X-Message-Number: 16237 Date: Wed, 09 May 2001 01:06:21 -0400 From: James Swayze <> Subject: Let's be committed sardines. References: <> I stumbled upon the following philosophy authored by an apparently education related motivatinal speaker named Ian Jukes regarding affecting change against long odds and overwhelming opposing numbers. I think it applies quite well to the struggle of immortalism versus deathism. http://www.thecommittedsardine.net/what.html What is a committed sardine? A blue whale is the largest mammal on earth. An adult blue whale is the length of over three Greyhound buses, weighs more than a fully loaded 747 and has a heart the size of a Volkswagon Beetle. It is so large that it takes at least three minutes for it to make a turn of 180 degrees. Many people draw a strong parallel between blue whales and our schools, businesses and even communities. It just seems to take forever to change direction. But a school of sardines consisting of a greater mass than a blue whale can turn almost instantly. How do they do it? Is it ESP? CB radio? The Internet? If you take a careful look at a school of sardines, you'll see that the fish appear to be swimming in the same direction. In reality, there will be always be a small group of sardines swimming against the flow causing friction with the rest of the school. But when this dedicated group of committed sardines reaches a critical mass of only 15 to 20 percent, they induce the rest of the school to suddenly turn and follow their leadership! Isn't that what happened with our attitudes towards drinking and driving, and to our feelings about smoking? They were changes of direction induced by a small group of people who were truly committed to change, to go against the flow, to cause discomfort, and to challenge the normal direction. --Ian Jukes James -- Some of our views are spacious some are merely space--RUSH Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=16237