Evan posted his goals for 2017:
"-Swim more, climb more
-Learn Portuguese, read Swedish
-Finish Young/Confused
-Take more chances on, with and for people
-Fail faster
-Don't despair
It's not a different world tomorrow morning unless you make it one."
It's the last two lines that hit hardest. I'm moving beyond despair by changing elements in my life that I can control in order to help make the world a better place and I can do that more effectively if I become a better person. I don't think I can swim any more than the 117 miles I did in 2016, but I can exercise more. I don't plan to learn a new language, but I do intend to improve my use of language, be more present and engaged, ask more thoughtful questions and reach out to others.
One important change is to cut down on social media and internet use. Today I also read Andrew Sullivan's essay in the New York Magazine titled, "I Used to Be a Human Being," which is a thought-provoking piece about people's total absorption in smartphones, using them for constant shots of dopamine from the instantaneous responses to their comments. DT is an addict and there are millions more. The article reinforced what I've been thinking, but of course it was far more eloquent and supported by concrete evidence.
One of the most disturbing things about this campaign is the lack of truth, substance, ideas and dialogue. Posts on social media can't solve any problems. People keep talking past each other. I want to understand different viewpoints. I want to read books of substance and have more personal conversations with people who think deeply, read widely and challenge my thinking. It distresses me that I have forgotten so much of the history I once read voraciously, analyzed and taught. So, I'm going to change my habits and spend my time growing, learning, writing and taking action.
No comments:
Post a Comment