Paul's Aphorisms

This page reveals some bits of wisdom that I, Wikidelphia editor Paul, think I have either figured out myself or derived well. In no particular order:

• The only exercise program that actually works is the one you actually do.

There are so many systems, recommendations, and so much equipment for sale! Color me skeptical of it all. I came up with a very loose program that works for me. It probably won't give me "six-pack abs", and it won't turn me into an athlete, but it keeps me motivated enough that I do get a pretty wide variety of regular exercise, and I do seem to be more physically capable than a lot of people my age.

• I'll believe it when I see it on the radar.

Decades ago in college, I heard my astronomy professor say that he abandoned a career in meteorology because, "You can't predict the weather." Even with all the computer models, etc, nowadays, there's plenty of inaccuracy, so I believe it when I see it approaching.

• Whose experts?

In recent years, I have become intensely skeptical of "the experts". When you try to persuade me by telling me that "the experts" say this or that, you are committing a logical fallacy called "appeal to authority". Lately, I've learned that scientists are just as corruptible as politicians. The Scientific Method is wonderful, but it's often sidelined by funding (money), academic prestige (power), political bias, or personal agendas.

• I am what I am, and that's all.

• Labeling oneself is not conducive to maximum happiness, and so I reject "identity". Labels are useful conveniences for certain kinds of discussion, but when I speak carefully, I don't use them.
• I never say, "____ is part of who I am".
• I'll never add a "Who We Are" page to any website I build.
• I've never had an identity crisis, whatever that is. I've never anxiously asked myself, "Who am I?" or felt a need to "go find myself".
• If you want high self-esteem, forget the "I am" affirmations and start enhancing your personal value by doing virtuous things. Do good to feel good.

• He who seeks justice but wreaks vengeance voids his claim.

"Vengeance is Mine. I will repay, says the Lord." If you punish the offender yourself, that's all you get.

• Fear is good until you've done everything you can, for now, about the scary situation.

My wife had a cancer scare a few years ago. To keep from freaking out, I asked what can we do? Keep all the appointments, comply with all orders and advice, etc, and then when the day's list was all checked, we had less difficulty putting the situation out of our minds until the time came to do something more.

• You can always put more clothes on, but you can only take so many off.

Thus, I have always liked winter better than summer.

• Put it where you'll probably look for it.

Sometimes this tip comes in handy in deciding where to put something down. Ask, "If I forget where this is, where will I probably look for it first?"

• Age is not an excuse.

Your age does not excuse you from doing anything. "I'm too old for this," is never true. Something more specific, however, may be true, e.g., "My body is too out of shape for me to do this today." Old age by itself is neither a disability nor a disadvantage.

• Where there's God's will, there's a way.

For about a decade, after first taking to the airwaves in response to what I believed was a call from God, I produced a radio series about poverty. When the show hit hard times, I said to myself, "Where there's God's will, there's a way", and then I just kept on trying to find whatever that way was. It worked every time. People say, "Where there's a will, there's a way", but circumstances can defeat an individual's self-willed efforts.

• The Sexual Revolution is a gushing fountain of social problems.

When I entered adulthood, I decided to make a pro-and-con list about non-marital sex, i.e. fornication. Wanting the truth and to think logically, I was very willing to list items on both sides. When I was done, the Con list had grown way longer than the Pro list. Now that I've had a few decades for further observations and the acquisition of wisdom, I conclude that, like Esau, people have given up much in exchange for little. The rich buy their way out of many of sexual immorality's consequences, while the lower classes suffer them. Billions upon billions of taxpayers', charity donors', and insurance ratepayers' dollars are occupied trying to fix problems perpetuated by the ongoing abandonment of self-control. When the Creator gave us rules about sex, He wasn't being "puritanical" and spoiling our fun. Rather, He was setting us up to flourish and prosper.

• A problem well defined is half solved.

In a college course I learned that systems analysis included an extensive initial phase of investigation. The idea was to go into great detail to define the problem accurately and completely. Only then, when the problem is fully defined, do we proceed to think about design and development. That's when the problem is made ready to solve.