Do I really need to expound on this? Of course, I do. How many people and instances do you know where they should know this but don’t listen to it or abide by it? But, of course, I don’t need to expound no this. It’s not like some form of this hasn’t been said before. Many times. Many ways. Many cultures. Me saying it in my own way isn’t going to make a difference with all that history. There’s nothing revolutionary or ear opening about the way I’m saying this. If lots of people haven’t listened before, they won’t listen now because of the way I’ve said this. They also won’t listen in the future, to this or any similar form of it. But it is nice to have my own mantra about it that’s tidier than similar advice, maxims, proverbs, and such that I have heard.
Author: Digital Citizen
Choice is the burden of freedom
Almost everybody wants choice. Autonomy is considered one of three legs of a stool in one model of happiness, and is generally considered to be good for happiness. Yet, when you give people lots of choices, lots of people can’t decide. Or they often make a decision and become unhappy about not taking a different option later. And if the situation allows for it, they make poorly thought out decisions, regret it or just move on like it was a meaningless choice, and just take another option in endless cycles like fast fashion. Then, when some think hard about their decisions among many choices, they end up with analysis paralysis, of which the more serious kind can lead to emotion breakdowns or worse outcomes for their lives and health. But even when there is little consequence, the fact you have to make a decision, even the lightest of decision, is a burden like a duty you have to perform. So regardless of decision magnitude or difficulty, choice is a burden of freedom. I used to also think choice was a responsibility of freedom, but soon realized that a lot of people get away with poor choices and/or don’t accept responsibility for them, even when they can’t get away with it, so I removed the responsibility aspect of my views on choice and freedom.
Humanity can live without war, but we prefer not to
War is, of course, unnecessary. So what percentage of time in recorded history would you expect there to have been no war, if war was defined as a conflict claiming at least 1000 lives? Just 8% or 268 years in 3400 years of recorded history, according to a New York Times article in 2003. You can make that 268 years out of 3422 years as of 2025. That data suggests that to war is at least as human as to err. But if that’s not convincing enough, consider the popular, fictional Star Trek series of as realistically rosy a future as the 60s hippie could envision. Humanity has solved all of its unnecessary, universal problems like hunger and war. So what do we do? We go to war with aliens like the Klingons and Romulans! Of course, we didn’t start these wars, and we are only forced to engage in them, as we supposedly are wiser than that. However, I’m not convinced that if we were so wise, we wouldn’t be able to convince other intelligent species of the futility of war. It seems we can’t exist without war as a species, at least not for long from the suffering peace causes to some. Besides, how good a show would Star Trek be without its wars?
Your doubters are good company at a stiff arm’s length
In most schools of thoughts, one’s doubters are viewed as negative presence and influence to oneself. One is advised to stay away from them, or get rid of them, if possible. However, doubters provide a type of motivation not found anywhere else aside from one’s internal voice and psyche. Negative motivation that stir up feelings that can be useful, if managed and utilized correctly, unlike all the fuzzy positive support, or useful and practical advice. As a result, doubters have their value and should be kept in one’s life, whether the ones inside or outside of one’s head. Just keep them at a distance like the “arm’s length” metaphor, and with a little attitude like the American football “stiff arm” action where a potential tackler is rebuffed with one’s hand to their face from one’s stiff arm behind it. Don’t take their verbal crap and absorb it like some zen monk. Give them back a little smack in the form of action that speaks louder, especially when applied to their face!
A Puzzle of Two Eggs
For how they spin differently. Do you know why? Not how they’re different, but why do they spin differently that is based on that difference?
Digital Citizen 