Sunday, September 09, 2007

BYBS: Research

The Blue Panther Experience is host for Blog Your Blessings. Click this link, grab the blogroll code, add the code to your blog, leave a comment on Blue Panther Experience and post your blessing. Quick and easy!
Research is what keeps me from creating even more outlandish postings than I normally would. While it's annoying as hell to have to scrap a posting that I've spent a hour coming up with because of silly things like the research not backing up one of my ideas, I think that it is, on the whole, a good thing. I should clarify that there are two types of research that I'm talking about here. There is scholarly research: like the type described in one of my fine posts, and then there is the tedious work that I try to go through to check that there is something, somewhere, that supports the blather that I have created for a posting. I love the scholarly type, at least when it is done with more rigor than I have shown, because it is a clear affirmation of the human condition. Usually, no one was bombed or oppressed in order to obtain the results, and it allows humanity to move that much closer to achieving some worthwhile goal like curing a disease. It also represents our willingness to be honest with ourselves by creating procedures specifically designed to avoid bias. On a more personal level, I like checking my own ideas for correctness, or at least support, because it forces me to learn. I have to say that I do not enjoying being wrong, nor do I like going over my own work. The former involves lots of meticulous work and a certain general feeling of annoyance and despair when I learn that I am wrong...again! But doing this reinforces my ability to strive and grow. It makes me feel that, though I may be misguided and inept, at least I'm honest. If there's one thing that's more annoying to me than being wrong, it's some other person who refuses to consider information that may contradict what they believe. If I can recognize a mistake that I've made, then I can fix it and move on. If I refuse to even consider something that contradicts when I believe, then my mistake will only grow. I would have a much harder time recognizing my mistakes if it were not for research. Being able to use someone else's work on my own multiplies my own ability to learn.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are one of the few who check their facts. So many just spout whatever without any scientific backup at all.

Have a great week, full of many blessings.

SandyCarlson said...

Good for you for doing the research. Maybe once in a while the researchers need to catch up with you?

Happy BYB Sunday.

Blue Panther said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Blue Panther said...

Like you, I also have a tough time going over my work, but over time I have realized that it is an important thing to do. So, I try to revise my work, but I still don't succeed every time.

Hope you had a great Sunday and have a great rest of the week.

Anonymous said...

Waves hello - hope everything is OK over there

Paulie said...

That is a wonderful blessing concerning blogging. I am glad i came back to find your blessing for this week.

if you get a chance, visit me and see mine.

Blue Panther said...

Hey,

Hope you are doing good, and you are on just another blogging break.