Cannot do, would not do

Can Do? Yes we can!

We all have a close relationship with those things we cannot do. They are talked about all the time just like a favourite child. One lady, on hearing me talk about doing a half marathon gave me a five minute talk on why she couldn’t do a long race. She talked as if I had invited her on a race date.

I too love to be entertained by the unattainable, those things I cannot and would not do. Jumping off burning aeroplanes and detonating nuclear missiles are way above my league but hey!, there is James Bond. Body building contests and probably most of the Olympic Games are opportunities to gaze and be amazed with the fitness and physiques of talented and dedicated individuals. And this is an opportunity the whole world never passes up on.

 On the other hand, we are never enraptured by the things we can do, or those skills that we feel are easily attainable with a bit of practice. The unattainable can even rise to become the subject of fantasy and obsession. Reality TV shows where wealth is flaunted serves as an outlet for the millions who feel that a certain lifestyle is simply out of reach in this life time. They look on and wish, until they sigh and saying to themselves ‘if only’.

Apart from the things that are desirable and out of reach, there are the things which are abhorred and deemed beneath ‘civilised people’. These are the behaviours and attitudes which those who inhabit the lofty moral altitudes deem to be contemptible. Day time TV is all about dysfunctional people expressing their pathologies in public.  Many people get the chance to ask ‘have they no shame?’ as they stay glued to the TV. Well, if you would not have eight children by eight baby-mamas, why watch a programme about someone who will? One colleague once told me he likes to know what our taxes pay for by why of social benefits for the idle.

Most of what people spend their time on (either in the thinking or the doing) can be divided into these three groups – what they feel can be done, what they feel cannot be done and what should never be done even if an opportunity arises for it to be  done.

  The Can do zone

These are activities and tasks that are seen as possible. Those around you determine what you think you can do most of the time.  Mr A the nocturnal professional armed robber who relaxes at a sports bar all day, would find it difficult to hang around Mr B who works as a teacher all day and relaxes by spending time with his children most evenings. At the start of each day, everyone has a vision of what they can do that day and there are so many variations on this theme. Hence the adage, one man’s beef is another man’s poison. While some say ‘who can I rob today?’ others say ‘who can I teach today?’

So, what percentage of our waking hours should be spent in the ‘I Can’ zone? This would be doing and achieving things we know are possible. One hundred percent would be a good answer but entertainment takes time.

The cannot do zone

Have you ever meet anyone who told you that they cannot do most things save breathing and sweating when it is hot? They cannot do things within their grasps how much more attempting things that may fail.  Talking to people like this will demonstrate how diligent they are in making mental trips looking for pitfalls. Business is fraught with con men. The government is out to get us all. New cars only draw unnecessary attention. Foreign holidays may end up in accidents. Their list is endless. They have done the research and concluded that they cannot so no one else should. They spent all their time in the cannot zone.

The wouldn’t do that zone

We were watching a James Bond movie (cannot remember which) and he shot somebody dead and stared at the corpse for a few seconds before coming up which a wise crack, adjusting his tie and moving on. ‘This guy is a psychopath, no remorse whatsoever. I couldn’t ever do that’ I heard myself think. That didn’t stop me from watching every single Bond film – twice this year alone.  There is a fascination with murderers, psychopaths, sociopaths and evil people that makes us spend time watching them. High profile murder cases tend to prove popular among people who struggle to kill a fly.  

Yes we Can

Nelson Mandela was quoted as saying ‘It always seems impossible until it is done’. And Barrack Obama is famous for the slogan,’ Yes we can’.

To these two great men I add the Adiddas slogan, ‘Impossible is nothing’ and for good measure Nike’s slogan , ‘Just do it’.

The things we know we can do, we should do. (So go brush your teeth and wear clean clothes).

The things we know we cannot do may

1. Never be possible. But how can we be sure?
2.  Never be possible but we could try anyway ie  Get Rich or die trying (50 cent).
3.  Not be possible in this generation but we start trying so that the next generation starts a head start.
4. Be possible at a later date with developments in technology.

In summary, we can do all things

The things we say we cannot do today may be possible in the future if an enabling environment is achieved.

And the things we cannot do??

Well, entertainment is all about what we cannot and would not do, so let’s keep on watching Spiderman, Batman and Superman as rewards for long hard days of working to make the impossible possible. Yes we can.

Dr Wilson Orhiunu

Babawilly

28-10-2014