Call Me an Unreasonable Man

Catalyst guards heavily against the word "no" until the last possible moment. From June through September, our special projects team is constantly e-mailing and phoning to see if we can make the most unreasonable ideas possible.

In that spirit, I love this quote by George Bernard Shaw:

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world;  the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.  Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man."

To be an unreasonable person is to live a defensive life. But the incentives for being reasonable are tragic: "Congratulations! You get to do the exact same thing you've always done!" Sometimes when I encounter people who say no too quickly, I think, "Really? That's as far as you'll go? That's as far as your leash of reason will let you wander?"

Comments

[dewde]

Excellent quote. Clever insight. I dig it.

I'd temper it a bit, though. I know you're not denying this explicitly, but sometimes progress depends on doing the same exact thing you've always done.

I think it's easy to interpret that quote to imply change equals progress. Which is faulty.

I like the quote, and I agree with the spirit of it.

peace|dewde
http://dewde.com

[jonathan]

Thanks for bothering me with that quote... Really, it bothers me!

[Billy Chia]

Ben,
I love this concept of avoiding "no" at all costs. I love stretching myself and my imagination to the limits. I love seeing God come through on the impossible.

At the same time I live by a mantra of "say 'no' as often as possible." This keeps me focused on bringing excellence to the few things I say, "yes" to rather than spreading myself thin across multiple endeavors - although I think that conceptually this is different.

Maybe I need a different mantra?

"Say 'no' as often and as seldom as possible."

[Ben Arment]

Billy, I think they're different concepts too. I try to protect my family time as much as possible, but I wait to say no to ideas...

[Jesse Phillips]

Ben, thanks for this! does that mean you'll let me parachute into the gwinnett arena dressed in a purple cow costume?

JK.

Catalyst Wild Goose Chase: clue 8: Catalyst _ Megaworship

Ben, check this out: http://www.catalystspace.com/catablog/