237. Chain Reactions

I don't believe in karma in the spiritual sense of the word (I know, shocking!). I don't think that there's a tally of the good and bad you've done. I definitely don't believe in the more stripped down, colloquial view that if you do good you definitely get good back. There's no definite in this random world of ours. 

What I do believe, is quite simple. If you do a good deed, the world has a +1 good deed. If you take a crap on society, the world has a +1 crap. The more crap in the world the more chance of getting crapped on. That should be good enough for people to do good things and avoid bad things, but nooooo. We need to have a set of invisible white-washed beings and multiple lives and heaven and hell and an invisible tally system to keep us in line.  

I'm no saint. I've done things that in retrospect make me angry at myself. I've posted bile on the internet, I've taken people for granted, I've listened to and let gossip flourish, all while surrounded by beautiful people that have kept me afloat for decades. I regret this and I am better. I don't believe in karma or heaven or hell, but I believe in living an examined life and overspending the good you bring to the world. 

One time, on the internet, I said that the actor Patrick Wilson (of "The Conjuring" fame) had a punchable face. I regret saying that. I think it's unnecessary to express this kind of negativity around someone's skull, follicles and skin. Perhaps it would be best to just talk about how you want to squeeze someone else's cheeks (Looking at you, Jason Bateman). I will make amends and watch a Patrick Wilson (of "The Conjuring" fame) movie and give it a thumbs up. But not because of karma, because I want to be a better man.

For some reason, in my twenties, the thought hadn't occurred to me that my negative opinions are worthless. Who cares that you hated the Battle of Winterfell in Game of Thrones? Give someone a compliment instead, the world can gauge itself based on how much you like something rather than how much you hate something else. Unless you're paid to review things, and are competent enough to do so, your negative opinions are as useful as your appendix*.  One positive opinion? That could fuel a mediocre comic artist for months! 

*one exception: You can and absolutely should despise and criticize someone who's taking away freedoms, thinks the population should be armed to the teeth with life-stealing weaponry or inspires hatred towards a group of people. But Patrick Wilson (of "The Conjuring" fame)? No need to share what you feel about his face. He's probably a good guy.