Society and the Story of the Clan (Hypothetical Thought Experiment on Hate and Corruption)

Society is a collective of people that builds systems and institutions to better manage social and economic relationships. Systems managed with integrity generally outperform those that are not, as they foster trust and collaboration when designed to serve the broadest number of people.

The Story of the Clan is a hypothetical, philosophical thought experiment about what might happen if we abandon our social contracts and collective purposes, lowering our moral consciousness.

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The Story of the Clan

Representing a clan/flying monkeys
targeting others and undermining
systems for gain.

In this story, justice has completely collapsed (In theory). Unalienable rights and laws are violated in order to shield and protect wrongdoing. (It is worth noting that this is only a thought experiment, with elements of foreshadowing about what society may or may not tolerate. i.e. if you accept it in one place you likely will accept it in others.)

The perpetrators are manipulative and exploit the elderly, children, communities, and social networks—using allies as “flying monkeys” to carry out harm. They operate within a wider corrupted network that has harmed others in the past and avoided accountability in closed clan systems.

Race, religion, political beliefs, social connections, and even freedom of speech are twisted into excuses for threats, extreme behaviors, and coordinated aggression. Despite repeated opportunities to confront corruption and protect victims, systemic failure allowed misconduct to continue. Instead of meaningful growth, witnesses, whistleblowers, and victims are targeted to keep them silent.

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Lessons and Leadership

What we learn from such a story depends on our perspective, shaped from childhood onward through deeply held assumptions. Some of these values are positive, others negative. Ultimately, each person must ask: Am I inclusive or exclusive in my beliefs? (In general it is best to be optimist and inclusive)

True leaders foster unity and shared purpose. We call this a people indivisible. Corrupted leaders thrive on division and exclusion. One of the greatest risks society faces and one of the weaknesses often exploited. (The lesson here should be to see each other as having inherent value and do your best to make sense of community and create a deep value systems. It is important to develop as many connections as possible so false narratives and hate rumors don't divide).

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Philosophical Questions

• Trust and inaction: If officials knew about wrongdoing but failed to act, how would that erode trust? Consider both the general trust that underlies social exchange and the specific trust that institutions will act justly. Correcting wrongdoing helps ensure we don't become complacent.

• Shielding misconduct: What if wrongdoing was intentionally hidden out of fear that exposing it would reveal even greater corruption? Imagine bad actors who know how to manipulate the system so the outcome nearly always favors them—leaving victims and the community behind (That is why it is called corruption as an outcome of waste.).

• Supporting integrity: How can we support good officials who protect communities with integrity while removing extremists and corrupt actors? Honorable service should be respected, but corruption must be rooted out. Wise stewardship does not play “footsie” with the darker elements of human nature. (It is important to have the greatest respect and encourage good officials because they help defend others against bad officials that lack effective checks and balances.).

• Checks and balances: How might appropriate checks, balances, and efforts to repair harm show whether institutions are serving society’s greater good—or failing it? Reflect on the original purpose of these systems and how outcomes may diverge when integrity is lost. The proof is usually in the outcomes. This is why we are going to write a positive ending but it may take a minute.

• Perceptions of corruption: Why do some minimize the impact of corruption and hate while others magnify it? Could it be that some individuals are simply dispised for their race, religion, political beliefs, values, friends, etc.? Consider how narratives—positive and negative—shape perception, while truth often lies somewhere in between. Which side of truth do you want to be on?

• Positive Endings: Truth creates efficiency and therefore it leads to higher order thinking. Philosophers often think of truth. There is the technicalities "the game" and the truth "the purpose". No matter which way the story ends there will be a change. A small slight adjustment in how we view things and the importance of taking in a full perspective of problems so we can find solutions. 

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Closing Reflection

The Story of the Clan is, at its core, a philosophical thought experiment about corruption, hate, and the consequences if short sight thinking supplants long term outcomes. It is meant just to explore ideas and there is no true right or wrong answer. It is the reflective exercise that counts. Feel free to disagree.

Research Indicates Firefighters Face Dangerous Levels of Fatigue

Firefighting is an inherently dangerous occupation, with risks that increase the longer personnel remain on scene and as fatigue sets in. Most fires last for hours, and in some cases, limitations in skill or training mean certain firefighters are relied upon more heavily than others.

