24 August 2006

Be yourself

I just found a great quote:

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. - Dr. Seuss - US author & illustrator (1904 - 1991)
Do you matter? Despite it being a pedestrian principle, our patience with the differences we have with others is a good indicator.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

...taken with a grain of moderation of course:) We all know people who 'say what they feel' without any consideration of what others (who do indeed matter) might feel or believe. Point well taken though.

Ironic as it is; Dr. Seuss is probably one of the better sources of 'valuable life lessons'. The Butter Battle Book is an incisive treatment of conflict (not to mention game theory and deterence) that could teach many leaders and their kids a thing or two. The Lorax is similarly poinient.

Anonymous said...

The quote fits well for introverted and shy people, but should not be taken as a free ticket for throwing all my mental trash in other people's faces.
We in the western world tend to go a bit far with praising individualism. We might lose on the long run against the east.
Let's keep an eye on modesty and respectfulness.

Ezzie said...

It's long been a favorite... but in a slightly different version. My wife said a similar line to me after our first date. :) It's actually in my header...

Anonymous said...

Sometimes those who mind do matter. And sometimes those who matter do mind.

This is like just about any folk "proverb". You can turn it on its head and it can be a proverb too - and often is. It all depends on the circumstances.

Basically, people seem to get some sort of reassurance from generalizing their particular situation, as if it's an immutable truth that's "always been so". Which it may well be, but so might its opposite be, in different circumstances or simplt depending on your point of view. There's really no need to generalize all the time. Now there's a generalization. ;-)

Anonymous said...

Sometimes those who mind do matter. And sometimes those who matter do mind.

This is like just about any folk "proverb". You can turn it on its head and it can be a proverb too - and often is. It all depends on the circumstances.

Basically, people seem to get some sort of reassurance from generalizing their particular situation, as if it's an immutable truth that's "always been so". Which it may well be, but so might its opposite be, in different circumstances or simplt depending on your point of view. There's really no need to generalize all the time. Now there's a generalization. ;-)

Anonymous said...

Dr. Seuss is a source of great wisdom. One of my all time favorite stories was Seuss's "Star Bellied Sneeches". A great story about accepting each others differences.