Is moderation actually a sign of wisdom?

Mr. Pes said:I guess we aren't changing, either. Maybe we just don't. 😁
Can I just sketch out my own version? 😁
You know that kitchen mixer you have sitting on the counter? The one that usually comes with three different speed settings? Let’s say we consider the third setting—the fastest one—as the peak level of intensity. If you just flip the switch to turn it on, the mixer stays exactly where it started. It doesn't just jump to top speed. I mean, technically, it was always capable of hitting that third gear from the very beginning, but only if you actually took the step to slide that switch all the way to the number three.
I guess the mixer could really use a third speed setting, and honestly, I’d love to have it. But there's just no way to force that switch into position, no matter how much I try to figure out a workaround. It's frustrating. 😁
If you’ve ever spent any real time baking, you probably already know that you don't just throw everything into the mixer at once. I mean, if you do, the whole thing usually just flies everywhere. It’s a mess. Usually, you start slow with a lower speed to get things incorporated, and then maybe—just maybe—you ramp it up depending on how the dough feels and what kind of ingredients you're working with. It's more about reading the texture than just following a timer.
But let’s be honest—none of that actually matters. At the end of the day, the mixer isn't what decides anything. 😁

Gaudrath said:Confucius argued that Balance is the root and Harmony is the consequence. You’re saying the exact same thing, yet you're claiming Confucius got it wrong... 😉

Temperance is simply who you are, not something you struggle to become.

Not every book in this world was written in vain.

The greatest truths can be expressed in many ways; the best way to perceive them is to look from many directions.
That's why I read other people's thoughts on things I already know—because I want to see that truth through their eyes.

Give it a shot sometime.

Mr. Pes said:You know how those hand mixers work? They usually have three different speed settings... Let’s say the third setting is the highest one. Even if you turn it on, the mixer doesn't just magically jump to that top speed; it stays right where it started. It was always capable of hitting that third gear, but you actually have to physically slide the switch over to the number 3 first.
The mixer might really want to hit that high speed, and it might even wish it could, but it isn't going to flip its own switch no matter how much it tries to find a way to make it happen. 😁
Plus, if you've ever spent any time baking, you probably know that you rarely just crank it straight to the highest setting because you don't want flour flying all over your kitchen counters, so you usually start slow and gradually ramp it up depending on what you're mixing and what ingredients you're working with.
But none of that matters to the mixer itself. 😁

Mr. Pes said:We aren't changing, either. 😁
But he can't just flip the switch himself, no matter how hard he tries to figure out how to do it. 😁
And none of that is actually up to the mixer. 😁

Paul Phillips4 said:Sure, he could flip the switch if he actually knew where it was located.

Mr. Pes said:Not a single one will work. 😁

But hey, why not give it a shot? Just flip your switch over to level 3.
I mean, if you actually made up your mind, what’s really stopping you from seeing the light right this second? 😁

Jack Harris3 said:So, you're basically making the call without even knowing what the hell we're deciding? 😁

I've heard plenty about blank checks, but I don't think I've ever heard of someone handing out "blank decisions." 😂

Jack Harris3 said:Oh, I see. So you're saying you have to actually find the switch and figure out how it works before you can even decide if you want to flip it?

Well, my gut feeling tells me you're probably never going to figure that part out. 😁

Besides, it's not like you're the one calling the shots here anyway, so why bother worrying about where the switch is or how it moves? 😂

Jack Harris3 said:Using that mixer analogy... you're the one holding the mixer, so how are you supposed to actually understand how the thing works or how it's even meant to be used? 😁

Paul Phillips4 said:You're just making fun of me for no reason.

Mr. Pes said:Are you serious? 😁
Go ahead and mock me then. Since you’re clearly the one who calls all the shots and knows everything (and if you don't happen to know right this second, well, you'll just decide when it becomes necessary), you surely have even more right to laugh at someone like me who’s just talking nonsense. 😁

Paul Phillips4 said:The decision itself doesn't come with any actual knowledge or insight; if anything, it just masks the fact that you don't realize what's even possible.

Mr. Pes said:So, you're making a choice without actually knowing what you're choosing or even what it's about? 😁

I’ve heard of blank checks, but I’ve never heard of "blank decisions." 😂

Paul Phillips4 said:Sure, you used that mixer example, but just because we all get the basic mechanics of how something works doesn't mean we actually know how to operate it. Knowing the theory alone doesn't really get you anywhere.

Paul Phillips4 said:Knowing the components of Mandarin Chinese isn't the same thing as being able to speak it or understand it. At the end of the day, that knowledge isn't much help if you can't actually communicate in the language.

Mr. Pes said:I'm also assuming you probably have a much clearer picture of things today than you did, say, ten years ago.