This underscores the importance of ensuring adequate rest. Working one long shift is difficult enough, but performing multiple back-to-back shifts can significantly reduce awareness and performance. Allowing firefighters to rest for a few hours—even on/near-site—can help maintain alertness and safety. Equally important is having sufficient staffing and resources so that responsibilities are not stretched across too few individuals.

Research shows firefighters face dangerous levels of fatigue in the field

*If your interested in donating to a great fire department in the Upper Peninsula that is helping their community and fostering fire safety in the area consider contacting to the right. Tax deductible.

*Part of a different project I'm working on.

The Hypothetical Feather Party: The Purge

Let us continue exploring the idea of a Hypothetical Feather Party—a loosely affiliated bloc of independents who increase their influence within the political system. Let us say we are discussing what a two party system with a little more grease between parties might look like? What might happen if 15% or more of all elected positions were held by free-minded independents with no concrete political affiliations?

Before you get started. There is no right or wrong answer. There is just a discussion on "what ifs" and how that changes systems, markets, and patterns.

Think of this as a type of “purge,” not in a destructive sense, but as a public young adult (and others) effort to promote as many independents and unaffiliated candidates as possible into key positions. Would crossing the 15% threshold make a noticeable impact (We haven't actually debated the 15% amount but that is more or less a number that seems influential)?

Potential Advantages:

• Fresh perspectives and new ways of thinking

• Reduced partisanship and greater cultural flexibility

• Increased debate and deliberation

• Diminished power of straight-ticket voting

• A shift toward more bottom-up ideas and solutions

• May (assumption) improve long term decision making

• Reduction of foreign influence 

• Anything you can think of.

Potential Disadvantages:

• Uncertainty in voting patterns and decision-making

• Risk inherent in untested approaches

• Difficulty in advancing new concepts without broad coalitions

• Possible short-term disruption in some policy execution

• Unknown adjustments to the economy. 

• Anything you can think of.

While these ideas are hypothetical, one can imagine how they might play out in different contexts. Change often brings both benefits and drawbacks. The outcomes are uncertain, but the mere introduction of change can alter the environment—sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. Instead of all "yes" or "no" in discussion a few more "maybes" could potentially help open up possibilities.

The real purpose of this exercise is not to predict exact outcomes, but to encourage reflection. How might such a shift impact governance, decision-making, culture, social networks, and even overall economic health? Better, worse, the same? More importantly, what does this thought experiment reveal about our own beliefs in the face of a changing political landscape? 

“It is true that we are called a democracy, for the administration is in the hands of the many and not of the few.” – Pericles, Funeral Oration (431 BCE)

*Take with a grain of salt as this is a philosophical discussion. One can agree or disagree as needed or even propose whole new ideas...or none at all. All ok. The point is that you reflected....and that makes the difference.

Q2 2025 US GDP Rises More than Expected 3.3%

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rose 3.3%, surpassing expectations. Several factors contributed to this growth:

• Consumer spending increased more than anticipated.

• Real final sales to private domestic purchasers rose.

• Imports dropped significantly.

• Exports declined slightly.

Reviewing GDP reports provides valuable insight into the overall market.You can learn about GDP at What is GDP?

3.3% Gross Domestic Product, 2nd Quarter 2025 (Second Estimate) and Corporate Profits (Preliminary)

Management by The Numbers

Employee performance metrics

Effective management requires the ability to guide groups of employees toward higher levels of performance. While executive and mid-level managers operate at different levels, both are responsible for managing people. One useful approach is tracking employee metrics to gain insight into performance.

What are employee metrics?

Employee performance metrics are data points that measure how well employees are performing in relation to activities critical to organizational success. Any objectively measurable data can serve as a metric, but it must be relevant to the role and valid in assessing actual job performance.

The type of metrics used has a direct influence on employee behavior. Some metrics may encourage genuine performance improvements, while others may simply be "gamed" to meet targets without driving real value. In this way, metrics shape organizational culture by signaling what is considered important.

Metrics can be both formal—those officially built into the job description or performance reviews—and informal, which emerge from social interactions and day-to-day observations. Maintaining formal objectivity in how metrics are applied not only builds employee trust but also helps organizations avoid legal risks and increase engagement. Trust is the central tenant of employee engagement.

Also keep in mind that numbers are numbers and often don't tell a complete story. Thus, one may need to use the metrics to guide and help decision making but not supplant the natural mechanics of personal understanding, insight, and perspective. 

Below is a list of various employee metrics you can explore to strengthen your understanding.

