The Sound Of Life

A room full of people is making sound. Even without talking, and even without the sound of walking around, just being alive produces sound. Hearts beating, blood pulsing, air breathing in and out - though they may be quiet, they produce sound; no room with life inside it is truly silent. 

I find this an interesting concept to explore because so many people wish to find "peace and quiet" and try to do so by escaping from society. But though it may be tranquil, it is not truly quiet; people tend to just surround themselves with different sounds. 

People who claim they want silence either are sick of hearing the same things over and over again, or they are overstimulated from the barrage of inputs in modern life. Though these people may seek silence, they usually they just want different stimuli. They need a new setting to refresh and recharge them.

This all leads into a larger principle, which is that people rarely know what they actually want. But if you explore what their problems actually are, and what their proposed solutions would give them, you may be able to extrapolate the truth. 

The Power Of Public Shame

In the digital era, it has become very common knowledge that people act very differently when they are behind a screen compared to when they are face to face. The power of anonymity and the safety of distance can allow a person to become the lowest version of themselves. 

 Evil people love privacy. It allows them to commit their atrocities in secret, and to keep a sparkling public image. That image is paramount for them. As long as people look good, they don't have to do anything. In fact, the only thing that can guarantee them to leap into action is threatening their image. And here we have the power of public shame. 

By highlighting in a public forum the evil things that people do, you smear that image. And from here, some will definitely happen. It could be positive (forcing them to fix their problems), or it could be negative, (forcing them to smear your reputation and then crush you like an ant). That largely comes down to their power levels, knowledge, and confidence. 

Regardless, public shame is a powerful tool. As with all powerful tools, it can be used either to create or to destroy, but it is guaranteed to change things. 

Lost Significance

I periodically record little thoughts - phrases, sentences, bite-sized ideas - because they were particularly compelling and profound to me. By recording the inspiring words/imagery, I have captured that which sparked my mind into having these thoughts. 

The problem is that those bite-sized  ideas lose their potency over time. After a while, so many other thoughts have come and captured your attention that you can't really remember all the fine details that were there originally. From there, your little note has lost the significance it once had. 

If something is worth recording, record it thoroughly. That means to take enough notes that you can understand the idea even after you haven't thought of it for five years. 

A Second Viewing

There is literally more content in the world than there is time to consume it. In 2013, there were more books published than there are hours to read them. Because of this, we tend to read/watch things once. We've experienced a thing, learned the shocking twist or whatever identifying thing it has, and then move on to the next thing. 

This method is quite a shame. We miss out on so much by not taking a second viewing. That supplemental experience allows you to see deeper, make more connections, and reflect upon more of your life experiences. 

The nice thing about introducing somebody to your favorite movies and such is getting to justify those second viewings. For them, it is a new experience. And for you, it is still new, just because you've never viewed it for the second time before. Live those experiences up, and love getting to share wonderful stories with those who can appreciate them. 

Gone, But Not Forgotten

I have been pretty lousy at keeping up with my post per day schedule here at Cheff Salad. The simple fact is that life has taken up a lot of my energy. Between working a day job, starting a non profit organization, and the hustle and bustle of daily life, I pretty much am up until I crash. It's not even that I don't have the time; it only takes so long to write up a post. It's simply that my mind is spent by the end of the day. 

This post is here as a way of starting back up again. I have not forgotten about Cheff Salad and I am not ready to let it go yet. I intend to catch up and stay regular with it. Just know that when I do fall behind, it is for a good reason, and it will only be temporary. 

People Are People

I think that one of the more surprising events in my life was the first time that somebody told me I had game. Apparently, I was remarkably excellent at talking to women and making them laugh and so forth. I thought it was hilarious because I wasn't even trying. I was just being an irreverent dork, like I am with men and women alike. The only difference is that being a goofball in front of dudes made me cool and doing it in front of women made me suave. 

Ultimately, people are people. We all want to be happy. We want to be safe and comfortable. Silly people make us laugh and assholes make us angry. All the minor differences between people are just that: minor. By and large, we're all the same, and the best policy is to treat people in the same way. 

You may be surprised to find out how rarely this happens. After all, treating a woman the same way I treat a man was all it took to have game. 

Overnight Success

I heard a quote attributed to Robert De Niro: "It took me 20 years to become an overnight success."

This really struck me, because it is so true. Nobody notices you until you got your "big break". And because of that, your history shows one singular success which launched you into celebrity. And what nobody sees or cares about is all the work that went into it. 

How much did you have to do to get that big break? How much work did you put in to be good enough to be offered that big break? 

As a writer, it is all the same deal. It takes a tremendous amount of study and practice to get good enough for editors or agents to look at your work with interest, and it takes a lot of shopping around and a lot of rejection to get something that is good to be published. 

Once you do get traction, it starts to cascade. And once you hit the tipping point, it becomes a whole new world. Just remember that it may take you 20 years to become an overnight success.