July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Too much confidence isn't good
Editorial
Self-assurance is a good thing.
It's important to have confidence in your convictions.
But most of us, as we grow older, come to understand that we don't know everything.
In fact, many people over the age of 40 would tell you that one of life's journeys involves learning how little one actually knows. We learn to recognize our limits. We learn to listen to the opinions of others. We begin to appreciate the notion of compromise. We figure out how much patience is involved in building consensus.
In short, our confidence and self-assurance are tempered by a good dose of humility.
That's the way it works for most of us.
Not for Mitch Daniels.
It's been a few weeks since the governor made one of his infrequent passes through the county.
But the lingering impression is of a man with astounding levels of self-assurance, a man for whom doubt that he's right never enters into the equation.
For ordinary mortals, encountering someone with that level of self-confidence can be a little jarring. And in the face of that hubris, it's natural to feel some self-doubt.
After all, if the governor is salesman-in-chief for his policies, it makes sense that he'd be those policies' most enthusiastic supporter.
But there's a small problem with the governor's sales pitch. Express the slightest doubt or raise the toughest question, and Mitch Daniels tunes you out.
He's all about convincing, and if you're not convinced, he's moving on. There's no interest in persuasion. There's no interest in listening. Heaven knows, there's no interest in concepts like compromise or consensus.
Obviously, that's worked well for the guy politically.
He was elected by a huge vote last time around.
But it's an enormous flaw when it comes to governing.
So far, that flaw hasn't caught the public's eye.
Historians, however, aren't likely to be as kind.
The only moment of self-knowledge demonstrated by Gov. Daniels on his recent visit was an acknowledgment that he wouldn't be cut out for the Senate. That's an institution where listening, consensus, common ground, and compromise are part of the equation.
And Mitch doesn't do those. - J.R.[[In-content Ad]]
It's important to have confidence in your convictions.
But most of us, as we grow older, come to understand that we don't know everything.
In fact, many people over the age of 40 would tell you that one of life's journeys involves learning how little one actually knows. We learn to recognize our limits. We learn to listen to the opinions of others. We begin to appreciate the notion of compromise. We figure out how much patience is involved in building consensus.
In short, our confidence and self-assurance are tempered by a good dose of humility.
That's the way it works for most of us.
Not for Mitch Daniels.
It's been a few weeks since the governor made one of his infrequent passes through the county.
But the lingering impression is of a man with astounding levels of self-assurance, a man for whom doubt that he's right never enters into the equation.
For ordinary mortals, encountering someone with that level of self-confidence can be a little jarring. And in the face of that hubris, it's natural to feel some self-doubt.
After all, if the governor is salesman-in-chief for his policies, it makes sense that he'd be those policies' most enthusiastic supporter.
But there's a small problem with the governor's sales pitch. Express the slightest doubt or raise the toughest question, and Mitch Daniels tunes you out.
He's all about convincing, and if you're not convinced, he's moving on. There's no interest in persuasion. There's no interest in listening. Heaven knows, there's no interest in concepts like compromise or consensus.
Obviously, that's worked well for the guy politically.
He was elected by a huge vote last time around.
But it's an enormous flaw when it comes to governing.
So far, that flaw hasn't caught the public's eye.
Historians, however, aren't likely to be as kind.
The only moment of self-knowledge demonstrated by Gov. Daniels on his recent visit was an acknowledgment that he wouldn't be cut out for the Senate. That's an institution where listening, consensus, common ground, and compromise are part of the equation.
And Mitch doesn't do those. - J.R.[[In-content Ad]]
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