26 Key Employee Performance Metrics You Should Track in 2025

Calendar of Women's Veteran's Events (Mostly Virtual)

A Calendar of Women's Events

Women service members have sacrificed time with their families and personal lives to help protect our country. Many face unique challenges and benefit from opportunities to connect and socialize with others who share similar experiences. Creating spaces for women veterans to engage with one another is an important part of building community and support.

For those who prefer flexibility, the Women’s Veteran Alliance offers virtual activities that can be joined from anywhere.

Explore upcoming gatherings and programs through the Veterans Events Calendar.

* I'm working on a little project to help our local veterans and raise awareness of veteran issues. 

The Story of the Clan: Respecting Unalienable Rights

Representing the shield of justice
for communal living. 
The importance of unalienable
rights to society.

The Story of the Clan is a hypothetical, philosophical thought experiment meant to explore how societies can strengthen their systems and prevent the erosion of higher values. It is designed for analysis and reflection, so take it with a grain of salt. In this piece, we focus on the importance of respecting unalienable rights and how that respect strengthens society socially, morally, and economically.

What are unalienable rights?

In our learning example, the technicalities of law were manipulated to shield misconduct rooted in a lack of respect for unalienable rights. In other words, certain individuals claimed entitlements that were never theirs to claim—rights that cannot be erased or overridden for the sake of friendship, clan, politics, religion, or ideology. Philosophical reflection allows us to consider what happens when these rights are disregarded and replaced by lower-order beliefs.

In the story, clan members engaged in behaviors most people would consider deeply harmful and immoral. They manipulated the sick for profit, used positions of power to sexually exploit others, mishandled money, allegedly engaged in underage sexual rape, endangered children, targeted others based on religion or race, manipulated clan-aligned courts to protect friends, and retaliated against witnesses, concerned citizens, and whistleblowers. Basically the really bad stuff.

There were no backstops, no accountability, and no meaningful correction. Even discussing issues of basic morality can come with extreme aggressions and protections thereof. Over time it became clear: victims could have been protected, lives could have been saved, and institutions (decision makers) could have fulfilled their purpose. Instead, they were misused for personal gain, allowing some to place themselves above the law while dehumanizing others in direct violation of unalienable rights.

This kind of corruption often grows when people convince themselves that “others”—representing large portions of society (out-group)—are less worthy than themselves, and when no checks and balances exist to curb intentional misuse of power. (The good news is that the vast majority of people do believe in the deeper purpose of law but if that tide turns there could be increasing incidents of defaults. The advice, promote those with good values and promote less those with lower order values. Typically if someone really really wants something, an office, position, authority, etc. see it as a red flag. These roles are duties with a heavy responsibility. The wrong type of personalities mixed with positional power should be avoided. This is also why you remove bad actors.).

While abuses can occur in any society, they are typically corrected once exposed and known. But when hate and corruption are so deeply embedded that correction seems impossible, serious philosophical questions arise:

1. Should there be both a moral and legal obligation to uphold unalienable rights, and if not upheld, to pursue system improvement?

2. What does it mean when these rights lose practical meaning, or when lower levels of moral consciousness take precedence?

3. What happens when open violations of these rights shift the root assumptions of society? Consider that in our example, confronting corruption ultimately improved social and economic cohesion. There are assumptions we all live by and those are important to foster healthy exchange.

4. Do unalienable rights apply universally—to all people, all religions, all races, all speech, all politics, and all beliefs? How far does that extend and to whom does it apply?

5. If raising concerns, filing complaints, or challenging corruption places individuals on secretive lists for retaliation, does that constitute a violation of the social contract itself? Is it even important or a concern? Have times changed so much since the founding that social contracts are seen as relative useless pieces of paper?

6. How might the promotion of leaders/officials with integrity and values help preserve institutional trust and protect society from systemic decay? Think of this as community generated value and power to positively influence outcomes through awareness and voting. In other words, think for yourself and what is most important to society.

This is an interesting read. One may or may not agree with it but it is interesting nevertheless. I have no opion on this topic as this is meant for exploratory purposes without necessarily coming to a conclusion. it is the exploration of the idea and your personal acceptance or rejection of such ideas helps define who you are. It is an exercise through a story but one may easily swap out some factors for others, different perspectives, etc...

Unalienable Rights

*The Story of the Clan is a hypothetical, philosophical learning thought experiment so take with a grain of salt. We will write in a positive ending but it is ok to disagree. The key point is that you thought about it either way.