Opting Out

I didn’t believe my parents.

From years ago I can recall clearly my father saying “what you put in is what you get out—don’t put garbage in.” Of course, then, he was talking about iffy TV shows, violent computer games, and fantastical D&D campaigns. To me these things seemed like fun, so, like children do, I ignored the advice.

However, this isn’t about video games or even abusive habits—it’s about the good stuff. See, as I’ve grown up I’ve had to learn how to discern for myself what things are worth wedging into my schedule. Deciding what I do with my time has been a challenge—as I suspect it is for most. Now, though, largely destructive options are hardly even in the mix. Instead of deciding between violent games and playing outside, I now have to choose between working time and family time; house payments and retirement savings; personal projects and physical fitness—most of the options are good ones. It now seems that in order to maximize my investment in the things I love, I often have to abandon other good things. So, what gives?

Listen. This is my hard drive and it only makes sense to put things in there that are useful—really useful. Ordinary people fill their heads with all kinds of rubbish, and that makes it hard to get at the stuff that matters.

—Sherlock, The Great Game, BBC 2010

From time to time I see band wagons roll in, asking for my attention or support; they’re often political or humanitarian causes that my friends are supporting. While I have nothing against these causes, I find my choice usually boils down to a prioritization of the good. Just because I don’t wear a(n) [insert clothing item here] to show my support on [good cause] day doesn’t mean I’m not an avid supporter. It just means I’ve got plenty else to dress up for.

In a sense, I’m just a careful curator of the stuff that goes into my head. It’s not that there isn’t a lot of good stuff out there to behold, it’s just that only a tiny sliver of it is also important to me. Now, every time I see the next big thing, my gut reaction is to opt out by default*. Unlike what my dad suggested, though, I’m not just opting out because the stuff in question is bad—I’m opting out because it’s not the best.