Just about anything can be overdone. That's why the ancients advised living in moderation. A little excitement but not too much. A pastry now and then but not too much. Of course, good excitement can easily make us want more. A good Danish can lead to the question Why not a Danish with every meal? Add to that inner impulse, the exploitation by marketers and we soon find ourselves being efficiently supplied with exciting stories and a steady supply of tempting, addicting goodies.
You may remember the phrase "bread and circuses" to describe the strategy to keep the citizens of Rome happy and amused whether it was good in the long run or not. We have better tools and better research these days and it is easy to get trained in on steady diets of pleasure and ease. We can accomplish the training all by ourselves, with plenty of books, television and beer.
It is possible to awake from a stupor of cheap and repetitious activities and move to a pathway of more challenge. If we look around and we have time, money and health, we can uncover more and more possibilities for both personal fun and enrichment while steadily increasing our contribution and service to others. For those who are retired, the set of attractions of demonstrable worth can grow to overwhelming proportions. Even though our strength is waning and our attention span is shortening, we still uncover or are offered more and more ways we know we would enjoy spending our time.
Those who are not retired have the same opportunities to engagement but they have the added set of calls and duties that come from trying for good job performance and strengthening the organization or business we are working for. As everyday knowledge of good eating, good body care, good work on a marriage or partnership, good parenting, good contributions to our religious or political affiliations grow, it is easier and easier to get too busy.
I am considering the idea that a major contributor to the rancor and animosity we find in public forums today is our general level of busyness. I am not accustomed to sitting in front of my fireplace with a quiet cup of tea and reading a political or religious pamphlet. That may have been what leisured, educated people did 200 years ago but they didn't have cars, credit cards, internet and steady offers to visit here, luxuriate there and learn that. So, if you are going to try to give me a persuasive message today, it has to be short and to the point and you know that. Further, it might be better to skip the explanation as to why I should join your group or support your cause and just cut to the famous Bottom Line. In fact, try to get me to use an immediate reaction, an emotional image-promoted one and not bother disturbing my slower but more powerful reasoning abilities. You know I am not going to take the time to read step-by-step explanations of what your cause is all about so just try to shout above the din:
DO THIS! NOW!
Immediate Danger!
No time to think!
Take the recommended action RIGHT NOW to save yourself and everything you love!
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Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety
