I Confess, I Messed Up

Responsibility is something we are taught from a young age. We learn that our actions have consequences and when we do something wrong or mess something up, we should own up to it. So why is it that when people begin their working careers, all that goes out the window. I am not saying everyone does this, but I can personally attest to at least 10 different instances where a co-worker of mine has screwed something up and then let the chips fall where they did instead of fessing up to the mistake and then trying to fix it. I even know of one account where the person tried to fix the mistake before it was noticed, failed, and then tried to blame it on someone else. Lack of responsibility for one’s actions is something that has led to very toxic work environments in many industries. Most of the time, it is people fearing for their jobs if they actually admit they did something wrong. My advice to bosses and work leaders out there is to allow an environment of honesty and forgiveness that makes it so that a worker will always want to own up to their mistakes and then hopefully fix said mistakes. Also, to all the workers out there, I know it can be scary to know that your job may be on the line, but honesty really is the best policy so that crap doesn’t hit the fan because no one admits what really happened. The last thing most bosses want to do is line up their workers like siblings after a broken vase and grill everyone to see where mistakes were made. If you get in front of the mistake, it is probably not as hard to fix as you think it is. In the end, we all need to work together, not just so everyone keeps their jobs, but so an environment of understanding and compassion is built instead of the cobra fangs of workplaces that exist now. We will all get paid and we will all be okay, as long as we take responsibility for everything we touch, even if we break it. But that is just one man’s opinion. Thanks for listening to me ramble. I appreciate it. See you next time.

The Dichotomy of Being Human

Humans are complex individuals. So complex, in fact, that usually by the time we become adults, we have picked our sides in beliefs. What religion we are, who we support politically, our value of life, etc. Through this, it is not an easy search to find someone who takes both paths on a fork in the road. However, I believe that if we look deeper at ourselves, we will find dichotomy. That is, a scenario where we have opposing views in our own self beliefs. For instance, I don’t think it is a stretch to find a “right to bear arms” supporter that also opposes abortion. Another instance is a person who is against illegal drugs that would not blame someone for selling their pain medication to pay their mortgage. Dichotomy, I feel, is the essence of being a human. A man or woman of many convictions is the norm. Why? Because if we fully delve into one side or the other of a bipartisan pool, we become rigid and stale as thinking beings full of character. We all have that friend who is the hardest working person we know, yet is also the silliest individual in our lives. They never miss a chance to get overtime at work, but April 1^st is their day. I am not saying that we are all Dr. Jekyll with his Mr. Hyde, but what I am saying is that a person of multiple faces is a norm that should be embraced and encouraged from a young age. Help the youth to understand that just because you feel you belong to one group, does not mean you have to believe in every message that group puts forward. That my friends is the equivalent to belonging to a cult. As I said, humans are complex, and having multiple beliefs, multiple sides of your personality – in other words, having dichotomy, is a part of that complexity, especially when those beliefs are seemingly opposing forces. But that is just one man’s opinion. Thanks for listening to me ramble. I appreciate it. See you next time.

Material Girls (and Boys)

Breakfast at Tiffany’s and bottles of bubbles, girls with tattoos who like getting in trouble, lashes and diamonds, ATM machines, these are some of my favorite things. Not mine personally, but it has become such a habit to want things, physical things. Every day we practice materialism in such a way that the world is racked with a surplus of objects that most of us don’t really need. Materialism, by the way, is the want of physical possessions above all else. So why is this such a bad concept? Is wanting a few nice things really that horrible? Not if the items are worked for and earned with a solid paycheck or two, but look at the national debt average. No one can actually afford the things they are buying. Materialism is also not so bad if we only cling to the items for a little enjoyment. However, there are people who gather entire collections of objects even at the detriment of the enjoyment of the item. Think stamp collectors who spend millions tracking down a single stamp only to throw it in a book and hope that one day it will actually be worth something. I have made a habit of being a minimalist. I have very few physical objects to my name, but I enjoy all of those things. When I add a new item to my ensemble it is because I know that I will use said thing in a way that helps me or brings me great pleasure. However, I also know that if I were to lose said item, it would not be the end of the world. Do not misunderstand me. I am not saying that owning things is bad. I am merely stating that when having nice things becomes the center for everything else, maybe it is time to take up a hobby. You know something simple, like shoe collecting. But that is just one man’s opinion. Thanks for listening to me ramble. I appreciate it. See you next time.