Fuck Yoda.
We all know his words of wisdom, right?
“Do or do not. There is no try.”
That’s all well and good if you’re a super-monk toad-midget with a glowy sword, living in an imaginary swamp, created by a man who’s getting closer by the minute to exhausting every good idea he’ll ever have. But in real life, sometimes trying is all we’ve got.
No one is perfect. Not all actions, no matter how resolutely performed, will be successful. The nature of the scientific method is all about trying, trying this and trying that, seeing what works, seeing what doesn’t. And life is pretty much the same.
You want to “Do or do not, there is no try?” Then only act on simple things, don’t aspire. Stay in your safety zone.
Trying is good. Trying is noble. If you try and fail, learn from it and keep going. That is wisdom.
My status on Facebook as I wrote this:
-
Tim Byrd
is trying, in both senses of the word, but trying not to be trying, so it can be just the one sense from now on.
Under An Outlaw Moon 
I like your post and your blog. I find what you think and say interesting.
I remember (30 or 40 years ago ?) being struck by this comment by Yoda and remember where I was sitting etc etc as you do when something momentous has just happened. I remember it made me feel a bit uncomfortable as I pondered it. However the way I interpreted what he said was you either decide to DO a thing OR to not to do it…to not fuck around with being half hearted. It struck home with me cos a lot of what I do is half-hearted through laziness, fear etc etc. I ‘try’ hard stuff all the time and I can relate to what you are saying how stuff doesn’t always turn out the way you want or expect it. On another note I love that you have such a good relationship with your son. To me this is the meaning of life…for me…there is no more noble cause…than to try to be a good parent to your child. I like your humour too! : ] ps it’s 2 degrees C in Sydney overnight…I’m trying to survive winter. Hahah!!! Brrrrrrrrr!
Thank you, Kay.
My relationship with my son is the core of everything, and always shall be.
As far as Yoda goes, years ago I actually had his words taped on my typewriter, and found them inspirational. It was only yesterday that the superficial platitudiness of them really hit me, as I’ve had such a trying week and have been trying like hell to keep my head up, and failing in a major way and losing a wonderful relationship in the process. I certainly wanted to “do,” but it just didn’t work.
I think sometimes it seems like things are a test of our endurance. I know that isn’t much consolation when times are tough but it sort of brings out the fighting spirit in me. Also do you think it is possible that when you are very clever (gifted) that you are also inclined to be a bit fragile? As someone once said to me recently “You have to take the good with the bad” : / With the relationship I would just go quiet and give it time. I wouldn’t give up. Send flowers! Roses! but don’t be overemotional. That works for me!
Looking forward to your next post. : ]
Right with you, Kay. I agree with Tim that trying (and trying hard things that one may not succeed at) is important, but I hear Yoda’s point as a correction to Luke’s “I’ll try” attitude — don’t go into it hedging your bets and basically assuming you won’t succeed. Instead, go into saying “I’ll do it.” and believing it. You might yet fail, but you won’t have set yourself up for it.