It’s always hard to see yourself through the others’ eyes. Here, in Lithuania, people are not likely to tell. Sometimes you get some facts out:
- I talk to much and to long (and boring);
- I tend to “lecture” (monologize);
- I tend to tell other what to do (other interpreted as “arrogant”);
- I’m criticizing without proposing an real answer / action;
- “I hold a flag up high, but don’t lead, just wait for others to continue the work.” (once I was told) – means I start a thing but expect others to finish it;
- My jokes ain’t funny.
… And now you’re free to add some more points. I’ll appreciate your openness.
As I was thinking about these points I came to a simple conclusion: Most of them are … typical German. To believe you have the best solution (cars, money etc.) gives you the right to tell others what to do, eg. tell the Greece to save money, because we pay their debts.
And as some of my characteristics are typical German, still this is where I’m mostly misunderstood: My point is not to criticize without a reason, not just in order to keep somebody and show your superiority (sounds even more German :), no: I’m trying to start a discussion which should lead to a common decision and action.
So: why do we fail before action?
Hups, suddenly I turned from “I” to “we”! The correct question is: Where do I fail to create an common action?
A part of the answer depends on me: the “categorical” (yippie, a term of Kant, the great German philosopher), well, let’s say: “a strong answer” which is presented in a convinced way, does not seem to leave a room for a discussion, it is seen a “the answer” specially as the other side does not have a counter argument or struggles with a complex of inferiority (eg. by telling you: “that sound sooo clever” – which either means: “I didn’t understand a word” or “I don’t care what you say”)
Is that the point where the idea of a blog fails? It’s another monologue which in fact does not lead to a profound discussion.
And I’m convinced that most of the (new) technology gives us the illusion of “social networking”. Sure, the TV is a one-way medium, and in the social media you may comment and “participate”. But, still only a marginal part of the “participants” do it. It is mostly a passive medium (more than 80% of the use is passive reading/watching). Very few posts or videos reach a wider auditorium. I think, I don’t have to make any comment on the quality of popular content ..
It really personally bugs me the most that it seems out of many many ideas and initiatives I started (I’d prefer to say “we” because most of them I did not start alone) get stuck, died or are forgotten?
No, they are not! We’re discussion cycling more than ever, Esperanto is still alive, we feed the starving and fight the rich 🙂
But these things are not (anymore) connected to me. At the moment when your child growth up and leaves the house what do you do?
Generally I do not live in the past, I like (new) technology.
And I understood, that I am not a leader. My idea is to give thoughts, to start things, maybe get them going, so, please understand, that from my point of view it’s good to let things go.
I’m an idealist and thinker, but a pragmatic one, not a dreamer.
I hope I can help you, but I won’t solve your problems.
We can do that together, but in this case you have to help me to make it a partnership and not a one-man-show.
Believe me, I don’t want to rule, but I do when I have to. Sounds pretty German again. I won’t get rid of it completely, but I can create an awareness and consciousness about my Germanity.
…
And the next post has already a name and an idea, it’s called “I’m a time traveler”
frank kulikauskas-wurft 