Complex Numbers

Avalanche

I'm sure some things are worth fighting for.

PROMPT September 19th

Respond to this quote:

“Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” -Ruth Bader Ginsburg

I just don't know if I care about a goddamn thing enough to fight for it.

I'm sure I used to care. I have a vague memory about caring, and having that sucked out of me like dirt into a vacuum cleaner.

I mean, sure, there are things I like, such as music, booze, movies, science, reading, writing, games, my cats, a few people. Even some of those abstractions people love to talk about, but can't seem to define, like justice and freedom and all that rot.

But do I care enough to "fight?" What exactly does that mean? Protests? Petitions? Civil disobedience? Dueling pistols? Boxing? Wrestling?

Nah, sorry, can't be arsed. Best I can do is write.

But that's not the real problem, here. I'm sure that if I were in a better mood right now, I could come up with something I'd fight for. It's the other part of the quote that drives me to drink.

I don't have the slightest idea what "do it in a way that will lead others to join you" means.

All my life, I've heard the adage "one person can change the world." Well, that's demonstrably untrue. Sure, one person can kick a pebble down the mountain, but unless it hits other pebbles and loosens bigger rocks until half the mountain disappears in an avalanche, there's been no measurable change.

First, you have to climb that mountain, and, like I said... can't be arsed.

And I wouldn't want the responsibility of getting something started like that. I have a hard enough time convincing myself to do something; how much harder would it be if I tried to convince others? Especially since I'm hardly anyone's role model. And then people would have expectations of me, expectations that will chafe until I slink off and go my own way as I usually do.

Nope. Everyone has their own things they're good at, and this is most definitely not one of mine. Nor do I want it to be.

Let the people who still care do the fighting. At this point, I think it's a lost cause; we've been on a downhill slide since 1969, and it's only recently that this slide has accelerated. The pebbles are shifting, slamming into larger rocks, and before too much longer, it'll all come crashing down.

Me? I'm going to ride the biggest rock I can find just as long as I can, with a determined grin on my face and the hot wind in my hair.

Don't join me.



The avalanche has already started. It is too late for the pebbles to vote. - Ambassador Kosh