In a way this is simply mental rambling...done simply to open some doors of deeper thought...
From a "Day to Day" perspective...Rocks don't change... ...much...
I once read a quote that said...(poorly quoted...but you'll get the point), "If you aren't getting better...you are getting worse..."
At first I disagreed with that statement...because there are many people that are phenomenally great at being stable as if their life's motto is... "same old - same old"
That is to say that they definitely aren't getting better...AND they definitely are not getting worse!
And they were (are) happy!
But as I thought deeper into this topic...I had to ask...
Is not getting better...bad?
So deep in thought, was I, that I was not watching where I was walking and low and behold...I stubbed my toe...on a rock!
Not really...but it made me smile!
So let's go back to "the rocks!"
Rocks don't change much from day to day...
They are a great "standard of stability"
If there was such thing as a picture of "same old/same old" it would be a rock...
I can say that except for geologists...for everyone else...
Rocks are boring...
AND DEAD!
BUT WAIT!
I bet that you are asking..."Didn't you just write about the fact that a rock could be conscious?"
Yes I did..."but I did not say that consciousness required life!
This leads us to an interesting thought about apathy!
Apathy requires consciousness of the situation...but it includes inaction!
A rock by definition is simply the "epitome of apathy!"
It just sits there...no matter what the situation may be...
Apathetic people (those who lack action) are the same...
They are nothing more than rocks!
What an interesting thought!!!
Rocks are boring...
AND DEAD!
Change and life...
There are so many interesting and technical definitions of life...
My perspective on the definition of life changed when I thought about providing value to the world around us...rather than just the standard definition of life which includes:
- The ability to reproduce...
- The ability to self-sustain...
- The ability to grow...
What I have concluded is that the standard definition of life is VERY self-serving...but I had to ask...
Is that living?
HUH?
Is there a difference between Life and Living?
It the difference distinct (black or white)...or is it just different shades of grey?
Levels of life...
Life exists on many levels...perhaps it would be easier to envision a continuium...
It is the "rating system" that we could use to segment and stratify (classify) each individual entity!
Let's create one!
The possibilities are endless...so I get to pick one!
Let's use a standard of "Value"
Value...we'll define as "positive contribution to the world, outside of the "living entity"
On one end of our spectrum we then have a life that is totally self-serving...that contributes to the world around it!
We call them parasites and predators...
AND...
On the opposite end of the spectrum...we have life that is totally altruistic...
We often call that type of life "food"
As we ponder this concept...we realize that the extremes are purely theoretical...
There is a "value proposition" involved in all life...
It is the answer to the question...
"What does the world get...for what the entity took from it?"
I know that this is boring...but stay with it for a little bit longer! LOL!
It is just logical that "Most" of life resides around the center of our rating system...
AND...
That value is dynamic and relative...meaning that at any time something can be valuable to the world around it...and then suddenly become valueless!
ALSO...
Something valuable in one part of the world may actually be detrimental in another part!
DUH!
An epiphany of the utterly obvious!
Enough of the "value" discussion!
What to do? What to do?
Earlier in our discussion we contemplated the difference between "life" and "living"
An interesting concept to note is that the "value" can not be determined or defined by the "entity" for itself...
"Value" is determined by the world external to the "entity"
Which means that what it provides to the outside world is of greater value than what it takes in value from the world...
It is a "net cost" thing!
Success (for those aspiring for it and rather loosely defined) is the point at which the world receives more value than it gives for the entity's presence!
In order to be a "valuable" entity...one must continually strive to add value that is either equal to or increasing or changing...(the latter preferred)...
Do you see where we are going?
Time for a commercial break!
What is this world coming to?
What ever happened to Common Courtesy?
When did Common Sense become a trait to be avoided?
Good questions!
We may have the answer for you!
Back in the days of yore...
Common Courtesy was simply expected...
Common Sense was a trait that everyone strives for...
Then came excuses...
Like...
"...OH...he is just angry...he loses control and common courtesy falls by the wayside..."
"...they are teenagers...everyone knows that all teenagers lack common sense..."
I bet you can think of hundreds of these excuses that licensed individuals to be discourteous...or just plain STUPID!
What we have realized that "excuses" and the universal acceptance of them is a fatal disease!
Excuses must be avoided at all costs...lest you fall victim to this terrible pangenic disease!
Disease you ask?
What are the symptoms...
The first symptom is that people tend to lose their hearing and eyesight!
They begin to fail to see bad things going on around them...
The second symptom is lethargy...(some experts have called this "political correctness")
Their reactions are delayed to a point that that any response to the detrimental behaviors around them are meaningless...
The third symptom is apathy...
The infected give up totally...take on a rock-like appearance...and retreat into total non-effectiveness...
Rock-like?
ROCKS ARE DEAD!
This message has been brought to you by the association for the elimination of rock-like apathy!
Success and Living...
If we strive for success...we are by definition striving to go beyond life to living!
Success (and we all know it) is temporal...and volatile...
Success (value) of one moment can be totally "value-less" the next...
Success over a period of time is simply "maximizing" the number of moments that value has been added to the outside world...relative to what has been received!
If we pursue success we are always "taking it to the next level"...
Doe this make sense?
Excuses for failure simply add explanation...but do not create value...
That is just common sense!
This is more than common sense...
It is a commitment...and obligation!
To our entire existence...but more importantly...to every moment...
...we need to take it to the next level and the next and the next!
Let's revisit our "Common" theme before we close for the weekend...
Speaking of taking it up a level or three...there is something that (I think) needs to become a level again!
I hope that you agree!
We joke about common courtesy and common sense being oxymorons...
We are guilty of letting it become that!
Most of psychology and sociology agrees that individuals have a tendency to perform to the expectations of the world around them...
If an individual does not display common courtesy...or exhibits common sense...it is because it is not expected...
The lack of either is not a genetic issue...
It is the result of the world around them...(their world)...becoming apathetic to less than desirable behaviors...
We can change this...
How?
By first modeling and then expecting common courtesy and common sense from those around us!
Let's make Common courtesy and Common sense...
COMMON!
If it is common then it is expected...
Let's take life to the next level...
It is our obligation to do this in EVERY moment!
Enough said!
Pura Vida!
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