The Very First

So this is the first blog. What exactly does one write for his first posting? Does he write about something, someone, some time, or some place? Perhaps it is a combination of all of those in one; or perhaps it’s none of those things. Perhaps what is to be written will be too a priori to label “some” of anything? Will the first blog set the tone, pace, or bar for what is to come? Will what is written now, in this very beginning, be looked back on with affection? Will the writer feel the same way about the topic in the future as he does now?

Are the expectations that float just above a writer, as does fog above the morning earth, too thick to see through? Are these expectations a product of his own aspirations, or do they emanate from someone else? Are they those of another individual, group, or perhaps even society and his culture altogether? Do the expectations even mean anything? And if they do, (or don’t for that matter), should they? And if they should, (or shouldn’t for this matter as well), to what extent should they sway us? Should we look at expectations like we look at the wind? Now, of course, I am typically not a big fan of such metaphors; they nearly always have so many implications. However, let’s look to see if there is any truth to this idea.

Sometimes there is no wind; this is a state of stagnation and is generally rather uncomfortable. Without any wind we begin to focus on the larger external problems such as how hot the sun is. Is a lack of expectations the same? Can a lack of goals and expected results place us in a stagnant and inhospitable environment? Inversely, do we find a breeze enjoyable? When a gust blows consistently by, are we thankful for the distraction and relief from the heat? If so, should we consider expectations to imitate that of a breeze? When things are consistently expected out of us, does that bring us something to do and a distraction from the really big problems around us?

So if we prefer a breeze to the torpidity of a summer day, and if expectations are like the wind, we see that the consistent sets of goals we set out to achieve are a good thing. However, as with so many metaphors we have manipulated the ingredients of the recipe to come to a pre-desired result. The scenario is framed in such a way to make us feel as though a breeze would always be an accepted and beneficial thing. However, with but a moment’s reflection we see this not always true. Is a consistent gust a beneficial thing when trying to use a lighter out in the open? Is a steady source of wind helpful when you have a stack of loose papers spread across a table? Is a cool current of air our friend in the freezing winter when it bites at our faces and makes us look as if every one of our most inward secrets had just been exposed to the world?

So it seems that this breeze could be a bad thing; would this then apply to expectations? Perhaps, given the situation, expectations can hinder us or even harm us rather than bring us pleasant relief. It is, of course, completely situational, and depending on how we frame it, we can ultimately arrive at a biased answer. We haven’t even discussed what it would mean if the wind was a violent tornado or destructive hurricane. These too have their applied and omitted points of validity.

This is why I do not care for metaphors. They are often inaccurate, rarely simple, and are almost always used to back the biased argument of the person presenting them. They generally show us only one side of an issue, just one side of a coin, while ignoring or even hiding all other points of view. They are meant to be blinders, put on us to draw attention to generally only one aspect of the argument. So, whether you see expectations as the wind or not, I will refrain from making such a comparison here.

The reality and extent to which expectations exist or affect us will have to wait; perhaps I shall write a future blog about them. As for my first post, it is still unclear what I should write about. Maybe in the end the point is not that I pick something or anything to write about; maybe the point is that I just write. Perhaps when we write it is like a stream leading to a waterfall…Ah forget it.