08 March 2010

The Queen's Meme #28 - The Never Should Meme



Welcome to the Queen's Tuesday Meme #28

Sometimes silly. Sometimes serious. Always fun!
Step out of the box. Be creative. Use your imagination.
No one's answers are quite like yours.
The Never Should Meme
Brought to you from the sunny beaches of Somewhere whilst on vacation.

I actually believe that if "shoulds" and "nevers" were banned from the English language we'd all be better off. Who needs to live in absolutes? Should evokes unnecessary and unhealthy guilt.
Never is never enough no matter what you should be doing. Not ever! See? But in this fill-in-the-blank exercise you can be as dogmatic and brutal as you dare.
After today's meme, lose the words.
Seriously.
You should.
Oh, never mind.

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Strongly agree about the words as they indicate being "other" directed rather than developing your own ethical code from within, but I will play along just because the Queen has commanded and I should do what the Queen commands (see what I mean about other directed?)  Looked at the sentences and I may have to play it without too many funny statements this time. 

First in the interest of giving people something interesting read, here is a quotation from Robert Heinlein that describes exactly how I feel about "should".

"Do not confuse "duty" with what other people expect of you; they are utterly different. Duty is a debt you owe to yourself to fulfill obligations you have assumed voluntarily. Paying that debt can entail anything from years of patient work to instant willingness to die. Difficult it may be, but the reward is self-respect.


But there is no reward at all for doing what other people expect of you, and to do so is not merely difficult, but impossible. It is easier to deal with a footpad than it is with the leech who wants "just a few minutes of your time, please—this won't take long." Time is your total capital, and the minutes of your life are painfully few. If you allow yourself to fall into the vice of agreeing to such requests, they quickly snowball to the point where these parasites will use up 100 percent of your time—and squawk for more!

So learn to say No—and to be rude about it when necessary. Otherwise you will not have time to carry out your duty, or to do your own work, and certainly no time for love and happiness. The termites will nibble away your life and leave none of it for you.

(This rule does not mean that you must not do a favor for a friend, or even a stranger. But let the choice be yours. Don't do it because it is "expected" of you.)"

— Robert A. Heinlein (Time Enough for Love)
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1. If I never see a plaid horse again it will be too soon. Seeing one once was definitely more than enough.

2. Should I meet my Maker tomorrow, I would ask for one more day on earth to spend with a special someone.  Actually I would ask for several more lifetimes.

3. Never in my life have I had such a useless day like I did today.

4. I should always allow more time to read. 
5. I should've never listened to a man while under the influence of attraction.

6. I never sleep in my car but I should always carry a blanket with me just in case.

7. I should spend more money on live theater tickets because it makes me happy. I should spend less money on clothes because it makes me sad.

8.Advice should never be shared with strangers.

9. I should tell ___________that I never really meant to _____________.  I just plain didn't have an answer for this one.  See above reference to inner directed. 

10. Never in a million years would I want you to know where I'm Ticklish

6 comments:

Travis Cody said...

I should add excerpts from that Heinlein quote to the card I keep in my wallet. Sometimes I just need a reminder that someone's expectations of me are not necessarily good for me.

Finding Pam said...

Thanks for your comment on my blog about that song.

I let guilt make me do things I don't want to do. I am working on it! I liked your quote.

Mimi Lenox said...

I love the quotation by Heinlein, Jamie. It's a definite keeper and worth reading daily (notice I did not say "should" read it daily) Ha!
Queen is learning. Slowly.

Having more time to read would be heavenly and more lifetimes? Oh yeah. Perfect answer.

**sneaking back under umbrella to tan my toes**

Unknown said...

Ticklish is good.

Happy TQM!
Happy RT!
Happy HOT!

hugs
shakira

NEVER SHOULD

ROSE GARDEN

CUPCAKES

Mouse said...

Like your last answer :) and totally agree with your thoughts/quote. I came across an affirmation which I've kept on my fridge ever since. Change *should* for choose to, puts things into a whole different perspective! Have a great week :)

Anonymous said...

Great Heinlein quote...i love readiing his works....

plaid horse, eh?