For a little while now, I've been trying to up my game when it comes…
A Few Thoughts on Bandwagons
As my posts on being present have percolated, I’ve found I have a few (hopefully final) thoughts that I want to share.
Don’t jump on a bandwagon unless you really like the band.
Every year, there are hundred different causes and movements that are thrust in our faces. There’s a manic sort of frenzy that is part of a new movement. People are hashtagging and using all caps shoutyness with six billion exclamation marks about how great this new thing is and how everyone should do it. And it’s tempting, and easy, to get caught up in the craziness. We start sharing memes, adding a loud, “Yeah!” to conversations that support the idea, and we jump in to defend when it looks like that cause is being criticized. And sometimes I think we do this all without having first stopped and really thought about what this cause or movement means to us, personally.
The idea of quiet hours from 5 – 8, like many of the ideas/causes/movements out there is not a bad idea. There’s nothing wrong with it. But I also know that for me it’s not something that I need in my life, it doesn’t work with the way I have my life set up, and I don’t need to feel pressured to be part of it simply because it’s something many in my sphere are getting into.
Be a thoughtful, conscious consumer of what’s out there. And realize that just because something isn’t a bad idea–maybe it’s even a great idea–that doesn’t mean you have to get behind it.
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I’d like to very carefully and intentionally climb on your bandwagon of not jumping on bandwagons just because you friends are doing it. 🙂
It’s always smart to step back and think about a thing before you commit to it, and such…deliberation…can save you much consternation later.
-Carole
Haha! Welcome aboard. 🙂 (But I’m glad you were careful and thoughtful about it — because you’re right, it can save you well in the long run.)
I have always been a very busy person. I’ve learned that causes often require more than they’re actually worth in labor and commitment. I have always approached bandwagons with caution and skepticism. I get to decide how I live my life and invest my time. And as for quiet time — I take it when I need it — which rarely fits into a scheduled time slot. So, knowing that, don’t expect me to jump and answer the phone when you call or text, because it is my phone and I decide what to do with my attention. (Immediate family members who use me for emergency contacts excluded.)