This week I had occasion to write and send the following email:
It could be convincingly argued that in the context of "ALL" past, present, and future, there is only inconsequentiality. Yet within this realm of ALL, there is the context of Humanity. And within this context of Humanity, I believe that there is consequentiality. I also believe that consequentiality within the context of Humanity requires an ever-growing webbed complexity of (seemingly) inconsequential addition and multiplication, further refined by division and subtraction. For my infinitesimally small part, I am working to contribute some relevance to Humanity by: 1) understanding that my individual effort is immediately and essentially inconsequential; 2) understanding that through my individual effort I will eventually contribute, if not by addition or multiplication, then ultimately by subtraction; 3) understanding that without my effort, the sum total would be different; and 4) concluding from this reasoning that effort is necessary; (addition and/or subtraction is necessary before multiplication or division is possible, and to subtract zero will not change the result).
Based on this understanding, publication, (whatever the odds), on the back pages of your periodical is not worth the $60 in groceries your subscription would require. If this is how you equivocally judge worthiness for a chance at acceptance into (the outer ring of) your inner circle, then I must remain outside looking in. If instead, this is a necessary reading or processing fee, please label it as such and offer a complementary / complimentary subscription; and I will unfortunately still be on the outside looking in. If, regardless and/or however, you are interested in a truthful account of a food decision based on personal philosophy---an account written before I read your food issue or knew of your call for subscriptive entries---please follow this link, (http://hopelesshappiness.com/2017/06/raiding-happiness/), and/or please consider the word document attached.
Thank you for your efforts.
This week, these thoughts alongside some harsh truthfulness and a bit of unexpected approval have combined to solidify my uncertainty regarding the circumstantially appropriate profusion and intensity of serious communication; especially that communication conveyed by action and grounded in reasoned effort and sincerity.
If you followed the link above, it is this dietary consideration that I am referencing. And I have found it difficult to keep this to myself in that I frequently dine with others. But by unavoidably sharing my actions, I have been questioned, dismissed, scorned, lectured, and accused of "holier than thou" behavior.
Being human, I tend toward the defensive...
I am not a zealot; but then again, that is what an overzealous zealot would say. I am not an evangelical superhero; but then again, that is what a puffed up do-gooder would say. I am not to be dismissed; but then again, that is what one who fears inconsequentiality would say. And I must have some of these qualities, because I write with zeal every week in an admitted effort to Save the World and to find personal purpose; but then again, I don't ask anyone to read my written thoughts, and in this regard everyone has been most obliging.
So do I embrace my zealotry and begin marketing my superpowers? If recent reaction is any indication, I should, (whenever possible), remain hidden and silent; and if it weren't for that one aforementioned, unexpected bit of approval, that is what I would do; and though "to solidify uncertainty" is a bit of an oxymoron, this is where I am at.
The bit of positive recognition this week that has my gears grinding: verbal acknowledgement of my consistent efforts toward consistent effort. I have heard this, unsolicited, from two different individuals on two different fronts. To be acknowledged for my volitional effort is probably one of the greatest compliments I could receive; though I realize that it is also immediately and essentially inconsequential. Regardless, it is inconsequentially gratifying. But it still does not help me with direction. Do I focus on marketing? Or do I continue to ply all my resources toward production? It feels like production would be more productive---(Duh?)---but without marketing, how will the World know it is being Saved? If I choose production, the question then becomes, do I have faith that those with more talent for marketing will find (or think) these (or similar) thoughts, and run with them, persuading others, (many, many, many, many others), that divisive narcissism is not the answer? And though I have consistently opted for production and faith, I have recently suffered a breach of that faith from within the context of American Humanity.
In many cases, effort cannot be judged as addition or as subtraction in the moment. I believe division is more obvious. Recent months, leading to this moment, I believe we have experienced far more division, (what will prove to be) subtraction, and potential addition by subtraction, than addition or multiplication. As stated last week, this may be an opportunity for learning. We must simply do the math.
But I have gotten sidetracked...
The question was, and remains---Production? Or Marketing?
I believe it is time for some marketing. But how do I sell my thoughts to others when I am skeptical? How does one sell uncertainty, with confidence? And who is my market?
Daniel J. Boorstin said, "It is the illusion of knowledge, not ignorance, [that is] the greatest obstacle to discovery." I would add that it is quiescent ignorance that permits an illusion of knowledge, and together they bask in each other's warm glow, and if the illusion of knowledge attracts a sufficient quantity of quiescent ignorance it manifests as a glowing, sticky blob that inhibits discovery and progress. We must somehow learn to transform quiescent ignorance into an active, skeptical, questioning acknowledgement of ignorance, so it may break free from its blobstruction.
This is a daunting task and a difficult market. From what I have seen, the illusion of knowledge and quiescent ignorance, once joined, appear to be like an old married couple: happy and set in their ways. I see no way of even approaching the illusion of knowledge, hunkered down in the very heart of this warm, sticky fortification. Perhaps we could chip away at the fringes, luring recently acquired quiescent ignorance with promises of greater satisfaction; but part of the reason it is a hard sell is because it involves effort to skeptically question whereas quiescence is... well... easy. Now we are back where I began, concluding that effort is necessary. But why would someone buy THAT, when instead they can take it easy. Perhaps a less difficult market would be back down the road, selling to approaching travelers before they are ensnared. And I know this must be done, but it feels like that effort spent going back, could be better spent going around and progressing further up the road. And when we do that, marketing makes no sense; we have already acquired this market. We could also explore and find other blobstructions; there are more out there, and some may be less sticky. But just as I felt going back down the road, this effort too feels less productive.
I am down to approximately 24 hours before deadline; so if I don't come back, for now I will 1) continue to focus on production, 2) actively hope for a marketing guru, and 3) (as illustrated by the aforementioned email sent earlier this week), be more aware of judicious direct marketing opportunities.
Today, in this moment, uncertainty is a tough sell.
