Imagine an
inflexible panel of judges who would only give ANY enterprise a single try? We
would still be using oil lamps today.
Discovery will not occur without taking risks. And I am not just addressing materialistic
gains; I am addressing our personal relationships as well; specifically who we
are, ‘art’. I see a pervasive
inflexibility and impatience in current interpersonal relationships; be that
intimate or associates at our work place.
Where-ever expected perfection resides, there little innovation will
occur; desire will be extinguished by fear of shunning or dismissal. 
We are shaped and conditioned
by the tools of reward and punishment.
Is it any wonder if punishment outweighs reward that pursuit of
excellence is counterproductive? Where once
society welcomed exploration, now there is a gauntlet of trepidation over missteps. Professed by experts and pundits proclaiming
their way is the only way
because they believe it to be true. In a
fearful society one does not dare stand out, as an individual. To do so is akin to being a hero. The unspoken theme of a hero is one of self
sacrifice.
We’re teaching our
population cowardice when we execute the innovator, the explorer, the risk
taker. I think it is a social crime to
tacitly accept policy blindly along with increasing practice to destroy
anything that does not agree with a personal belief system. We read so much
about bullying in school, isn’t this being taught? Where intolerance to differences has its own
justification?
Evaluating qualities only on
economic return, or servicing a narrow, rigid belief is devaluing to everything. Talent and popular don’t always go hand and
hand. Just as utility is not the same as
worth. Our gains are not always measured
by comfort; rather more by how we are affected, or even, how we feel by
contributing to the effort. The art of
living invokes us to think and to feel, that is where quality of life ratchets
up to worthy. Even if outside it goes
without notice, or cost nothing, we must embrace a practice of swallowing our
unfounded terror and adopt a decency to respect the unknown. To argue is to resist, allowance is by design
welcoming. Living art, as discussion of our options, is exploring; free from
the burden dead weight of cherished, unexamined expectations or blind obedience
to beliefs. As any explorer will tell
you, trail blazing reaps its own rewards, but its hard fought and exhausting work
to reach the summit of your horizon.
2 comments:
I often wonder at this self culling of humanity as well. It seems a byproduct of the larger system- national powers, currencies based on scarcity divided by productivity. Innovation plays only a foot note in that it enables new productivity or affects the rate of use in regards to scarcity. People with gumption are under the net. Even those who wish to innovate will find both the siren call of selling out for profit as the carrot, and the stick of fact that money buys research for fields that are profitable, not those that are useful. I'm thankful that their is at least some effort for pure science out there; I think it's one of the few fields where a wandering mind can become willfully lost.
I agree with your observation concerning the larger system influence. Herbert Kelman, a Harvard Professor in 1958 (wow a long time ago eh?) identified three broad varities of social influence as being COMPLIANCE; appearance of agreement but keeping a dissenting opinion private, IDENTIFICATION; where people are influenced by people the like or respect, and INTERNALIZATION; accepting a belief or behavior and agree both publicly and privately. These elements are in play every moment of our choosing whether conscious of them or not. I suggest effort to become aware so I can feel that rush of owning my mistakes rather than just be surprised by the outcome.
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