Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Moderation of Discombobulation

Last week I found out there is a TED event in Detroit coming up. It sounds really exciting and it's totally affordable but attendance is by application: Tell us about yourself and your good idea for the future of Detroit and the world.

Can I just say "Well, I don't have any ideas but TED looks really fun!" Would that work? : )

I think I do know why things change. Things change because they are broken. Things bruised, dented and limping do not really change, they just find a way to get by. But when pieces are hanging off and swinging back and forth and you say "Gosh, I don't think it's supposed to move like that." That's when you say, "What pieces can we salvage and what can we build with them?"

People don't want to spend right now. I think we either spend small amounts that add up to something or our hearts totally override us. When I think about things I love, sure I can spend a little on that. Being part of the community is worth something too. (Thinking about Detroit, I think of the music community and going to rock shows.)

I think I know how things get simple. When you throw in one last monkey wrench and the overcomplicator gets discombobulated and completely jams up. THAT's how things get simple. Not because you've figured it all out but because you can't. And you go back to basics and work with the obvious.

3 comments:

Jim Donahue said...

TED is very cool.

sgreerpitt said...

Susan, that is brilliant -- just put that, verbatim, in your application. I'd let you in, in a heart beat!

richard said...

There is power in your comments, and its stretches cleanly into relationships as well.I was looking for a suscinct comment on the discombobulation of emotionalism and up rose these comments of yours.. Nice perspective, even across boundries! I do hope you got in..