Brave New World
"There is nothing to fear,
but fear itself." Franklin D. Roosevelt
The topic of fear is one that's come up more than once on my radar in the last several days. Seth Godin wrote about it on his blog a few days back. A day or two after Seth Godin's blog post I heard Rabbi Harold Kushner (of When Bad Things Happen to Good People fame) bring it up in an NPR (National Public Radio) interview. Last night I heard it, yet again, when I turned on the television (not mine, of course) to catch a glimpse of the BCS National Championship Game and one of the 1,954 talking heads on one of the 749 cable news networks mentioned the word. I Was ScaredI sat in a cubicle for many years. As a matter of fact, it probably looks a lot like the one you're sitting in right now. The powers that used to be used to ask me to think outside the box while sitting inside of one. I couldn't understand it. So I left. Yeah, I left a comfy government job at the Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser's Office. Yeah, I left a job that I used to show up to everyday at the same time, take a break everyday at the same time, have lunch everyday at the same time, take another break everyday at the same time, and leave everyday at the same time. Yeah, I left a job that I rarely had to wake up for on Saturdays and never had to wake up for on Sundays. Yeah, I left a job where I had all legal holidays off and where my expectations were to sit behind a desk from 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. Producing ideas, improving processes, and empowering others to make decisions was not required. Actually, ideas, creating processes, training, and teaching produces work, so that was highly discouraged.
Are You Out of Your Mind?I was told by many that I was crazy. I got it from colleagues. I got it from friends. I got it from frenemies. I got it from strangers. I got it from my hair stylist. I got it, I got it, I got it. I was told that people would kill for a job like mine. I was told that a government job was recession proof. I was told that I would live to regret it. I was told, I was told, I was told.
Mainstream media and other powers that be (who shall remain nameless) have done an excellent job of having us play word association with the faces of Middle Eastern males and the word "fear". Most people think of fear as something created by hateful men who hate this country and everything it stands for. The fear associated with that thought, arguably exaggerated and overblown, is real nonetheless (read: Christmas Day). However, that's not the fear that worries me these days. I don't think we'll be seeing nuclear bunkers reminiscent to the ones witnessed by those who lived through the Cold War anytime soon. At least I hope we never do. The fear that concerns me is the one created by those who read the headlines, repeat buzz words, and then misinform and miseducate. The fear that concerns me is the one created by those who choose to listen to opinions and are confused by the facts. The fear that concerns me is the one created by unchecked emotions and preconceived notions. The fear that concerns me is the one created by those who tell you that you can't do it when they never did it. Fear is not a giant living in the mountainous terrains of Afghanistan. It's something that exists in our everyday lives. It's in the office. It's at the gym. It's at the coffee shop. It's at the lunch spot. It's in our homes. Fear lasts longer, but love is stronger. You have nothing to fear and a whole lot to love. Why not start loving today?
Are You Out of Your Mind?I was told by many that I was crazy. I got it from colleagues. I got it from friends. I got it from frenemies. I got it from strangers. I got it from my hair stylist. I got it, I got it, I got it. I was told that people would kill for a job like mine. I was told that a government job was recession proof. I was told that I would live to regret it. I was told, I was told, I was told.
"He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat." Napoleon Bonaparte
Mainstream media and other powers that be (who shall remain nameless) have done an excellent job of having us play word association with the faces of Middle Eastern males and the word "fear". Most people think of fear as something created by hateful men who hate this country and everything it stands for. The fear associated with that thought, arguably exaggerated and overblown, is real nonetheless (read: Christmas Day). However, that's not the fear that worries me these days. I don't think we'll be seeing nuclear bunkers reminiscent to the ones witnessed by those who lived through the Cold War anytime soon. At least I hope we never do. The fear that concerns me is the one created by those who read the headlines, repeat buzz words, and then misinform and miseducate. The fear that concerns me is the one created by those who choose to listen to opinions and are confused by the facts. The fear that concerns me is the one created by unchecked emotions and preconceived notions. The fear that concerns me is the one created by those who tell you that you can't do it when they never did it. Fear is not a giant living in the mountainous terrains of Afghanistan. It's something that exists in our everyday lives. It's in the office. It's at the gym. It's at the coffee shop. It's at the lunch spot. It's in our homes. Fear lasts longer, but love is stronger. You have nothing to fear and a whole lot to love. Why not start loving today?
