February 21, 2002

• Sacred Cow - Gourmet Burger

  
  

  I've noticed that certain hunters desire the sacred cow trophy above all prizes.  These well-armed sports hide in carefully constructed blinds and wait for the animal to emerge while they chuckle in anticipation of the kill.  But, the sacred cow is an insidious beast.  Just when the crosshairs are trained on that vulnerable spot between the eyes, the gaze of hunter and prey can meet through the lens of the scope. 

  
  

  I have made the hunting of sacred cows into a long and satisfying career.  But, I've found in recent months that I've lost my taste for the kill.  See, the thing about sacred cows is when they are ground into hamburger it isn't the cow who bleeds, it's the worshipper.  I've learned that anytime I find myself in a discussion in which one person MUST be wrong - it's a lose-lose situation.  The game is over.

  
  

  This is a new understanding for me.  I learn by asking questions.  Some people (who shall not be asked their opinion at this point) might even say that I like to argue.  They'd be right.  But, they'd miss the mark by a mile if they thought that the point of the argument was for me to be right.  I question, argue, debate, and discuss in order to understand not only what you think about the topic, but also to help me clarify what I think.  My learning style has been a sacred cow to me in the past.  If your sacred cow gets topped with ketchup in my quest for understanding, that's just too bad and I'm sure you'll adjust.

  
  

  I've found sacred cows grazing in the fields of education, theology, history, philosophy, science, art, you name it.  I want to know why people believe what they believe to be true.  (Do you know that if you ask five why questions in a row, you can find a sacred cow almost every time?  If you ask really good why questions, sometimes you can get to the soft caramel center of the tootsie pop in three questions or less.)

  
  

  My dictionary defines a sacred cow as "an idea that supporters will not allow to be criticized."  The ideas that we can't allow ourselves to criticize control our perceptions and values, but most of the time we don't even know what those ideas are.  I've learned to tread softly when I realize that I'm on the grass that feeds the divine bovine. 

  
  

  Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,
  Enwrought with golden and silver light,
  The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
  Of night and light and the half light,
  I would spread the cloths under your feet:
  But I, being poor, have only my dreams,
  I have spread my dreams under your feet;
  Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

  
  

  W B Yeats

  • 10:47 pm
  • 30 Comments