Living in a society
In what is at least 50% coincidence, Matthew's return to the blogosphere has prompted me to share some of my ideas with you all (is anybody still reading this?) again, and the title of his blog seems appropriate to what's got my attention tonight.
Prologue: my soccer season has just ended, and my cadaver anatomy class has just started. I stopped to read my soccer league's forum after the final game to see what people had to say: a tremendous volume of posts communicating virtually no comprehensible thoughts. Very shortly afterwards, I'm standing in my anatomy class in front of a preserved body that I and two other people will dissect over the course of the next 8 months, and will use to gain a truly unique insight into how the human body works its magic.
This got me thinking about what a waste of my life it was to have read that stupid forum. Not because reading, or the internet are a waste of time, but because what's been posted contributes nothing at all to my life. Really, nothing posted there contributed anything to anybody (including the author!)
In stark contrast, some woman that I never knew in her life, will change mine by having contributed her remains to science. Her donation will give me the opportunity to learn what I never could have otherwise, and will drastically improve my education and my career.
I don't want to get too zen with this little nugget, but anytime I can get myself, or anybody else to remeber the following, I think the whole world benefits: whenever you can, make a contribution. Even if it's something as simple as your next soccer league forum post, just think: what can my post contribute to the people who will read it?
The next day:
Okay, I realize now that I never did explain how the title of Matt's blog fits into the topic of this post.
I believe that the reason we all choose to engage in society rather than live in the mountains, is that other people in society contribute to our lives. However, the rest of society don't want parasites feeding off all of their hard work. So I believe the understood trade-off is that the price of membership in society is that you must contribute something to the rest of its members.
It's a reciprocal relationship. The more you put into your society, the more you will get out of it. That means: whatever you choose to do, give it some effort.
Prologue: my soccer season has just ended, and my cadaver anatomy class has just started. I stopped to read my soccer league's forum after the final game to see what people had to say: a tremendous volume of posts communicating virtually no comprehensible thoughts. Very shortly afterwards, I'm standing in my anatomy class in front of a preserved body that I and two other people will dissect over the course of the next 8 months, and will use to gain a truly unique insight into how the human body works its magic.
This got me thinking about what a waste of my life it was to have read that stupid forum. Not because reading, or the internet are a waste of time, but because what's been posted contributes nothing at all to my life. Really, nothing posted there contributed anything to anybody (including the author!)
In stark contrast, some woman that I never knew in her life, will change mine by having contributed her remains to science. Her donation will give me the opportunity to learn what I never could have otherwise, and will drastically improve my education and my career.
I don't want to get too zen with this little nugget, but anytime I can get myself, or anybody else to remeber the following, I think the whole world benefits: whenever you can, make a contribution. Even if it's something as simple as your next soccer league forum post, just think: what can my post contribute to the people who will read it?
The next day:
Okay, I realize now that I never did explain how the title of Matt's blog fits into the topic of this post.
I believe that the reason we all choose to engage in society rather than live in the mountains, is that other people in society contribute to our lives. However, the rest of society don't want parasites feeding off all of their hard work. So I believe the understood trade-off is that the price of membership in society is that you must contribute something to the rest of its members.
It's a reciprocal relationship. The more you put into your society, the more you will get out of it. That means: whatever you choose to do, give it some effort.
