79th Edition
A friend recently said to me – We are what we listen to. I think there is a lot of truth to that brief statement. What we choose to read, watch on TV, listen to in podcasts, even which neighbors we decide to spend time with or which we avoid, impacts our viewpoints on just about everything. No great insight there, obviously. But sometimes just to get a new or different perspective it can be refreshing to change our inputs. I decided recently to give this a shot. Not to overthink this, I chose Groucho Marx. Here are a few gems from this comic genius.
“Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend.
Inside of a dog it is too dark to read.”
Two of my favorite things to do are to spend time with my dog and recline in a comfortable chair with an enjoyable book. I find both to be simple, peaceful, and thoughtful moments. My dog teaches me unconditional love every day. She also reminds me how much I value loyalty. At the same time she depends on me every day, which reminds me how much I value dependability.
Post retirement, books have become a big part of my daily routine. Reading them, buying them, rearranging them in my library, putting colorful stickers on the books I haven’t read yet, and doing all the things that are necessary to launch my fifteenth book, called “Not Really Home.” It’s a must read. Trust me.
Here is another gem…
“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.”
For me at least, it may be the key to mental health. I find most of what is on TV, all four thousand channels, incredibly uninteresting, if not just plain garbage.
How about this one…
“The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.”
I’m always amazed at how many people in the news can lie with such sincerity. Our inability for discernment might be the biggest threat to our future. We struggle to separate fact from fiction, truth from outright lies. Lazily we have decided there can be multiple truths, where truth is essentially, a feeling or personal opinion, unsubstantiated and unchallenged by facts and evidence. Natural laws are shoved aside. A slippery slope to nihilism and, I fear, a path farther and farther away from our creator.
I agree with this one…
“I intend to live forever or die trying.”
How long can I remain physically active and mentally sharp? It gets more difficult each year. What is our motivation not to coast to the finish line? For me it’s my granddaughter. I want to share a poignant toast and then dance with her at her wedding. She’s two months old. This might be a thirty-year challenge. I’ll give it my best shot. Would somebody remember to put these words on my gravestone… “He died, still trying.”
Here’s a few prophetic words from Groucho about TV, which really is the scourge of our age…
“Laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you’re probably watching the wrong channel.”
We should never lose sight of the fact that we have the ability to change our inputs. We aren’t doomed to be angry or frustrated, which is the desired state the talking heads are trying to perpetuate with their endless rants and vitriol.
Final words from Groucho…
“This isn’t a particularly novel observation, but the world is full of people who think they can manipulate the lives of others merely by getting a law passed.”
The administrative state continues to expand with no end in sight. A couple generations ago all the laws in the land could fit in one volume. Now it takes around fifty-three volumes. What will it take in two generations in the future? Has the expansive growth and impact of these laws, regulations, and executive orders improved our lives? Will the great American experiment, our Republic, crumble under the weight of the ever-expanding bureaucracy? It seems we are on that path, doesn’t it?
Next time I try this exercise I’ll pick somebody different. Got any suggestions?
Please help me grow my readership by forwarding this to a friend(s). In the meantime, say tuned for my next newsletter. Thanks
Michael Kayes
*These views are my personal opinions and are not the viewpoints of any company or organization.