Friday
Now: Your Own Exertions
Is the story I’ve just recounted worth filling this experimental online journal with 30,000 words, and worth a reader's time to actually wade through these words?
Allow me to bore into your mind for a moment, especially those of you whose possible interest in my story is that somewhere in my tale may be something of value to you.
In my career I look at trends among media audiences, and I’m struck by how people today, including me and you, approach much of today’s society in ways different from the past. The reasons are many. First off, institutions and people we used to trust are being revealed as crooks: priests, big corporations, Martha Stewart. Or, they’re being revealed as wrong: that Audi that never had an accelerator problem; saccharine is harmless and does not cause cancer, and, in my case, a trusted doctor was actually a puppet and a dunce. Also, with so much bombardment of information and hype and too many choices in what we consume – like 16 types of frozen waffles – our only defense is to approach almost everything previously trusted with a mix of confusion and cynicism.
But this is unhealthy to body, mind and spirit. The absurdity of what you previously considered reality is actually an opening for you to now open your mind and adjust your behavior.
You might ask yourself: OK, if things I believed are now unbelievable, then maybe some previously unbelievable things might be right. For example, there is my absolute belief now that the tradition of the medicine bag from South America and healing hands are powerful medicine.
But, a caution. Don't expect "black" to flash to "white" with any degree of clarity when you poke at any old beliefs. Just don't give up quickly on anything. You need to merely begin the act of simultaneously riding a bunch of broncs, all trying to buck you back into your shell, for this bet to work.
In thinking about whom to quote to end this journal, I first thought about Ben Stein because of my persistent awareness of him since a close comrade and I first discovered him 30 years ago, thinking he was the planet's most brilliant journalist. But, I rejected the notion because he started as a white knight, morphed to gray and then turned black. His gray period was when he sold out to become a comic actor and game show host, but at least he was funny. And then he became an insufferable shill for what I consider to be the wrong side of the political spectrum. But, hey, I've been rambling on about reconnecting here, so I poked around to see if he was still pithy. A search revealed a great quote about personal relationships that really struck home, and then I found Ben's variation on an old theme:
"Nothing happens by itself... it all will come your way, once you understand that you have to make it come your way, by your own exertions."
So with a final whack at universal piñata minds: Go ahead...Why not start hanging your exertions out there men (and any women who could benefit from reconnectedness). You might not want to go as far as I've been trekking for three years. But go somewhere and do something different.
At least try planting your tough feet firmly on the ground, square those big shoulders, pull the head and heart sides together and start grabbing at some of the swirling good beams from other people and other paths to healing. Then feel the lift. ¶ 1:45 PM
Allow me to bore into your mind for a moment, especially those of you whose possible interest in my story is that somewhere in my tale may be something of value to you.
In my career I look at trends among media audiences, and I’m struck by how people today, including me and you, approach much of today’s society in ways different from the past. The reasons are many. First off, institutions and people we used to trust are being revealed as crooks: priests, big corporations, Martha Stewart. Or, they’re being revealed as wrong: that Audi that never had an accelerator problem; saccharine is harmless and does not cause cancer, and, in my case, a trusted doctor was actually a puppet and a dunce. Also, with so much bombardment of information and hype and too many choices in what we consume – like 16 types of frozen waffles – our only defense is to approach almost everything previously trusted with a mix of confusion and cynicism.
But this is unhealthy to body, mind and spirit. The absurdity of what you previously considered reality is actually an opening for you to now open your mind and adjust your behavior.
You might ask yourself: OK, if things I believed are now unbelievable, then maybe some previously unbelievable things might be right. For example, there is my absolute belief now that the tradition of the medicine bag from South America and healing hands are powerful medicine.
But, a caution. Don't expect "black" to flash to "white" with any degree of clarity when you poke at any old beliefs. Just don't give up quickly on anything. You need to merely begin the act of simultaneously riding a bunch of broncs, all trying to buck you back into your shell, for this bet to work.
In thinking about whom to quote to end this journal, I first thought about Ben Stein because of my persistent awareness of him since a close comrade and I first discovered him 30 years ago, thinking he was the planet's most brilliant journalist. But, I rejected the notion because he started as a white knight, morphed to gray and then turned black. His gray period was when he sold out to become a comic actor and game show host, but at least he was funny. And then he became an insufferable shill for what I consider to be the wrong side of the political spectrum. But, hey, I've been rambling on about reconnecting here, so I poked around to see if he was still pithy. A search revealed a great quote about personal relationships that really struck home, and then I found Ben's variation on an old theme:
"Nothing happens by itself... it all will come your way, once you understand that you have to make it come your way, by your own exertions."
So with a final whack at universal piñata minds: Go ahead...Why not start hanging your exertions out there men (and any women who could benefit from reconnectedness). You might not want to go as far as I've been trekking for three years. But go somewhere and do something different.
At least try planting your tough feet firmly on the ground, square those big shoulders, pull the head and heart sides together and start grabbing at some of the swirling good beams from other people and other paths to healing. Then feel the lift. ¶ 1:45 PM
