be involved with and I am proud to say I am a FIRSTer.

Gold plate it and hang it on the wall. You rock, Josh.

Andy B.

[KarenH]

Originally Posted by KenWittlief

One of the realities of life that some people never accept is this: you cannot change people, you can only change yourself.

FIRST is not a program designed to change anyone into a better person, therefore whether people involved in FIRST are better or worse than some other group is irrelavant.

However, according to the FIRST website:

"FIRST ... aspires to transform culture, making science, math, engineering, and technology as cool for kids as sports are today."

Since people create culture, the only way to transform culture is to transform (change) people. Most societies recognize that the easiest people to change are the youth. This is why Dean Kamen invented a youth organization, not a professional society. He wants to change people.

In fact, as he has publicly stated, he has no children of his own. Instead, he regards FIRST as his children. That is, he regards himself as our father. What is one of the main jobs of a father? It is to mold (change) his children into the kind of adults he thinks they should be.

I think it is also abundantly evident that Dean regards science and technology as being more beneficial--that is, BETTER for society--than sports. Since this attitude is being actively promoted from the top down in FIRST, what are some ways we can avoid thinking--and projecting the attitude--that we are BETTER than others?

[Dan Zollman]

Originally Posted by KarenH

However, according to the FIRST website:

"FIRST ... aspires to transform culture, making science, math, engineering, and technology as cool for kids as sports are today."

Since people create culture, the only way to transform culture is to transform (change) people. Most societies recognize that the easiest people to change are the youth. This is why Dean Kamen invented a youth organization, not a professional society. He wants to change people.

In fact, as he has publicly stated, he has no children of his own. Instead, he regards FIRST as his children. That is, he regards himself as our father. What is one of the main jobs of a father? It is to mold (change) his children into the kind of adults he thinks they should be.

I think it is also abundantly evident that Dean regards science and technology as being more beneficial--that is, BETTER for society--than sports. Since this attitude is being actively promoted from the top down in FIRST, what are some ways we can avoid thinking--and projecting the attitude--that we are BETTER than others?

Dean Kamen certainly does want to change society, change people, and change youth, but I don't look at it as a Hitler Youth type of thing (could be an extreme analogy and I know it isn't what you said, but it's the best example I could think of). He doesn't want to replace sports, but he wants to fix an imbalance in the popularity of sports and the popularity of science and engineering. He wants to help fix shortcomings of education in this country. What would really be better for society would be if these things were fixed, not if scientists and engineers are enthroned as the world's elite.

We can avoid projecting that attitude by simply trying to. I'd say we shoud look at everyone as equals and talk to people on the same level. We want students to join FIRST because it's one of many great programs and it's fun, but it isn't superior. As sciguy points out, there are different reasons for different people to join a certain program.

An idea I have to answer the question "how can we avoid thinking that..." is that if we focus on our goals, on being a part of FIRST, on having fun, and on making our teams better experiences, we can avoid focusing on comparing ourselves to others and on thinking that we're stronger and more successful.

Originally Posted by sciguy125

If FIRST isn't the best, what are you doing here?

Something can be the best for other reasons than how beneficial it is. FIRST is great for me because I love it. Granted, there might be other programs in the school that would be better for me and I would love more, but I don't know about them. Within my knowledge, the activities I participate in are the best because they're beneficial to me, I love them, I have friends in the activities...so on.

Enough of me talking; somehow my posts are always longer than everyone else's

[duck1370]

i think everyone is looking at this way too hard. the FIRST program is a community, i wouldnt consider equality as a major factor in a community this large. communisim will never work because of the fact that in society, people cannot quite grasp the concept of equality. i believe we should concentrate on opprotunity, because thats one reason we are all here. in a competition, equality would just be boring.

im not here to wage war... just throwing in my idea

[thegathering]

I think the big thing that separates FIRST people from the rest of the world is our selflessness.

Dean Kamen created the FIRST organization, not to make money, but to advance humanity with no benefit to himself. Dean's spirit of the competition is shared with all of the FIRST teams who work to the bone for 6 weeks to be innovative, teach, and problem solve their way into the competition.

Unlike sport atheletes who compete for money, scholarships, and fame, FIRST atheletes only compete for themselves to carve out our technological future. Unlike musicians who compete for notoriety, glory, and contracting deals, FIRST specialists train their hands and their minds to familiarize themselves with engineering so that they can teach and provide engineering technologies in the future. Unlike race car drivers who are friends only with those people who are friends on the track, FIRST members stay friends and make friends on the competition grounds and off.

FIRST people may not be better than anyone else on the individual scale, but FIRST people share a degree of selflessness that is on a far higher level than the average people. There may not be anything other than the FIRST attitude and spirit that separates FIRST people from other people, but that attitude is what will carry our society into the future on the wings of technology and engineering, a future that we can be proud of founding even now while the spirit is still growing in our common culture.

[John Wanninger]

Originally Posted by KenWittlief

It has nothing to do with how good of a person you are. Its a learned behavior. The most rotten person on the face of the earth can use GP when interacting with other people, to get the results he is after.

While I am not fit to judge goodness, I do admire those who find and exhibit grace and are truly professional in all aspects of their lives, not just in public situations. I'd like to believe G.P. is more than putting on a face to do business; that it is the end rather than the means.

I hope G.P. is a tool that uses us, rather than the other way around.

[KenWittlief]

Originally Posted by John Wanninger

While I am not fit to judge goodness, I do admire those who find and exhibit grace and are truly professional in all aspects of their lives, not just in public situations. I'd like to believe G.P. is more than putting on a face to do business; that it is the end rather than the means.

I hope G.P. is a tool that uses us, rather than the other way around.

and interesting point, but you gotta start somewhere.

GP is most powerful when you practice it knowing that you dont feel like being gracious or professional right at this moment. If someone on your team screws up something important, at a critical point, you may feel like blowing up in their face, and telling them what an idiot they are, and how they have ruined everything for the whole team. Its perfectly normal to feel that way, and blowing up would be the normal human response.

But if you 'remember your training' and instead you tell yourself 'OK, mistakes and failures have occurred - we are all human - we all make mistakes - this person deserves to be treated with respect as a professional...' and you instead start dealing with the problem, instead of attacking the person

then all that energy gets focused on solving the problem, instead of spewing anger.

Does that change you on the inside? Will you not have the same tendency to want to explode the next time things go wrong? I gotta say no (from my own experience). When something goes wrong and you are blindsided when you are tired or overwhelmed you are still gonna have that knee-jerk reflex desire to blow up.

That is when you have to count to ten, and consciously choose to use GP to handle the situation. I think we have not changed on the inside, we have learned a better way. The underlying emotions and feelings will still always be there.