To say this week was eventful would be such a sublime statement as to convince one mountains were moved hourly by everyone. Yes, some people do. I happen to be one of them. Grab a cuppa and snuggle into a rocker. The wind has died back to a pleasant breeze. Let’s talk.
Email Subscriptions
It appears there was massive malfunction of the subscription system, and many folks thought I had died. Someone told me the assumption was I was on vacation. I just shake my head.
In more than a year, I have missed fewer than seven days. Still, there are more than two posts for every day since M3 was born. This post is the 768th. Even when I am MIA from the blogosphere, guest posters keep the place jumping. A few of M3’s most popular and active posts have been by guest posters.
For future reference: If more than two days passes without a subscription email from The M3 Blog, climb in the SIB. I will immediately discover and eradicate the problem.
Just in Case You Missed One
In the left sidebar, you will see a list of the latest posts. If you missed one in the email snafu, please visit the posts. There has been fun, art and announcements this week.
Print!
Not the least of the announcements was the release of a dozen books through Redmund Productions. All are available in print, PDF, Kindle and ebook (ePUB). The M3 Readers should scroll (do not walk) over to the RedmundPro book store and click on the cover of interest. Proceeds go to starving authors in three countries. Do your part to solve the starving author crisis. Press the button.
Right Turn, Clyde.
Orangutans are not so sure humans are the dominant species. One of the things which separates man from ape is the higher cognitive function when applied to communication. Clyde thinks it is all smoke and mirrors.
How many times have you been convinced someone’s (even your) mouth was not attached to a brain? This phenomenon is not relegated to any one realm, yet all those who encounter it are certain it is more prevalent in their arena than anyone else’s.
Not true.
In fact, people say the most egocentric, misinformed, idiotic, ill-conceived, incredible things every single day. Have you ever asked yourself why? Better still, have you ever asked the person with the feces falling from their lips?
Throughout the animal kingdom the hierarchy of family holds precepts for pecking order. All of them are geared toward the health and welfare of the group. Enter humans.
Culling
As a species we choose on a daily basis to walk away from the weakest. Unlike other animals, we do not do this to strengthen the whole, as there are no predators to mollify with the sacrificial lamb.
We are not culling the herd to prevent disease or strengthen the pack. Instead, we walk away, turn our backs, leave them to the care of those whose compassion would compel them to do the caring we find unpalatable. We find it so unpalatable we do not even contribute funds or resources to the support. Again, it is not our (problem, fault, concern) someone else is afflicted by something we were (genetically, statistically, luckily) spared.
Contact
As a species we eschew our responsibilities to ensure those in our group are supported emotionally. Unlike the lioness playing with cavorting cubs, we seek solitary entertainment… “me time”.
We are raising generations who engage in completely antiseptic engagement. Cyber relationships replaced dating. Emoticons replaced the need to express feelings verbally. Bombs are computer guided from the opposite side of the planet than where they fall. Telephones are now for games and apps, not conversations.
Greater Good
As a species we engage herd behavior only when it is to our direct benefit, despite our railing against it when it is not immediately evident we benefit from its support.
Got a ticket? Pay it but do not support the police benefit. Paying for your crime is support enough, right? Why can’t they just use your fine money for whatever they want today?
Fireman’s benefit ball? You did not lose your spouse in a fire. Why would you support an event for the children of a fallen firefighter? You did not start the fire.
Mayor corrupt? You did not vote for him. Why would you help the district getting the new landfill stop him from receiving kick backs from the trash company? After all, he did not put it in your neighborhood.
Enter Ape
Right turn, Clyde.
We say awful thing about the people who do the most for us. We disparage parents without knowing the sacrifice they made to give us the non-idyllic childhood they could muster. We spurn public servants when they point out our bad behavior. We ignore wrongdoing when its effect is not directly impacting us.
Despite our sophisticated language and our written verbosity, we choose not to engage making the world a better place. We choose to insulate ourselves from the evil which runs rampant in our midst. We choose to abide those we know would sacrifice us in a moment of self-preservation.
We shriek our dissatisfaction when attention is not focused on us yet choose the energy-saving apathy over action. We denigrate when displeased yet do not congratulate other’s success or thank those who care for others in our stead.
Moreover, we hold silent when our voices could change the world.
It is enough to make an ape wonder.
Quietly,
Disclaimer: Although I used an example from politics, this post is not an invitation to discuss any current or past political topic. It is designed to elicit responses on the concept of social and cultural communication.
When was the last time you thanked someone for a service they provide? Do you volunteer? Have you ever supported a cause for those less fortunate? What is the best thing we could all do to make the world a better place?
© Red Dwyer 2013
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prenin
/ February 2, 2013I agree Red!
I spent my life making a difference where I could and changed some lives for the better, often despite themselves, but there are those it does not pay to help, no matter how good our intentions.
That still doesn’t stop me trying though! 🙂
Love and hugs!
Prenin.
Red
/ February 2, 2013Good thing. We need to teach others to do it. That’s the secret. 😉
John McDevitt
/ February 2, 2013Thank you are two of the goodest words in the language (why can’t I say good, gooder and goodest?). Many people are all too eager to complain and criticize a person but thank you never leaves their lips. You’d think the phrase causes lip blisters or something. It doesn’t. Thank you causes smiles.
