Rodger Recommends: Overcoming Conflict

(How the beliefs of Max Webber might help each of us)

A story without conflict is like rafting on a river without rapids. You will move from where you start to where you finish without raising your heart rate, or the challenge of survival. As a writer, conflict is critical to what I do and to what I present to my readers. 

With that said, I’ve tried for years to craft a story around the level of political conflict in the United States today with little success. The Eel And The Angel, The Shadow Game, and The Dragon, The Eagle And The Jaguar all are built around international conflict. But the left-right anger in my own country lacks ingredients for a good book. For literary conflict to work in a book, it must be rational and realistic, and there must be a promise of solution.

To better understand today’s political conflict, I went back to one of the most fascinating and influential men of the early 1900’s. Max Webber was a German sociologist, historian, jurist, and economist. His most famous work, The Protestant Ethic And The Spirit Of Capitalism, explores how the Protestant Ethic drove the expansion of capitalism in Europe. The primary drivers were hard work, thrift and a rational approach to life and work.

His Bureaucracy Theory described how clear bureaucratic structure, rules and specialization is the most efficient way of organizing large organizations. These two, Protestant Ethic and Bureaucratic Theory became the model that led to the explosion of wealth and the creation of the middle class.

A third theory, Social Behavior Theory, however, seems to be coming into play more and more in the 21st century. This theory emphasizes that social actions are influenced by the meanings individuals attach to their own beliefs and the actions of others. Today, many citizens social beliefs are so entrenched that they see evil in the actions of those whose beliefs differ. This becomes even more troubling when citizens’ own beliefs in certain areas conflict with their beliefs in other areas. 

Webber challenged society to balance their Ethics of Conviction with the Ethics of Responsibility. A great example is the murder of the President of United Health Care. To many that company fails to live up to their beliefs in covering the cost of health care. I get it. But to many of those same people, someone killing the CEO of the company fails to live up to their beliefs in the sanctity of human life.

In politics, Webber challenges us to carefully evaluate the limits of compromise of our belief system versus the compromise that may be needed to win an election. Again, how do we balance wanting to promote our values with the perceived necessity to take money from those we might otherwise disagree with, or to be less than honest in a campaign?

Webber would abhor how we now deal with those with different beliefs as the enemy, often disregarding some of our own human values to promote what we believe in.

Rodger That: Political Divide

The political divide in the United States is not remotely close to that leading to the Civil War. In the 1850s, Americans struggled to agree on the meaning of the “ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL,” clause in the Declaration of Independence. When that document was drafted, a strong statement on slavery was initially included by Thomas Jefferson. To get the document approved by all 13 states, that clause was deleted. From the inception of the movement for independence, one segment of the nation where slavery drove the economy, collided with the rest of the country where owning another man was an abomination. There were other differences between the citizens, but most of those could be compromised; slavery could not. 

Today, we struggle to compromise even on what historically would be minor differences. The congress and even state legislatures find themselves dug in, supporting issues that many disagree with and that they personally do not really care about. How did this happen?

Two things fundamentally changed American politics. (And similar things have made political compromise difficult in most modern democracies.) First, is the demand of the media and some of the public for total transparency in government. Second, is the rise of social media and fierce competition among traditional media. How have these two changes driven division?

In the fight for ratings, traditional media has forgone simple reporting of events and shifted to commentary on those events. Much of what we call news today is more opinion than factual reporting. Media platforms have embraced small segments of society who have strong feelings to cement their ratings base. They have retooled newsrooms to assure that they do not isolate that base. Social media has given even tiny segments of society a megaphone to scream their values. The combination of opinion reporting and opinion social media amplifies many issues way beyond their importance to the general public.

In the legislative bodies, transparency has taken this media shift and turned it into an impossible situation. As late as the 1980s, legislators could get together in smoky rooms and work out compromise, horse-trade, with give and take to arrive, not at consensus, but what it took to bring differing sides together. But today, any effort to get away from the scrutiny of the media to reconcile differences, lands a legislator in a media world where they are portrayed as traitors or worse yet, evil.

