If you are reading this (and you obviously are reading this) then you are one of an exclusive group of exceptionally perceptive and intelligent persons. There, I have just defined a group. Let's call it The-Notes-That-Missed-The-Basket-Club, TNTMTBC or MTBC for short. I hope you appreciate that your exceptional perceptivity and intelligence have been noticed. Good dog, I mean, good for you. (Some of the members may not be dogs.) Being noticed is one of the perquisites of belonging to the group. There are other perquisites. You get to take a break to read my blog. You can stop reading whenever you want and nobody will yell at you. You can belittle my writing anonymously and with impunity in the comments section. That's like both of us letting our imaginations off the leash for a run. I already tried it, and it's exhilarating. Try it yourself. Stop reading and post a comment... ... ...
You are still reading, and as usual you probably didn't leave a comment. That's allowed. You are in charge. It's one of the perqs of membership in MTBC. Pity those poor mutts who are still on the leash. In case you didn't know, that feeling of pleasure that you are not one of them is called schadenfreude, which illustrates another perquisite of MTBC: you get to see some big words in action. Fun, like chasing a frisbee. You are special and privileged.
If my plan worked, you are now aglow with a sense of belonging. There are some regions in your brain that are especially excited right now, and it feels nice. Nice for you. Not so nice for others who don't belong to the group because another part of your brain is busy excluding them. They are going to get barked at. It doesn't matter that there are only half a dozen of us in MTBC and there are billions of outsiders. We are special, and they are not.
Groupism is Darwinian, coded in our DNA because it provides an evolutionary advantage that comes from social organization. We are friends with benefits. We are made for each other, a process that took some millions of years of random trials with lots of failures getting squelched and some important successes getting passed from parents to puppies. We who have come this far are the winners. Don't fight it. Just belong. Groupism is standard equipment, not just an option.
If all of that looks a bit suspicious, it's because you are more than Darwinian. You are also Gregorian. Good for you. Who needs a leash?
Accredited members of MTBC (this means you) may leave questions in the comment section below. Sniffing allowed. No biting. Answers another day.
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I thought I might have something interesting to say about groups. I was wrong. So where does TNTMTBC go from here?
ReplyDeleteIn the basket.
DeleteOh No! Don't stop. One thing I've learned from my many years of experience (ahem...) is that people read, people follow, people even appreciate, but people do not comment or question or (dis)agree, nearly as much as we who write might like.
ReplyDeleteDon't give up. Keep thinking; keep writing; keep sharing. Someone(s) more than you think are reading your thoughts. It IS worth the effort :-)
No worries, Marion. One problem with a blog, you can't see my impish smile. Just teasing. I will write until I stop enjoying it. If somebody reads, that's a bonus. Thank you for the encouragement.
Delete