Don't imitate entropy
How laziness and disorder spreads
Everything you do has a consequence.
"Consequence" might make you think of detention, jail, guilt, regret.
But consequence is as simple as cause and effect.
Are you aware that everything you do has a consequence?
The other day, I took a cardboard box down to the bins. Instead of crushing it, I tossed it into a corner. We always have reasons for doing things like this. No matter what the action is, we can justify it.
The next few trips to the bins, I saw my box still sitting there. I ignored it.
Then, one day, I saw another box next to it. Now there were two.
Someone copied me.
René Girard says we are imitative beings. We watch each other. We look up. We show off. We mirror. We are born and then we start to watch other people.
Instead of eating the healthiest food or wearing the most appropriate clothes, we copy the habits and style of others.
We resemble our parents not just because of genetics, but because we watched, listened, and learned from them - a lot.
I don’t have children watching me. But even if you don’t have a family to care for or a company to run, you still can’t separate yourself from others.
No matter how unique, reclusive, or separate we feel, a microscope proves there’s no barrier or border containing us.
I listened to a podcast about a guy who went into a depression because of the troubles his son was facing. Because of something stupid the son did, the father blamed himself and slid into a depression for three years.
This is a natural. We can feel deeply responsible for what we have influence over.
We could drive ourselves crazy over making sure we only have a positive influence on our surroundings.
But we can’t really know all the ways we will ‘effect’ others. It’s impossible. Just like you’ll never really know what is ‘effecting’ you.
Take out the recycling, or don’t. But once in a while, I hope a small sign reminds you—somewhere, someone is watching.