I know, some of you are now screaming, “THAT’S THE POINT, JERK!” Yeah, I know this, but along with that point is another point:
Many of the actions, attitudes, and behaviors we deem to be sexual harassment are basically common things most all of us are often doing to each other.
The value of an individual now, more than ever, is measured almost exclusively by his or her contribution to the economy. What are you worth? What is your profession? How much do you earn? How many kids do you have? What zip code do you live in? What kind of car do you drive? Now that the majority of middle-class Americans have college degrees, our education even boils down to, how expensive was the college you got that degree from? Prestige replaces practical education, and application of learning.
I am convinced those who struggle with depression are the ones who are the most creative, the most intelligent, the most empathetic, and the most aware of how fucked up our world actually is, and sometimes they’re just done with it. They’re done fighting. They’re done with people like the politicians who think life is all stock tickers, oil, and tax loopholes, and that the people in this world don’t matter. They’ve ridden the ride, and they’ve decided it is time for them to step off.
Their terms.
I’m never going to look like a Chippendales dancer, unless you compare me to Chris Farley in the SNL skit. So I’ll be happier just reducing the spare tire, and not being a flabby old man in five years.
I mean, flabbier, and older, I guess.
As I have often said, every day we are faced with decisions. We make those decisions in the moment using the best information we have at that moment. From that, you should have no regrets.
There’s no such thing as an undamaged person, but to understand someone else’s damage, to understand what they need, and to understand who you need to be in order to not add to that damage takes effort. A lot of effort. Effort that very few people are willing to put into a relationship.
This is really complicated. But it isn’t about who is damaging who, or what damage we all have. We have to start putting more effort into understanding ourselves, having patience with each other, and recognizing the things that truly matter in our world. There’s no one right answer, or easy answer, or magic pill.
The important things to remember are, when we win, we win with grace. When we lose, we keep our dignity, and take lessons from our losses.
Good character means more in life than having a perfect record, or a shelf of trophies.
At what point do we say, ok, we need to actually stop living like animals in the feast or famine world, and start working together as a collective in a focused effort to make the world a better place?
A see a lot people calling Kanye West a “genius.” By what definitions is this guy a genius? Not all misunderstood people are geniuses. Not all popular artists are geniuses either. Most geniuses probably languish, and are never recognized as such. I have yet to witness this genius displaying any traits that I would call, genius.
Tags are polite, professional courtesy, and technically required. But exposure means getting a bigger, more positive, and active message out throughout your networking circles.