Levels of Doing
This is a raw idea I am working out. By all means weigh in! This is a conversation starter.
When it comes to constructive effort there is a hierarchy from doing little to doing much. I am working this out to order how one should put effort into things. We cannot do all, so we must decide. Perhaps this hierarchy is from passive (consumerist) to active (creative).
When I have more energy, I do the more constructive things, when I have little but still want to progress I do the less constructive.
There is a question of focus vs randomness. It is more constructive to put effort into the things that matter much in your life. It is completely up to you how you order your values. The point is to order them. This colours all levels of doing but things that matter more to you have greater value in this regard synergistically.
1. At the bottom level is eating and shitting. Taking from the world. Existing just for existing sake. Self-satiating. Somewhat above it, is kind of a recreational type of learning. Just learning because it's interesting.
2. Again, still working this idea out a bit... There is some kind of transitional effort, not sure where to place it in the hierarchy, exactly... There is factual knowledge, which is a bit different from skill work. The factual knowledge such as Piaget's Stages of Development, vs the practical knowledge of how you might better interact with someone in the concrete operational stage vs formal operational stage (I am a nerd).
3. Above this is skill work: as in exercise and applied knowledge. Practicing your instrument. Working on your tenses. Throwaway drawings. Or specific exercises from a book to develop your skills. You are moving towards an end of creation, getting more skilled. Yet this is not the creation, itself.
4. Perhaps, brainstorming belongs somewhere in-between. You are coming up with SOMETHING but you're not really down lighting the kindling ablaze, just a striking a match.
5. At the top level of doing is something creative. Giving to the world. Coming up with novel ideas that express yourself and your individuality. Using both physical and mental effort. I include here the matter of revision and refinement. I work on doing more of this final bit, I am better at creating a lot of stuff than stuff that is really really good and polished. As Bill Withers would say quoting Mr. Jones "just do what you do, and do it good."
There is the matter of making something powerful. This can mean whatever power you want to express. This could mean changing the minds of those who hold the levers of power and persuading those who prop up the military industrial complex to end countless international conflicts. Or an expression of simple tranquility. Or absurdist mad-cap slapstick. Meaning on some emotional or intellectual level it effects strongly. Bonus points for resonance in heads and hearts concurrently.
Obviously, there are gradations within these stages. Hopefully the general structure makes sense. Also, even though there is a hierarchy one should do all the steps to some degree as an iterative process. The point being to an end where you're ultimately creating with greater novelty, refinement and meaning. I do want to hear from others as this idea is rather raw.
I don’t have time for a big analysis here, but a few thoughts.
ReplyDeleteRe: #1 A chef might see this differently. Haha. Beyond the basic level and put it into a higher creative level. Re: #3 This stuff supports the higher level stuff. It makes it easier to focus on the creative stuff when this stuff has been practiced and learned and doesn’t have to be thought about or worried about anymore. Re: the whole thing. My last thought is that sometimes you just have to let go and enjoy the messy bits of life without worrying about where they fit, etc. Piaget helps us understand what people need, etc. but having learned about it and understood it, I rarely think about it anymore, just sort of live it naturally. Haha!
Man. This is very deep stuff. ill say this. Someone whos name rhymes with Bot Padams recently mentioned a person who rhymes with Peekon Dusk who discussed about this subject. He said you should strive to be as useful as possible to the most number of people if possible. If you aspire to something called true work, your probability of success will be much higher. Do it in a way to help you achieve that in the process. "dont aspire to glory, aspire to work" he says. "Internalize responsibility". In other words focus on the labor/utility rather than fame/recognition/money. Be humble. Usefulness = improvement (utility delta) x impact (amount of pople it will affect). If one of the factors is significantly higher then the current state of art becomes more useful. I remember Bot Padams saying theres only a limited amount of time he has left on this planet so he wants to help as many people as he can before hes gone so that he will be remembered for his good deeds. That is a healthy sentiment we should all adopt as time is also limited for all of us. Another Padams reiterated the same sentiment at one point in time :). But yeah start on the bottom to get to the top where you become creative and can give to the world. Of course as the other Padams knows too well, if you can keep your mind healthy with good nutrition, exercise, and whatnot, you have a higher chance of realizing your full potential and will have an easier time at the top level giving to the world. Feed your brain first before you start feeding other peoples brains!
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