Abandon Domination

25 Days to Better Thinking and Better Living: A Guide for Improving Every

Aspect of Your Life, by Dr. Linda Elder & Dr. Richard Paul, Pearson, 2006; and the Center and Foundation for Critical Thinking, CA.

“Of course, there are circumstances when it is essential for one person to be in control…reasonably (as with a captain of a ship or a parent supervising a young child).”

(Drs. Elder and Paul, Ibid)

is designed to exercise power over others to serve one’s interest or get what one wants…

“One of the problems in human life stems from the tendency of some to dominate others.”

(Ibid)

“But domination is often indirect and therefore difficult to

detect…and is almost always harmful to the persons being

thus controlled…

causing much human suffering…”.(Ibid)

“People who are successful at dominating others…through direct control, power, or manipulation…

may be among those the least likely to change.”

This is true because Their success

brings them positive emotions

They see things as going well for them

They like their life and think their relationships are good (Ibid)

“You will have to work harder to change.”

“You will have to change because you recognize the unethical nature of dominating behavior.”

(Ibid)

even when they can,

even when they personally benefit...”

(Ibid)

Ask yourself the thought-provoking questions that you find on p.44—questions to help you identify dominating behavior—in yourself and in others; and then ask, “is it worth it?”

See p. 45 in 25 Days to Better Living & Better Living, (Ibid),for a fuller discussion.

“you become less dominating and less subject to the domination of

others.”

(Drs. Elder and Paul, Ibid)

- Cornelius Nepos

Dr. Elder and Dr. Paul offer four strategies that you can use for becoming less dominating.

See pp. 45-46 in their book, (Ibid).

Reflect the tip of the iceberg Are a “fast track” sprint; a Berlitz course,

if you will; Present an overview of what takes much

longer to truly develop…of what requires much deeper focus and practice in your thinking;

Even the original plan of our authors was for a 25-week “fast track”, not 25 days !

Abandon Domination

Today I was successful in using the following ideas/strategies:

The key insights that emerged for me today were:

One problem in my thinking that I now realize is:

I plan to continue working on this problem using the following strategy: