Tuesday 14 February 2017

If not now, when?

I had half an idea for, well, at least a blog post, maybe something longer. The idea was essentially "these are all the reasons the human race is screwed." I know, cheery. I was going to group my theories and supporting evidence into five broad categories: climate change (cause and effects); extreme politics (plenty of that going round at the moment); the Earth as a closed system; conflicting belief systems; and the daddy of them all, the theme that underpins all others, spiralling global over-population.

I've been marshalling my thoughts on this for a while, which in part explains why there have been fewer blog posts in general lately, here and elsewhere. However, the more prep I've done on this the more three things have become evident: firstly, it will be a grim old read; secondly, very few people will read it all, or even at all; and third, it will have no effect - not a blind bit of difference

So I've put it on hold. But I did have an alternative thought. Let's just say I believe the comfortable, modern, point-and-click world of convenience and plenty that we currently have will be gone soon, for one reason or another. And when I say soon, maybe I don't mean in my lifetime or that of the next generation, but maybe the one after that. It's another grim thought ...

... so an alternate perspective might be to grasp the nettle, do that thing you always wanted to do. Take a chance. Have a go. That boy/girl* you've loved from afar for years? (* delete as applicable) Tell him/her how you feel. That instrument you've always wished you could play? Take lessons. That novel you've had kicking around on a USB stick for years? Submit it to agents and competitions.

Have a go. Go on. Try. Try to be that version of yourself you wish you were, that best version of yourself. Strive to be your best. We're in humanity's geriatric phase right NOW - dementia will follow soon enough. So if not now, when?

4 comments:

  1. I don't know what's a more depressing prospect: the end of days notions expressed in your opening paragraph...or the idea of submitting another manuscript to agents and/or competitions.

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    1. True, Rol, true. My current philosophy on the latter is this: if I'm not ready for rejection (lots and lots of rejection), then I'm not really ready to submit.

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  2. The Man Of Cheese16 February 2017 at 10:57

    We've been having this very discussion at home for some while now-probably spurred on by the black shadow cast by recent events in the U S of A. After another 14 hour night shift in the cold and wet and retirement age already a hope more than a reality I'm seriously drawn to selling the house and going to see as much of the amazing world we live in before it's too late. Crazy in many ways but not in others....

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    1. Not crazy at all, mate. As I was writing this post, I had that old advert for Mercedes in mind, the tag line of which was something like "the only decisions you regret are the ones you don't make". Don't know about you but I don't want to end up an old man looking back and wishing I'd had more of a go. I do enough of that already, about all the times I didn't have a go...

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