The biggest change I can make is in myself. Over the course of my seven plus decades, I hope I have become wiser, kinder, more patient, more cheerful, and less troubled by the troubles around me. I learned years ago that I cannot IMPROVE other people, and if I try to change them, what results is almost never improvement. The best I can do is offer a good example and hope they take something useful from it.
You wrote that as an opinion journalist, your objective, in theory, is to change the world. I disagree. As I see it, your job is to offer experience, perspective, insight and (often) caution to your readers, who tend to be people who read what you write in a desire to improve their own lives, financially or otherwise. I am grateful to count myself among your readers.
I’m totally convinced, but you made me realize that you’re not going to change me either. I’m not a conservative, I don’t believe in any of the deities, we don’t share the same values or moral compass, and you can’t change that. No point in subscribing any longer.
You know Dan, I was right with you up until the last sentence....it comes off petty and spiteful. Kinda like putting your fingers in your ears and saying "blah blah blah" just so you don't have to hear and dare I say listen to another person's opinion.
So much to unpack Jared, all of it is good. I'll just say that Ray Bradbury had one of the best takes on change in his short story "A Sound of Thunder." We're in an intricate web of cause and effect...so much of what we do in our own small way paves the way for change at a larger scale.
Somewhere between resigning to that as an individual we have no influence and the courage of ignorance to have hopes and dreams drives individual progress. Where it exasperates us all is getting to point of realizing reality and then “now what?” That IMO is one of the most important reset / recalibrate disciplines we can develop otherwise grow bitter and resentful.
The biggest change I can make is in myself. Over the course of my seven plus decades, I hope I have become wiser, kinder, more patient, more cheerful, and less troubled by the troubles around me. I learned years ago that I cannot IMPROVE other people, and if I try to change them, what results is almost never improvement. The best I can do is offer a good example and hope they take something useful from it.
You wrote that as an opinion journalist, your objective, in theory, is to change the world. I disagree. As I see it, your job is to offer experience, perspective, insight and (often) caution to your readers, who tend to be people who read what you write in a desire to improve their own lives, financially or otherwise. I am grateful to count myself among your readers.
Except the leaking roof.
I’m totally convinced, but you made me realize that you’re not going to change me either. I’m not a conservative, I don’t believe in any of the deities, we don’t share the same values or moral compass, and you can’t change that. No point in subscribing any longer.
You know Dan, I was right with you up until the last sentence....it comes off petty and spiteful. Kinda like putting your fingers in your ears and saying "blah blah blah" just so you don't have to hear and dare I say listen to another person's opinion.
So much to unpack Jared, all of it is good. I'll just say that Ray Bradbury had one of the best takes on change in his short story "A Sound of Thunder." We're in an intricate web of cause and effect...so much of what we do in our own small way paves the way for change at a larger scale.
"I don’t know a lot about God, but I can say one thing for sure: there is one, and it isn’t you." Can I get an 'AMEN!' to that?
Job thought he was getting a raw deal and God put him in his place. I am embarrassed to admit how old I was before I learned that lesson.
As they say: Too soon old and too late smart.
This is awesome! Thank you for what you do!
Thanks for writing this! This was exactly what I needed to read today :)
Wait, how did "change the world" suddenly connect with "are they happy?"
"Serenity now!" -- Frank Costanza
Somewhere between resigning to that as an individual we have no influence and the courage of ignorance to have hopes and dreams drives individual progress. Where it exasperates us all is getting to point of realizing reality and then “now what?” That IMO is one of the most important reset / recalibrate disciplines we can develop otherwise grow bitter and resentful.
plus ça change (plus c'est la même chose)
"Complaints don’t deliver complaints, they mostly reveal your weakness." - Nassim Nicholas Taleb