Avoiding Rattlesnakes

Story telling is how many indigenous people – including native Americans – passed on life lessons to their young.

First, let's share – courtesy of FirstPeople – the native American legend of the little boy and the rattlesnake.

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The best predictor of future behavior and results is often past behavior and results. While this does not always hold true, for example the famous exception of Thomas Edison's 10,000 failed attempts before his success in inventing the light bulb, it is a widely accepted rule of thumb.

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Animals act according to their nature. What makes people different than most creatures is that humans have a higher intellect. Can people change? Sure. People quit over-drinking, smoking or abusing drugs every day. They often do so through 12 Step or other programs.

But beware of the rattle snake.

The moral of the Cherokee story is to help others spot and avoid smooth talking, ear tickling and seductive “rattle snakes.” There will always be people who tell us what we want to hear, even if what they say is not true.

This is why fact checking is important. Without understanding the facts of an issue, the rattle snakes can tell us a tale we may want to hear and yet that may still later 'bite you.'

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And please, never confuse those who protect others by engaging and capturing the snakes of the world – such as the honorable police, military or those in media who expose sometimes tough truths – with the snakes they seek to expose, capture or put away. ##

(Image credit: Wikicommons)

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