Tuesday, May 4, 2010

on perspective

oh several notes on paradigm shifts. one, my incredibly irritating customers who FREAK RIGHT OUT because their tv doesn't work for a few days. normally i would be compelled to tell them to go outside before your brain dribbles out your ears but one the other day one actually said "this is my worst fear, that the tv wont work! really, it's THE most important thing. i MUST have the tv working for the hockey game!" which both makes me feel very sorry for them, that they have nothing else of worth in their life (i have no idea when the hockey game is on and i survive just fine), and really it was all i could do not to verbally shake them with "wow, that's you worst fear? really? that must be so nice! can you teach me how to live that way?" i really really need to get away from this job before it destroys whatever is left of my faith in humanity.

favorite book quote of the day: 'a family in my sister's neighborhood was recently stricken with a double tragedy, when both the young mother and her three-year-old son were diagnosed with cancer. when catherine told me about this, i could only say, shocked, "dear god, that family needs grace." she replied firmly, "that family needs casseroles," and then proceeded to organize the entire neighborhood into bringing that family dinner, in shifts, every single night, for an entire year. i do not know if my sister fully recognizes that this is grace.'
which very much sums up my worldview on many subjects. these recent campaigns for awareness drive me absolutely mental because they make it seem like they are fixing the problem. they aren't. awareness of any issue is only the smallest first step. you have to actually do something about it to make any kind of difference. i don't object to raising awareness on subjects that need attention. i have a problem with making a huge hoopla about AWARENESS to the exclusion of actually fixing the fucking problem. i have an issue with campaigns that stop there. that take all the funding and effort that could be put to good use instead being spent on ribbons and walk-a-thons and other stupid shit instead of paying the doctors or researchers or therapists, changing curriculums, otherwise actually helping the people who really do need help instead of squandering money and time and effort trying to make the rest of the public understand that a problem exists. stop trying to figure out who's fault it is. stop trying to make the rest of the entire world hear you. focus on what's really important: what can you do now? today. this minute. right now is all we have. how do you want to spend your energy?

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