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Something a little different while we are getting settled in:
I want to start a revolution! Right, that's what I said… a revolution. It should not be that difficult. After all, I have a medium to reach a lot of people. Right here. And, I have something important to revolve. Revolve is a good word, since we all know that everything cycles. Mark Twain, that famous commentator on the world's oddities, once observed: history does not run in cycles; it rhymes. I like that. It is time for us to turn things around, to revolve the world and I want to start a revolution, and I say that with a smile. It isn't that there are no serious topics to address anymore. Quite the opposite. The issues have become so serious that the solutions, if solutions they hope to be, need to be well rounded, to roll off the tongue and into the consciousness in a way that feels… well, right instead of righteous. And, I am asking you to sign up, to join me. We can form a secret society to start this revolution. We are forming a society dedicated to overthrowing the power of the boring statement. We shall wield the science of thought and anti-thought, using words to ignite laughter, recognition and, ultimately, change, even at the quantum level, where if you look the experiment is different than if you choose to go forward blindly. That works in the macro as well, and we will become a society of lookers through our revolution. Emperors shall be rendered unclothed. Our motto, to be carried forward on banners and by donkeys who have been trained to tap dance, shall be: Wit Happens. (Look it up. It may have been too long since you have seen this word.) Shout it out to friends and family. Order the free bumper sticker—Secret societies are never really secret, as popular as the concept is, so spread the word about ours.
We think that self-righteousness is the sign of a closed mind, but if you have an opinion you think is right how can you avoid being righteous? Humor. You got it. Good satire (not to be confused with sarcasm) can change the world, and a smile is more likely to engage the thinking muscles than anger ever is. American politics has always been steeped in ridicule of the opponent, but we think that kind of cruel humor and misrepresentation has gone too far. The answer is WIT. It isn't used a lot these days but we hope to bring it back. So what makes wit different? Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language defines wit as first: "the keen perception and cleverly apt expression of those connections between those ideas which awaken amusement and pleasure." In more street-wise speak: wit generates endorphins/endorphins make us receptive. We chose Wit Happens as our motto, knowing full well that something that precious doesn't just happen. We have to encourage it to happen. So that is step one of the revolution: A new perspective on what needs to be changed and how to change it. Another reason for wit, since humor, or sarcasm or let's all make fun of... might have seemed like almost the same things, is that we think there is much too much sarcasm passed off as satire and the amount of personally aimed humor is no longer funny (even when it makes us laugh), and in an election phase I can promise you there will be experts a-plenty to make fun of anything and anyone who has a serious thought or idea. Instead of what you are being force-fed by entertainment, news services, and spin doctors (and who is to say which of those is which) we offer wit. And that brings me to step two of the revolution: We want you to send us your witty thoughts, your clever perceptions of ideas and problems, your most subtle and piercing satire. We will feature it here... And send you a bumper sitcker, of course. We may up that to a T-shirt or cup since we are already offering bumper stickers to everyone with the insight to request one. We aren't looking for clever put-downs but any reflections you have that combine intellect and emotion probably qualify. You notice that combination, intellect and emotion. We think they have to go hand in hand, so work from facts and lead your audience to emotional truths. Don't forget Wit Happens. Try it and see if you can make Wit Happen in your life. |
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