Living in the Moment is available in Paperback Edition for $12.95 (U.S.) plus
shipping & handling or as a PDF (portable file) for $5.00 (U.S.).
About my new book:
"We all have
'Ah Ha' moments in our lives when the light dawns and we
suddenly see things in a new way. This little pocket-size
book chronicles breakthrough moments that have occurred
throughout my life.
I know you will be able to relate to many of my experiences and
observations and I hope you will find them as eye opening as I
did.
I've included a couple of excerpts from Living in the
Moment (below) and hope this sampling whets your
appetite for my book. Each begins with a famous quote that is
followed by my commentary and ends with a quote of my
own."
--Dr. Roger A. Rhoades
Excerpt #1 Nobody ever went broke
underestimating the taste of the American public. --H. L.
Mencken(1880-1956)
A Clash of Class
by Dr. Roger A. Rhoades
The simple descriptive words
"class" and "taste" quickly divide people
into two main groups. One group is very concerned about what is
and is not the tasteful thing to do and the other group
couldn't care less because they see the whole thing as a
bunch of hooey. Each group seems to get a lot of pleasure out of
pointing a finger and laughing at the other group. To the
so-called tasteful group, the other group is uneducated and
unrefined. To the so-called tasteless group, the other group is a
bunch of conceited, nose-in-the-air snobs.
The fun starts when people from one group either decide to or are
forced to interact with people from the other group. From their
reactions, you'd think both groups had suddenly been placed
together in an enclosed area that has a bad smell. Each group
thinks it has the corner on the truth about life style. Each is
so caught up with its own particular set of rules that it
can't see its own self-absorbed, self-important
viewpoint.
The sad truth is that when either group imposes
criticism, the group shows itself as a bunch of fakes.
Living life in a realistic way allows for differences -- class
and taste are mere embellishments with no real bearing on the
root worth or value of a person.
So I say, "Nobody has ever
benefited from trying to judge the class of another
person."
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Excerpt #2 Discretion is being able to
raise an eyebrow instead of your voice.--Author Unknown
Airing Dirty
Laundry
by Dr. Roger A.
Rhoades
I wonder where the art of discretion has gone. The more I look
around, the less I see of it. Years ago, it seemed that the
people who were admired the most were those who knew how to
conduct their personal and professional lives in a discreet way.
These people were perceived as being well mannered and well bred;
discretion was seen as an act of power blended with class. If
someone described you as "discrete," it meant they
thought you were trustworthy and discriminating.
Being indiscreet (commonly referred to today as being "in
your face" on a subject or issue) was once considered one of
the major social sins. Those who brought deliberate attention to
personal or professional blunders were considered the outcasts of
polite society. No reputable person wanted to be seen in public
interacting with someone who was guilty of committing an
indiscretion.
Lately though, discretion and indiscretion have turned
topsy-turvy. It makes no difference whether someone lives in a
big house neighborhood or local trailer park -- more and more
people from all walks of life are finding absolutely nothing
wrong with airing dirty laundry in public. In fact, some even
label this blurting out of what used to be private as
"honesty." We have become a nation with an insatiable
appetite for acting out our problems in front of the largest
possible audience.
Now that we have reached the point where each successive
generation seems to be making a concerted effort to out-offend
the previous generation, it makes you wonder where all this
acting out will lead us. It is my hope that personal actions will
someday make full circle so the art of having class and
discretion will come back into vogue.
So I say, "Discretion
is being able to have or witness a 'tabloid moment'
without telling anybody about it." Living in the Moment is available
in Paperback or PDF from our secure online retailer.
Comments?
Please e-mail Dr. Rhoades at: TVDoc2@aol.com
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