Total Pageviews

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

A Book Review and Geekwise Endorsement and nothing more........

I found this book in a USA Today article from April 25, 2011. Based on the article, I have to throw my endorsement behind it and promise it go read it at Borders as soon as the library computer kicks me off-line.

Hugh MacCleod goes in the Wheaton's category not because "losing a crappy job" forced him to redefine who he was and how he wanted to live. We all know that Wil is the master of Fiscal Reincarnation. But MacCleod goes into the same category for the following reasons which I am pinching from the article.
  • We are here to find meaning. We are here to help other people do the same. Everythign else is secondary.
  • Believe in something. Ite really works. Trust me.
  • Make art every day. I didn't wait for the money, I didn't wait to be discovered, I didn't wait for approval from others. I just got on with it, everyday.
It is a Wheatonian philosphy to be sure. But he uses words like "futzing" and alludes to things geeky that we can relate to when saying we have to start acting like officers in command of our own lives. And by extrapolation I can infer that we aren't just a bunch of acting ensigns and if we are knock it off and get to work. Oh and the veiled hint to the Evil League of Evil. Or may be I just read geek references into everything... oh well. 

Keep in mind that I am only going by the article. I will write more later after actually reading the thing. If I find that he has the magic formula for not needing approval [my particular downfall] I will report with all due haste. That is the one thing that I don't know that Wil has been able to impart. The ability to let go of approval is a mutant superpower I can get behind. As humans we seem to need it so badly. Even the President is jerked around by the approval ratings leash.... and we see how well that always works. But still... we let it control what we do. And in many cases we let it hogtie us. That kind of impotence is what destroys individauls and eventually, I believe, the societies in which they live.

I know I am an alruist with fascile leanings. But seriously.... what is wrong with helping other people be the best they can be? Is it really gonna skin somone's nose to say "You can do eet!" I know it is easy to tear someone down and throw out road blocks. But isn't it just as easy to help someone in a real and meaningful way so that they can maintain their strength and care for themselves? Does it really take away from the quality of life to help a fellow human out? I would think that endless array of social programs would do that quicker. I know some people do not want to work. I know some people are always holding out an empty hand. But some of us genuinely do not know how to procede and only need encouragement and a place to regroup for a short time to avoid long term problems later.

It really all boils down to doing what you love to do and not letting the dreamkillers keep you up at night.

No comments:

Post a Comment