School supplies are out and about right now. Do you know the rulers bend? They are silicone, confusing. Anyhow rules were meant to be bent and tested and now the faire proves the thought of anything goes.
The grey areas are where the "bend" in the rules comes from. In court for instance. Or on the job. Surrounding circumstances. I have been in the grey area before myself. Where the fine line, the description of right or wrong about a rule, just cannot apply. That would be saying that everything is black or white. We all know that is just not true. Love the bytes. Ellen B
OK..I agree that rules are there for good reasons.. you know like traffic rules.. but then there are other rules and you know the repercussions if you break them ... there is Gods rules and there are mans rules ...I make a conscious effort to never break Gods and I make choices about mans..
LOL, Of course John..I perhaps didn't phrase that right... Traffic rules are there for a GOOD reason..as an example of Mans rules that are helpful and necessary
I'm a non-conformist risk-taker. I don't do it for the fun, but because I believe in freedom, and we have some really stupid rules that hold us back from true experiences in life. I just don't believe life was meant to be safe, but was meant to be lived.
This is often true, but is one of those ideas that, as a rule, is more complicated than it seems. First, it depends on who makes the rule and, of course what one means by "rule." If we live by principles, and they are our own, we might want to follow them because not doing so leads to consequences we know are undesirable. Some rules that aren't our own also may lead to consequences undesirable to us and we acknowledge this. This means that breaking those rules may not lead to fun at all, but to grief. Some rules also have the coercive power of an authority behind them, and we have to weigh the consequences of not following them, even if we don't like them, against whatever relief we get by ignoring them. It also is naive to expect that just ignoring a rule will necessarily lead to fun.
If one takes these things into consideration and judges a rule to be silly or disfunctional, ignoring it may lead to fun (think about it, though) and it may be somewhat satisfying to flaunt it.
I agree with John above me ... but my mind went right to rules of society ... or rules of etiquette. Of course they have their place too, but it's fun to mess with them around the edges :)
This concept seems to have been explored, but I agree that many rules are utterly useless and therefore do not required observance. Especially those ridiculous ones that we often find ways of binding ourself in. Self-imprisonment is merely another manifestation of cowardice.
Vivian, we have explored many facets of this topic, but I would say we have just skimmed the surface psychologically or in the context of self-actualization.
Some rules are breakable, some are only bendable, some are laughable.
1. Never wear plaid with paisley. 2. Never mention Clinton to a man with a Bush bumper sticker and a gun. 3. Never count your money while you're sittin' at the table. 4. Don't poke the sleeping bear. 5. Don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys (no offense, Robert).
Some of these should never be broken...
P.S. I'm all for fun, but the Dewey Decimal System has its merits.
I was raised to think that following the rules included the fun so I did not really know about this aberrant behavior until I was almost too old to partake of the turn to the right. I did err on the side of fun a little while still following the rules more often than not. I usually hang out with the rule breakers and live vicariously off their "recklessness." Hey, "bad" friends have to have some draw or we would not keep them around. lol
Donna, I think the point that you can have fun within or outside of the rules is well taken and, in many cases, makes whether or not you are following the rules academic.
Hi john. In a free society, rules can be fun within their stated useful purpose, and if they’re NOT can still be fun in the realization that change is the essential process for all existence. Where is the fun in chaos? It all comes down to ones perception of fun.
John, are you the one who plays Monopoly like this? "Hmm, nice hotel ya got there...it would be a shame if anything happened to it. Maybe you'd like to buy some extra protection--I mean insurance...."
Yes John that's why I added, "...fun in the realization that change is the essential process for all existence. It's also fun to know that we can change the rules.
