Tuesday, March 2, 2010

You should definitely read this post...

We are all a part of a global culture, but at the same time we have our own worlds. We live each day and learn from the people we encounter, create and revise thoughts and ideas, and try to enjoy life to the fullest. There will always be ups and downs, forks in the road, and decisions that keep us up at night, but we do the best we can.

At the same time, we also ask others for advice, look to our mentors and elders for guidance and mutually depend on those we trust to better ourselves. But, there is a slippery slope between giving a suggestion, and telling someone what they SHOULD do. It might not seem like a big deal, but when another person tells you what you should do, they take away your power and your ability to experience something for yourself. They could give you great advice and know what to do, but it is coming from their perspective, and it is based on their own experiences. It is impossible to know exactly what will be "good" for another. And even if a person does not follow a suggestion, and it leads to a "bad" result, who is to say that they weren't meant to learn from the mistake? What makes something beneficial? Isn't that open to interpretation as well?

I think an easy example to use would be if someone has a stomach ache. One friend thinks you should pop a Tums, while another thinks you should have a peppermint. Both have worked for each of them, but it doesn't mean either one might help you. If they don't form it as a suggestion, then it forces upon you the burden of doing what they say, or else it is implied that you will not make the correct decision. But maybe there is no right decision, and what you choose to do will help you learn and become more independent. If you ask others what to do, then who are you?

In a broader sense, we all see strangers every day - commuting to work, shopping, going out to dinner, etc. Some look like us, wear similar clothing, and have the same favorite meals, while others are completely different and foreign in our point of view. But does that make them weird? SHOULD they be more like us? Why? In a society that eats and poops judgment, we are trained to continually evaluate and decide the good from the bad. Are they really on two polar ends of the spectrum, or perhaps they are more subjectively defined by the individual?

It is amazing to just notice all of these little worlds within the world, and acknowledge the creativity in all of us. Next time you walk outside, observe the people around you, and appreciate the diversity and uniqueness of our society.  Only a suggestion...

4 comments:

  1. Your writings are enjoyable to read and observations are very enlightening. I agree our mistakes let us cry, let us laugh and above all we learn. Turn right, turn left, sometimes both roads are correct...both roads are beautiful and a pleasure to be traveling on....enjoy and have fun! Lynn

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  2. Thank you for your comment!

    I liked what you wrote about both roads being correct. Traveling on these paths is life's adventure!

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  3. JB--Thanks so much for commenting on my blog post on laughter! I will be writing more about your question very soon, as well as publishing an article, which I will point you to when it comes out. Laughter is a fascinating topic both scientifically and artistically to me.

    Genevieve

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  4. so you're pretty much saying dont' take tums or peppermint? or mix both?

    Love the blog still..keep it up JB!

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