Being “With It”

One illusion, among many, that I entertain as a 77 year old man is that I am “with it”. You know what I mean. I have a handle on what’s going on in the world around me. I am hip, whatever that means. A year or so ago, I even created a single word name for myself, like Prince, Beyoncé et al.

“phaZe”

It has not really caught on but, there is still time, I hope. I consider my self to be technologically astute. Additionally, I’m culturally informed, able to occasionally drop some cool terminology in conversations with younger people. It is a point of pride that I am well read. Left to my own devices, I can feel pretty good about being “with it” at 77.

An important trait necessary for living a healthy, productive life is the ability to engage in self-examination. A painful but necessary exercise. I suspect you are thinking, I need dose of self-examination. Yes I do and so do all of us.

Recently, I had an opportunity for self-examination of my “with it” when I came across an article listing the best selling fiction of the past decade. Being well read, I was confident that my reading experience would be mirrored in that list. I would appreciate it if you would participate in the same exercise. Just take a minute or so to make your list of best selling fiction over the past ten years. Then look at the article’s list HERE.

For me, reading that list was bad news, good news. The bad news was I had read only four of the books listed. The good news was none of them were the top sellers. From that perspective, I’m definitely not “with it”. If your reading list matched up, then we need to talk.

Here are some things I’m thinking after that exercise:

• Being “with it” may not always be a good thing.
• What is the cost of being “with it”?
• Being “with it” is important/essential in relating to others.”I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.
• Maybe I need to redefine what being “with it” means.
• It occurs to me that “being with it” is the primary goal of many people and organizations.

Have a great day

phaZe