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Jan. 2nd, 2001 11:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
iamomTue 2 Jan
Just had an interesting discussion with Jo about her job. We talked about the challenges inherent in working in a dysfunctional environment with poor or insufficient management. That's a topic about which I feel somewhat expert from my experiences at RDI.
My philosophy about change (in the workplace and in society) has changed a great deal in the past few years. Without trying to sound jaded, I'm fairly convinced that the ideal situation (in the workplace or in society) does not actually exist. You might think, "If only this person would..." or "If only that were different..." that everything would work out for the best, but in most cases, the problems don't go away when this or that has changed. Most of the time, a new problem will come to take the previous one's place, and then you're back to where to you started.
I have more confidence in my ability to deal with the problems of the world now, because I'm learning to accept the inherent reality of any given situation. Unless you happen to be in the unenviable position of having enough power or authority to exercise your will and wishes absolutely over those transgressing your own laws of common sense, the only outcomes over which you personally have control in your life are your own reactions to the situations you encounter in life. And even if you could exert your influence to the degree that all of your own great ideas were implemented, at what cost would you do so? How much respect does anyone get for being a tyrant who doesn't take into account the contributions of others?
Most people probably think that they're right most of time - I know I used to - but that doesn't matter, either: what's right for one person is wrong for another. Aside from that fact, you could spend your whole life being right, but also miserable, because nobody else is doing what you think is right. The most important pursuit in life isn't perfection, efficiency, or good work - those are just ornaments. The only thing you have control over is your own happiness and internal peace. And man, if you have that, who cares what your boss did at work today?
I realized during our conversation that the problems that exist at my new job could very well be even worse than they were at my last job. But I can't remember giving those problems much more than passing thoughts every couple of weeks. The reason? The view from my study window is too beautiful for me to think about problems over which I have no control. Did you see how beautiful the sunset was tonight?
Just had an interesting discussion with Jo about her job. We talked about the challenges inherent in working in a dysfunctional environment with poor or insufficient management. That's a topic about which I feel somewhat expert from my experiences at RDI.
My philosophy about change (in the workplace and in society) has changed a great deal in the past few years. Without trying to sound jaded, I'm fairly convinced that the ideal situation (in the workplace or in society) does not actually exist. You might think, "If only this person would..." or "If only that were different..." that everything would work out for the best, but in most cases, the problems don't go away when this or that has changed. Most of the time, a new problem will come to take the previous one's place, and then you're back to where to you started.
I have more confidence in my ability to deal with the problems of the world now, because I'm learning to accept the inherent reality of any given situation. Unless you happen to be in the unenviable position of having enough power or authority to exercise your will and wishes absolutely over those transgressing your own laws of common sense, the only outcomes over which you personally have control in your life are your own reactions to the situations you encounter in life. And even if you could exert your influence to the degree that all of your own great ideas were implemented, at what cost would you do so? How much respect does anyone get for being a tyrant who doesn't take into account the contributions of others?
Most people probably think that they're right most of time - I know I used to - but that doesn't matter, either: what's right for one person is wrong for another. Aside from that fact, you could spend your whole life being right, but also miserable, because nobody else is doing what you think is right. The most important pursuit in life isn't perfection, efficiency, or good work - those are just ornaments. The only thing you have control over is your own happiness and internal peace. And man, if you have that, who cares what your boss did at work today?
I realized during our conversation that the problems that exist at my new job could very well be even worse than they were at my last job. But I can't remember giving those problems much more than passing thoughts every couple of weeks. The reason? The view from my study window is too beautiful for me to think about problems over which I have no control. Did you see how beautiful the sunset was tonight?
