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READ,RESPOND,CHANGE THE WORLD:Paradoxical Risk

Journal Entry: Sat Feb 10, 2007, 4:19 AM
I just read something on this subject that I find most interesting....

Heraclitus (I think) said that ALL IS FLUX...some 2000+ years ago.

Most people, I think, have come to believe this, that THE ONLY CONSTANT IS CHANGE.

If that is true, than UNCERTAINTY, is an inescapeable part of life. It is unavoidable ; the very essence of life must be in its the unpredictable and the unintended twists and turns, the unforseen changes.

Therefore, unless we wish to be tossed about like so much flotsam on these waves of inescapeable change, we must place ourselves IN THE MIDST OF CHANGE. We must ride the current of change, rather than swim against it.

Ironically (and this is where the PARADOX part comes in) Risk-Taking is seen as going AGAINST the current, taking the hard road against higher odds.

In a world of CONSTANT CHANGE, however, a world where "WE CAN NEVER STEP INTO THE SAME RIVER TWICE"..... taking RISKS is actually just accepting this flow of change and aligning ourselves with it.....which, though we may SEE it as reckless endangernment, is the safest way to cope in an uncertain world.

To take a risk is to plunge into circumstances we cannot absolutely control, but the SAD FACT is that that those circumstances we actually CAN control and (what little AUTONOMY that control actually allows is) are so inisgnicant that it's hardy worth the effort.

so, in a world of constant change, RISK-TAKING is in truth a form of SAFETY, because it accepts this world for what it is.

CONVENTIONAL SAFETY is where the true DANGER lies, because it denies the world.

The sort of risks that put one in a position to control one's lot...are those that attempt tp add something of VALUE to the world.

So....paradoxically risk provides us with the greatest control over a changing world and maximises our chances of achieving a truly meaningful personal satisfaction.

and maybe saving those whales...

  • Mood: Content
  • Listening to: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
  • Reading: Things Fall Apart -Chinue Achebe
  • Eating: little cucumber sandwhiches :)
  • Drinking: green tea

Devious Information

  • Current Age: 17
  • Current Residence: SA
  • Interests: Philosphy,Art,Music,Literature,Photography,Film,Fashion Design
  • Favourite movie: Everything is Illuminated; The Truman Show
  • Favourite band or musician: mewithoutYou,The Mars Volta,Placebo,Pearl Jam,RHCP,Muse,Radiohead,The Cure,The Hives,'Pumpkins
  • Favourite genre of music: Give me Prog. or Britrock. Me likes my Indie too.
  • Favourite artist: Roy Lichtenstein, Joe Tilson, Jim Dine and some Van Gogh for good measure.
  • Favourite poet or writer: Poet: Blake, Donne, Nicholson, Auden. Author: Jonathan S.Foer,T.Pratchett,S.Beckett
  • MP3 player of choice: Hehe iPod Nano
  • Favourite cartoon character: Animation: Captain Planet Comic: Utahraptor from the Dinosaur Comics
  • Personal Quote: "um... well I don't much like the taste of unicorn.."
  • Tools of the Trade: BUTTONS.PENCILS.THREAD AND NEEDLE.

deviantART Notice

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Devious Comments

~OrchidAngel:iconOrchidAngel: May 23, 2007, 4:38:12 AM
:hug: Just because.

--
"The winter prepares the earth for the spring, so do afflictions sanctified prepare the soul for glory." --Richard Sibbes
=WinGzx18:iconWinGzx18: Apr 8, 2007, 8:33:24 AM
Happy Easter.

--
I'm a Photographer.
Click the link! : [link]
~OrchidAngel:iconOrchidAngel: Apr 5, 2007, 7:58:42 AM
“Love is not written on paper, for paper can be erased. Nor is it etched on stone, for stone can be broken. But it is inscribed on a heart and there it shall remain forever.” :heart:

--
"The winter prepares the earth for the spring, so do afflictions sanctified prepare the soul for glory." --Richard Sibbes
*Geinen:iconGeinen: Apr 2, 2007, 12:50:29 PM
Thank you so much for the fav on House! :D

--
Rage, rage against the dying of the light ~ Dylan Thomas
~nubesnegras:iconnubesnegras: Mar 17, 2007, 9:02:43 AM
weeheee...I couldn't get a tree planted :( but I got an old one saved - they were gonna pull out my favourite in the neighbourhood park and put a swingset there - but I had the sweingset moved and tree spared by living in it for two days- which they apparently found amusing, and seeing as the positioning of a swingset is not exactly a big issue they let me keep my tree :) a small victory, but it means something. South Africa, though one of the planet's most beautiful countries (especially my native Cape Town) does not actually aknowledge Earth Day- but I'm working on something to inform people of it.

thanks again :)

--
I threw a small stone down at the reflection of my image in the water...I burst as it shattered through me like a bullet through a bottle...
and I'm expected to believe that any of this is real?
~Captain-Planet:iconCaptain-Planet: Mar 16, 2007, 8:13:55 AM
lol

--
THE POWER IS YOURS!!!
:ahoy: :earth:
~Captain-Planet:iconCaptain-Planet: Mar 16, 2007, 8:12:25 AM
well earth day is coming, so people will be more likely to want to help out. Maybe get some money together and buy and plant a tree in a park somewhere. You'll have to get the permission of the park district first, but they should be up for it.

