Comments on: Was the Enlightenment enlightened?

By: Alisha

Alisha — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 03:47:35 +0000

I agree with Di that there are many people being great out there in their own quiet ways. I look around at lot of my friends who are doing amazing things and I am inspired by them – even though “most” people don’t know it. (And maybe they don’t even realize it themselves.)

And I agree with you – that people are inherently good and have greatness inside of them. I think often it is the demands of life that keep us from realizing our true potential – I know that could be said of me personally. I also COMPLETELY agree that society is NOT fostering greatness. Many kids these days are really short-changed on learning responsibility, discipline, and the satisfaction that comes from not being “all about me.” (among other things, but I’ll spare you my rant) Plus, there is so much confusion as to what is really important in life.

Anyway – I also think we sometimes focus too much on overcoming weaknesses rather than building and utilitzing our strengths. Not that we shouldn’t strive to be better and do better, but what would have happened if Michael Jordan’s parents had made him focus on something he wasn’t the best at like art? Would he have missed that opportunity to be amazing at basketball? Maybe not the best example – but I hope you know what I mean. I think we’d see more greatness if we really encouraged people to use their strengths, think outside the box, not be afraid to try and fail – instead of fitting in to the status quo. (Mikaela’s 1st grade teacher will likely be my favorite ever – she was amazing at encouraging this individually in each of her students. If only they could all be like that.)

But amazingly enough there are many people who do “get it” and realize their greatness.

Anyway, blah blah blah. Not sure if that really “flowed,” but those are my thoughts. 🙂 (Finally getting caught back up on blogs after my crazy September.)

By: Chantal

Chantal — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:50:49 +0000

Shaun, this is one of the things I really love about you, your depth of thought.

By: Shaun

Shaun — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 02:29:38 +0000

Linda, you make a useful distinction about talent – my preferred definition is not simply what someone can do well, but what they love doing, and thus the doing reinforces itself. This becomes a never-ending positive feedback loop – as opposed to negative feedback loops where we act to stop something negative (like eating to make hunger go away temporarily).

Most people center their actions around these negative feedback loops, and thus they never get ahead. Or, better said, they never find “the path” where life consists of the ongoing pleasure of pursuing the positive rather than the never-ending rat race of running from the negative.

By: Shaun

Shaun — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 02:25:29 +0000

Excellent point, Diane. You say the same thing as Chuang Tzu (the successor to Lao Tzu, the “founder” of Taoism) in this poem I first read on my friend Beth’s dorm wall in Beijing:

The man in whom Tao acts without impediment
Harms no other beings by his actions,
Yet he does not know himself to be “kind,” to be “gentle.”

The man in whom Tao acts without impediment
Does not bother with his own interests
And he does not despise others who do.

He does not struggle to make money, and he does not make a virtue of poverty.
He goes his way without relying on others
And does not pride himself on walking alone.

While he will not follow the crowd, he won’t complain of those who do.
Rank and reward make no appeal to him.
Disgrace and shame do not deter him.

He is not always looking for right and wrong, always deciding “yes” or “no.”

The ancients said, therefore:
The man of Tao remains unknown
Perfect virtue produces nothing
“No-self” is “true-self”
And the greatest man is nobody.

– Chuang Tzu, translated by Thomas Merton

By: Linda HImes

Linda HImes — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 21:27:54 +0000

Very interesting. In my belief and from my experience (which upholds that belief), people tend to do what is perceived as ‘necessary,’ often being so caught up in that perception that the ‘necessary’ (everyday living, competing, etc., etc., etc.) becomes the ultimate distraction from the individual’s own greatness. When one can turn one’s greatness TO those concerns and manage them, all to the good. When those concerns are merely distractions, we all lose. Our greatness is that core spark in us that unites us; it is represented in each of us by what we do best (love to do). I invite you to the above website to find info re: my newly published book, Live, From the Mystic; it explores the possible higher dimensions of our … distractions.

By: Diane

Diane — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 19:17:46 +0000

Interesting thoughts. One thing I thought of while reading this is that a lot of the ‘big’ politicians or famous Hollywood people – who aren’t great, seem to be there for power or fame or pride, or whatever wrong reason. I find it easy to think that the reason you can’t find all those ‘GREAT’ people you are looking for is because they are not there to stand out and make a name for themselves. I think being a good person and choosing good and making a difference also goes along with “the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing” – you do it because it’s right, not because you want to show off to the world that you are doing the right – that would make everyone Pharisees.