Speaking In The Abstract

There can be three ways to deal with a particular situation.  You can avoid it, which is short term safe.  You can speak in the abstract or you can observe what is going on.  Often, big institutions speak in the abstract.  One size fits all.  There are no individual situations.  There is only one solution and the situation at hand must fit into it.  "The goal is corporate net profit," or "This is what the church says..." The observe model is one that takes in hand the individual circumstances.  You enter into a dialogue with others.  Then you come to some judgment about what should be done in this situation.  Then you act.  This was Catholic Action in the early 20th century.  Fr. Joseph Leo Cardijn was a proponent of it.  More tomorrow.