Quote of the Day: Quod Error Illustrandum

 

“Do it haphazardly, a tiny bit at a time, and badly.… [T]he fool is the precursor to the saviour. Why? Because you’re a fool when you start something new.… And so, the willingness to be a fool is the precursor to transformation.” ­­­– Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, Take Aim, Even Badly.

“If a thing’s worth doing, it’s worth doing badly” – Granny Weatherwax, in Terry Pratchett’s Equal Rites.

Of the three quotations in today’s slightly erroneously (a-ha-ha-ha) named Quote of the Day, the one I probably like the best is Granny Weatherwax’s. She’s lighting a fire at the time and, though a witch, doesn’t want to use magic to do it. I always thought (well, after I realised one of the ways you could look at it) that there was something in that.

But getting back to Jordan Peterson, there really is an awful lot to even just the scanty portions of the short video that that quote is taken from. Take aim, even badly. If there’s something you’re avoiding doing, realise that sometimes it doesn’t matter just how, exactly, you get it done. Pick at it, do a tiny little thing, just to get started. Don’t worry if you don’t think you know how to do it perfectly, or even well. Don’t worry if you make mistakes along the way – however silly, however many. Embrace the virtue of necessity, and do what you can, however you can.

For – as I’m having cause to be reminded, as I bumble through my adventures in illustration – after all is said and done,

“Every bursted bubble has a glory.…

Every glowing path that goes astray,
Shows you how to find a better way.…

[And] up from the ashes, up from the ashes, grow the roses of success!…

So when it gets distressing,
It’s a blessing!…

Onward and upward you must press!
Yes, yes!
Till up from the ashes, up from the ashes, grow the roses of success.”

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

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Published in Group Writing
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There are 13 comments.

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  1. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Success, indeed.

    • #1
  2. She Member
    She
    @She

    “There’s magic in the wake of a fiasco!”

    Story of my life.  LOL.  As for Jordan Peterson, if he’d never said, done, or written anything but that seven-minute video, he’d deserve a bloody medal.

    ***

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    • #2
  3. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Love it! A step at a time.

    • #3
  4. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    Andrew Miller: Every bursted bubble has a glory.…

    What do a hundred bursted bubbles have? 

    • #4
  5. Andrew Miller Member
    Andrew Miller
    @AndrewMiller

    The Reticulator (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller: Every bursted bubble has a glory.…

    What do a hundred bursted bubbles have?

    Interestink concept! Er, a bar of soap? Clean dishes? A philosopher looking about for his bath towel? (What prizes do I win? I hope I get the cuddly toy!)

    • #5
  6. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Andrew Miller (View Comment):

    The Reticulator (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller: Every bursted bubble has a glory.…

    What do a hundred bursted bubbles have?

    Interestink concept! Er, a bar of soap? Clean dishes? A philosopher looking about for his bath towel? (What prizes do I win? I hope I get the cuddly toy!)

    Or a hundred glories?

    • #6
  7. Andrew Miller Member
    Andrew Miller
    @AndrewMiller

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller (View Comment):

    The Reticulator (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller: Every bursted bubble has a glory.…

    What do a hundred bursted bubbles have?

    Interestink concept! Er, a bar of soap? Clean dishes? A philosopher looking about for his bath towel? (What prizes do I win? I hope I get the cuddly toy!)

    Or a hundred glories?

    • #7
  8. Judge Mental Member
    Judge Mental
    @JudgeMental

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller (View Comment):

    The Reticulator (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller: Every bursted bubble has a glory.…

    What do a hundred bursted bubbles have?

    Interestink concept! Er, a bar of soap? Clean dishes? A philosopher looking about for his bath towel? (What prizes do I win? I hope I get the cuddly toy!)

    Or a hundred glories?

    A sticky soap film.

    • #8
  9. Andrew Miller Member
    Andrew Miller
    @AndrewMiller

    Judge Mental (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller (View Comment):

    The Reticulator (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller: Every bursted bubble has a glory.…

    What do a hundred bursted bubbles have?

    Interestink concept! Er, a bar of soap? Clean dishes? A philosopher looking about for his bath towel? (What prizes do I win? I hope I get the cuddly toy!)

    Or a hundred glories?

    A sticky soap film.

    A rescued rubber-ducky! 

    • #9
  10. Andrew Miller Member
    Andrew Miller
    @AndrewMiller

    Andrew Miller (View Comment):

    Judge Mental (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller (View Comment):

    The Reticulator (View Comment):

    Andrew Miller: Every bursted bubble has a glory.…

    What do a hundred bursted bubbles have?

    Interestink concept! Er, a bar of soap? Clean dishes? A philosopher looking about for his bath towel? (What prizes do I win? I hope I get the cuddly toy!)

    Or a hundred glories?

    A sticky soap film.

    A rescued rubber-ducky!

    See, this philosophy game isn’t as hard as we think!

    • #10
  11. Andrew Miller Member
    Andrew Miller
    @AndrewMiller

    Of course, post-sudsian philosophy isn’t always the most cheerful. I think I’d prefer the Archimedean, m’self, which postulates that there’s always a towel handy if you know where to look. 

    • #11
  12. MiMac Thatcher
    MiMac
    @MiMac

    Granny stole the quote from GK Chesterton – of course if you are going to steal, steal from one of the best

    • #12
  13. Andrew Miller Member
    Andrew Miller
    @AndrewMiller

    MiMac (View Comment):

    Granny stole the quote from GK Chesterton – of course if you are going to steal, steal from one of the best

    • #13
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