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Monday, July 18, 2011
Cat People vs. Dog People
We've had workers in the house and yard since January. Yesterday, there were 21 different people working in the yard throughout the day.
But... regardless of how this makes us feel, the world is the same world.
And yet we feel like our lives are chaos!
But that really isn't true.
What's true is that things are a mess, dissheveled and chaotic: our schedules, our yard, my desk, our communication with all these people occasionally. . . but not our lives. Not the world. Not reality.
Really, not much has changed.
Well, except for this:
(Chloe is adjusting to her new home quite well, and Oboe loves her. But that's a story for another post. )
I started thinking about people who believe that life is Chaos (random/no meaning) vs. people who believe in Order (things that happen have a purpose and a meaning). It's rather like the difference between Cat People and Dog People.
Dog People... have faithful, dependable, reliable, loyal companions, who follow their lead with little question, who bend to their lives and their wills. It's pretty much "Leader of the Pack" and the Dog Person is pretty much 100% in charge. Unwavering devotion to one perspective, one leader, one follower.
Cat People... are comfortable with the independance of cats -- it's not about control and obedience but rather a bit of sharing of wills and intentions. Cats do what they do, and Cat People adjust. Cat People do what they do, and the cats adjust. Ultimately, there is a measure of control, but cats cannot be controlled 100% and Cat People embrace that. Devotion to one perspective not needed.
Likewise....
Those who believe in a random life of chaos where nothing has meaning... have a philosophy that explains everything and nothing, one that suits them no matter what happens to them, versatile and comforting, and requires no understanding and no change in their behavior. Life follows the leader, no adaptation of perspective required. Just like Dog People.
Those who believe in a reality of order and meaning, have to adjust and adapt and accept the independence of reality ... with a heightened importance placed on perspective... a sharing of wills and intentions... Just like Cat People. They embrace what Reality is, and find their comfort in perspective.
No value judgements are intended on either. Just perspective. .
But Reality ... is not really as random when you are able to separate yourself from the things in motion in your life. And Reality... is certainly not meaningful unless you pay attention to how it impacts your life through perspective.
EDIT: Of course this is a metaphor, and is not really about who likes dogs and who likes cats... or animals at all. It's about people who feel the need to see the world as black and white. The more sure someone is about life's answers, the less sure I am of that person. A balance of both perspectives is likely the best medicine.
Confusing? I think we need to add another animal metaphor.
Fish are in The Stream, and can swim where they want to... but... The Stream is going to go where it goes... the fish doesn't have to understand that. But it would sure help the fish make better choices if he did.
Our life only looks like chaos. There's plenty of meaning and order found in perspective.
~Shephard :)
Labels: Of Mice and Mondays
posted by Shephard @ 