Boog

Boog

Monday, September 5, 2016

Mathematical Meanings Meant for the Mind(games)

It bothers me that there is video footage and more than one photograph of John Lennon making fun of the handicapped. Well, I should say it bothered me, past tense.

No, I'm not letting it go because he is my favorite musician, or because Boog gets more peace from "Imagine" than anything else I've seen.

Here is a true admission of guilt: I made fun of the handicapped. When I was a kid, then old enough to know better. I remember it well. Me and my friends goofing off, making faces at each other, saying things like "Why are you doing that, it's so retarded". I think back a bit and I'm not embarrassed, I'm ashamed. 

What does that mean, actually? Well, I like to look at things like math problems sometimes. Bear with me a moment here:

A) Me, being rude and horribly insensitive is a negative (-)

B) Me, becoming educated, admitting my flaws, changing and educating myself. That's a positive (+)

C) Me, after educating myself, reaching out to educate others. Another positive (+)

So we have -1 +1 +1 = 1

Still in the positive. You've done more good than bad. Makes sense.


Back to Mr. Lennon. Okay, he:

A) Made fun of the handicapped very often in his younger years, producing a negative (-)

B) Later in life, he admitted regrets. Some of them about being immature, rude, insensitive, cruel to women. He was aware, admitted it, and made changes. A positive (+)

C) This ones a bit long, sorry for that:

"Early in August 1972, John Lennon had the idea to perform a live benefit for the pupils of Willowbrook School in New York City, a state-run institute for children with mental disabilities. Following three days of rehearsals, two concerts took place at Madison Square Garden. They were the last full-scale performances given by Lennon in public".

"Prior to the concerts, Lennon bought $59,000 worth of tickets and gave them away to fundraising volunteers, as he worried that not enough money was being generated. Both shows were sell-outs, however, and the day raised more than $1.5 million for Willowbrook. Proceeds from the tickets, which cost $5, $7.50 and $10, were intended to establish smaller residential facilities in the community for mentally-disabled people".

He was such a public figure, his positive needed to be pretty big. I'd say that was pretty big for 1972, when benefit concerts weren't even a thing yet (George got that going with Bangledesh!). So, that's a positive (+)

Again, we have:  -1 +1 +1 = 1


What's all this really mean?
You get what you give. 
Every day is a new day. 
Today is the first day of the rest of your life. 
Be the change you want to see in the world. 
It's never too late.

We all make so many mistakes. I did. You did. John Lennon did. That's not the important part. What's important is what you do when you realize those things were mistakes. If you truly learn from it and make positive changes, well, it will be just like...



Peace and Love,
Boog's Mathmatical Mommy