BeninSC's excellent diary last nite (Didn't read it? please go now and do so. I'll wait... there, aren't you glad you did?) got my mind thinking about what the impact any one person's actions have on the greater whole. Grab a mug of something warm if you're somewhere frigid like me, or cold if you're somewhere warm, which I suspect at this point is a myth, but whatevers... and follow me below the orange snow pile after a word from our sponsor...
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There's a story that's told in many versions, but all trace origins to Loren Eiseley. Here is one adaptation:
Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.
One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.
He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"
The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."
"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.
To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."
Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"
At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "It made a difference for that one"
I've often thought of this parable when whatever I'm doing seems pitifully small, like the proverbial little dutch boy holding back the Atlantic by sticking his finger in the hole in the dyke. Ben's diary made me think of two recent activities here at Casa Brillig. Both stem from conversations with our financial planning team (Yes, even people who aren't the 1% benefit from a financial planner proficient in your asset/income bracket. Really!). Let me relate the two, then tie it all together hopefully.
Two years ago, our city was part of an organized effort to increase solar power usage by homeowners. Free assessments were offered and we looked into it, only to be told our roof was "suboptimal" and therefore we weren't eligible for the program. Fast-forward to September, when a Kossack meetup at our house had us bemoaning our inability to go solar, and fellow Kossack AnotherMassachusettsLiberal looks at it and says "nah, we can do solar with that." This, however, led to a need for financing, and when the HELOC process dragged on, we talked to financial planner about borrowing from an account and explained why. While completing paperwork, we talked at length with her about solar, environmental and social responsibility, corporate greed, etc. turns out she and her daughter had gone to the climate change march!
At our annual meeting with our team last week, as part of our portfolio review they mentioned that, as a result of their awareness of our philosophy, would we be interested in aligning your investments with our values? In particular, mutual funds that screen both for financial metrics and also Environmental, Social and Governance factors (ESG). In other words, don't sacrifice our investment goals, but choose based also on a company's efforts in attaining and promoting environmental sustainability, foster safe, diverse and productive workplaces, and have transparent, ethical, diverse governance practices. Why yes, yes we would, and we're in the process of evaluating our choices and signing off on transfer of funds.
Two small efforts by one family. In the case of the snow-covered solar panels on our roof awaiting National Grid's coming by to swap out our meter and flip the magic switch, best-case scenario is that we'll provide a maximum of 60% of our power needs. One might ask why go to the expense and hassle for less than total electricity generation? In the investment case, our meager choice of investment vehicles certainly doesn't have the same effect as Harvard divesting from, say, South African companies during the Apartheid Era or from fossil fuel companies today.
One snowflake isn't a major inconvenience. But add many snowflakes together and you have the snowbank blocking my view as I pull out onto the street. I can't wrap my head around being a snowflake this season, but I absolutely can be the person walking on a warm, sandy beach in shorts, tossing starfish back into the lovely comfortable sea.
"It makes a difference to that one."
Ever feel like a snowflake? Or do you feel like one of the starfish, hoping someone comes along to make a difference? Please share in the comments after checking out tonight's Three Tops, formatted by a man who absolutely makes a difference every day, BeninSC!
Brillig's ObDisclaimer: The decision to publish each nomination lies with the evening's Diarist and/or Comment Formatter. My evenings at the helm, I try reeeeallllyy hard to publish everything without regard to content. I really do, even when I disagree personally with any given nomination. "TopCommentness" lies in the eyes of the nominator and of you, the reader - I leave the decision to you. I do not publish self-nominations (ie your own comments) and if I ruled the world, we'd all build community, supporting and uplifting instead of tearing our fellow Kossacks down.
From Wee Mama:
I never thought I'd recommend a thread about Obama toilet paper (begun with this comment by AnacharsisClootz!), but "Never say never!"
From belinda ridgewood:
In my KTK diary about Mardi Gras tonight, palantir posted a funny cow video, and slksfca had the perfect response.
From Yours Truly, brillig:
From Jen Hayden's fine Mississippi House passes 'Jesus Take the Wheel Act' comes this thread, begun by annieli.
Top Mojo for Monday, Feb. 16, 2015, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you
mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary
FAQing Top Mojo.
1) This reminds one of the old story about Nixon by DrTerwilliker — 171
2) Yes, and the time Ronnie negotiated with the by David54 — 145
3) It should be a felony for a cop to turn off a by Walt starr — 128
4) She's earned herself enough to eat, by karmsy — 122
5) Immediate loss of job and pension. by Yellow Canary — 121
6) Oh, and hide the keys to the liquor cabinet too n/ by DrTerwilliker — 111
7) In May of 2012, Alan Blueford was shot by jpmassar — 110
8) I thought the biggest bank robbery in history by Dallasdoc — 103
9) You want to know what is sad..???? by 4CasandChlo — 100
10) I will comfort myself with the belief that by AnacharsisClootz — 98
11) And what was that charade Friday by anastasia p — 96
12) To answer your question and a point you made: by David Harris Gershon — 95
13) Last two lines are perfect. by middleagedhousewife — 94
14) Only three years? by Matt Z — 94
15) Yep. Been there by hnichols — 93
16) RIP, Lesley by Free Jazz at High Noon — 92
17) Wow, what an amazing woman by officebss — 86
18) You'd be shocked by 1toughlady — 84
19) It was on behalf of Ronny. by David54 — 83
20) of course it is by jfromga — 82
21) It should be considered supportive of charges by Dallasdoc — 81
22) The Boehner/Netanyahu ego tour by Brubs — 76
23) Of course it wasn't space aliens, it was by enhydra lutris — 76
24) Apparently you can be convicted by Matt Z — 75
25) You don't own me - PSA by Denise Oliver Velez — 73
26) I last wrote about this conflation by Netanyahu by David Harris Gershon — 72
27) Tipped & rec'ed by a2nite — 72
28) The smugshot of a racist. by DeadHead — 71
29) I'm not gonna say the 'R' word but... by Tausendberg — 70
30) Nope by gjohnsit — 70
2015-02-17 Top Comments with Pictures, courtesy of
jotter!