The canary in the mine

July 6, 2014
canary in the mine

An early-warning system

Miners back in the day would bring a canary into mines. If the canary keeled over, they got the hell out of the mine because that meant the air was toxic.

Someone once told me that, like the canary in the mine, I seemed to have a knack for being an early warning system.

That when something is off-kilter or wrong, I’m among the first to notice.

And more importantly, the first to speak up.

Time has proven them right.

I used to call it my bull-shit detector, back before I understood what it meant to be “intuitive.”

Not everyone listened.

Not everyone wanted to hear.

But it didn’t change the fact that a situation was giving off toxic fumes.

Even an ostrich with its head in the ground is going to succumb in the end.

And even an adult with their hands over their ears, singing so they don’t hear?

They succumb, too.

So tell me. How’s your bullshit detector?

27 comments on “The canary in the mine
  1. My detector, Carol, is actually quite good. Like you I read situations and speak up. Actually, I see through people and very quickly am able to touch the core of their hidden agenda. People don’t always like it and consequently, people don’t always like me. I’m a Sabra (Israeli born) and like the fruit prickly on the outside, but sweet within.

    My business is called Cut the Crap Solutions. I get to the essence of the problem of people’s Info-Product and tell them “What could be”. Some love it. Others immediately run for their lives. The truth frightens them.

    Hope your canary is doing well and chirping you a cheerful tune. HUGS <3

  2. My 12 year old son is sometimes amazed at my “bullshit ” detector!

  3. Cheryl says:

    The older I get, the better my bullshit detector is. It’s on high alert most of the time.

  4. Suzie Cheel says:

    Mine is so much stronger as i take more time to be centred within and at peace.

  5. I think with maturity we gain experience that enables us to see through bullshitters.Its called Experience of life.

  6. I think I was always good at detecting bullshit but thought I was being uncharitable! As I’ve got older, I’ve become quite BS-intolerant and not afraid to speak my mind.

  7. Diane says:

    I’ve learned to watch where I step. And yes, I can detect it every time! 🙂

  8. I’m pretty sure that I annoy my friends on Facebook. They post wild claims and I read them and think, “Well….that doesn’t sound right.” So I look it up on Snopes and, about 90% of the time, I discover that it’s either bullshit or partially bullshit.

    It’s amazing to me how often people resent it. I’ve thanked people for calling me on it when I post something dubious.

  9. Carol Graham says:

    I was taught to trust first, ask questions later. As I get older I have reversed that order. Go with my gut, recognize the BS and if I am proven wrong – then trust. I think many of us struggle with believing the BS detector as we want to believe what we are told, our faith in our fellow man. However, it has got me into a lot of trouble because I trust too easy. I was also taught not to judge — another aspect of this concept. If we judge too quickly, based on our BS detector, we tend to taint the real truth.

    Personally, I think the best BS detectors are 4 legged creatures, my dogs. They don’t care what people think of them and will let you know when they don’t trust you.

  10. Bhavya says:

    Oh yes, my detector does a good work too, but it probably may not be as good as yours

    My UBC Day 6 Post

  11. Superb Carol. I’ve had a lifetime of honing it. Thank you for asking.

  12. My family calls me evil because I predicted my brothers death, a house fire and most pregnancies and death.
    I try not to share with them anymore unless I feel strongly about changing the outcome
    2 days before 9/11 I shared a dream with my family and coworkers of planes exploding all over the country and not being able to locate all of my family and friends.
    My BS detecter is pretty good.

  13. Lana says:

    I have a terrible BS detector unfortunately. My husband’s is very finely tuned however, so I rely on his opinion!

  14. Tina says:

    actually it is good to detect the BS and speak your mind!

  15. haha that’s quite an interesting idea and I do have a sense that something might go wrong cum there shall soon be light at the end of the tunnel. Call it sixth sense or bullshit detector, it works, I agree.

    http://vishal-newkidontheblock.blogspot.com/2014/07/chapter-11-orkut-love-story.html

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