Shrugging my Shoulders
"Mr. Rearden," said Francisco, his voice solemnly calm, "if you saw Atlas, the giant who holds the world on his shoulders, if you saw that he stood, blood running down his chest, his knees buckling, his arms trembling but still trying to hold the world aloft with the last of his strength, and the greater his effort the heavier the world bore down upon his shoulders - what would you tell him to do?"
"I ... don't know. What ... could he do? What would you tell him?"
"To shrug."
Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged.
======================
The world is a huge thing. When Atlas decides he cannot take it on his shoulders anymore, the "shrug" involved is not as simple as it sounds. It's not just a movement, the act of shrugging. Shrugging involves a feeling of utter indifference to the state of affairs, and the need to want to leave. "The need to want to leave". Some call it escapism, and, depending upon the circumstance, it might be. But, the truly strong people know that it is not escapism that drives them to their decision, but the need to want to build a better life than the one they're forced to lead - even at the cost of leaving almost everything that was important to them in the old life.These humans have assessed their options, and know that they're leaving with nothing but the wide horizon in front of them, filled with limitless opportunities - and the combined powers of their intellect, their strategy, and loads of experience that will always come in handy. The 'shrug' here depicts not the act of shrugging but the most profound thought that leads to that act. It's not easy.
It's 12:45am right now. It's way past my bedtime. If someone or something external kept me up that late on a regular day, I'd have howled the place down in anger. But tonight is somewhere in the middle of a transformation. It's like being taken into Galt's cabin in Atlantis so that when you call, Galt answers; to remind you of the reasons why it was necessary to shrug. I cannot help but feel that it would be good to have Galt around right now, to remind me of why today's decision was not only brave and the most important decision I have taken since the start of the PhD, but also the most necessary step.
I'll talk about it later. Right now, I'm too full of reflections on the past, and thoughts for my future. I hope that I am able to go through with what I have decided, and I'll post the details once it has happened.
"I ... don't know. What ... could he do? What would you tell him?"
"To shrug."
Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged.
======================
The world is a huge thing. When Atlas decides he cannot take it on his shoulders anymore, the "shrug" involved is not as simple as it sounds. It's not just a movement, the act of shrugging. Shrugging involves a feeling of utter indifference to the state of affairs, and the need to want to leave. "The need to want to leave". Some call it escapism, and, depending upon the circumstance, it might be. But, the truly strong people know that it is not escapism that drives them to their decision, but the need to want to build a better life than the one they're forced to lead - even at the cost of leaving almost everything that was important to them in the old life.These humans have assessed their options, and know that they're leaving with nothing but the wide horizon in front of them, filled with limitless opportunities - and the combined powers of their intellect, their strategy, and loads of experience that will always come in handy. The 'shrug' here depicts not the act of shrugging but the most profound thought that leads to that act. It's not easy.
It's 12:45am right now. It's way past my bedtime. If someone or something external kept me up that late on a regular day, I'd have howled the place down in anger. But tonight is somewhere in the middle of a transformation. It's like being taken into Galt's cabin in Atlantis so that when you call, Galt answers; to remind you of the reasons why it was necessary to shrug. I cannot help but feel that it would be good to have Galt around right now, to remind me of why today's decision was not only brave and the most important decision I have taken since the start of the PhD, but also the most necessary step.
I'll talk about it later. Right now, I'm too full of reflections on the past, and thoughts for my future. I hope that I am able to go through with what I have decided, and I'll post the details once it has happened.
posted by Summer Showers at
12:41 AM
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