{"id":30856,"date":"2023-02-05T20:44:41","date_gmt":"2023-02-06T04:44:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=30856"},"modified":"2023-02-06T07:11:58","modified_gmt":"2023-02-06T15:11:58","slug":"things-are-better-than-i-think-when-i-eat-the-frog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/things-are-better-than-i-think-when-i-eat-the-frog\/","title":{"rendered":"Things Are Better Than I Think-When I Eat The Frog"},"content":{"rendered":"

Eat That Frog: 21 Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time<\/span><\/i> is a book by Brian Tracy and has become a resource for business managers and academics alike. [1} Doctor Clark mentioned this concept, \u201cEat the Frog\u201d last semester during a zoom call; this jumped out at me as I have used this principle this last year in training business managers. I often consider what it would mean for me to \u201cEat the Frog\u201d especially when I have a lot to accomplish. I thoroughly enjoyed reading and writing the blog post on <\/span>Tempered Resilience<\/span><\/i> by Tod Bolsinger but this was the last book of the fall 2022 semester and I was challenged to write with passion, having other papers to complete. [2] I am tackling the last book assigned for this semester (spring 2023): <\/span>Factfulness <\/span><\/i>by Hans Rosling now.[3] I consider this blog post to be a \u201cfrog leg\u201d\u2026crunch, crunch.<\/span><\/p>\n

In reading Factfulness, I did not take a cover-to-cover approach but read several chapters in the middle. My book is dog eared from pages 177 to 241. I began to run into different ideas that the author presented which gave me some reason to question the premise of the book. I began to question: \u201cWhere is this author coming from?\u201d On the inside of the back cover, I discovered that Hans Rosling was a medical doctor and a professor of international health. In this blog I will cite a couple examples where I agree with the author and a couple of examples of where I disagree and why.<\/span><\/p>\n

As I read <\/span>Factfulness <\/span><\/i>I began to consider what Rosling was attempting to present in his book and tried to keep my personal bias on the shelf. How might I take in one hand, Rosling\u2019s ideas about facts and how this might inform us to believe that \u201cthings are better than I think\u201d with my Biblical worldview and the wisdom from Tonette\u2019s quote (from her most recent blog) about George Mueller who <\/span>\u201ccame to prize the Bible alone as his standard of judgment\u201d.<\/span>[4] I wanted to apply the balance that Scott Fitzgerald states:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function. One should, for example, be able to see that things are hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise.” [5]<\/span><\/p>\n

Agree with the author<\/b><\/p>\n

In chapter nine, the author argues that people have a blame instinct and specifically addresses the tendency to blame others for not providing enough research or blaming the media for its deception. The author addresses systemic problems such as extreme poverty and climate change\u00a0 and due to these global issues,singling out people or institutions to blame is not wise. Rosling states: \u201cthe problem is that when we identify the bad guy, we are done thinking. And it\u2019s almost always more complicated than that.\u201d[6] Solving global problems must honor open dialogue and finding various routes for resolution.<\/span><\/p>\n

The author credits the Industrial Revolution for providing the technology that was needed to create products and appliances which assist daily living. [7] Rosling shares how his family worked long and hard to purchase a dishwasher and his grandmother was in awe of this machine which freed her time to do other leisurely activities. Innovative ideas have improved the quality of life for many and have made things better.<\/span><\/p>\n

Disagree with the author<\/b><\/p>\n

The author makes his position clear on abortion. He states: \u201cA woman\u2019s right to an abortion is supported by just about everyone in Sweden today. Strong support for women\u2019s rights in general has become part of our culture.\u201d [8] He supports his view by giving this personal example, \u201cAt the university (1960\u2019s) we ran a secret fund to pay for women to travel abroad to get safe abortions.\u201d [9] The author is proposing that supporting abortion is why I should think things are better in the world? This does not hold to my Biblical worldview.\u00a0 Psalm 139 affirms that a baby in the womb is a creation of God. vv 14-16\u00a0 As long as children are being aborted, I am unable to affirm that things are better in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rosling goes to great lengths to help his readers be encouraged with the state of the world and it\u2019s affairs but at the end of his book states boldly:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Five Global Risks We Should Worry About:\u00a0 The five that concern me most are the risks of global pandemic, financial collapse, world war, climate change, and extreme poverty.\u00a0 Why is it these problems that cause me most concern? Because they are quite likely to happen.\u201d [10]<\/span><\/p>\n

I have a problem with this for several reasons. I believed that the author’s intent in his book was to settle fears and concerns of the readers by educating and presenting facts but then turns around and states that \u201dwe should worry?\u201d We may enter World War III tomorrow but Matthew 24:6 states, \u201cYou will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed.\u00a0 Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.\u201d\u00a0 It is not wise to live with a heightened sense of fear and anxiety.\u00a0 Philippians 4:6 states, \u201cDo not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I hope the Church and humanitarian efforts will continue to address extreme poverty and I believe it should be an ongoing attempt to feed those who are hungry.\u00a0 I am curious how I am to evaluate these objectives considering Deuteronomy 15:11: \u201cThere will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.\u201d The author believes that \u201cthis next generation has the unique opportunity to complete the job: pick up the baton, cross the line, and raise its hands in triumph,\u201d in ending extreme poverty.\u00a0 [11]\u00a0 Is the victory in the hands of humanity or is it in the hands of the Lord Almighty who says: \u201c Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen.\u201d Is. 14:24 How things are accomplished is up to God \u201csince no one knows the future, who can tell someone else what is to come? Ecc. 8:7<\/span><\/p>\n

I agree with Tod Bolsinger when he states how leaders are to make a change in this world: \u201cThe practice for addressing the uncomfortable and brutal reality of the suffering of our neighbors and the pain of our friends without losing hope means bringing God\u2013 with the same brutal honesty\u2013 into our experiences.\u201d [12] I believe not only in what is factual, but also in life-giving Truth.\u00a0 Sometimes truth is painful and our hope needs to be placed in the hands of Christ, the Savior of the world.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

[1] Brian Tracy, <\/span>Eat that Frog, <\/span><\/i>2017<\/span><\/p>\n

[2] Tod Bolsinger, <\/span>Tempered Resilience: How Leaders are Formed in the Crucible of Change,<\/span><\/i> 2020<\/span><\/p>\n

[3] Hans Rosling, <\/span>Factfulness: Ten Reasons We\u2019re Wrong About the World-and Why Things are Better Than You Think<\/span><\/i>, 2018<\/span><\/p>\n

[4] Tonnete\u2019s blog February 2, 2023, [10]<\/span><\/p>\n

[5] Austin Kleon, <\/span>Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative In Good Times and Bad<\/span><\/i>, 2019, p.130<\/span><\/p>\n

[6] Hans Rosling, <\/span>Factfulness: Ten Reasons We\u2019re Wrong About the World-and Why Things are Better Than You Think<\/span><\/i>, 2018, p.221.<\/span><\/p>\n

[7] Ibid. p.219<\/span><\/p>\n

[8] Ibid. p.177<\/span><\/p>\n

[9] Ibid. p.177<\/span><\/p>\n

[10] Ibid. p.237<\/span><\/p>\n

[11] Ibid. p.241<\/span><\/p>\n

[12]\u00a0 Tod Bolsinger, <\/span>Tempered Resilience: How Leaders are Formed in the Crucible of Change<\/span><\/i>, 2020, p.156<\/span><\/p>\n

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