January 29, 2022 by Brian Weiner No CommentsChanging The World One Thought At A Time., Lessons From The Mountain

The ideal, without doubt, varies, but its enemies, alas, are always the same.

JEAN ROSTAND

An ideal is an absolute, which by definition, does not exist. Except for perhaps, zero. Zero is a real absolute for which no alternate, derivation, or alternate explanation can defy. Zero is always zero. You can add or subtract it and nothing happens. You can multiply or divide by it and the results are consistent. You can split it, share it, give it away, take it back (still math equations) and the results are a constant.

Philosophically speaking, an ideal is a concept. It satisfies one’s concept of what is perfect, most suitable.

Almost without exception, an ideal variable must come with alternates, predicated upon subjectivity. Other people’s perspectives quickly suppress an ideal down to yet another thought, because as quickly as I might declare my ideal weather was X, you might feel it is Y and another person would state that it is Z.

Ideals play out in life in myriad ways. In the goals that are set, the concepts that make their way to invention, artistic choices that are opted for and executed upon, and so on.

Ideals fall victim to other’s perspectives, fears, tastes, opinions, distortions, lack of knowledge, excessive knowledge, culture, trends and so many others.

That is the interesting quality about an ideal. The subjective nature of it instantly creates a weakness in the definition, making it ripe for controversy, conflict and disparate opinions.

The conflict and opposing opinions (or enemies) as Jean Rostand states, are a constant because of the definition of the word, but the essence of the ideal creates such an interesting thought process.

Play a word association game with me for a second on this beautiful Saturday.

Conjure your version of the ideal…..

Dessert

Vacation

Day off

Lover

Concert

Movie

Teacher

Employer

Gourmet meal

Without exception, everyone who attempts the exercise above, will have a massively disparate list. The likelihood that any one of your answers would mirror those of another participant are slim to none.

And that is the joy of an ideal. It is all yours. Fully preferential. Wholly tailored to your likes, your opinions, your desires.

Happy Saturday!

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JEAN ROSTAND

Written by Brian Weiner

When I was 5 years old, I discovered that the lemon tree in the backyard + dixie cups + water and sugar and I was in business. I have been hooked on that ever since. In 1979, I borrowed $14,000 to create a brand new product... photographic greeting cards with no text on the inside, called Paradise Photography. That was the start of The Illusion Factory. Since then, The Illusion Factory has been entrusted by all of the major studios and broadcasters with the advertising and marketing of over $7 billion in filmed, live, broadcast, gaming, AR, VR and regulated gaming forms of entertainment, generating more than $100 Billion in revenue and 265 awards for creativity and technology for our clients. When I took a break from film school at UCLA to move to Hawaii, my mother did not lecture me. Instead, she took 150 of her favorite aphorisms and in her beautiful calligraphy, wrote them artistically throughout a blank journal. That is the origin of the Lessons from the Mountain series. Since then, on my journeys to the top of a mountain to watch the sunrise, I have spent countless hours contemplating words of wisdom from the sages of all races, genders and political persuasions, constantly accumulating the thoughts to guide me on my life path. I hope you enjoy my books. Please let me know your thoughts, as I highly value your feedback!