Positive Rants?

FRIDAY, MAY 14, 2010


Positive Rants?
Taking Charge of Our Destiny:

It is easier to blame others than to somehow grab our destiny by the throat and shake it a bit. Often others really are in charge of our destiny. Should we shrug our shoulders or is there some way we can cause to happen what we want or think should happen as a requisite for improved living?

Here is my attempt to do some shaking things up... Things that specifically deal with me, things that deal with us all. Initially I plan to focus on things I have little control over, things that others do or don't do. And, how I think they should or shouldn't do what they either are or aren't doing. As this progresses things that I individually can control will be introduced as they are related to these bigger issues.

Generally things that we have little control over, feel powerless to change and seem to have little impact upon can be placed in different categories. I will start by setting up the categories based on how we feel about our ability to impact them in combination with our level of desire to do something and how passionate we feel.

Today's category is Rants, things that people are rabid about and at the same time impact little. Rants occupy people's thoughts and become so much a part of them that unless there are shared sympathies it might be better for all concerned if these subjects were avoided entirely. Everyone knows somebody that just can't get over what is happening in this country, the world, or some other pet topic. When this kind of Rant is brought up by someone that is close, we wince and try to change the subject. Frequently a Rant interferes with quality of life not just because it is so off putting but because it is at the core of a belief system not shared by all. I will call these Negative Rants. No amount of talking, negotiation, or soap box enthusiasm (Soap Boxing) can bring two people together that are diametrically opposed on the continuum of a belief system. Nor, can it normally be proven which one is right or which one is wrong. Religion is at the core of many of these Negative Rants. Politics is another LuLu. For the sake of sanity we shall attempt to ignore all Negative Rants.

But people have other Rants that can be productive. So Rants must be further defined. There are Positive Rants. These are things that most people think that Soap Boxing could possibly change. Not everyone is in total agreement on Positive Rants. Most would grant that something should be done regarding them. There usually is not total agreement on what should be done or how but there is room for negotiation and consensus if total immersion does not occur to the point that a Positive Rant becomes a negative one.

I have many personal Positive Rants. In this Blog I am going to try to deal with some of them. Hopefully some of my Ranting will include a bit of humor. We will look for help and advice in a positive creative thinking problem solving shared forum.