Let me play the curmudgeon for a minute. We don’t need more “macro,” but this time historical macro so it’s retro-cool macro. What we need more of, like lots and lots and lots more of is the micro. We need more humanity in the moment of humanity. We need to celebrate people who smile and wave at their neighbors. Who hold a door. Who c…
Let me play the curmudgeon for a minute. We don’t need more “macro,” but this time historical macro so it’s retro-cool macro. What we need more of, like lots and lots and lots more of is the micro. We need more humanity in the moment of humanity. We need to celebrate people who smile and wave at their neighbors. Who hold a door. Who catch a plastic bag blowing in the wind and throw it in the garbage. Who shovel a sidewalk just because it could use shoveling.
I ask my daughter at the end of every school day - who’d you help today and who helped you. These are the things we need to spend more time worrying about. Not what some congressman 12 states away said or what some historian quoted. Knowledge is great, don’t get me wrong, and it needs to be remember and cherished. But the things that need to be CELEBRATED are the simple things in the here and now that make tomorrow worth being here for.
Give me the heroes who are heroes because they do the little things that make their community a community. If we all spent a LOT more time living in that world and a lot less time doing exactly what I’m doing right now 🤦♂️ We’d all be a lot better off… enjoy the irony if nothing else
You put your argument so well, thank you. I think you’re right, and wrong. But first here’s a couple of what I consider excellent quotes that bolster your case:
“Courtesies of a small and trivial character are the ones which strike deepest in the grateful and appreciating heart.” Henry Clay
“The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things.” Henry Ward Beecher
So now that you’ve read those two quotes, perhaps you could memorize them. And in that memorizing be constantly reminded why it’s important to do the small kindnesses.
Just as the memorization of great works and accomplishments, Shakespeare or Pasternak among many, remind us of the importance of the bigger tasks and takes us to the very reason why it is that practicing kind deeds, however small, can lead us to greater deeds; courage in the face of danger, fortitude in trials, to live with wonder, and to seek out beauty wherever it can be found.
Many people are celebrating the little things. You just don't see it. For two reasons: 1) You’re one person in one town/city and you see very little of what happens nationally on a community level. 2) You’re only looking at the negative, maybe even looking for it.
I'm assuming a proverbial "you" here given we don't know each other, but in that context I, at least mostly, agree.
I probably should have simplified my argument - I love theFP, and many other Substacks that discuss concepts, constructs, systems, etc. Where they lose me is when they analyze people. Certainly a personal issue - but when we discuss concepts we're broadly analyzing things which are broadly applicable. When we discuss people we're partaking in some form of hero worship or demonization, and almost nothing in between, and I'm not sure what we're supposed to take from it.
I try to have this discussion with my children all the time, but ALL people are a complicated venn diagram of good bad and otherwise, including their parents. Pretending you "know" someone you don't know at all well enough to demonize or worship them is a ridiculous concept.
Anyway - this one person in this one town tries to celebrate as many of the little things as possible because, as I also always tell my children, the only thing you have absolute control over is how you treat others.
I see what you are saying...and depending on which end of the stick a story is written from we could demonize or make someone a hero. I felt the goal was to make a thread worth pulling on about why we have life, connection (the author's standing up as they did by reciting 30)...and any story could go anyway it seems...just read the news how saving a puppy is a bad idea! Or being a person who saves puppies makes you bad!
I don’t know if we are looking for it (negativity) or we are being hit in the face every.single.day. It is easy to see negative aspects of what is going on everyday, just look out the window, talk to friends, family, look at homelessness, education going down the tubes. The list keeps going on and on we are recognizing it, verifying what we are seeing and experiencing. Trying to be safe but we are getting it from all side.
You is specific to me? Meaning that I do not see what is going on in my country? I am only vest in my community directly because it is where I am and that is directly impacting me.
ButtheDataSays - speaks an important truth . Little things add up . And must never forget that if all memory is left to a computer chip, then it is no memory at all
Let me play the curmudgeon for a minute. We don’t need more “macro,” but this time historical macro so it’s retro-cool macro. What we need more of, like lots and lots and lots more of is the micro. We need more humanity in the moment of humanity. We need to celebrate people who smile and wave at their neighbors. Who hold a door. Who catch a plastic bag blowing in the wind and throw it in the garbage. Who shovel a sidewalk just because it could use shoveling.