The primary thing that I was thinking about was showing honor to people. Those rules vary from place to place. Our reaction to each other is a form of language. I remember when the boat people (Hmong and Vietnamese) came over. I was a welfareworker and a few needed our help. One or both, can't remember which, when the elevator door opened, the men went quickly in front of we women to enter first. When I was ready for an interview I brought the first chair over for the elderly woman and the man sat in it leaving the old woman and his wife standing. To us, they were terrible rude and selfish. It took us a while to realize their language of honor was different than ours. The man and protector of the family went first. As we came to know them we found them wonderful and delightful. I'm not talking about spiked hair or untied shoes :) As a guest in someones home, you would owe them the honor of not belching loudly in front of their guests unless they themselves had indicated, by their own actions, that was permissable :):)
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But, it's true, they're not much fun!
It's great to step out every once in a while.
Thanks for the chuckle.
"Bending" is fun. Here's a little more on that:
Bending the rules ...
Autumnrose, that depends on your context.
I agree, Vic.
The question is why is that statement true?
"rules were meant to be bent and tested "
There's quite a lot of power and insight buried in that statement, folks.
You might want to ponder it as well. Multiple aspects hidden in there.
What a delightful way to put it, Jan.
"Following the rules keeps us out of trouble"
We might want to think about what we mean by "trouble" and why it worries us.
(Another aspect to this Byte.)
Why is that?
Ellen, sometimes you sleep even better after breaking the rules.
I've always heard that too, Lisa.
I wonder what's behind that Byte?
It helps to keep the rules road at least in sight — or does it?
there is Gods rules and there are mans rules ...I make a conscious effort to never break Gods and I make choices about mans..
Or are we the only part of nature that accepts "black or white?"
An intriguing statement, Jenn.
I don't want to disagree with you but I'm pretty sure traffic rules are there for everyone else.
Definitely one key aspect to this Byte, Sylvia.
Traffic rules are there for a GOOD reason..as an example of Mans rules that are helpful and necessary
(pun was intented)
John follow rules is part of life
One often feels that most rules, including traffic, are for the other guy :)
Every Byte is multi-faceted.
Even if it isn't a group like this will invent them — and we all learn more.
If one takes these things into consideration and judges a rule to be silly or disfunctional, ignoring it may lead to fun (think about it, though) and it may be somewhat satisfying to flaunt it.
I always take wine on picnics to "No alcohol Allowed" public parks.
Rest easy
Thanks.
OK, Ann, but what is there with rules?
(not that I have anything against librarians but a lot those are different rules than we're talking about here — except for "No talking.")
It could be argued that rules — all rules — bind the mind.
If you'll share.
Your comment made me think that there are no rules in the Here and Now. It's only when we step outside that when we run into rules.
Of course, the problem with logic ...
Maybe it's how you take the path of rules.
1. Never wear plaid with paisley.
2. Never mention Clinton to a man with a Bush bumper sticker and a gun.
3. Never count your money while you're sittin' at the table.
4. Don't poke the sleeping bear.
5. Don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys (no offense, Robert).
Some of these should never be broken...
P.S. I'm all for fun, but the Dewey Decimal System has its merits.
I love the sign.
I'm sure you'll be happy to know I don't consider the Dewey Decimal System a set of rules — just an organizing system.
It is, of course, the quality of the comment thread that counts with Thought~Bytes.
Way to go.
There are also rules we've internalized about how we should behave etc. I'm thinking of those rules as well.
I say dance on!
This Byte is not about the rules but our attitude toward the rules.
I thought of a few places I'd like to post it. Ha!
... and I have a lot of fun :)
All Bytes posted to date are in one place at: Thought~Bytes
The trouble with "No Fun Zones" is that they're no fun.
I remember when the boat people (Hmong and Vietnamese) came over. I was a welfareworker and a few needed our help. One or both, can't remember which, when the elevator door opened, the men went quickly in front of we women to enter first. When I was ready for an interview I brought the first chair over for the elderly woman and the man sat in it leaving the old woman and his wife standing.
To us, they were terrible rude and selfish. It took us a while to realize their language of honor was different than ours. The man and protector of the family went first. As we came to know them we found them wonderful and delightful.
I'm not talking about spiked hair or untied shoes :) As a guest in someones home, you would owe them the honor of not belching loudly in front of their guests unless they themselves had indicated, by their own actions, that was permissable :):)