Submitted by MitchTobol on

Act as if

Categories
Lifestyle

Hearing about bystanders at George Floyd's trial wishing they had done something and the guards that watched an old lady be beaten and did nothing, I take inspiration from Aristotle. "If you want a virtue, act as if you already have it and then it will be yours. Change comes through action. Act first, then become."

Teddy

 

Virtues don’t come through simply by thinking about them. We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts.

 

Teddy Roosevelt, also lived by this principle of acting in order to become. He would thrust himself into doing with his full force and vigor just because he was afraid. Teddy said "There were all kinds of things I was afraid of at first, ranging from grizzly bears to ‘mean’ horses and gun-fighters; but by acting as if I was not afraid I gradually ceased to be afraid."

 

I think it's important now more than ever that we be brave, if you see or hear something...say or do something. Let's take care of each other.

Comments

Fred Klein

There is nothing to fear but fear itself!
Daniel Schwartz

Fear is a strong motivator. How one reacts when confronted is the question.
Corey Bearak

Hear! hear! A path not always there but one to take when presented.
Victoria Drogin

I do agree with this in principle. The neuroscience supports the loop between action, visualization and brain wiring. Sometimes, especially now though, people are acting without thinking first or educating themselves. Maybe it’s a balance - rather than acting out of pure emotion and a knee jerk response, we can take a moment to think about the people we want to be, and thoughtfully take action from that position.
Thanks for the moment to think about this. Mitch. :)
ODEY RAVIV

Interesting points raised by Mitch, Victoria, et al. Lots to consider but the ethics of what is right in our hearts and in civilized society can help us decide when and how to act to make the world a better place for our children and grandchildren.
Vincent Chirico

Fear and inertia are the two biggest battles to fight; conquering them leads to a life well lived.
Mitch Tobol

I heard today on NPR that we actually regenerate brain neurons on a frequent basis (depending on the area of the brain) so change is possible!
Shelley Simpson

There have been plenty of studies done on the psychology of the bystander.It's much different from being breaking the horse or hunting the grizzly. I would hope that I would have done something, but what does one do when the police are the "bad guys?" It's too late for George Floyd, but maybe not for us to do something.

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