John McDevitt recently posted..High Contrast Play
Red
/ February 2, 2013If it did, John, my lips would have long since fallen off. Great to see you tonight.
Binky
/ February 2, 2013If we were less self-centered, less in it for ourselves, and less driven by sheer greed, the world would be a better place. For many, nothing is ever enough. If we could apply that in reverse, giving to others, then things could be quite a bit better.
Binky recently posted..Mouse Trap
Red
/ February 2, 2013I want to figure out how to get everyone to apply it for the good of others. Feeling kind of square-pegged as it were.
Laurie
/ February 2, 2013I volunteer at shorty’s school. I donate clothing. We can all perform random acts of kindness to make the world a better place, it might become contagious.
I’d love to know when I got logged out.
Red
/ February 3, 2013I have no idea. It logged me out, too. With 9 screens open. Meh.
Gray Dawster
/ February 2, 2013I have enjoyed reading this posting, and your previous FTP but I will call back later today to add something more meaningful on both 🙂
Have a nice rest of evening Red and by the way I like the scrolling action on the top right of your M3 site 🙂
It looks really great 🙂
Red
/ February 3, 2013It is new. I rather like it as well. There are a few more instances of it. One very large one I will reveal in a couple weeks. 😉
Lisa Neumann
/ February 2, 2013Powerful words, thank you! Happy to report I have accomplished all those today. Ask me again tomorrow? Hopefully the answer will be, “yes.”
Red
/ February 3, 2013Excellent. When others ask us why we are joyful, it is a testament to be able to say we have a clear conscience from being appropriately grateful not only for what we have but for who we are. xxx
Valentine Logar
/ February 3, 2013I suspect Red with each new generation the virtue of selfishness is becoming more prominent. Some of this might be because each generation is becoming more isolated, more entitled and less educated. When I say educated I mean able to think for themselves, able to use critical thinking to sort out problems.
I think also with each generation they are becoming more medicated, less feeling. The one thing most of us feel? Fear, of others, of the future, of differences. Compassion and empathy doesn’t seem to be high on the list of values any longer.
Powerfully written my sister.
Valentine Logar recently posted..Things My Husband Says
RLB
/ February 3, 2013Val, you are right on the mark. There’s always been a “generation gap” with the sager members of the tribe trying to keep the younguns in line, but THIS generation apparently is past help. I can barely stand to watch any broadcast tv anymore, and the news is the worst offender. Thank God for PBS and sites like this!
Red
/ February 3, 2013I agree with you wholeheartedly about the media. It has only been in the last two years I have even allowed the children access to PBS. My hope is the sager members are reaching for their grandchildren with more accuracy than where they may have failed with their children. Glad to see you today.
Red
/ February 3, 2013It weighs on me to see so many without compassion or compunction for that matter. They are not penitent for their stupidity. There is a duality to the lacking education: One part lack of access, one part lack of participation. The withdrawal frightens me. The tribes become smaller for those isolationists, which breeds its own systemic detractors, the most notable being the lack of resources.
Thank you. Still quiet… xxx
Bearman
/ February 3, 2013“Moreover, we hold silent when our voices could change the world.”
Probably my biggest fault.
Bearman recently posted..Customer Service Phone Trees
Red
/ February 3, 2013I think you do speak out. Perhaps not to the level you believe you should, but your platform is one which can awaken your audience.
raymond alexander kukkee
/ February 3, 2013Red, this is perhaps one of your all-time best posts. It addresses the concept of apathy–and making wrong choices.
We as a civilization are totally irresponsible-we allow, even encourage silence where we should be speaking out loudly and clearly–and make a difference where possible. Strangely enough, and conveniently, to some, but in absolute terms, it is unknown if our statements will make a difference until they are MADE; requiring us to be bold and to express concern for other human beings.
Bearman is right on the money. We should be speaking up, period. We fail too often.
Well said, Red, and from the corner office, kudos to you on this one. ~R
raymond alexander kukkee recently posted..Writing Life: Ethics in Content Marketing
Red
/ February 3, 2013Words are so cheap they have been declared free. It costs nothing to speak. For those who fear the impact of their words, I have to say fear will kill you. Every word spoken makes a difference…some good, some bad. Which we choose to allow from our lips and fingers is what defines us as an influencer. For all the world with no brain attached to their mouths, I cannot wrap my brain around those with the attachment and the mute button fully depressed.
Bo Lumpkin
/ February 3, 2013I just discussed (in a prayer circle) this morning the concept of making cards I call “Blessing Cards” to give in circumstances where someone has been a blessing to us. I have been doing this with some of the crosses that I make from copper and cedar when someone is really a special blessing but I want to expand it. I think it makes our world a little better if people know that they are a blessing to someone else.
Red
/ February 3, 2013My sister makes postcards and sends them because she says it is good to get something in the mail from someone who does not want money. She is right. One of my fondest (speechless) memories is someone I have never gotten to know coming to me to tell me I had changed his life. He reads me and takes the things I say into consideration before he puts them into practice. Your idea is a really good one, Bo. I hope many choose to pursue it. Remind me of it next time we talk.