The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]

Children.

Parents.

Grandparents.

Even bloody businessmen.

One of histories ugliest children’s characters has somehow elevated himself into a position of being societies all-seeing, all-knowing knowledge bank and teacher.

Yoda must be fucking livid.

I can understand why children and their parents like Dr Seuss but I have to say I find the fact the business community have re-embraced the long limbed feline, bizarre.

Actually, it’s worse than that, it’s frightening.

I know it sounds like some terrible plot from a Nickelodeon show, but there really are some corporations – some billion dollar corporations – who make a big deal about what Dr Seuss can teach them about being successful.

Seriously, is that what the business community have come to?

Needing to be taught common fucking sense by a character from a children’s book?

But that aside, there’s a counter point of view to all this ‘common sense’ being banded about.

Take “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened” …

On one hand I appreciate it’s saying how important it is to look at opportunities with a positive frame of mind because sometimes the fear of failure or loss makes us not try stuff … but what the hell is wrong with crying?

Crying is good.

We spend so much time in a bubble of fakedom, that crying gives our other emotions a workout … emotions that keep us human, teach us stuff, give us clarity and generally help us realise what is really important in life.

Besides, as much as I’d like to pretend I am mature and sophisticated – I’d be pretty pissed off if my wife announced she was leaving me and smiled because overall, “the experience had been pretty good”.

I’d want her to cry.

I’d want her to be devastated.

Giving me a smile and saying ‘it was fun’ wouldn’t make me feel good – it would be like rubbing salt in the wound.

Dr Seuss is – in my opinion – a great example of what is wrong with society these days.

Everyone and everything seems to say we should be focusing on the future, being sensible, not having regrets … well fuck that.

Some of the best things humanity can do is doing the complete opposite of the Seuss sentiments.

I’d rather have a life full of regrets than live a life full of sensible decisions.

I’d rather be stupid with love than have relationships that feel cold and inhuman.

I’d rather treasure what I’ve got than chase what I can’t have.

Life isn’t about being sensible and it shouldn’t be.

People are human, not robots which means we live and act on our emotions, not a circuit board where every eventuality has a pre-calculated response.

Laughter … tears … screams and stupidity are easily as valuable as smiles, politeness, calmness and common sense and anyone who says otherwise needs to get out more.

Or have a good kicking.

Smile because it happened?