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[Jeanne]

I once wrote a lengthy article about MY perspective on why even people who say "Why do you make it all about YOU?" are indeed asking that very question from their own perspective!

This is the article, which I wrote in 2013.  I think I meant it with some humor?  (although the thing where people thank God for their getting the acting award (imagining God took time off from world hunger to make sure Carlotta Gump gets her Tony) has become a pet peeve


Can someone explain what feels like a 2010s trend, people saying "Why do
you make everything about YOU?"

It just seems knee-jerk, and it begs the question: Who else's reaction
to something should I be having other than my own? I go through
umpteen years of school to better MYSELF, don't I? I work to support
MYSELF and MY family, don't I? I do what I can to help MY friends and
family because I care about them, and I actively help charities or
causes or politicians I MYSELF support because I care about them.

When people stop being MY friends, they probably don’t want me to continue caring
and asking after them. Indeed, it might be considered rude and
intrusive. (As someone said when I casually asked how a former mutual
friend was doing, “Why do you want to know, are you writing a book?”)
When I leave a job, no one complains if I stop caring about how that
company is doing, even though its success was crucial to me before. The only
reason I cared before was because it affected ME and MY family and MY
finances and MY survival. No one questions that as correct, do they?

So is it a film, a book, a clergyman, what, that has given rise to this
catch-phrase? Where did this sudden "why do you make
everything about you" reaction come from, seemingly directed at
everyone these days? Really, it‘s not just directed at ME, let ME
assure you.

Take the awards season that we’re in now for theater, where people seem
to thank a higher power a bit, as if that detracts from the award quest
being about themselves. But when you thank the Lord for your statue, aren’t you
saying that YOU are somehow more worthy of attention than not only (of course)
the other four nominees, but also pesky matters like world hunger,
global warming. How is it not being about ME, ME, ME, to imagine a
higher power saying :”Let’s take five on fixing that [fill in natural
disaster] to make sure so-and-so gets his or her Lucille Lortel Award.”

My point is not that it’s wrong to look at the world from your own
perspective. It’s just that to call other people on it all the time,
as we seem to be doing right now, is denying that making ourselves
better through the best aspects of our self-interest, and meeting our
own potential,  may be the best way for everyone to add to the world, which is getting
smaller every year due to the net.. Maybe embrace that
you’re indeed here for you and yours, and the good feeling it gives YOU
to help others, the joy it brings YOU to make change.

Sometimes these days, I’d just hope for people who simply don’t abuse
other people in arriving at their own personal goals.
I’d love for those people to just be about themselves and not hurt others
maliciously or even recklessly.

Why is it necessarily a bad thing, then? Isn’t it what you do with what
you’re given? I’d imagine even Mother Theresa did what she did for the good
feeling it gave HER to do it.

I agree completely. I always thought that phrase was stupid. I'm glad I don't hear people say it much anymore.

[Jeanne]