I ask my daughter at the end of every school day - who’d you help today and who helped you. These are the things we need to spend more time worrying about. Not what some congressman 12 states away said or what some historian quoted. Knowledge is great, don’t get me wrong, and it needs to be remember and cherished. But the things that need to be CELEBRATED are the simple things in the here and now that make tomorrow worth being here for.
Give me the heroes who are heroes because they do the little things that make their community a community. If we all spent a LOT more time living in that world and a lot less time doing exactly what I’m doing right now 🤦♂️ We’d all be a lot better off… enjoy the irony if nothing else
"Do a good turn daily" -- Boy Scout Slogan
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Yes, appreciating the little things is important in a happy lifestyle.
But remember that while we are appreciating the little things, they are busy tearing down our institutions.
Sigh.
You put your argument so well, thank you. I think you’re right, and wrong. But first here’s a couple of what I consider excellent quotes that bolster your case:
“Courtesies of a small and trivial character are the ones which strike deepest in the grateful and appreciating heart.” Henry Clay
“The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things.” Henry Ward Beecher
So now that you’ve read those two quotes, perhaps you could memorize them. And in that memorizing be constantly reminded why it’s important to do the small kindnesses.
Just as the memorization of great works and accomplishments, Shakespeare or Pasternak among many, remind us of the importance of the bigger tasks and takes us to the very reason why it is that practicing kind deeds, however small, can lead us to greater deeds; courage in the face of danger, fortitude in trials, to live with wonder, and to seek out beauty wherever it can be found.
Ain't that the truth!
Wonderfully said! And I'm very good at being wrong :), so learn from this I shall... those are beautiful quotes!
“Whatever you do is unimportant, but it is very important that you do it.” Mahatma Gandhi
In your reply you show why we can all breathe a little sigh of relief, all is well in the big and the small things.
🤯🔥❤️🤘
Amen!
I would like to believe that we can have and do both; we seem to measure time in "gotcha" moments. It's so tiresome.
Many people are celebrating the little things. You just don't see it. For two reasons: 1) You’re one person in one town/city and you see very little of what happens nationally on a community level. 2) You’re only looking at the negative, maybe even looking for it.
I'm assuming a proverbial "you" here given we don't know each other, but in that context I, at least mostly, agree.
I probably should have simplified my argument - I love theFP, and many other Substacks that discuss concepts, constructs, systems, etc. Where they lose me is when they analyze people. Certainly a personal issue - but when we discuss concepts we're broadly analyzing things which are broadly applicable. When we discuss people we're partaking in some form of hero worship or demonization, and almost nothing in between, and I'm not sure what we're supposed to take from it.
I try to have this discussion with my children all the time, but ALL people are a complicated venn diagram of good bad and otherwise, including their parents. Pretending you "know" someone you don't know at all well enough to demonize or worship them is a ridiculous concept.
Anyway - this one person in this one town tries to celebrate as many of the little things as possible because, as I also always tell my children, the only thing you have absolute control over is how you treat others.
I see what you are saying...and depending on which end of the stick a story is written from we could demonize or make someone a hero. I felt the goal was to make a thread worth pulling on about why we have life, connection (the author's standing up as they did by reciting 30)...and any story could go anyway it seems...just read the news how saving a puppy is a bad idea! Or being a person who saves puppies makes you bad!
I don’t know if we are looking for it (negativity) or we are being hit in the face every.single.day. It is easy to see negative aspects of what is going on everyday, just look out the window, talk to friends, family, look at homelessness, education going down the tubes. The list keeps going on and on we are recognizing it, verifying what we are seeing and experiencing. Trying to be safe but we are getting it from all side.
I agree, but in my comment, I was not using “you” in a general sense.
You is specific to me? Meaning that I do not see what is going on in my country? I am only vest in my community directly because it is where I am and that is directly impacting me.
Is this what you mean?
No. I was replying to Butthedata… and you just took my comment way out of context.
It seems as though you are dismissive of Alan G.
ButtheDataSays - speaks an important truth . Little things add up . And must never forget that if all memory is left to a computer chip, then it is no memory at all