Three of these kids are kind of the same
But one of these kids is doing his own thing
It's time to play our game
These are the lyrics to one of the songs on my favorite childhood television show, Sesame Street. A coworker in Augusta, GA told me not long ago that I "seem more the type to create molds rather than filling them." Her words came as no surprise to me. I've known that about myself for much of my life.
When I was a little kid my dad worked at a printing company. I had a pretty steady stream of comic books and magazines like "Mad" and "Cracked" coming into my possession. I remembe quickly reading them but then moving on to using them for something that I enjoyed even more. I would take several sheets of blank paper and staple them together in book form. Then I would spread my comics and magazines out on the floor and with scissors I would cut out different parts of them. I would then reassemble and glue all of the different clippings onto the blank pages in front of me and make my own "book."
Getting my first tape recorder was a huge catalyst in my "career" as an individualist. Listening to the radio was okay. But what was even better was creating my own taped programs. I would make tape after tape of "radio programs" complete with music (recorded from my record player), commentary, D.J. banter (me being the bantering D.J. of course), interviews with my friends, and commercials (recorded off the radio).
For as long as I can remember I have always loathed uniformity. I remember as a kid my credo being something like, "Don't ever tell me I can't do something because doing so will drive me to do it at all costs just to prove to you that I can." I doubt that I articulated it that well back then. I probably just shouted, "shut up!"
As an adult I have always approached every job, every project, and every responsibility I've ever had with a desire to find new and different ways of doing things. I don't want to do things the way other people do them. Not that there's anything wrong with the ways other people do things; I just believe that the world would be a drab, boring, unchanging place to live if everyone just did things the way everyone else does them. If that had been the only approach to life through the centuries, how many inventions would not have been invented? How many voyages would never have been taken? How many works of art or musical scores or literary masterpieces would never have been created?
I have found, however, that people don't tend to appreciate people like me being around. We get a lot of blank stares. We get a lot of polite, patronizing nods. We get a lot of obstacles placed in our way. We are often told to just follow the rules, color within the lines, don't confuse people, and don't disrupt the status quo.
I think the people who react as I just described are simply afraid that our individualsim will in some way threaten their stability. They like things to remain calm and uneventful. They don't want there to be even the possibility that our way of doing things will create ripples that eventually reach the placid serenity of their waters.
I don't think the answer is for me to repress my nature. And I don't think the answer is for me to expect others to become like me. I think the answer lies in a mutual pact. In this pact, I need to be patient, kind, and understanding with those who need sameness and stability. And others need to become more open to the new hues of color that people like me may be able to bring into their world, yet patient and gracious with us when we do manage to create nothing but chaos. That happens a lot. But every so often, something beautiful emerges.
"One of the greatest pains to human nature is the pain of a new idea. It makes you think that after all, your favorite notions may be wrong, your firmest beliefs ill founded. Naturally, therefore, common men hate a new idea and are disposed more or less to ill-treat the original man who brings it." ~Walter Bagehot
Bill, what a great post. I find myself resonating with you and I am also a rule breaker. You already knew that. I find myself want to read and re-read your post.
By the way, your site meter is running away. You are having an impact around the world.
Keep charging ahead! As you do, you are writing your book!
Do you know how I can get a visitor location indicator that would work on my blog?
Posted by: Bob Carder | February 08, 2007 at 01:36 PM