Friday, September 27, 2013

So how are you feeling lately?

"It was Krishnamurti, the great Indian philosopher, who said 'It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.'

I submit to you, if you’re willing to take your hand off the throttle of your life, that there is intelligence in anxiety.

This intelligence, so familiar to teenagers, yet misinterpreted by adults, is knowing that things aren’t supposed to be this way. 

Work isn’t supposed to suck.  Styrofoam isn’t supposed to last hundreds of years after minutes of use. The Gulf of Mexico isn’t supposed to be drowning in spilled oil. And we aren’t supposed to accept how many species have gone extinct since the sun rose this morning.

If you really let these proclamations hit you, if you stop, it can take your breath away. In fact, it’s supposed to break your heart.

Take care of your inner self, yes, but know this: there’s nothing fucking wrong with you."

This great post is from Adbusterswhich I have pillaged here in its entirety minus their very evocative accompanying picture, so please click through to show them some love. Thanks.

h/t my dear friend West End Bob
.

5 comments:

Beijing York said...

Beautiful (I clicked through). Thank you Alison and West End Bob.

Alison said...

Kurt Vonnegut wrote a letter a little like this once to a young person.
Paraphrasing ... what you feel is not your fault; sorry we fucked the place up for you.

karen said...

A few weeks ago a nasty six page missive went out to all the managers in my work explaining to them why "gen Y" are such entitled whiners ( I'm paraphrasing) and what to do about it. One phrase was "they don't feel they should ever have to suffer any abuse." I wrote a rebuttal under the Krishnamurti quote to my boss. I don't know if he had the nerve to send it up the chain, but I have been working on my exit plans. Once they're ironed out, I'll make sure everyone sees it.

West End Bob said...

Thanks for running with this one, Alison.

Adbusters does a phenomenal job in this age of cookie-cutter "journalism" . . . .

Alison said...

Karen : Good for you, girl. Tell 'em up.

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