Personal History

In writing about different issues, you root your outlook in both reason and experience. Relying purely on reason risks being unrealistically Ivory Tower-ish. Relying purely on experience risks being parochial or bigoted.

The world has diverse people with different levels and kinds of understanding, based on:

• Feelings -- how they were raised -- belief systems adopted from parents and community, family life, local media, peers, immediate community

• Understanding -- education level, what kinds of schools, teachers, exposure, and especially the ability to analyze and think independently

• Experiences -- extent of experience in the outside world (hopefully not just locally)

My outlook on many issues has changed during the course of my life according to my educational exposure (not just school), experiences, and diverse consulting work in the creative business & sustainability cutting edge.

For example, my viewpoints usually differ significantly from my old American friends back in the U.S. and foreigners who have stayed in their native countries, but there is a lot more convergence in viewpoints with longtime expats from all over the world. (However, many newbie expats, and those who don't stray much from a supporting company's oasis, compatriots, or tourist entertainment zones usually still resemble their original viewpoint.)

From early childhood thru my university years, I maintained a relatively independent-thinking and scientific approach, and normally kept a lot of my opinions to myself, especially as regards religion as I was raised in The Bible Belt. However, towards the latter end of my university years, I started getting more interested in practical world matters, including politics. Notably, I've never trusted the sensational mass media very much and always analyzed alternative opinions. (See also my upcoming project Sideline News.)

My first set of major viewpoint changes occurred during the 10 years after my move from my home state of Arkansas to work and live in the Washington, D.C., region, and were the result of my experiences working fulltime inside a political system, plus on the side volunteering and consulting to various nongovernmental organizations headquartered in the nation's capital, starting my own humanistic endeavor and pushing it thru various realms, and consulting to a diversity of leading individuals, government contractors, and purely private sector entities.

The truth was often stranger than fiction, and some of the experiences I can report may seem incredible to some kinds of people who wish the world were more in control by people of high competence and *personal commitment*, rather than very human people promoted according to loyalty to their superiors of power base, strongly biased interests, and big entrenched egos.

The second major set of viewpoint changes occurred when I took an opportunity to travel overseas, where I have spent all of my life since 1994 working and living.

By writing about my history chronologically in this section, various outlooks can better be explained.

I assess other people by their values, interests, and outlook on life, the world, the universe, and their role over time in evolutionary progress in our generation, as well as their seriousness, stability, and objectivity.
   0-6 formative
   6-18 social, nature
   18-25 academic life
   25-27 WDC, fulltime
   27-35 WDC consultant
   35-40 overseas
   40-45 rebuilding
   45+ outlook

Early formative years
Adolescence
University, real work
Washington, D.C.
Govt work
Private consulting
Travel overseas

Computer Consulting

Startup ...

Lifestyle ...

Learning not to trust the leading computer magazines ...

  mark-prado.com > History

Additional, children pages of this current parent page:

History :
  0-6 formative, nature
  6-18 social, nature
  18-25 academic life
  25-27 WDC fulltime
  27-35 WDC consultant
  35-40 first overseas
  40-47 rebuilding
  47-now

If you choose to submit feedback, then I wish to thank you in advance. After you click on Submit, the page will jump to the top.

Menu:
Site Map page.

Get to know
Mark Prado
by this personal
biographical website.