Men Judge

Men judge generally more by the eye than by the hand, for everyone can see and few can feel. Every one sees what you appear to be, few really know what you are. Niccolo Machiavelli

Democracy

Democracy consists of choosing your dictators, after they've told you what you think it is you want to hear.
- Alan Corenk

Anger

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. - Buddha

The Beginner's Mind

"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few." - Shunryo Suzuki-Roshi

Even a Dead Fish Can Go With the Flow

I heard an interview with Jim Hightower today on the radio.
He has a new book out about grass roots organizing named "Swim Against the Current: Even a Dead Fish Can Go With the Flow."
I was struck by the line "Even a Dead Fish Can Go With the Flow."
How many times have we heard "Go with the flow."?
It takes no effort. It is the path of least resistance.
It may be the easiest action to take.....or not take as the case may be.
Of course, with no effort nothing is gained.
I am a business organizer and a personal life organizer, but I am not a community organizer.
I tend to avoid involvement with leaders in civic life. I would rather be left alone.
I want to go along my own path, "Do my own thing."
That is not "Gong with the flow." In many ways it is harder to go your own way when the current is pulling you this way and that.
I like the line "Even a Dead Fish Can Go With the Flow." because it is oh so true.
Isn't it easier to "Go with the flow." regarding so many issues of the day. I don't get involved in many issues because I'm busy "Doing my own thing." My lack of involvement may be "Going with the flow, so I can do my own thing."
This may not be the best course of action. I have admiration for people who get involved. People who "Fight the Power" as it were, but a person can only be involved with so much. I wonder what activists are sacrificing for their involvement. I can't decide.
I am reminded of a story from the Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner classic bit, "The Two Thousand Year Old Man." To paraphrase: the two thousand year old man (Mel Brooks) told the reporter (Carl Reiner) that he was dating a woman known as Joan of Arc years ago. He told the reporter that she was very committed person. One day Joan told him that she was going to save France, and he replied, " You go ahead and save France, I'm going to go wash up."
While the activists like Jim Hightower are shaking things up, challenging the status "flow" (saving France) I'm going to go wash up.

Morals

There is no moral precept that does not have something inconvenient about it.
- Denis Diderot

Think About Thinking

"Once you understand that what you think about is what controls your life, you start getting real carefu1 about what you think about," Wayne W. Dyer, Ph.D.