Monday, November 27, 2006
Track 05: Seasons of Love - Rent
Are we content with complacency?
I've been thinking about this a lot recently. What does complacency mean? Dictionary.com defines it as "contented to a fault". Is there a part of us, as a society, that becomes lethargic with our situations after a while? Do we settle for less than what we're capable of?
My cousin is a wonderful singer. She's so great that it's hard to imagine that she was once better than she is now, but as with any instrument, a voice out of constant practice loses some of it's perfection. I was watching some Josh Groban videos online the other day, and there were so many duets with different female singers. And every one I heard, all I could think was that my cousin was more pleasant to hear and more moving to listen to than them. But she wasn't there singing with him. She's here in Newfoundland with two babies, a working husband, a house, a car, and family. She doesn't work now because of her children, but when she did it was nowhere near the music field. As far as I know, she has no plans to pursue her singing career.
So, I wonder...has she become complacent? Not that having a family and a car and working in an office is something to be discontent with. I just wonder if she ever thinks that she's become apathetic. Does she ever think she could have gone further with her music? Does she ever wonder what would have happened if she'd finished her degree and pursued a performing career? Does she ever think that she could have been the one standing onstage at the Oscars singing with Josh Groban? Does she ever think that she's "settled" for a different life because the alternative was scary and uncertain?
Do we become complacent because we're scared? Do we reach a plateau, a comfortable level that gives us a lifetime guarantee of mediocrity and give up? Does reaching a goal mean the end of all others? Are we being plagued by apathy: for our cities, for our countries, for ourselves? We always say we want better for our children or whoever is important in our lives, but do we really just wish for them to reach a state of comfortabilty that they can live with?
I think we're a terrified people.
I think we're scared that we can never really become "the best" at anything, so we settle. We accept a mediocre life because the only other option is wide open for failure. And uncertainty is never comfortable.
I challenge you to shed the uncomfortable. Branch out, reach for stars. Reach for goals that seem impossible.
Dare to fail.
Dare to break complacency.
-Jillian
I've been thinking about this a lot recently. What does complacency mean? Dictionary.com defines it as "contented to a fault". Is there a part of us, as a society, that becomes lethargic with our situations after a while? Do we settle for less than what we're capable of?
My cousin is a wonderful singer. She's so great that it's hard to imagine that she was once better than she is now, but as with any instrument, a voice out of constant practice loses some of it's perfection. I was watching some Josh Groban videos online the other day, and there were so many duets with different female singers. And every one I heard, all I could think was that my cousin was more pleasant to hear and more moving to listen to than them. But she wasn't there singing with him. She's here in Newfoundland with two babies, a working husband, a house, a car, and family. She doesn't work now because of her children, but when she did it was nowhere near the music field. As far as I know, she has no plans to pursue her singing career.
So, I wonder...has she become complacent? Not that having a family and a car and working in an office is something to be discontent with. I just wonder if she ever thinks that she's become apathetic. Does she ever think she could have gone further with her music? Does she ever wonder what would have happened if she'd finished her degree and pursued a performing career? Does she ever think that she could have been the one standing onstage at the Oscars singing with Josh Groban? Does she ever think that she's "settled" for a different life because the alternative was scary and uncertain?
Do we become complacent because we're scared? Do we reach a plateau, a comfortable level that gives us a lifetime guarantee of mediocrity and give up? Does reaching a goal mean the end of all others? Are we being plagued by apathy: for our cities, for our countries, for ourselves? We always say we want better for our children or whoever is important in our lives, but do we really just wish for them to reach a state of comfortabilty that they can live with?
I think we're a terrified people.
I think we're scared that we can never really become "the best" at anything, so we settle. We accept a mediocre life because the only other option is wide open for failure. And uncertainty is never comfortable.
I challenge you to shed the uncomfortable. Branch out, reach for stars. Reach for goals that seem impossible.
Dare to fail.
Dare to break complacency.
-Jillian
# posted by Jillian : 12:27 PM
