Micro-Enlightenment

At one time I thought that enlightenment was one big moment. Through some process or maybe even by accident a person would achieve 'enlightenment'. My opinion on that has changed to where enlightenment has become a process without end. I replaced what was a noun with a verb without changing the word itself. Enlightenment.

And today I achieved one of those moments of micro-enlightenment. Nothing huge and mind-blowing, but a simple little understanding.

While watching other maintenance people work, especially those who have been in the field far longer than myself, I like to see how they do things and what tools they use. The theory is that every person is inherently lazy and has probably come up with some way to do things that requires less effort. It might be a process or a tool. For instance, I recently purchase a set of very small ignition wrenches for use on small nuts. Most of the guys will just use a pliers in those situations. I've had the wrenches for just two days now, have found several uses for them and have others considering acquiring similar tools for their own use.

Today I watched as an electrician chucked up a small socket in his cordless drill to remove a motor cover rather than using a slotted screwdriver like I have always done. The bolts typically have dual purpose heads that will except either one. I marveled at the idea and am now considering a similar set-up for myself. As though on cue he tells me, "I love using those things. So much easier on the wrist." I had picked up a new way to be lazy.

But that isn't the revelation. The true enlightenment was about the human condition. People use the term 'lazy' in such a derogatory fashion. It's as though they mean it as an insult. But the pursuit of being lazy has offered us the greatest advancements. Technological milestones are made up almost entirely of ways for people to not work so damn hard. If you've got something heavy to move, why not throw a log under it? Hey! That works great. Boom, we've got the wheel. Sick of following around a herd of wild cattle? Domesticate them and sit your ass down. Too lazy to copy books word for word by hand? Printing press. Too much effort to go out to a moving picture show? Video cassettes. Cooking a chore? Microwave a burrito. Being lazy is what being human is all about.

But there are people out there who are really fucked in the head. For example, in graphic design people used to have to typeset the print according to the specs of the layout and paste it all together nicely. This was an art form and extremely time consuming. Along comes the computer and graphic design software to make the task of a designer easier. Hurray! Graphic artists can now be lazy. But no. Some sick fucker decides that means they can change copy any time they want. They now expect one person to do the work of what used to take an entire graphic arts firm. Instead of getting to be lazy they now have to work harder because someone thinks they are being lazy. Which was the hole point!

So go ahead, be lazy. Try and find new and creative ways to be lazy. It's what makes you human.