So I was at the Y today, jogging around the track. I was cursing the New Year's Resolution crowd for clogging up the track and taking all the treadmills, bikes, weights, etc, when I started thinking about the nature of New Year's resolutions and how the beginning of a new year seems to provoke so many attempts at change. I started thinking about something my old industrial arts teacher, the late Irv Gabrilska, said about change. He basically said that people don't change much past the age of three.
This is all while I was running, by the way.
So, I am interested in your thoughts on this topic. Can people change, or is Mr. Gabrilska right? To start, I think that we can change some things about ourselves, but there are many aspects of our personalities that are hard-wired. I know I am sitting on the fence a little, but I can only look at my own experience. I think I have made changes in some things about myself, but I know that there are some things that will not change no matter how hard I try.
What say you? Sorry, but working out sometimes bring out the philosophizer in me (bonus points for naming the movie in which I likely heard the word "philosophizer?")
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6 comments:
I know - you heard the word in "The Care Bears Movie," right?
I think people can change. They do all the time. But it's dreadfully hard work. And change is different from evolution. I'm the same person that I was 25 years ago, but I see the world a whole lot differently. While the world has changed a lot in those years, I have probably changed just as much or more.
And so have you. For just one example, you don't play Mike City no more.
Is Zoolander the name of the Movie the quote that you asked about came from? Mr. G, wow. It has been a long time since I was in his class. I should still be in it though. I think that he passed me because he felt sorry for me. he was a strange man. Strict, fair, and funny also. I remember the time that he told me that he would kick my you know what if I ever acted up in his class again. I went home and told my parents because of the language that he used. It was not because of the threat because I knew what he meant by it. I did not know that they would go to the school about it. I thought that maybe getting in touch with him would have been as far as it would go. The school almost fired him over it. I had to lie and take it back so that they would not let him go. About a year later after I was late to his class because Ryan Myerhoffer(sp) and had gotten into a fight, he told me that I should not tangle with him(Ryan) because he would end up beating the you know what out of me. I laughed and thought that it was funny. As far as the actual topic of this post? I have said before and I still think that people only change if something drastic happens to them. Drastic can be many things also. It can be something very bad like losing something that is important like something that can not be replaced. It can be good too like finding God or anything to believe in that will help bring change on.
I would maybe put it closer to 5 than 3 - at least. I can hardly remember back so far. Experiences shape us, for sure, but elementally, we're the same. For example, I've been able to apply my Catholic Guilt into a regime of eating healthier. But that doesn't mean I don't learn from experiences...like, I learned a long time ago that it's OK to talk to your family in ways that you wouldn't talk to your friends.
The Uptown Y on Hennepin? I tried it once, and it was too cramped for me.
Elementally, you seem to be someone who likes to make everybody happy...is this is a youngest child characteristic? (I have no objections to you correcting me if I'm wrong). I'm an oldest, and from a single-parent home, so I'm basically a monster. My way, or the highway, baby! Since I was at least 5.
i think people stay the same.
this is a quote of mine that i've kinda become famous for within my circle:
"if you were an ass before you found Jesus, then now you are Christian ass."
your personality is always the same. it just gets channeled into different endeavors.
Oh crap, I meant "regimen," not "regime."
Interesting thoughts from all of you. BTW, the movie was "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure."
Jason - I forgot all about that deal with Mr. G.
Amanda - I actually think the "youngest child" characteristic that manifests itself most in me is that I am a bit of an attention-seeker. I have also read that youngest children also tend to crack jokes in an effort to get attention. As for being a people-pleaser, unfortunately you are probably right. Of course, my agreeing with that may just be a manifestation of that trait. Oh, I work out at the Y downtown (9th and LaSalle). Crowded during the week, but nice and quiet on weekends.
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