Welcome to the Classy Problems weekly mash-up for Monday, September 2nd – Sunday, September 8th, 2024.

Classy Problems is a daily post of thinking in motion by Dan T. Rogers. Each post stands alone as a thought-provoking piece, yet together, they create a puzzle of ideas. They invite you to see things from a different angle, rethink what you thought you knew, and explore what’s beyond your current understanding.

September 2 – Paradox of Stability

Stability comes at the cost of eventually taking for granted what has been provided.

September 3 – Don’t Confuse Facts With an Opinion

Why are we arguing and screaming over facts?

A fact (singular) is defined as something that exists; reality; truth. So why argue? What’s up with all the screaming?

It seems to me we are confusing facts with an opinion.

Facts (plural) are an interesting thing. When we put two or more facts together, we don’t get a bigger fact, we get an interpretation. An interpretation more precisely stated is a perception.

When we’re unaware of our thinking, it’s easy to confuse our perception with a fact. But perception isn’t reality, it’s just our unique view of it.

A fact is the universe’s truth. An opinion is an individual’s perception.

Maybe this is why the phrase goes, “Opinions are like assholes; everyone’s got one.”

If you want to speak to a fact, please do – but, in my opinion, when I feel the need to argue and scream, I’m just being an asshole.

September 4 – The Price of New

New comes at the cost of us eventually forgetting how to do things the old way.

September 5 – This and That

ONE-LINER:
This and that is a story we tell about ourselves, mostly TO ourselves. With thisses and thats, it’s easy to forget who’s really making up the story.

POST:
This and that is a story. A story we make up, mostly about ourselves. A story we tell about ourselves, mostly TO ourselves.

If I do this, I’ll get that.
If I do that, I’ll get this.
If I do this, I won’t get that.
If I do that, I won’t get this.

Or told in reverse …

If I don’t do this, I’ll get that.
If I don’t do that, I’ll get this.
If I don’t do this, I won’t get that.
If I don’t do that, I won’t get this.

Same story, about you …

If you do this, you’ll get that.
If you do that, you’ll get this.
If you don’t do this, you’ll get that.
If you don’t do that, you’ll get this.
If you do this, you won’t get that.
If you do that, you won’t get this.
If you don’t do this, you won’t get that.
If you don’t do that, you won’t get this.

Or told about me and you …

If I do this, you’ll get that.
If I do that, you’ll get this.
If I don’t do this, you’ll get that.
If I don’t do that, you’ll get this.
If I do this, you won’t get that.
If I do that, you won’t get this.
If I don’t do this, you won’t get that.
If I don’t do that, you won’t get this.

Same story, about you and me …

If you do this, I’ll get that.
If you do that, I’ll get this.
If you don’t do this, I’ll get that.
If you don’t do that, I’ll get this.
If you do this, I won’t get that.
If you do that, I won’t get this.
If you don’t do this, I won’t get that.
If you don’t do that, I won’t get this.

Same story, looking back … when I did this, I got that.
Same story, about us … if we do this, we’ll get that.
Same story, about us looking back … when we did this, we got that.

And we’re just getting started with the number of combinations and possibilities.

With all of these thisses and thats, it’s easy to forget who’s really making up the story.

September 6 – The Cost of Proximity

It’s amazing that we can connect by phone or video with somebody on the other side of the planet.

What we’re getting is free travel. That’s the amazing part.

What we aren’t getting is proximity. That’s the classy problem.

Proximity comes at the cost of being bound by time and space.

PS …

If you’re interested in closing the proximity between you and us, reply with — I’m interested. Email wehave@classyproblems.com

September 7 – Paradox of Progress

Progress is transforming yesterday’s problem into tomorrow’s classy problem today.

September 8 – Understanding and The Ability To Do

I took a lesson from a golf pro, and in a few swings, I was hitting balls further and straighter. It was explained in a way that just made sense to me. After a few lessons, I came to understand a tremendous amount about golf. It’s not rocket science, maybe a little differential geometry, but it mostly boils down to how the club strikes the ball.

The game itself is even easier math to understand – put the ball in the hole in the fewest strokes possible. Very little of that understanding seems to impact my ability to do – to play golf.

Understanding is the translation of information – understanding what I was told. Ability to do is transforming that translation of information into action – hitting the ball straight.

Classy Problems is a daily post of thinking in motion by Dan T. Rogers. Each post stands alone as a thought-provoking piece, yet together they create a puzzle of ideas. They invite you to see things from a different angle, rethink what you thought you knew, and explore what’s beyond your current understanding.

What is a classy problem?

A classy problem is when we’ve been afforded the opportunity to figure out what to do. When faced with classy problems, it is more effective to focus on what NOT to do than trying to figure out what to do. In a word – restraint. Join us in exploring the distinction between what to do and what not to do in the pursuit of clarity.

SPIRITUAL GANGSTER: Welcome to the ‘Spiritual Gangster’ wing of The Sober Curator, a haven for those on a sober journey with a twist of spiritual sass. Here, we invite you to plunge headfirst into a world of meditation, astrology, intentionality, philosophy and spiritual reflection – all while keeping your feet (and sobriety) firmly on the ground.

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Resources Are Available

If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.