Eccentric Flower talk:201103/This Is Important

ProfRobert:

For the record, I haven't gone away; I just didn't have anything to contribute on the last couple of entries.

I tend to agree with you about the state of the world. Most people's lives suck -- I really don't know how they manage to get through the day. I do, however, think that, in general, things have gotten better and will continue to get better, notwithstanding that it can take the form of two steps forward, one step back.

Since I can't affect large-scale problems -- Japan, Libya, Wisconsin, etc. -- I focus on small-scale: making sure my family's life doesn't suck, trying to help my friends' lives not suck, trying to help my community not suck. Just because I can't fix everything doesn't mean I can't help anything.

Matter of fact, I need to get off the computer soon and head over to 826 -- Tuesday's the afternoon I tutor the kids.

-- 18:04, 15 March 2011 (GMT)

Columbina:

No, I didn't think you were one of the ones who had gone away. I usually have a pretty good idea who's actually left, who just doesn't come to the site very often, and who reads regularly but just isn't saying much.

-- 20:10, 15 March 2011 (GMT)

Columbina:

My problem is that focusing on making things suck less on the local scale in no way distracts me from going nuts about things on the big scale.

-- 20:11, 15 March 2011 (GMT)

Medley:

""Fun" is now defined as "what happens when you manage to avoid the state of the real world." And that's all there is to it."

Well. Yes.

People find this controversial?

Ok, being a little flip there. I recognize that there are ways to incorporate fun/enjoyment into things that are also geared toward positive progress on hard real-world problems.

But, in general, that encapsulation resonates with me a great deal.

FWIW. Not much, probably.

Now I'm off to play Words With Friends on the Metro to avoid thinking about Japan and other terribly wicked global problems and their implications.

-- 20:13, 15 March 2011 (GMT)

Ysabel:

If anything, I think you're too optimistic about humanity. *grin*

-- 20:16, 15 March 2011 (GMT)