What's the matter? Not enough mattering?
A newsletter from Punk Business School
Hey Punk!
Here’s some ideas that interested us this week.
As a small note: everything we share in this newsletter is simply intended as a brain-nudge. Maybe it’ll inspire you to lofty actions of titanic proportions and great renown. Maybe it’ll enrage you in a fury of disagreement and the inevitable sternly worded email… So long as it makes you think for yourself, even just a little. Then you’re welcome.🤘
– Caleb @ Punk Business School.
“As soon as you have made a thought, laugh at it” – Lao Tzu
🪞 A Reflection
“One who is all in a flutter over their subsequent fame fails to imagine that all those who remember them will very soon be dead - and them too. Then the same will be true of all successors, until the whole memory of them will be extinguished in a sequence of lamps lit and snuffed out.
But suppose immortality in those who will remember you, and everlasting memory. Even so, what is that to you? And I do not simply mean that it is nothing to the dead, but to the living also. What is the point of praise, other than for some practical aspect of management?”
– Marcus Aurelius (Meditations)
🫵 A Provocation
To tell anyone… Children, co-workers, friends or lovers that they are “special” is, in statistical terms, quite impossible.
🗣️ A Conversation
It is a wonderful thing to feel you might have something to contribute! Essential, in fact. Even if you’re not quite sure what that ‘thing’ is yet. Not all of us are so blessed as to be able to clearly stand on top of a bus stop and proclaim our overarching “purpose in life” to passers-by. Not yet at least. Having a simple sense of wanting to contribute, a lack of apathy for how things are and a desire to somehow “get in the ring” to make things better than they are is absurdly, stupendously, terrifically beautiful and I love you for it.
But.
“Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people.”
– Carl Sagan
I find the juxtaposition of our great personal responsibility to impact society positively and the sheer insignificance of our cosmic existence fun ideas to sit with.
How do they make you feel?
If we wrench our attention back to earth and think about this in the context of our work. Mairi points out, that for most of us, we really don’t matter anywhere as much as we think we might.
An intensely valuable idea to remember in the constant battles of utility and ego. Magnificent! 🤘
🎯 A Challenge
If you’re a reader of books (and I’m assuming most of you that read this newsletter will be). Next time you are about to order a book off say… some unnamed global corporation with unnaturally fast delivery… I’d encourage you to pause!
Pop down to your local bookstore and ask them to order it for you. Yes this is a thing that bookstores do and have done since forever. Independent bookstores, I’m sure you’ll agree, are a jewel and need all the help they can get. Use them. In exchange for a small gift of patience.
Personal Disclaimer: I don’t own a bookshop… I’m open to it though one day so please keep this dream alive.
🎵 A Song
That’s us! We wish you an epic, tiny, loud and quiet weekend. 🤘
this is so important!!! a lot of people don't understand the necessity to support local/small businesses, not only for the owners, but because of the impact it has. we choose convenience and instant gratification over what is ethical whilst holding those values. thanks so much for touching on this!