In my book, The Dragon, The Eagle And The Jaguar (DEJ), all three countries, China, the US, and Mexico find themselves forced to use clandestine means to solve a problem that should be easy to work out. But in the politics of each country, leadership runs the risk of being labeled traitors to their own nation if they are seen working too closely with another nation. The result, just like in our domestic politics, is posturing to satisfy small groups who are screaming the loudest. But unlike international disputes like that in DEJ, where off the record small group solutions are possible, in domestic politics, the demand for transparency and the media’s catering to small constituencies make this type of resolution political poison.

Rodger’s Two Cents: What Is Real, What Is Not?

I was discussing life in the Last Frontier with a colleague living in Chicago this morning. He mentioned that the Midwest was finally past a winter marked by snowstorms and even more massive rain and wind events. As he should be, he was pleased to be moving beyond that. Having spent my share of time in major cities, I could empathize with him. Perhaps after the horrors of an urban winter, I suggested he and his wife should head out to Bar Mar or one of the dozens of other great dinner spots in Chicago to celebrate.

“How about the winter in Alaska?” he asked.

We’ve had a crazy winter. During the four mid-winter months, we had four inches of snow in Anchorage. (Normally we get about forty inches.) It’s been below zero four times. In a normal winter we see below zero weather twice. But we have had three storms where winds of more than a hundred miles an hour pounded our home. And another is due tonight. (Normally we have one windstorm.)

“As I recall,” he offered, “your normal spring escape is to your remote cabin on Alaska’s largest lake. You and Carmen pack a gourmet meal, and a bottle of great wine, take the dog and fly in, and celebrate spring overlooking a wilderness river.”

That’s not going to happen this year, I told him. Late last fall we received several pictures from a friend who was spending winter at the lake. He boated over to check our cabin after a couple of lodges in the area reported a rogue brown bear had broken into their buildings. Sure enough, the bear had hit us too; literally tearing out a back wall and trashing the inside. He smashed all of the cabinets, the stove, propane refrigerator, and tore into all the emergency food supplies I leave in the cabin. (It’s common in remote Alaska to leave food enough for someone surviving a plane crash or other emergency to live for a month in our cabins.)

So, this year our first trip in will not be a celebration of the end of winter. Rather it will be the mother of all clean ups, the destroyed furniture, fixtures, and equipment in a pile on the floor, all coated with a mixture of kerosene, maple syrup, pancake mix, cooking oil, motor oil, and every other thing that the bear could tear open while looking for a meal. Then figuring out how to get the materials to rebuild and laying out a plan to repair our little piece of heaven. 

“You were really lucky you weren’t there,” he offered.

That statement says a lot about how differently people live in the world. I wish I’d been there, That bear would not have gone on to trash eleven more cabins last fall. Once a bear finds food in a building, they become obsessed with finding more, until they die.

As a writer, that reminded me how important it is to clearly describe settings and explain plots. Every reader comes from a different background. My job is to take readers to places, they might never visit, and give them adventures different from their own lives.

A Taste Of The Wild: Mexi-Moose

MEXI-MOOSE (or mexi-venison or mexi-elk…whatever game you have) serves four

This dish is drawn from my love of Carmen’s culturally authentic Sonoran Mexican cuisine.  Stews of pork and chicken are favored home kitchen fare. But this Latina woman now makes her home in Alaska with a man who harvests game and fish to feed the family. So, in a compromise, I’ve learned to cook wild game using the spices of Mexico, with amazing results.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
Olive oil for browning

Salt and pepper for seasoning meat

2 C. of chicken stock

1 14.5 oz. can of chili-ready tomatoes with peppers (Store brand works great)

2 C. tomato or spaghetti sauce

Main Ingredients
2 lbs. of moose or other wild game, cut into 1 inch chunks

1 large yellow onion chopped into fairly large pieces

2 C. carrots cut into 1 inch pieces

2 C. celery cut into 1 inch pieces

5 small portobello mushrooms cut into quarters

Sauce
1 10 oz. can Rotel brand diced tomatoes with hatch chilis

1 C. red wine

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. oregano

Starch
4 C. prepared Paella Rice or Risotto (you can used long grain, but it will not absorb the sauce as well)

Toppings
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese, medium cheddar, or sour cream.

Lime wedges and chopped cilantro.

