Brechtian padded into to the GANTOBverse in December 2023, in the Demokratisation phase of the second book. It was lovely to receive this new contribution – further evidence towards the So What? question. Stephen, F’da F’da and Brechtian have provided three very different angles. We have a lot to learn from each other.(*)
Over to you Brechtian, and good luck with the next stage of the adventure…
It’s a good time in my life to take a stab at answering this. To my right is my work laptop, boxed and ready for a courier to collect tomorrow. Yesterday was my final day (“on paper” at least, not wanting to drag things out any more then needed, my last day of work was last week, logging off some time at half past ten, a short handover to the morning shift and that was that).
I’ve left jobs in the past, and been made redundant in the past, and leaving something seems more of a positive. Leaving as the management changes and decisions are made, and the job you started is no longer the one you started with. This time it was leave or be pushed, and I’ve no preference for stubbornness and dragging the ever-present Human Resource department into things.
(A note here to say that nothing dodgy is going on, the company I used to work for have just decided to enforce something they could have done at any time; their choice and leaving is my response to that).
So what? In this case, for the adventure. Starting from a phone call out of the blue asking if I wanted to work for ___ while at the time in a job literally shuffling paper, I jumped at the chance and now it’s time to see what’s next.
But let’s not just ask Question 21 to something current, let’s look around and see what else it applies to.
Behind my right and on the shelves, an annoying amount of stationery. So what? It’s nice stuff, it has its uses, or it will have eventually.
On my left, a bookcase, the top of which has around 20 books ready to be read. So what? Books are awesome, and, unless things get too much, you can never have enough (see Question 18 perhaps).
Above and below the stationary shelf of stationery, vinyl records. So what? Over keen music fan, from the usual suspects and familiar names, to some oddities and strange noises, some full of linear notes, others anonymous to even internet lists and pages.
But let’s not just ask Question 21 to something physical, let’s look around and see what else it applies to.
My previous contribution to GANTOB last year was in the delivery of a chapter written by a couple of wolves. I think they wanted a taste of publicity and fame, but nothing of the sort they used to have/suffer. They are not the wolves of the common saying about having “two wolves inside you”, nor are they the two staring on a 500 talonai bank note of Lithuania. They are The Wolves in My Head, and they have been quite the helpful pair, guiding things since showing up during a stab of deep anxiety over ten years ago. The wolves stayed, now offering advice, suggestions and only slightly off-colour jokes and comments. (If there is anything that can quickly put a human in its place, it’s the opinion or observation of another animal; see the many cartoons from Warner Bros. over the years).
Did the wolves in my head get their taste of publicity and fame? They remain non-committal about it all, pawing through a few notes and wondering when the next sausage sandwich will be purchased. I’ve drawn a line on the common breakfast staple for now, all for a healthier future and all that.
And there can be one – it’s far, far too easy during 2024 and all the recent years, to fall back on default cynicism, pessimism, and either actively seeking these two out on the usual on & off line places, or just not seeing the small positives that are still around. Rage bait seems to be back, taking any small change or even a rumour of a change, and amplifying all the negatives of it.
The best weapon to have against all of this is the two-word Question 21. Take some time to ask it next time the unearned anger or indignation (righteous or otherwise) is called for, or a debate is provoked, or a logo changed, or a celebrity’s past is revealed. Even something as simple as an idea you yourself come up with, give it the “SW” test to see if it’s worth your time.
And, sometimes, do it anyway. The “SW” test can be applied to itself without issue.
Time to send this. It’s been quite a day.
BRECHTIAN, submitted 10 May 2024, uploaded 12 May 2024
Number 42 of the 52 Pamphlets
An answer to question 21 of the 23 Questions, and a contribution to question 18
If you would like to answer one of the 23 Questions, or would like to submit a pamphlet of your own, please get in touch before 23:23 on 30 June 2024.
(*) I originally wrote that Brechtian contributed as one of The Ten. In fact Brechtian had not yet received his invitation to The Ten. I will correct that ASAP. His will be the 24th invitation and I will consider him an honorary member of The Ten.
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