I personally accept your apology for your part in this.
There is one aspect that I would like to explore with you. At the time of the original posting, you received feedback on this thread expressing considerable doubt as to the authenticity of the letter you were referring to. The dialogue went something like this:
daska wrote:Maybe Stanton you could tell us who told you about the alleged letter?
Stanton wrote:It was a friend of mine in the School. I was saying that I'd been called a stooge on this board and how laughable that was and the conversation developed from there.
Stanton wrote:It is not my intention to inflame the situation nor do I believe that I have done so. I do not believe that I have been duped or fed a line.
My question concerns the way information is disseminated unquestioningly within SES. This is so reminiscent of my time there. If I apply my experience to you - someone told you something and you unquestioning treated that something as the absolute truth.
Stanton wrote:I haven't seen the letter and I'm unlikely to.
Your perspective seemed to be: Why would you even ask? You are in an organisation which is built on the truth - where there is truth all around.
Do you see where I am heading?
From an outside perspective it is as clear as daylight that there is as much pettiness, innuendo, deceit, misunderstanding etc in SES as anywhere else. However the deeply held belief of those involved that this is not the case represents a HUGE blindspot for you and for everyone else whose role is simply to take on the truth.
Separately, such an environment represents a HUGE opportunity for people in authority to put out information which is readily taken on by everyone within the organisation.
SES - as has been written about at length on this board - strongly discourages questioning of its prounouncements - those who do question leave - often with strong and enduring emotions.
Stanton wrote:I should not have raised a hare without triple-checking.
Yes - you and everyone else should triple check everything you are told. What I am saying is that culturally I do not believe you can really check anything you are told in SES - such checking / questionning is against the teaching - without marking yourself as a trouble maker.
Stanton wrote:Mea culpa.
This is taking the whole blame onto yourself. Is that really fair? Is it really you who is at fault?