A friend of mine talks about a genre of people in his life who share a familiar set of traits such that they live their lives exclusively their own way. They operate successfully on an alternate form of reason and logic that makes no sense to me, but is highly effective. They are non-rational. Through their passion and their ambition, they make things work, but life will always be led their way. I met my canonical representation. She wore high heels camping and threw the bowling ball over her head into someone else’s lane. But she can walk into the UN and get whatever she wants. I’m in awe.
[Note from 6/3: Every example of this type of person that i can think of is a woman. Are there examples of non-rational, powerful, effective men?]
Examples of non-rational, powerful, effective men: does George W. Bush count? I’m not sure exactly what this would mean, but if the world is our metaphorical bowling alley, he definitely tends to throw the ball into the next lane.
Are we just used to trying to interpret the things that men do in a rational framework, assigning reasons to these actions, when in fact many decisions are being made based on emotion?
Hmm.. that’s definitely a point. Now i just need to figure out why it doesn’t seem to be the same in what i have envisioned in my head. Perhaps because the “rationality” that GWB executes is to derive personal power, fame and wealth while the women that i’m referring to are all about making the world better. I think you are right though – GWB may have an alternate rational framework, while i’m seeing these women operate simply on emotion and passion.
“They operate successfully on an alternate form of reason and logic that makes no sense to me” seems rather different than “non-rational” in an absolute sense. Your high-heeled bowling ball woman or Dubya could easily be working with a consistent internal logic, just one that doesn’t mesh with your premises/morals. Everyone has an “alternate rational framework.”