(no subject)
So I made what I thought was an innocuous comment on Facebook about the recent frequency of Apple updates that my computer has been receiving. And accidentally sparked a heated argument between two of my friends who have never met each other. On one hand I'm hugely amused. I really should have introduced the two ages ago, as they are both intelligent, nerdy men who really don't have much experience arguing with other intelligent, nerdy men. On the other hand, I am yet again amazed at how passionate people can be about things that don't actually matter.
And I've got another friend, a Whovian, who is still "in denial" about Tennant leaving...
I mean, seriously. I just... I don't get it. It's a show. And, yes, I'm not above a good geek rant. You want a good geek rant? Ask me about the changes they made between LotR the Book and LotR the Movie. That's just the beginning. I'm sad that Tennant's leaving. I don't like what RTD does to his characters. I'm fairly certain the next season of Supernatural is going to make me mad - repeatedly. I can tell you when I think C.S. Lewis failed. And if you want an analogue to the Apple debate, just ask me about pianos. Or tea. Or worship music.
But what is that to the universe?
Okay, maybe that's a bit harsh. There's, y'know, levels of important. And I think it's perfectly okay to be upset or impatient when a person has a job to do (an art to perform, a craft to ply) and they do it poorly. And I think it's perfectly okay to sing the praises of people who do those things right. .
But there is a better response than both. When you see a thing you don't like, you can do more than complain. You can create your own thing, only done right. When you see a thing done well, you can do more than praise it. You can take it in new directions. It's been said that Tolkien and Lewis wrote their works because nobody else had. What they wanted didn't exist, so rather than complain they created what was missing. I can't think of a better reason.
It's like we've been conditioned to be spectators and critics of the world, sitting on the sidelines and holding up scorecards. That's a bit sad. Does it matter if we're not the highly-trained athletes out on the field? Does it matter if we're older, or less attractive, or not as smart, or anything else we think might be holding us up? We are all of us made in the image of a creator. Yes, we can (and should) be the audience, and yes it's good to know why we like a thing, and to offer encouragement and constructive criticism to those around us. But our rants are only rants, and not ends in themselves. If I rant about why something is good or bad, I should be willing to create as well, to add my own performance to the show, and not spend all my time in the seats.
And then maybe we can see that our creations are only things, and that it is the meaning behind them and the way they change lives that's the really, truly, important thing.
As my professors in college used to tell us, "Only two things last forever: the word of God and the souls of Men." When it really comes down to it, the purpose of everything else derives from its effect on these.
And I've got another friend, a Whovian, who is still "in denial" about Tennant leaving...
I mean, seriously. I just... I don't get it. It's a show. And, yes, I'm not above a good geek rant. You want a good geek rant? Ask me about the changes they made between LotR the Book and LotR the Movie. That's just the beginning. I'm sad that Tennant's leaving. I don't like what RTD does to his characters. I'm fairly certain the next season of Supernatural is going to make me mad - repeatedly. I can tell you when I think C.S. Lewis failed. And if you want an analogue to the Apple debate, just ask me about pianos. Or tea. Or worship music.
But what is that to the universe?
Okay, maybe that's a bit harsh. There's, y'know, levels of important. And I think it's perfectly okay to be upset or impatient when a person has a job to do (an art to perform, a craft to ply) and they do it poorly. And I think it's perfectly okay to sing the praises of people who do those things right. .
But there is a better response than both. When you see a thing you don't like, you can do more than complain. You can create your own thing, only done right. When you see a thing done well, you can do more than praise it. You can take it in new directions. It's been said that Tolkien and Lewis wrote their works because nobody else had. What they wanted didn't exist, so rather than complain they created what was missing. I can't think of a better reason.
It's like we've been conditioned to be spectators and critics of the world, sitting on the sidelines and holding up scorecards. That's a bit sad. Does it matter if we're not the highly-trained athletes out on the field? Does it matter if we're older, or less attractive, or not as smart, or anything else we think might be holding us up? We are all of us made in the image of a creator. Yes, we can (and should) be the audience, and yes it's good to know why we like a thing, and to offer encouragement and constructive criticism to those around us. But our rants are only rants, and not ends in themselves. If I rant about why something is good or bad, I should be willing to create as well, to add my own performance to the show, and not spend all my time in the seats.
And then maybe we can see that our creations are only things, and that it is the meaning behind them and the way they change lives that's the really, truly, important thing.
As my professors in college used to tell us, "Only two things last forever: the word of God and the souls of Men." When it really comes down to it, the purpose of everything else derives from its effect on these.