Yeah, But You Didn't.
I saw this a few years ago and it changed me. You could replace the words Modern Art with so many other things, right? If you're strapped for ideas I'll give you some:
teach elementary school
write a novel
make a killing in real estate
design a website
make that dish at home
fix the economy
One of the easiest, time-honored ways to poke holes in anything is to explain how easily you could do it yourself/better/cheaper/different. The only other unifying thread running through these statements is: yes, maybe you could- but you didn't.
And there are great reasons why you didn't. A dear friend of mine stated the most obvious reason perfectly the other day,
"You can do anything, but you cannot do everything."
Amen.
If you feel like I'm criticizing you, hang in there because really what I'm going for is dismantling a disconnect that doesn't serve us well in the long run. Here goes: We don't actually want to do all of those things. And we definitely don't want to do most of them well enough to be experts at them.
Being honest about this allows us to relish in dabbling in things in a lovely, low-stakes way. It makes room for us to play around with a couple of lazy hobbies just for fun. Acknowledging how we truly want to spend our time also frees us up to seek help in the areas where we need and want it, without shame or disappointment.
As an eternally curious person, I’m interested in learning about a lot of different things. Because life is short and I like to have a good time, I believe firmly in surrounding myself with enthusiasts on the subjects I want or need help with- people who almost vibrate with the love they have for their subject.
I like winding them up and watching them welcome and entice others into a world they have joyfully explored in depth. I like doing this because it's fun, and delightful to watch someone do what they love. Learning in this setting–at the feet of exuberant enthusiasts–leaves me feeling empowered to start where I am rather than defeated by the distance between me and an expert.
