Some people worry that one day, maybe far in the future, maybe next week, that machines might actually take over the world. That movies like I, Robot and The Matrix trilogy are inevitable. You know what I say to that? Phooey! I'm sorry, but have you ever used a computer before? How often has your computer frozen or a program died for no apparent reason? Hmmm. Well, how about the fact that computers and computer programs are created and written by imperfect people? It doesn't matter how many times someone rechecks their work to find a flaw, there will be at least one if not many more. I've seen those jokes based on the premise: What if Microsoft was a car? And Apple has flaws, too. Or didn't you know that they have to sell a new phone every year because if you don't buy a new one with every release your phone will die because it's not that well-made (despite the hype and rabid following).
Feel free to be mad, but it's true. You could even call it planned obsolescence...but in some cases it's just flawed. My mother told me about how the Amish are so good at quilting that they purposely put a "mistake" in each quilt because only Heavenly Father can make something perfect. She was quite impressed with that. I tried not to giggle after she related the story (I can't remember if I was successful--there may have been a sarcastic laugh). Really? They think they're that good? Nowhere in that entire quilt is a flaw they didn't intend? It sounds more like pride than skill to me. But then, I know I'm not perfect.
I also know that no one else currently on Earth is perfect, either. So, imperfect parents raise imperfect children who grow up and have their own children that they also help flaw along in this world. So we should cut our parents some slack if they've tried their hardest to raise us the best way they knew how. For those parents that didn't try their hardest...or didn't ever try...or gave up a long time ago...that's all on them. Feel free to be mad in those types of situations, but you should probably seek therapy so you can stop being mad eventually. I guess that also means that if you make a mistake as a parent you're probably going to have to forgive yourself. And if you have any siblings, it's good to forgive them, too. Often brothers and/or sisters make mistakes or hurt you in ways they didn't intend, or as badly as it happened, or perhaps you were unaware of an issue and you're still getting blow back from it decades later. To my siblings: I'm sorry! Truly! Please forgive me!!!!!! I'm not the same person as when I was 6 or 10 or 14 or 18, so please somehow find a way to let it go. I probably didn't even mean it (hopefully). And I would like to forget it ever happened, but you keep reminding me. Ha ha.
So as the Borg, and now the Observers, say: resistance is futile. Of course, I prefer the Vogon's version: resistance is useless (just because I think they're hilarious). It's true that we can't escape being fallible. However, as in most things we do have a measure of control. I may have many flaws, but I still have a choice on how I deal with them--work at polishing them away through hard work and true change or by making them larger until I shatter from too many fissures and not enough substance. Stasis isn't possible and never has been. I will choose the polishing method. It may be a long and painful process, but I'm hoping the result will be worth it. Shiny!
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