Community: Hemingway’s Code
Topic: How to Influence Others
5/20/2004 5:36 AM
Hello friends…a short topic for you today.
Adhering to the code is trying to improve ourselves every day and make us better citizens of the world. But do you also try to influence positively this world and how do you try to make your own community better? Isn’t sharing an important step to take for each of us?
5/20/2004 8:11 AM
I volunteer as a search-and-rescue pilot, and I work with a great group of teenage cadets. I’ve come to find that one of the best uses of my spare time is to give young people something useful and fun to do with theirs. I don’t have kids of my own, but I take pride in seeing one of them get their pilot’s license, or a scholarship or award. Or just grow more confident, becoming leaders and teachers themselves.And I share with them and with the community my love of flying. It’s a profound personal experience, but I enjoy inviting others to discover it as well. The discipline of flying, and the freedom and the perspective of the world that it offers have done much for me; I’m always willing to share that.
I just noticed a post of my own further down the page, after some others questioning the wisdom of “influencing”. I think it was my first post in “Hemingway’s Code” — I was invited to the community by a Danish friend with whom I’d shared some travel communities, and he thought I’d like this one. I believe it was the first place David noticed my writing.
inspire vs. influence 5/25/2004 2:26 AM
What I think people here mean, in the general sense, is to effect positive change in a more subtle way. I believe the more appropriate word may be to inspire, rather than overt behaviour modification (although my definition may be too mild/benign for some).Most people can remember a teacher in their childhood years who inspired them, not through direct instruction, but taking a personal and passionate interest in the knowledge they were imparting. Kids can tell when adults are just going through the motions… it’s funny (peculiar) that we sometimes become desensitised to this as we get older and engage in it ourselves.
Most people don’t like being told what to do, and how to do it (the rest are sheep, or easy targets for sheep jokes). We get our hackles up. We cry elitism, hegemony, patriarchy. Living by example is inspirational, however, and people notice.
Possibly related posts:
- David’s Writing: Inspiration I’ve decided to undertake the massive job of archiving David’s posts in the various online communities we shared. There is...
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I remember reading that post when David first made it, and thinking “Blimey–look at him go! I ought to do more, myself.” David will always be remembered as someone who gave generously of himself, and did it because he enjoyed it. That’s a rare thing. This year, I really WILL do more.