Preparation
Combine stock, sauce and can of chili-ready tomatoes into crock pot.

Brown meat, seasoned with salt and pepper and add to crock pot.

Cook onion in the same skillet as the meat until transparent and add to crock pot.

Blend sauce ingredients by whipping together or blending and add to crock pot.

Add carrots, celery and mushrooms to crock pot.

Simmer 4 to 5 hours on high, or until meat is tender.

To Serve
Place one cup of rice in large soup bowl and ladle stewed mixture over rice.

Top with your choice of toppings, add a squeeze of lime and one tablespoon of chopped cilantro.

Rodger That: Pride

I learned many of my outdoor skills on my grandfather’s ranch not far from Poulson Montana, including how to process harvested game. It used to amaze ten-year-old me when I would meet the families of his neighbors who absolutely hated wild game. The ranchers raised beef cattle, selling the steers to processors whose fortunes depended on turning the steers into prime eating. I loved venison and elk and couldn’t understand their distaste. 

My kids grew up immersed in Alaska’s outdoor activities, including flying to remote fishing spots. At our cabin, one of the great joys was wandering down to the river and catching a salmon. The filets would be on the grill twenty minutes later, the ultra-fresh fish curling at the edges. Many who dislike fish would change their minds if they ever tasted fresh wild salmon. During the winter we savored the fish we put up each summer along with wild game, mostly moose.

Both of my kids decided to attend college in Montana. I encouraged them to go ‘out of state’ believing that growing up in Alaska meant growing up in a bubble. It was important to be part of what Alaskan’s call ‘The Lower 48.’  As a single dad, I wanted them to choose their own path.

My daughter chose Rocky Mountain College in Billings. The choice was easy for her. She was looking for a small liberal arts college where a reserved young woman wouldn’t get lost. Her brother attended University of Montana in Missoula because his three greatest loves were skiing, hunting and fly fishing. That was at least as good as my reason for choosing a school.

Every year I would make multiple trips to Montana, a place close to my heart and the birthplace of my mother. I attended functions at Rocky Mountain, especially plays where my daughter loved working both on stage and behind the curtain. Most of my trips to Missoula were to join my son for fall bird hunting trips. While both kids were in Montana, we would take a family trip to someplace like Yellowstone National Park.

Several of my son’s college friends were from ranches across Montana. We would be invited to bird hunt on their property, sometimes with their family. Dressed pheasants were a welcome thank-you gift to those families. In the first couple of years, I would bring packages of moose or caribou sausage as gifts, only to be met with disgust by the families, especially the wives of the household, even those whose husbands hunted big game.

The third year my son and I hunted in Montana, the trip was late in the fall, when big game hunting seasons overlapped with pheasant season. We’d stay in tiny motels in towns built around agriculture, always picking one where my son’s Golden Labrador Retriever was welcome. I remember pulling into a small town and heading down the street looking for dinner.

We stopped outside a rowdy bar that advertised pub food to study a line of pickup trucks with huge elk in the back. Inside we met a dozen hunters who welcomed us. Every one of them wanted us to wander out to praise the animals they’d harvested.

After dinner my son commented, “I see why so many people hate wild game. If you don’t get the hide off from a big animal immediately the fat under the skin turns rancid.” 

Thirty years later, while sitting at our cabin’s fire pit, out of nowhere my son looked up and thanked me for teaching him the difference between hunting to put food on the table and trophy hunting. It took seconds to connect the dots with our Montana experiences. I didn’t immediately respond, rather I thought back to one of my grandfather’s favorite quotations by Henry Ford, “A man given to pride is usually proud of the wrong thing.” I thought of families challenged by prideful hunters to eat tainted meals, and a second quotation popped into my mind, this one from the composer David Lawrence, “Pride is a form of selfishness.”

Rodger’s Two Cents: The MAHA Movement

I’ve waited much of my life for a political movement that I can get totally behind. Finally, a rogue Democrat comes along and makes the MAHA movement a household phrase. Make America Healthy Again, is just shorthand for eating foods that are not saturated with preservatives, sugars, un-necessary spices and other chemicals. 

