Opinions being what they are, there is always something to write about.
I have not written in a month, in that period I have been taking some time to reprioritize my life and my thoughts, so I would like you to indulge me if for my first column back as I turn inwards instead of out.
You see, while writing these columns I am always thinking about what is currently happening in the world around us; be it as universal as global warming or as local as the causeway to Riverview. As an opinion writer I search for a position that I think I could uphold morally and ethically and then write it as definitely as I can -- hoping for two things, to get people thinking, and to get discussion started.
Many of us have opinions. Oh, who am I kidding, all of us have opinions. Many of us can voice them eloquently; while still more of us can voice them passionately. From what hockey team to cheer for right up to who to elect as a leader, each of us chimes in within society to try and make our voice heard. Or, at the very least, to try and get our friends to think like us.
Deep within our consciousness, I believe each and every one of believes we are right. Absolutely, universally, right. For some reason I believe I know how to solve the economic woes of the country. Despite the odds I know for certain I could run the government better. Heck, I probably even believe I could cure my own diseases better than my doctor.
Does any of this ring true for you?
Does any of it sound sort of ridiculous when you stop and think about it?
I do think this is the way most of us think. We act like and interact with people as if we could do their job better than them. Every day we believe that we have a better system or idea than the experts who are trying to solve problems.
Have you ever heard of Albert Einstein? He was one of those people who thought outside the box. He revolutionized physics. He played a huge role in developing atomic concepts (as in the atom bomb and nuclear energy). If we ever get time travel or teleportation down it will be because of Einstein's thought and work.
When they did an autopsy on Albert they found out that he had a brain defect. It turns out that the regions involved in speech and language were smaller, while the regions involved with numerical and spatial processing were larger. He simply thought about the world differently. He was a one in a billion random genetic mutation who could grasp space and time better than almost every other human being.
In many respects, he also failed. Albert would be the first to tell you this. He had a failed marriage, failed relationships, and even many, many failed scientific theories.
It is because of his failures, more than his successes, that Einstein said some of the wisest things I have ever read; one of which is this: "No problem can be solved from the same consciousness that created it."
I have decided to make this one of my personal credos.
For me it means two things, first, it means freedom of expression. Second, it means humility.
Let me explain. What we need in the world is more honest communication about deeper issues with each other. We need a free press that can challenge conventional wisdom, and we need everyone speaking up about what they believe.
Although it sounds easy, there is an obstacle: this requires honesty.
When someone asks me how I am, I have to admit that I am a little messed up. I am sick, or sad, or lonely, or stressed . . . I cannot understand the instructions to put together the table I just bought, the weather is bringing me down, and I wish we could rethink capitalism.
At least, that is what is in my head. What I actually say to people is "fine."
How are we ever going to have authentic dialogue and learn to trust each other if we gloss over almost every aspect of our lives as we interact? We need to free ourselves to communicate with each other on simple things to make it easier to talk about the harder things.
Which is all wrapped up in the second part of my solution to the world's problems: when we are open about our thoughts and feelings we will discover that we cannot really solve all the world's problems. We are just one person, and we need help.
I came across another great quote this past month, this one from an even more unlikely source, the DJ of the original Woodstock concert back in 1969, Wavy Gravy.
According to Wavy Gravy, "We're all bozos on the bus, so we might as well sit back and enjoy the ride."
How is that for a philosophy? From the cleverest neurosurgeon to the happiest bus driver, we are all just bozos on the bus. We have our own idiosyncrasies and problems, we are geniuses about something, and idiots about something else, and we all stumble through life and make mistakes. We are human.
The good thing is we also all do incredibly miraculous wonderful things.
But we need to remember that we are just bozos.
So every week I write about something I believe in. I try to change the world in my own little humble corner of Monday morning's paper.
But the philosophy behind why I do things is tied up in these two statements -- sometimes it takes the views of a different person to help us see our life a little bit more clearly; and we are all bozos making our own mistakes.
When we operate from there and are truly open to each other, I am convinced everything will change.
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