Swimming In Systems, Part II…

I have great reverence and respect for systems — generally more than I do for people. Systems, after billions of years of honing and refining themselves, are what gave us people. Systems, I’ll suggest, are the only true force in nature and are responsible for the direction of all things. That said, I tend to accept what system deliver more than what people expect from them.

When Donald Trump was elected president, I accepted it. 

For 4-years I’ve kept my mouth shut. I’ve done my job. I’ve taken care of my business, my family, and remained an active participant in my community. I’ve bitten my tongue, I haven’t lashed out, and I’ve managed to say please and thank you as I looked into the eyes of people whose values are different than my own. I’ve shown everyone the respect I think they deserve, even when I’ve disagreed with their politics. 

I know this is a bit of a stretch, but I hope that people who didn’t vote for Joe Biden can and will accept his presidency in the same way I accepted Donald Trump‘s. I know many will. I also know many won’t. Push.

And just as much, I hope that the people who supported Joe Biden and voted him into office, can walk across the end zone quietly. Don’t spike the ball. Don’t do the dance. Don’t get in anyone else’s face. Use your inside voice. Gloating is unbecoming.

Regardless of who anyone voted for, let’s just do the work now. Let’s bite our tongues. Let’s prioritize community, family, and the individual — and in that order. Let’s say please and thank you to everything that moves, especially when our pride tells us not to. 

We are just tiny constituents who spend our entire lives swimming within the many systems that led to us — most never realizing this…

Food Systems, medical systems, religious systems, education systems, family systems, transportation systems, economic systems, weather systems, ecosystems, information systems, social systems, communication systems, and on-and-on.

Political systems. 

When I think of systems, I think of David Foster Wallace’s brilliant commencement speech at Kenyon College in 2005. Wallace spoke of the old fish passing the two younger fish and asking them…

“How’s the water, boys…?“

And the two younger fish replied…

“What’s water…?“

The water, I would come to understand, is all the systems that surround us, drive us, feed us, inspire us, enrage us, protect us, move us, and so much more. And most of the time, we have no idea we are surrounded by these systems, and have even less awareness of how influential they are in driving every aspect of our lives.

We may have free will within our own skin, and perhaps a little influence within our smallest circles. Within the systems though, that drive everything beyond our thoughts and emotions, we’re just tiny constituents in a loosely packed Borg.  

This is what I think about when I ride… Jhciacb

This week by the numbers…

Bikes Ridden: 7

Miles: 191

Climbing: 8,900’

Mph Avg: 14.6 ☹️

Calories: 10,600

Seat Time: 13 hours 01 minutes

Whether you ride a bike or not, thank you for taking the time to ride along with me today. If you haven’t already, please scroll up and subscribe. If you like what you read, give it a like and a share. If not, just keep scrollin’. Oh, and there’s this from John Lennon. Enjoy…!