This past week I manned a trade show booth at an annual summer convention that caters towards one of the professions my family business (which is where I'm employed) gravitates towards. I've manned this particular booth (almost always within the same venue) for seven years.
Prior to this annual event, I establish goals for myself relative to the efforts I'm slated to put forth there, and one of those goals for this year had to do with Rob making a professional connection with one - in particular - (out of four) of the gatekeepers of this particular national organization. This particular gatekeeper is the newest to the group, having been appointed +/-3 years prior, and subsequently, the last one to having a working relationship with Rob.
But unfortunately, perhaps due to my big mouth, that newly hoped for professional connection (& subsequent goal) didn't come to fruition during the event. To be more specific, I let a slanderous comment slip immediately prior to the opening reception on Thursday night. And this comment was relayed to very much the wrong individual (the gatekeeper's employee) at the wrong time.
Stupid Rob.
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I offer the following truth.
All of us adjudicate others by default. It's essentially sizing up, and it's especially prevalent (easy to execute) amongst individuals who're - more or less - established within the same plane. And keep in mind that everything within our culture - as well as the very economic system we reside within - as Americans, is coded within the language of performance-based judgement / rank (which by definition runs counters to the gospel). Case in point are Samson Society facilitators and how their personas respond to the roles they've volunteered for. These men, no doubt, are each distinctly different in their approach. Yet, they've chosen to take on the responsibilities embedded within facilitating which makes them easy targets.
Another facet of being a member of the Samson Society community is warranted, consistent attendance (sometimes many years of attendance) to a particular group(s). And this can fuel what I call ziggurat (stepped) pyramid judgement - with each level of the pyramid (ascending from bottom to top) representing less and less doubt - relative to your sizing up of an individual, setting, etc. And this ziggurat pyramid construction "process" (moving upwards towards a more concretized opinion or point) tends to happen faster / with less effort the older (more experienced) you are (I speak from experience here). As such, once you reach that pyramid's zenith, one's opinion is no doubt established, and that's when you're probably screwed. For I've seen firsthand how no man can benefit from Samson Society (or any other horizontal community) when they've figured everything / everyone else out. As such, to expound on that observation, this personal "triumph" may also result in potential slander ensuing whilst being within that particularly arrogant state of mind (like I was last week at the aforementioned convention).
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Here's another truth.
Tension exists between certain men. It's inevitable. And that's not necessarily a negative truth. Sometimes there's even tension between Samson Society facilitators because, they too are men. At times, this tension is managed with relational distance coupled with an intentioned reduction in communication. And I would argue that this tends to be a risky approach due to the fact that solid communication is always, always a key to success relative to relationships, organizations, etc. Satan will undoubtedly use this easy out to his advantage in weakening the relationship.
I write all of this primarily for me myself to read. For I'm no better than any other man at keeping my head clear of judgmental thinking. One of the primary attributes (character traits) of Mr. Nate Larkin is humility (I'm so fortunate to know him and to have witnessed this personally). He literally reeks of it. And as the author / creator of the Samson Society, I continue to bestow much admiration on him because of that particular approach to leading / modeling towards involvement within (how to) the Samson Society community.
In closing, the best way to not commit slander is to steer clear of filling your noggin with judgment about anyone or any group. And if you cannot cease from doing this, it may be best to remove yourself from the community 'till you mature a bit more within that vein.
For once it's out of your mouth, it's not ever going back.
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