Quotes and Knowledge

[lifemap@ix.netcom.com]

From: Ed Baker, lifemap@ix.netcom.com 
Subject: Quotes and Knowledge

I had asked Myron to clarify his interpretation of a quotation that he posted some time ago and 
which has been repeated by a number of DENizens. The quotation is: "If you know better, then you 
have an obligation to lead.  Don't give up."

Myron responded to my request for clarification, in part:
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I did not say it as a general rule but these things seem to have a life of their own.
All I meant was that if you think you understand something in a fundamental way, then you have 
an obligation to your fellow human beings to speak out and attempt to persuade them to accept 
your understanding. Of course, you should not do this by force and should be prepared to listen 
and to learn and perhaps to modify your understanding.  That is, in my opinion, what leaders 
should do and what I mean by "to lead" .

Ed Continues
----------------
I thank Myron for his kind words and for his clarification. Of course, I have my own 
interpretation of his words, and others have theirs, as can be seen by other responses to my 
post. 

My intent was not question Myron; that was a means to try and make my point. My aim is to have 
those who quote others to think about what the words might mean, and not quote simply because it 
comes from an "authority." It is a matter, for me, of one's being aware of the risk of 
surrendering one's intellectual freedom. It also has to do with a concern about communication.  
Words are abstractions and meanings of the words of the sender are inferred by the receiver, 
hence the need for some kind of back-and-forth operationalizing to reach a common understanding 
of meaning.  

Ed Baker
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