Let me start this post with a confession. The title of this post is not my original idea. I took the title from a video a friend sent me in which the actor Ed Norton was interviewed by Stephen Colbert on “The Late Show.”
Here’s the background…. We are all aware of the many issues and challenges facing the United States as well as the world overall. As was demonstrated in a video I sent in a prior post, we all need to decide what our role should be in standing up for what we think is right.
It’s what I often refer to as asking the question are you one of “those guys” (one of the men or women) who want to make a difference, or are you just “ watching the movie” and expecting somebody else to address the challenges we face.
It’s easy to rationalize that some of the issues are so large that no one of us can really make a difference. However, if each of us does something in a small way, it can add up to something very significant. There are several things that impressed me about Ed Norton’s comments in the following video:
First, Norton admitted that he felt a lot of anxiety personally, and the anxiety of others by spending unproductive hours on social media and what he called “doomscrolling anxiety.” However, rather than continuing to feel trapped, he has started an organization to have a meaningful impact on emissions and climate control, deciding to try to make a difference in the area that required work rather than sitting around and doomscrolling.
Even more impressive, Norton reflected on the fact that yes, we have issues and challenges today, but they are not that much different than any time in the past, and probably no different than what we will have to confront in the future. He then recited from several of the works of Walt Whitman…definitely worth watching (believe it or not, I’ve already watched it four times). It will definitely put you in a self reflective mood). 👍😁
