Once you have been in the zone, you can spot others who are in the zone a mile off. I seem to have reached escape velocity and am now cruising away from the gravity trap but I must have been easy to spot for a while there. I have mentioned this before, but knowing that others have dragged themselves out is almost enough in itself. Good friends helped me out overtly and covertly: one sat me down and read me the riot act, others remained calmly in the background letting the bad behaviour wash over them. It’s a cliche, but if I can help just one person realise where they are and how to get out of there…
Anyway now I am further away from the action, safe in the calmer suburbs, I can look over my shoulder and see the plumes of smoke rising from what used to be downtown. And then in front of me I can see people who are doing exactly what I was doing. Let me introduce you to proxies. One of my proxies was political ideological purity. I was virulently against anything that was not absolutely perfect. There was no “centre ground” in my mind. The EU is a good proxy: it’s imperfect, difficult to hold to account, constitutionally messy, often makes decisions which disproportionately damage one set of interests or another. It’s really easy to get worked up into a frenzy about the EU, but there is no point whatsoever in doing so. Discuss its shortcomings by all means. Talk about ways in which it could be improved, hell yeah. Ask whether Britain really fits into the continental political culture and whether we should go it alone. But don’t get angry about it. Lots of people are getting very very angry about the upcoming rise in VAT; about election promises dashed by the coalition agreement; about public sector “cuts”. All proxies.
I don’t like to name names, but there are several mainstream blogs whose subjects are quite obviously proxies for their authors. I was reading one this morning which was ranting so hard you could almost smell the bile coming through the screen. The author was thoroughly hacked off with something that hasn’t yet happened and most likely won’t ever happen. He turned it into a world-hating tirade of epic proportions. It was a total loss of perspective right there in black and white and circulated by the planet’s wires for all to see. I could see myself in those words. I have written rant after rant after rant. I have written self-indulgent introspectives. I have hated people I have never met. At one point I was writing regular emails to my MP to complain about how one particular aspect or another of the nation wasn’t perfect. It still isn’t, but there’s no point in allowing ourselves to get wound up by it. We should all as individuals do what we can to tackle the imperfections that we see and take an interest in, but we should do so calmly and with a sense of humour. I can see all around me people who are letting minor things ruin their lives. In this country we are incredibly lucky mostly to be well fed, secure, warm and able to say and do what we want. Most of the stuff which fills the newspapers and blogs is relative trivia, the issues mere niggles. Beyond basic necessities, our problems tend to be self-imposed rather than by some evil outside force. We can’t easily blame anyone else for the hurdles and pitfalls: we put them there ourselves.
Basically I suppose what I am saying is stop letting this crap annoy you, it’s not worth it.
I just Love being in the Zone … unfortunately I always struggle to hang in there.
Great Post and Sooooooo true … I’m not even ranting about the possible demise of my public sector pension .. Life still ain’t too bad !
Mr Stressed! My “zone” was the bad side not the good side, but it’s only tomato/tomato. I think you spotted me several clicks away, just before the horizon.
I agree. It is difficult to know though when precisely it is worth putting your stick in the sand, and saying enough is enough, in all sorts of different dimensions. Watch out for risk creep, when issues slowly become more serious. BP now knows a lot about risk creep. In the meantime I’ll follow your wise words, BE.
@Measured: I am not saying we should not care deeply about these things, just that we should not allow them to ruin our overall enjoyment of life.
Or, keep things in their proper perspective.
I have to say, I’ve been a lot more relaxed since the country stopped running headlong at the wall and started trying to turn round. Still a bit worried that we won’t manage it, or that we’ll slip while turning, but a lot more relaxed nevertheless.
Enjoy it while it lasts, you are bound to be annoyed with the new lot soon enough!!
Oh, no doubt we all will, but I think the problems of the economy will keep them busy for a good while, and so far less inclined to meddle in anything else…
Great post BE. Its not even as if its your responsibility to change things.
Just reminded me of how on the old car I used to get upset about a scratch in the bumper. Wife reminded me “Just because they paint them the same colour as the car now, doesn’t stop them being bumpers.Its what they are for.”
I haven’t worried since.
{Not strictly relevant I know, but for other car owners on here its a great lesson to learn.}
Oh, I like to have a few dings & dents – it means you are far less likely to get other drivers attempting to intimidate you, thinking ‘Ah, she won’t risk scuffing up her pretty paintwork!’…
I’ve seen Harry Brown on your recommendation.
It could have been a classic had it not been so cliched and over the top. And I can’t understand why Caine – in his dotage – should have wanted to play a role in such an unedifying film. The drug den scene has to be one of the most gratuitous ever filmed.
Very astute point extremely well made. It took me a long time to realise my blog was a proxy for myself. Since the penny dropped with a resounding clunk, I felt the better for it. There are those, however and as you say, who are still writing in blissful ignorance. Sometimes you don’t know who – or what – you are until you see what you’ve written. That sounds like Alice in Wonderland: “How can I know what I think until I see what I say?”
So we can start by shooting all the politicians and lawyers? Calmly, of course.
I must say though, that since I gave up hope, I feel a lot better.
Good point, well made.