--
THE POWER IS YOURS!!!
:ahoy: :earth:
~nubesnegras:iconnubesnegras: Mar 10, 2007, 3:53:11 AM Mood: Joy
Oh, and I'm gonna try to be more useful to the planet.

Thinking of organising a gig (most of me buddies are in bands) with purpose of raising awareness of animal rights and raise money and stuff - I'm mostly an animal activist. Would like to do something similar for a more conservationist cause but not sure what angle to go for - suggestions?

--
I threw a small stone down at the reflection of my image in the water...I burst as it shattered through me like a bullet through a bottle...
and I'm expected to believe that any of this is real?
~nubesnegras:iconnubesnegras: Mar 10, 2007, 3:50:26 AM Mood: Love
I LIKE IT!!!

*childhood dreams do come true*

--
I threw a small stone down at the reflection of my image in the water...I burst as it shattered through me like a bullet through a bottle...
and I'm expected to believe that any of this is real?
~Captain-Planet:iconCaptain-Planet: Mar 8, 2007, 10:08:30 PM
So now that you're a planeteer...

--
THE POWER IS YOURS!!!
:ahoy: :earth:
~GeminiDreams:iconGeminiDreams: Mar 8, 2007, 1:46:22 PM
Awh, =P

No problem

--
Sometimes the scariest thing in the world is yourself, and sometimes, you are the world
~nubesnegras:iconnubesnegras: Mar 8, 2007, 7:30:36 AM Mood: Sadness
I'm sorry I filled up all my dark holes with my insecurities .tear.

hehe, thanks.

--
I threw a small stone down at the reflection of my image in the water...I burst as it shattered through me like a bullet through a bottle...
and I'm expected to believe that any of this is real?
~GeminiDreams:iconGeminiDreams: Mar 7, 2007, 8:25:19 PM
>.>

The light out here in public is so bright. Do you have a dark hidey hole I can shield my eyes in? =D

<.<

Nice stuffs anyways, =)

--
Sometimes the scariest thing in the world is yourself, and sometimes, you are the world
=Dshark:iconDshark: Mar 2, 2007, 7:23:05 PM
I try.

--
Aye that! :ahoy:

An incredibly large amount of people like my avatar!

Do you? :ohnoes::horns:
~Protest-Love:iconProtest-Love: Mar 2, 2007, 1:26:35 PM
hihi

I wanted to thank-you deeply for the :+fav: on my Shadow Snap Illustration :aww:


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~nubesnegras:iconnubesnegras: Mar 2, 2007, 11:55:01 AM
hehe:)
well done for following instructions.

--
I threw a small stone down at the reflection of my image in the water...I burst as it shattered through me like a bullet through a bottle...
and I'm expected to believe that any of this is real?
=Dshark:iconDshark: Mar 1, 2007, 2:49:38 PM
*looks aroud*

Hi!

--
Aye that! :ahoy:

An incredibly large amount of people like my avatar!

Do you? :ohnoes::horns:
~nubesnegras:iconnubesnegras: Mar 1, 2007, 10:44:05 AM
...er...try MySpace...

truly they are the last word in trip hop/ goth trance

Also try maybe looking for the Album or EP 's

Album: Razbliuto

EP: Mouth of Me

Band:LARK

--
I threw a small stone down at the reflection of my image in the water...I burst as it shattered through me like a bullet through a bottle...
and I'm expected to believe that any of this is real?
~Captain-Incredible:iconCaptain-Incredible: Feb 17, 2007, 11:31:04 AM
Hey...

Thanks for your support for the pirate thing. I tried looking for that band, but I couldn't find it...
Don't suppose you could find a link, could you?

Cheers,

Joe
~ihatebeingshod:iconihatebeingshod: Feb 15, 2007, 1:39:48 PM Mood: Cheerful
ahoy buddy!
hehe..(sori)
couldn't stop myself...
tata!!
*margi
ps.how cool would it b 2 escape by balloon..12 -that's all u need...
(sigh)
:airborne:
~nubesnegras:iconnubesnegras: Feb 12, 2007, 1:20:39 PM
many thanks for the complimenting of the wordsmithiness

(wordsmithiness:erm, the Platonic form of the noun of the verb -gerund?-of being a formidable wordsmith..err nevermind)


anyway...thanks:D

South Africa is a a wonderful place.... "Republic of Rad"...the "RS of Awesome" etc are terrible aliterative and punny names that would apply.

Hope you do OK too Joe-Man :)

If you want you can be one of my new friends?

--
I threw a small stone down at the reflection of my image in the water...I burst as it shattered through me like a bullet through a bottle...
and I'm expected to believe that any of this is real?
~OILPUSHER:iconOILPUSHER: Feb 11, 2007, 10:44:53 PM
HEY NUBESNEGRAS
HOW IS SA? WELCOME TO DA. JOINED NOT TO LONG AGO MYSELF. YOU ARE A GIFTED WORDSMITH. HOPE YOUR DOING OK AND MAKING LOTS OF FRIENDS. PEACE OUT JOE.
=WinGzx18:iconWinGzx18: Feb 10, 2007, 6:23:19 AM
Hey I posted my new lego photo.

--
I'm a Photographer.
Click the link! : [link]