Video – Alan Watts
Waffle warning… I’m going to ramble here a little bit stick with me and engage please, if anything here resonates.
Have you heard the phrase “preaching to the choir”?
I always thought it to be an ancient English phrase, but no, apparently it surfaced in the US in the early 70s. A similar English phrase that showed up in the 18th century, “kicking at an open door” sums it up. Don’t try to do what’s already done, those “sitting in church” have already demonstrated their faith! Don’t waste your breath.
We hear it bandied around a lot these days, especially in regards to politics. Facebook feeds us what we want to see to reinforce what we already believe.
It’s so tempting to just go with the flow of information because it confirms what we already believe.
But when was the last time you challenged your beliefs, or read an opinion piece that made you question your position on a topic?
I fear that too many of us are so stuck in our groove that it takes a metaphorical seismic shift to shock us out of our inertia.
It’s time to question everything you think about yourself, your religion, our political leaders, the status quo needs a shake up.
Why do you believe what you believe?
Talk to other people about their opinions, listen, try to understand their perspective, even if it’s the wrongest thing on the face of the planet.
Let them feel heard.
Maybe they’ll ask your view, maybe they won’t. If they don’t want to hear your view, if they shout, or cry, or otherwise act like a small child then they’re not your people. Move on.
Ask the next person. Rinse and repeat.
Eventually you’ll have a ragtag little gang of peeps who like to talk and listen in equal measure!
What a concept!
Then you live your life, talking and listening, learning and thinking and you’ll be surrounded by others doing the same. Then the ripples will touch everyone around and everyone will get along, even if they don’t agree.
This is my utopia.
It is an old saying that to preach to the converted is a useless office, and I may add that to preach to the unconvertible is a thankless office.
Source The Phrase Finder
A word of warning. Stay away from those who are hanging about at the opposite end of the spectrum from where you’re sitting.
Living your life as a decent human being and rippling away like a little Nemo fish won’t go unnoticed, but actively engaging and challenging will be mostly counterproductive. And it will make you sad.
You’re not here to heal the world, just the parts you can touch.
Don’t try to convince anyone of anything. Just living your truth should be enough. If it’s not, then nothing will be. They can’t hear you.
Not yet anyway.
If you’re an artist or writer, or indeed anyone selling anything, you’ll know the importance of finding your target audience if you want to sell your work.
Find your voice and you’ll find your audience.
Trying to get people to read your work, buy your art or believe what you believe is thankless and a waste of time. So much better to find a choir to whom you can preach, or better yet, with whom you can sing.
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