Soooo Boring — Philosophy
(April 16, 2019)
Simply as a word, philosophy bores most people. I mean, it’s four whole syllables. In this day of one-minute videos, one hundred word blogposts, or thirty-second news clips and commercials, who has time for four-syllable words? To even describe it requires the word syllable, three syllables in and of itself. Sheesh!
The push to shorten everything advanced with the advancement of history in the twentieth century — even with authors. Look how famous Ernest Hemingway is. He managed to win a Nobel Prize while writing at a fifth-grade level (in the year I was born — ha! I bet you have to look that up. I know I would). Fifth grade! They don’t use many four-syllable words in the fifth grade.
I remember that year of school, so I know it. I met one of my best friends that year. We remained friends into our thirties until life took us different ways. He didn’t use many four-syllable words. Everything is shorter these days.
Especially attention spans. I have been told — this is the truth! — by several professionals that I have Attention Deficit Disorder — which indicates a short attention span. I don’t think at my age I have the hyperactivity component (Oops! Sorry about that six-syllable word followed by a three-syllable one!). My interests and moment-to-moment occupations jump a lot in the course of a day, which makes setting goals a challenge. I have another friend now who tries to help people set goals.
Oh, I wonder if he has ADD (which I really don’t joke about not because it would be insensitive but because the “disorder” can help people be very productive, interesting, and even creative — oh, my friend!) He is all of those things. Get this: he is a visual artist, an improv comedian, a singer-songwriter, a musician, a spiritual guide, an author of something like fifteen books, a social media expert, a podcaster, marketer — and he teaches most of these things. Maybe he’s not ADD. Maybe he’s just a genius. Yeah, let’s go with that.
Wait! I forgot about philosophy. Well, I will get to that tomorrow. I really do think it’s important.
I’ve got to go now. My dog is barking at a squirrel.
