If you have ever wondered why the word “logic” is regarded as a positive element in our lives, know that the words good, rational, reasonable, sensible, sound, and valid mean the same thing.
In all of these columns, logic is portrayed as being a handy and useful tool in coping with life’s difficulties, a way to clear up confusing elements so a simpler answer can be applied to the question.
The problem lies in our tendency to misinterpret the word when it’s used in a certain situation. One of the best ways to understand that is to look at what sort of linkages we tend to establish in connecting people to the job they do or the profession they’ve chosen to provide a good living. Here are some examples:
Many think of a president of a bank as being a physically overstuffed and egotistic person who, of course, works “banker’s hours,” that is, fewer hours than most everyone else.
Of course, that’s illogical. As in any profession, a few might come close to what’s described here, but most bank presidents are highly trained and fully qualified. They have to meet a high standard of handling large sums of money and being responsible for others who constantly are in contact with the public. Also, they work many behind the scene hours not seen by bank customers.
Another good example is truck drivers. To many, that label brings to mind a chain smoking, rough talking character whose usual breakfast is biscuits and gravy washed down with several gulps of straight up coffee or Coke, not to mention having a lover at every stop.
Even if only half correct, that description is a long-gone stereotype. Most of today’s over the road truck drivers are highly skilled professionals. They must be both mentally and physically fit to master what is involved in driving large and heavily loaded rigs safely and dependably everywhere and through all kinds of manmade and natural conditions.
A third example is school teachers. Some parents think teachers don’t do nearly enough to merit the high salaries they are paid.
The reality is that all teachers, no matter at what level, take their jobs seriously. After all, they are preparing the much younger ones to live out their lives. They often must take up the slack created by a student’s poor home life. College teachers, often held at a higher standard, must deal with pressure from alumni who want their child to achieve at the same high level they did.
A side factor that enters into every profession is that no longer are there male and female stereotypes. That’s especially true of professions that have traditionally been pursued only by men. The only exceptions are likely to be jobs involving excessive physical demands.
There are many other examples, but the point is that far too often the kind of “logic” we invent can distort or even change what has already been adopted as the new standard or accepted as the new reality.
As bad or as discouraging as that might be, however, what’s even worse is when an off-duty professional unknowingly acts out what the illogical thinkers have created. That is, the bank president can’t seem to keep from being presidential with those at home and during social events. Truck drivers unthinkingly believe they are still driving the big rig as they take the wheel of the family car, and the teacher who in the classroom does know more than the students, unconsciously extends that status to those outside of it.
In their favor, most people on the receiving end understand such behavior and graciously accommodate it, especially if the person is still in the workforce. Even if the behavior persists well into retirement, it eventually fades away.
Life is filled with challenges. Some can be easily met and overcome, but others such as described here can linger for a long time, sometimes as long as life itself.
This is the takeaway: As you look for logic to serve you in living your life, watch that you don’t discredit someone else with the illogical.
