Fellow genealogists,
I am very sad. I am fairly new to genealogy and had hoped that this forum would be helpful
in my pursuits. It seems that the last month or so, I haven't seen much other than
folks disagreeing with each others worldviews and what should/should not be in this
forum. I see both sides, but am not interested in defending either. Generally (in any
forum), if someone posts something I don't agree with, I don't respond (and here I
am responding!) because that adds fuel to the fire. In short, I am new to this and am
considering unsubscribing and looking for another list to join. (I do appreciate the
information about the DNA projects, but that's a little over my head for now.)I have
traced my Carpenter lineage from William of Rehoboth, and living in Massachusetts has
enabled me to go to Rehoboth and Putney, Vermont to verify information I've found. I
have a sister on the west coast and relatives in between that have helped me to locate
documents and verify other information. I do not know if my research lives up to the
expectations of some on this forum, but I have enjoyed it thoroughly and was able to
present my father with a notebook loaded with stuff for his 80th birthday. I was able to
locate and walk the land that my 4th great-grandfather farmed in Putney.
I had hoped that this forum would be encouraging and informative. So far, I have found
little of that here. But I am patient and full of hope that this group can put aside
differences so that novices like myself can learn and grow in the important endeavor of
documenting our common (and uncommon!) histories.
Sherri Carpenter DunganSpringfield, MA
On Monday, January 19, 2015 3:20 AM, "carpenter-request(a)rootsweb.com"
<carpenter-request(a)rootsweb.com> wrote:
Today's Topics:
1. Re: Darkness & light (Robert & Donna Klaesson)
2. I'm Out (GeneZub(a)aol.com)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Sun, 18 Jan 2015 14:52:02 -0800
From: Robert & Donna Klaesson <angelheart9(a)sbcglobal.net>
Subject: Re: [CARPENTER] Darkness & light
To: John R Carpenter <jrcrin001(a)cox.net>, "carpenter(a)rootsweb.com"
<carpenter(a)rootsweb.com>
Message-ID:
<1421621522.20694.YahooMailNeo(a)web185305.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
What a blessing you are to so many, John! Thank you for being YOU and for sticking up for
yourself and those of us who STILL want to have FUN with our genealogy:) Donna Klaesson
On Sunday, January 18, 2015 4:10 PM, John R Carpenter via <carpenter(a)rootsweb.com>
wrote:
The last paragraph of Michael J. Leclerc's Genealogy News (Blog) cited by
Gene.
"Worse still is that many of these individuals are actively working against
the promotion of quality research. They attack anyone would dare to question
inferior research techniques as ?elitist.? By the same token, many experts
are too quick to denigrate anyone who questions anything new and different.
We must find a balance, and do our best to promote quality research
techniques so that even beginners can understand how to be confident in
their research findings."
In American society there is a gathering dis-trust in government and our
leaders. Those in the used car profession now have higher respect than most
of Congress. Add in those professionals (professors, doctors and such) who
side with and distort their works toward the political and we have many
having far more distrust in our leaders.
There is a feeling among many that those we used to look up to no longer
have the common good and the betterment of the Country. Many feel betrayed,
disrespected and resent being told that they "can not understand such
complicated things" because they are not educated enough, smart enough or in
other words not an elite.
I have two people who I know that are biologists. Both of them dislike each
other because the other is "stupid." Both are Mensa level smart. Each has a
specialty that is so unique that the number of peers in that specific area
is in the low hundreds from around the world. Out of the 7 billion (7,
000,000,000) people around the world only a very small fraction can
understand and work at their level. In their minds, even people with science
degrees in biology and those with masters and even doctorates are not at
those levels. I.e. they are stupid.
Science has exploded so fast and so far that most textbooks on advanced
topics are out of date by the time they are published.
Attitude is the little thing that has the biggest difference. When those so
far advanced begin to believe they are smarter and know what is best for
others then comes trouble. For example, Here in America we had eugenics
before the NAZIs started their programs. We were sterilizing, lobotomizing
and racially profiling until enough people realized that those victims had
lost their human and Constitutional rights because someone thought they knew
better than the rest of us.
