I often hope that a significant majority of the population are not only capable of thinking but often do. Unfortunately my hopes get dashed every time I see the trailer of yet another horror movie slashing blood soaked adults or I see the coming attractions for the next world wrestling tournament with chairs, tables and cages used as part of the competition or I suffer from the constant barrage of so many negative political advertisements.
At some point in the not too distant future, thinkers will unite. Thinkers will become so far IN they will be called “OUT” – Organization of Underappreciated Thinkers.
Right now there is a separation among the thinkers and those who wait for someone to tell them what to do. Around the world, the under class in many “third-world countries” are so controlled by angry tyrannical leaders that force starvation and death on a population that has no resources to challenge the tyranny. It is not just North Korea and Iran. Countries throughout the emerging world in the Middle East, Africa, the former Soviet Union and Asia, all have a common set of rules that power corrupts and absolute power allows for killing fields without conscious.
Thinkers will not be able to use thoughts or ‘vulcan mind-melds’ to change the tyrants and their thugs. Rather, it is the role of thinkers to keep the flow of information, facts, opinions, and images moving around the world. It is not just the news folks at CNN or a political party trying to be re-elected that should be the disseminators of data. It is for all of us to start to absorb data and be able to integrate out thinking with the tonnage of information that is circulating throughout the world. We owe it to ourselves and to the generations that will follow us.
Thinking is an exercise that is rarely fatal, does nothing to lower cholesterol, and is not covered by insurance. However, thinking does give individuals the opportunity to affect what is happening in the world. Thinking by large groups can change the world. Life changing experiences are OK.
Richard Oppenheim helps individuals and companies get better. His effort is to deliver short term actions that will serve as the foundation for achieving long term goals, such as getting unstuck. He maps what is desired with what can be accomplished and then help create a personal road map for going forward.
As a CPA, Richard was an early innovator of computer based resources. Over the years, his efforts have integrated lots of business processes, personal actions, technology resources and decision making. He has developed computer based professional education courses and co-founded a company providing on-line education courses covering the areas of security, management and control over IT operations.
As an adjunct professor at NYU’s Graduate School of Business, Richard served as a Director with NYU’s Management Decision Laboratory. He graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and did post-graduate work at New York University.
His writing includes books, magazine columns, computer product reviews, feature articles, trade association pamphlets, book editing and ghostwriting.
His journey continues as he endeavors to guide and illuminate the path that others need to take.
