Change Versus Redefinition

I do not like change.

It's as simple as that. I just had to get that out of the way. It's a basic reaction I have... Change? Why? Is there something wrong with me the way I am?

I get offended. I get upset. I get defensive.

It may be true that if I never change I'll never go anywhere... and I bet many of you reading this are shaking your heads, wondering how you could've gotten me so wrong.

Ah, but he's about to pull out another semantics card. (You really should start to see this coming every now and then).

You see, to me, change means CHANGE. When you change a pair of pants, you change those entirely. When you change water into wine, you change it entirely. When you get change for a five, not only do you get a new design, but now you have five of the little pieces of paper. Change is big. Change is CHANGE.

Redefinition is what I use. And if you thought the semantics card was something, just wait for this. Yes! A metaphor. Did you see that coming? Huh?

Redefinition versus change. Take a coin for example. A quarter, let's say. Place it tails up. You'll see an eagle design. Yeah? Well, if you never change it you'll never get anywhere, right? So you flip it over. And now you'll see the head of President Washington. Sure, it's still a coin. Sure, it's still made out of the same medal. But that is so much more drastic than it seems. You didn't just change the coin. You created Washington and destroyed the eagle. That poor eagle... he used to be what you stood for. He used to be your symbol, and now he's gone. That eage was your base.

Well, lets redefine the coin instead. Hm... rotate it 90 degrees. Yep. That eagle is now on his side... but you'll be happy to see that the eagle is still there. Not enough "change" for you? Spray paint it gold. Shiny. New color, same content.

Don't kill the eagle. He's all you've got.

Another metaphor? Now you're just overdoing it. That's just downright excessive.

Flowchart. (I must caution you - this picture is terrible and does not even come close to conveying what I wanted it to... just so you know).



You start your life, and you are faced with the choice of red vs. blue. You choose red (sorry blue lovers, this is purely an example). What next? Perhaps the burnt gold? You choose it. And from there? Is it the pale yellow or the vibrant one? Well see, by this point you've already identified yourself as a red goldy. If that bothers you, well, you can always choose to CHANGE it. Myself? I find that the decisions I make are pretty good. That's why I keep going down my particular color path if you will. And like I said this illustration is terrible. I appologize.

But do you see my point? Instead of turning your back on what you believe, shift it, twist it, spray paint it until you've maximized its potential. If you still don't like it, by all means, change it. I like who I am, I like who I'm going to be, and I know that who I am won't hesitate to change himself if it becomes necessary. I'm just doubting that that necessity will arise. And after all of this inconclusive rambling, I've only one thing to say.

I do not like change.