When I was a kid, raised by a single mother, we had to eat pure foods; processed foods were more expensive than locally raised vegetables, farm to table meats and harvested foods like wild berries and wild game. Our diet was seasonal and depended on what was being harvested. 

Over the years, the cost of transportation came down and the food industry began massive processing of foods, packaging them so that they would last a long time and reduce transportation waste.

That made food less expensive but added new chemicals to our diet. Humans may take generations to learn to process these intrusive ingredients. I asked myself what can I do to help with the MAHA movement. The answer is the new blog section in my website, A Taste Of The Wild. Many of my adventure stories include the struggles of protagonists in my books to feed themselves in dire circumstances. In many cases the solution is to harvest what is available and figure out how to prepare it.

Personally, I invest a lot of time every summer in gardening. I love to wander the hills of Alaska picking a half dozen different types of berries. I harvest wild salmon, halibut and wild game. That’s how I’ve fed my family for years. 

Included in the A Taste Of The Wild blog will be some ideas and recipes of foods that minimize ultra processing, or eliminate those foods entirely. Let me know your own thoughts on MAHA food harvesting and eating. In return, I promise not to become too preachy about MAHA in my writing. 

Rodger's Experience: Hunters And Hunting

Some consider hunters almost criminal for harvesting game. I justify hunting based on three truths:

  1. A wild animal lives its life free and open, not caged or force-fed chemicals. Wild game has no chemicals and is generally considered organic.

  2. Hunters tax themselves to preserve game. Were it not for the funding from hunters there would be almost no wild places for animals left in America.

  3. The meat is more flavorful and healthier for a family than most meat you find in a store.

A Taste Of The Wild: Preparing Savory Wild Game For Your Table

As a writer from Alaska, one who from time to time saves story protagonists from starvation by helping them harvest wild game, I’m repeatedly asked several questions and comments:

Do you really hunt?

I hate wild game, how can you eat it?

I’d love to learn to hunt, but I have no idea how to process something I harvest.

My family refuses to eat the (pick one) deer, elk, moose, caribou I bring home.

Because of these questions, I am dedicating a new blog to the topic of hunting and sharing my wild game recipes. Before we get started, I’d like to share some processing and cooking preparation “musts” that will dramatically improve the flavor of wild game on your table.

Field Processing

Take the hide off the animal as quickly as you can. Remove as much of the fat just under the hide as possible and discard. Fat allowed to remain on the animal will become rancid, tainting the meat underneath. For larger animals, like elk and moose, cut the animal into quarters. These steps allow the meat to cool out quickly, which eliminates the risk of it becoming tainted. 

Preparation for Cooking

  1. Slowly thaw frozen meat in the refrigerator.

  2. Cut away and discard excess fat or membranes.

  3. Soak the meat in saltwater for at least 12 hours before cooking to draw out the blood.

  4. Rinse off the salt and allow the cut of meat to air dry for a couple of hours before cooking.

  5. Find a recipe you think you will like. Many game recipes include marinades.

  6. Use the same cooking times for game as you do for a cut of beef.

Rodger’s Two Cents: What Makes A President Tick?

While I was writing Rodger’s Top 5 for this month, I was pouring through quotations of American Presidents and administrations. My personal favorites are Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan. Two of them were self-made and the other, used his wealth to grow close to common men and nature. All redirected the trajectory of the United States at a critical moment in our history. 

I’ve studied each of our presidents. Without question, Lincoln had the most challenging job. What makes a president tick? What allows them to do one of the most difficult jobs in the world? For President Carter, it was his deep lifelong Baptist faith. I think Reagan’s success came from personally realizing that his years in leadership of the Democratic party wasn’t yielding the life he wanted for himself or his associates. Teddy Roosevelt realized that many of his wealthy friends were more concerned with protecting their privileged life than the nation as a whole.

But Lincoln, with his simple early life and self-education, was an enigma to me. What was the philosophy of life that gave him the skills and strength to succeed? Some years ago, I came across one of his writings that helped me understand him.

With beliefs like these, how can you fail?

  • You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.

  • You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.

  • You cannot help little men by tearing down big men.

  • You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.

  • You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.

  • You cannot establish sound security on borrowed money.

  • You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.

  • You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn.

  • You cannot build character and courage by destroying men's initiative and independence.