Ever wonder how things will be if a child learning to walk or talk decides that he cannot learn (to walk or talk)?
One has to have a can do attitude if one wants to have a go at life... a baby is born, he just has to get used to eating solids, take his first steps, etc, etc... till he enters into the world. This is the stage where you get all the 'I can(s)' but somehow along the way we lose more of the I can to be replaced with its negative partner.
'I cannot...' here refers to the spontaneous response that seems to swell from within us when we are faced with new ways of thinking, doing things, new food, basically things out of the ordinary or the routine. And it afflicts us as we grow older... The more I observe my surrounding, the more I notice how averse people are actually to change. And I am not much different too, often.
Sometimes, I think we're just too lazy to learn something new... you know learning new things involves changes too... 8) It's easier to say I cannot. Sometimes we just do not want to disturb our status quo... we are wary of changes. Sometimes, we cannot cos to go the other way round means giving up a way of life... there are many other reasons.
A lot of older people say they cannot learn how to use the computer. Not too long, I helped troubleshoot with a friend's mom a glitch in her Skype... now this is a lady who is in my parents' gen... who has phobia for anything related to computers. But through the phone I managed to coach her to get her Skype working again... She was game to try cos you see... the need to use the apps is there... to see her grandkids and daughter. So, in situations like this, one goes to great trouble... and still can conquer the little hills. 8)
"I cannot"... very often creates crutches for us, even incapacitates..... limits our potential and sometimes even stop us dead in our tracks!
2 comments:
i'm afraid to say the "cannot" culture is largely because of South East Asian culture that has a tendency to spoonfeed and inculcate its children with set ideas and ideals. tall poppy syndrome is very much an inhibitor to the development of thinking, and learning new (alien) skills is largely discouraged.
Just try this - say to one of your closest M'sian friends or relatives: I am very proud of my personal achievements in [fill in the blanks with appropriate stuff that you are proud of]
I can almost guarantee you one of two things - one feels embarrassed about a lack of modesty in oneself, or one's friend will say "Haiya, why you are so proud one???"
lol
Very true.... what you say. But is it just South East Asian culture only or Asian generally? We are supposed to be modest people? If I do that, people will say I am proud... blow own terompet!!! LOL!
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