Written May 8/08 7:53AM
As I was exploring my office in Pinelands Creative Workshops i came across a poster that had a poem about about the things you can do to challenge yourself in life. One of the messages that really stuck out for me was a line that said "its easy to find fault in something, its not easy to find a solution." (somethinglikethat) This is an interesting and highly relevant quote for my internship, particularly because I'm working on an initiative that requires a whole heck a lot of problem
solving and conflict resolution.
I thought about the initiatives that I'd worked on in the past and how easy it was to find fault in them but how painstaking difficult it was to come to a concise and/or find a solution.
In reading that passage I realized that I am one of the many people who have been taking the easy route while disguising my "finding fault" mindset as actually being constructively critical. It is, however, much easier to find problems with a solution than it is to find a solution to a problem.
I remember something a professor of mine once said, "you can't help everyone, you can't find a solution that solves all the worlds problems, as people will forever have their own positions on an issue, but you can find a solution that harms those most vulnerable the least". When those remarks were spoken I distinctly remember thinking to myself how wrong and unfair her notion was and that we should indeed strive to find a solution that benefits everyone!
Though I still view that as the goal, I finally understand what my prof meant when she made that comment. It was and is my unrealistic attitude of believing i can help everyone in the world that makes it so easy for me to find fault in proposed solutions because, inevitably, their will always be room for improvement and all of those effected will not always be 100% satisfied with the outcome. In reality everything has a loop hole where fault can be found but its about doing what you can to harm those most previously harmed the least.
While i work during this summer I'm going to always remember this: Even though there is so much pressure to be holistic and perfect in development, there will always be someone finding fault and everyone will never be happy. It's easy to complain and find fault its harder to work towards a solution, this summer I want to do the hard work.
As I was exploring my office in Pinelands Creative Workshops i came across a poster that had a poem about about the things you can do to challenge yourself in life. One of the messages that really stuck out for me was a line that said "its easy to find fault in something, its not easy to find a solution." (somethinglikethat) This is an interesting and highly relevant quote for my internship, particularly because I'm working on an initiative that requires a whole heck a lot of problem
solving and conflict resolution.I thought about the initiatives that I'd worked on in the past and how easy it was to find fault in them but how painstaking difficult it was to come to a concise and/or find a solution.
In reading that passage I realized that I am one of the many people who have been taking the easy route while disguising my "finding fault" mindset as actually being constructively critical. It is, however, much easier to find problems with a solution than it is to find a solution to a problem.
I remember something a professor of mine once said, "you can't help everyone, you can't find a solution that solves all the worlds problems, as people will forever have their own positions on an issue, but you can find a solution that harms those most vulnerable the least". When those remarks were spoken I distinctly remember thinking to myself how wrong and unfair her notion was and that we should indeed strive to find a solution that benefits everyone!
Though I still view that as the goal, I finally understand what my prof meant when she made that comment. It was and is my unrealistic attitude of believing i can help everyone in the world that makes it so easy for me to find fault in proposed solutions because, inevitably, their will always be room for improvement and all of those effected will not always be 100% satisfied with the outcome. In reality everything has a loop hole where fault can be found but its about doing what you can to harm those most previously harmed the least.
While i work during this summer I'm going to always remember this: Even though there is so much pressure to be holistic and perfect in development, there will always be someone finding fault and everyone will never be happy. It's easy to complain and find fault its harder to work towards a solution, this summer I want to do the hard work.
3 comments:
Don't get so caught up with crossing items off your list that you forget to enjoy and appreciate life.
it is so true what you say...but I hope that whatever fault that surrounds you...will be easily erase. P.S: luv it that you and I suffer the same addiction...maybe we can go fight our cravings together in the eaton center when we arrive at Toronto ;)
Hey!
Thanks for your last message. I am sure I will have much to gripe about in that fall on the whole topic of IDS, not that I don't have enough from the past two years of school.
I like that you have a list. Living in the moment is one of my motos as well. We cannot control the future and cannot change the past - simple answer, is to live wholly for today. Funny, that sometimes it seems harder to do than it sounds.
We certainly cannot "help" everyone, and I often question if we should be "helping" anyone, or just working for the common good - sound cheesy?
Anyway, keep me posted on your internship and I will do the same. The two women I live with are sisters and both kick ass - one doing her phd in film, the other is a super involved women's rights activist. I have more to blog about this.
Hope that all is sunny and thought provoking,
- Danielle
p.s the quote on my side bar is from a song...http://www.lyricsdownload.com/trooper-we-re-here-for-a-good-time-not-a-long-time-lyrics.html
oxox
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