There has been so much change in science, the law and around the world that
most people can not keep up. Too many see that the changes, right wrong or
indifferent is placing more and more controls (restrictions) on them, their
families, their work, and country.
The media has contributed to this by the round the clock, 24 hours a day
news cycle. In the 1970s and 80s we had them pushing to be afraid of
global cooling and now it is global warming we must be afraid and give up
our hard earned money for.
Yes, there is a growing distrust because human nature has not changed very
much in the last 10,000 years. There will always be someone smarter
(eventually), better and thinking they should control others for their own
good. Some will always vie for power over others and we know that power
corrupts.
Then we have those saying there is no right or wrong just shades of gray. We
have those that say religion is an opiate of the people. We have a dumbing
down and grade inflation in education where everyone wins a trophy (reward)
and it is never your fault but someone else is the problem. We have some of
the so called best minds seeming dumbing down society while science and
other areas are advancing astronautically. We have mind numbing education
and media and the divide seemingly grows worse every year. We are a people
being pushed, and pulled two radically different directions and the divide
and distrust is growing. Maybe we should just pass a law?
The old League of Nations approved a resolution that disallowed or banned
war. Not to long after that came World War II and hosts of other conflicts
and human misery. Yes, we have a right to mis-trustful of those that claim
their way is better.
When elitists or "many experts are too quick to denigrate anyone who
questions anything new and different." This causes distrust. And yes, we
must "find a balance" and attitude is the little thing that makes a big
difference. It works both ways.
Personally I think science should never be influenced or dominated by
political correctness. Personally, I think the rights of the common man are
equal to the rights of the smartest and dumbest of all. Personally, I
believe the Constitution of the United States of America and its Bill of
Rights puts restrictions on governments and the people and encourages others
to respect others.
Today the balance is out of whack. Maybe in some areas we need to slow down,
stay focused on the basics and be conservative in interpretation of the
facts and more tolerant for rights granted under the Constitution. Maybe we
need less tribal affiliation and more working toward the common good.
Attitude works both ways. We need to educate ourselves and learn. All of us
learn at different rates and have different interests. If we forget or allow
our common ground or base to be disrupted or destroyed then comes chaos.
A little here and a little there makes a huge difference over time. This is
true in genealogy, family history and in life.
If you do not have a candle, find another way to enlighten the darkness.
Become involved in life, in what is going on around you and in society. You
can have an impact. You can make things better, especially for our children
by choosing light over darkness.
Remember to slow down and smell the roses now and then, crack a smile, have
a little fun, but never ever forget your goals! :)
John R. Carpenter
La Mesa, CA USA
PS
An old Chinese proverb says give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a
man to fish, feed him for life.
I say give a man some genealogy, he is happy for a day. Teach him to do
genealogy and he is hooked for life!
-----Original Message-----
From: Gene Zubrinsky via
Sent: Saturday, January 17, 2015 4:28 PM
To: carpenter(a)rootsweb.com
Subject: [CARPENTER] Darkness
There is an ancient proverb that it is better to light a candle than curse
the darkness. Some folks, however, seem to prefer the dark, feeling, for
example, that having fun doing genealogical research is incompatible with
doing it right. I don?t agree, and I don?t believe that John R. does,
either. For those particularly resistant to intellectual exercise, perhaps
these postings will be somewhat illuminating:
http://blog.mocavo.com/2014/04/death-expertise
Genea-Musings: Musings On Genealogy "Expertise," "Elites" and
Education
Gene Z.
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------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Sun, 18 Jan 2015 23:30:49 -0800
From: GeneZub(a)aol.com
Subject: [CARPENTER] I'm Out
To: "carpenter(a)rootsweb.com" <carpenter(a)rootsweb.com>
Message-ID: <D9BC27B6-F85C-4850-A556-BD0654EBA137(a)aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Deeply saddened by this mailing list's degeneration into a forum for social commentary
and anti-intellectualism, I've had it. I'm out.
Gene Z.
Sent from my iPad
------------------------------
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End of CARPENTER Digest, Vol 10, Issue 18
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