Executive speech coach, brilliant guitarist, bright ideas…The Fripps

My brother Robert Fripp is a brilliant guitarist and a thoughtful man. He does not blog, however he has written an on line diary for years. So do many of the King Crimson Band members and Paul Richards of the California Guitar Trio. At the moment I am in Salt Lake City and had a great tour from Paul and his wife Stacey. It does not matter if you know about my brother's career to enjoy his thinking!

On the DGM Guestbook… Just throwing out some thought.

In Guitar Craft thought of this kind is referred to as bright ideas. Well intentioned, well meaning, and mainly supportive in intent, the bright idea acts to undermine the nominal subject / object of support, derail & damage it, even kill it off.

The bright idea is without practical experience; and therefore devoid of the understanding necessary to make an informed judgement in relationship to the topic under consideration. Understanding is when we know our subject, have a feel for our subject & can do our subject. This confers an overview of:

the whole;
the parts that are included within the whole;
the constraints upon the parts of acting within the whole;

and the effect upon the whole of the parts taking independent initiatives,
judgments, decisions & arbitrary actions without the overview necessary to form a right judgment, the repercussions of which tend to disintegration of the whole.

The person with the bright idea gives unnecessary work to others whilst making no effective contribution of their own. This acts to undermine what-is-necessary in an undertaking by providing distraction & drawing on the nicely-balanced energy-economy that renders any endeavour possible.

Putting this slightly differently, and referring back to the Six Principles of the Performance Event posted on the Guitar Craft board in Sant Cugat last week, the effect of a bright idea is that:

the possible becomes less possible;
the impossible becomes more impossible.

Bright ideas are without end. A technique for addressing a bright idea is to place the Bright Thoughter in front of an actual challenge which the Bright Thoughter then exerts themselves to undertake, to realise the bright idea. This brings a fantasy into the sunlight of actuality, where you can do anything you will, providing you can pick up the tab. Otherwise, if you throw money down the drain, better to throw your own money down the drain.

The thought thrown out in this post are indicative of well-meaning ignorance that would be destructive, were the bright ideas to be acted upon. The poster, I’m sure, would be appalled if they knew what the effects of their recommendations would be if implemented. There are sites available where fan comments such as these are welcome, and where they are treated as forms of play, without accountability. They thrive on bright ideas.

Fantasy is unreal, but can have real & terrible effect.