Anti-anxiety vibes to Larry!

~~~Super Ditto!!~~~

Here, too.

Hope this really passes quickly, Larry.

[John G.]

I finally got my music moved over to Alexa. It's strange learning how to use the machine. And her limited vocabulary is rather irritating.

[vixmom]

Now this is going to sound ignorant and stupid ...but why break the habits of a lifetime?

[vixmom]

I have never understood why it is necessary for a conductor to stand up in front of a group of rehearsed professional musicians and shake a stick at them.

[vixmom]

Maybe somebody has to say "go" so they all start at the same time....but do  musicians suddenly forget when it's their turn to play or how loud or low to play when confronted by an audience?

[vixmom]

A director doesn't stand in the middle of a play pointing at people so they know when to say their lines

[vixmom]

End of my stupidity

[vixmom]

For the nonce

[FJL]

I once wrote a lengthy article about MY perspective on why even people who say "Why do you make it all about YOU?" are indeed asking that very question from their own perspective!

This is the article, which I wrote in 2013.  I think I meant it with some humor?  (although the thing where people thank God for their getting the acting award (imagining God took time off from world hunger to make sure Carlotta Gump gets her Tony) has become a pet peeve

I agree completely. I always thought that phrase was stupid. I'm glad I don't hear people say it much anymore.

Too bad we don't measure progress on HHW by the number of words but do by the number of posts.  We could just keep responding to the same article and set a word-count record. 

[FJL]

Maybe somebody has to say "go" so they all start at the same time....but do  musicians suddenly forget when it's their turn to play or how loud or low to play when confronted by an audience?

An old joke:

Once a music teacher took her class to their first grand opera. The lights began to dim, the conductor began waving his baton, and the soprano started singing. After a while, one of the students asked the teacher, "Why does the conductor keep waving his stick at the woman? What has she done? So the teacher said, "Oh, don't worry. It's just the way it is. He won't hit her! Don't worry. And so the student asked, "Then why is she screaming like that?"

source:  http://www.smchbooks.com/new-eng/book-e/joke-1/135/jk2.htm

[Jane]

A director doesn't stand in the middle of a play pointing at people so they know when to say their lines

[Jane]

Maybe somebody has to say "go" so they all start at the same time....but do  musicians suddenly forget when it's their turn to play or how loud or low to play when confronted by an audience?

An old joke:

Once a music teacher took her class to their first grand opera. The lights began to dim, the conductor began waving his baton, and the soprano started singing. After a while, one of the students asked the teacher, "Why does the conductor keep waving his stick at the woman? What has she done? So the teacher said, "Oh, don't worry. It's just the way it is. He won't hit her! Don't worry. And so the student asked, "Then why is she screaming like that?"

source:  http://www.smchbooks.com/new-eng/book-e/joke-1/135/jk2.htm

Funny

[ChasSmith]

To be clear, ChasSmith - not OUR musical director, but the orchestra conductor - the orchestra, about which I will say nothing, had sixteen minutes of the show (add two for the impromptu yakking at the top of act two) - the wasn't about them and yet you would have never known that.  It was a struggle straight down the line but in the end we had a great show and that's all I cared about.

Right, got it. As I read the story with my jaw hitting the floor, I completely forgot about Richard Allen being the MD.

[Jane]

How many people were lucky enough to see the show?

[TCB]

Good afternoon / good evening!

[TCB]

Did DR Kevin have to fly back today?

[TCB]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~More positive vibes for dear friend, elmore~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[bk]

At the end of my introductory remarks I really let the audience know what was what by saying that 90% of the show was singing - highlighting the SONGWRITER we were feting and then I called out our quintet and introduced Richard Allen as Richard Sherman's favorite musical director. 

[John G.]

Maybe somebody has to say "go" so they all start at the same time....but do  musicians suddenly forget when it's their turn to play or how loud or low to play when confronted by an audience?

An old joke:

Once a music teacher took her class to their first grand opera. The lights began to dim, the conductor began waving his baton, and the soprano started singing. After a while, one of the students asked the teacher, "Why does the conductor keep waving his stick at the woman? What has she done? So the teacher said, "Oh, don't worry. It's just the way it is. He won't hit her! Don't worry. And so the student asked, "Then why is she screaming like that?"

source:  http://www.smchbooks.com/new-eng/book-e/joke-1/135/jk2.htm

Ha!

[bk]

Listening to music but must go sit on my couch.

[bk]

My feet and lets are so sore right now - I was rarely off my feet going up and down between stage and audience, climbing the stairs to the green room and dressing rooms area - about four o'clock I think I was ready to fall over, and then I did, climbing the stairs to the stage - just missed my footing - nothing major and didn't really hurt myself, but my knees are pretty much sore as sore can be.

[Jane]

At the end of my introductory remarks I really let the audience know what was what by saying that 90% of the show was singing - highlighting the SONGWRITER we were feting and then I called out our quintet and introduced Richard Allen as Richard Sherman's favorite musical director. 

Had you worked with Richard Allen prior to this show?

[bk]

Of course - he did Levi and L.A. Now and Then and has probably done more Kritzerlands than anyone.

[bk]

Listening to music.  Doug just called and reminded me he's having a cast party for his show today - but I'm just not sure I'm up for that at all.  We'll see how I feel in an hour or so.

[Jane]

Of course - he did Levi and L.A. Now and Then and has probably done more Kritzerlands than anyone.

Thanks. 

[KevinH]

Did DR Kevin have to fly back today?

No, TCB.   My friend Paul took the train in from Fullerton and we saw "On Your Feet--the Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan" at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood.  I have to admit that I really wasn't that interested in seeing it, but I wanted to spend time with Paul.  Besides, they had a special ticket price of $49!  I have to say that I enjoyed it very much!  The music is so good and the performances were too.

[KevinH]

Afterwards we went to California Pizza Kitchen, one of my favorite places.

[KevinH]

When I checked the airfares, it was much cheaper to and from Las Vegas.  I didn't want to take the chance doing that on the way here, but I'm flying to Vegas on the way home.  And Tuesday is cheaper than Monday.  Also, I wanted to stay at least three days on my trip so I'm actually going home Tuesday.  I have to say I'm not looking forward to the temperature--the forecast if for 106 degrees tomorrow.

[KevinH]

KevinH, the people who'd gotten into the building to be first in line (and were told do so so) were orchestra members (not our band).  You see the problem, I'm sure.

That's an interesting tidbit, BK!