Cognitive Skills

I have to keep reminding myself, I am only one of nine.  My sole responsibility  is to  express my view   clearly  in the time available and  let it rest.

When the vote is taken, whatever the decision, discussion is over. It's on to the next question and the exercise is repeated. It seems  simple. It 's not.

Listening and waiting one's turn to speak provides time to observe  how differently information is processed. 

At first I was  surprised  by how words were heard  differently. A councillor often claimed  someone  else's  comments as his own.He was sharp, critical and dismissive towards myself but not towards others. Later he was an early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and I  wondered if  that  explained  the eccentricity. I was sorry I had judged him..

Other Councillors avoided taking the floor.They took no pleasure in hearing themselves speak..It wasn't they didn't have an opinion they just left it to others. The vote was what counted.

Others stressed about having to speak, didn't hear  anybody else. It took all their resources  to give  an account of themselves.

What went on in a council meeting didn't matter a hill of beans for some.  Being a councillor was just about being a councillor.

Some could walk into a council seat just by putting their name on the ballot. Lawyers, high school teachers and other professionals are preferred candidates.

Our culture has a high respect for  education,  particularly since  most  have not had the advantage.
There is a reverence which is not entirely deserved. It still surprises me how little. 

Theoretically,  a Council comes to-gether, having read  staff recommendations,  presumably
with  sufficient comprehension to understand and discern both the logic and  the contradictions.

Members  raise hands to be recognised  by the chair, say their piece, listen  to others and eventually the  vote  is cast and a decision made.

Comments to a blog post , like the Aurora Citizen, provide  an excellent example  of how   people arrive at  their own  conclusions and discount others.

Guy Poppe is erratic, Sometimes nice, sometimes nasty.

RTB  is a frequent contributor. He is sufficiently opinionated  to have become  frustrated enough to publish his own  blog.

I won't be visiting. I already know RTB's  prejudice. His views are predictable.

Hugo T Kroon  has  had  a blog. for some time.  I've never visited there either.I do not expect to discover anything of interest.

I never miss Chris Watt's posts. Sometimes they are above my head .  He is often severe in his criticism.  I put that down to the vigour  and certainty of youth  and an obsession with  the power of language. I look forward to his posts.Sometimes he makes me shiver.  I am always intrigued. He never fails to entertain.