“My definition of an adult is someone who lives their life aware they are sharing the world with others. My definition of an adult is someone who knows the world was here before they showed up and that it’ll be here well after they walk away from it.
-Paul Jackson Bennett, City of Miracles
My definition of an adult, in other words, is someone who lives their life with a little f*cking perspective.”
The 17th Century French inventor and physicist Blaise Pascal once wrote, “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” I think there’s a lot of truth to that, but Bennett might nail the issue even better than Pascal did.
So often, we only think of ourselves. Now, that may sound like an insult, akin to being called selfish. But, generally speaking, I don’t think it’s a bad thing. We often think too much of others, and we suffer for it. At the end of the day, you have to live with yourself, and if you’re not happy, you certainly can’t hope to make others happy. So go ahead, think of yourself.
That said, how much better of a place would the world be if we all considered others just a little more often? I’m talking tiny fractions here. Like, what if every person in the world tomorrow was 1% more considerate of others? Where would that leave us?
There’d be fewer doors slammed in faces, a drop in arguments, less crime. Perhaps what Pascal was really getting at was, if we were all more comfortable sitting alone in a room, we’d have more time to think, and then we’d quickly realize how our actions negatively impact others and correct accordingly. The world ought to try it. It could use a new perspective.
(This week’s quote was submitted by Kris. Thank you for participating in the newsletter, Kris!)
Note to readers: Each week, I share a fantasy quote and indulge my inner philosopher with a brief essay based on said quote. Share your favorite quote with me and I might feature it in a future newsletter! Email: dtkane@dtkane.com.