When is it “OK” to celebrate?

JohnR1972JohnR1972
edited September 2023 in General

This post is inspired by numerous threads I have read over the past 2 years. Some of those threads were eventually locked because they degenerated into political arguments so please keep your responses tethered to the question rather than taking off on a tangent.

Suppose “Country A” ranks 60th in some common global measure such as literacy rate, infant mortality, some measure of equality, etc. When the next year’s data is released, “Country A” has moved up to 44th place because of actual improvement (as opposed to them staying still and a bunch of other countries getting worse).

Is it appropriate to celebrate the progress made or would celebrating the progress send the wrong message that “everything is fine now” and “no further improvement is needed”?

  1. Should a move from 60th to 44th be celebrated?24 votes
    1. Yes, it is important to acknowledge and celebrate progress to keep people motivated
      54.17%
    2. No, it sends the wrong message that no further improvement is needed
        0.00%
    3. No, comparisons to other countries are meaningless, no celebration until the issue is fully resolved
      12.50%
    4. Just show me the results
      33.33%
«1

Comments

  • stormydaycuddlestormydaycuddle Mod
    edited September 2023

    Since there are different systems that run different countries we are our own rubric. The grade we get can only be compared to us because the qualifiers are so different.
    Celebrating progress is important but so is realistically acknowledging deficiency.

    -Stormy

    🖇️📁🖊️ Office Supply Connoisseur 📝 Editor 🧌 Forum Troll

  • LovelightLovelight
    edited September 2023

    I think that's very much an individual thing. Within a country, people are impacted differently and what impacts you greatly may not the next person and vice versa.

    Now if we are to speak about those who an issue impacted greatly and said issue was solved in their favor, though there have other issues too, it's still an individual thing.

    If group A were constantly at risk of getting hit by a car because of said country not taking speeding or infrastructure issues seriously, though the the group are also dealing with constantly being mugged and the country isn't taking that issue seriously either. Then if they can and want to celebrate the speeding/infrastructure issue being dealt with then cool, it may even be beneficial to do so.

    If the group can't and isn't in the mood to because they got mugged on their way home from the grocery store, their car got stolen, etc. Or they are at high risk of that happening and are constantly afraid to leave the home, then it is what it is.

    Also, I don't think "celebrating" is necessary especially on an individual level. I practically don't celebrate anything. I think most just feel happier/less depressed about the state of the country and grateful. On government, school, major corporation, news, etc., level I think it's nice to bring said improvements and good news to the public's attention. So that people aren't constantly just bombarded with sad* stats and news. I don't believe there's a right or wrong time in progress to celebrate, just depends on each person's view and trying to have balance overall.

  • Jova114Jova114

    In groups that I'm involved with we believe in progress over perfection

  • CuddleHugs01234CuddleHugs01234

    My thoughts exactly, progress not perfection!! @Jova114
    Recovery mentality! :) And nothing is perfect!!

  • TxTomTxTom

    Acknowledge and celebrate.

    And to do so does not mean remaining/existing problems are being ignored.

  • Carrie_AnneCarrie_Anne

    @Jova114 💯 and exactly my reaction to this thread.
    I sincerely hope that a competition and parade aren’t what’s driving the need for growth and change in Country A.

  • Jova114Jova114

    @cuddlehugs @carrieanne
    Yes! Exactly!
    Always be proud of progression, but never settle.
    Didn't come this far just to come this far.

  • [Deleted User]Hugginsworth (deleted user)

    I think that in a free society people will celebrate what needs celebration of their own accord. Being told when to celebrate what would feel didactic and authoritarian.

  • TxTomTxTom

    @Hugginsworth
    I think the OP was insinuating a passing reflection or acknowledgement within the country, like we do on many things now.

    I don't think he meant a formal, organized Soviet State rally with the Dear Leader presiding.

  • stormydaycuddlestormydaycuddle Mod
    edited September 2023

    Acknowledgement was what was lacking in the last thread.

  • [Deleted User]Hugginsworth (deleted user)

    @TxTom Huh? I didn't say anything about a state rally.

  • TxTomTxTom

    @Hugginsworth You said,

    Being told when to celebrate what would feel didactic and authoritarian.

    I was simply agreeing with you.

  • stormydaycuddlestormydaycuddle Mod

    Like what the heck is going on here now?

  • [Deleted User]Hugginsworth (deleted user)

    @stormydaycuddle It's a celebration! Can't you tell?

  • TxTomTxTom

    Like what the heck is going on here now?

    I don't know. Am I about to step in it again?

  • TheFunCartelTheFunCartel

    Just show me the results. If it’s life-changing I might celebrate.

  • stormydaycuddlestormydaycuddle Mod

    @txtom I’m too tired. Land mines have been deactivated for the time being. Sleep mode initiated. 🤗😂

  • JohnR1972JohnR1972

    Thanks everyone for your input. My impression from MANY threads over the past 2 years has been that acknowledging and celebrating progress was “prohibited” by a few nay sayers who always had to add how much more work needs to be done. I get it and nobody said we were done and had achieved Nirvana.

    The constant “But, But, there is more to do!” reminds me of an abusive parent lecturing their child for bringing home 4 As, a B, and a C on their report card. The brief “good job” for the 4 As loses it meaning when it is immediately over shadowed by a lengthy grilling over why are they still “struggling” in the other 2 classes.

    I am 100% in favor of acknowledging and celebrating improvement / progress.

  • Carrie_AnneCarrie_Anne

    btw @TxTom ‘Dear Leader’ was the common title for Kim Jong Il - the father of current NK leader, Kim Jong Un. and has nothing to with Russia or Putin.

  • TxTomTxTom

    @carrieanne Yes, I know, thanks. I was purposefully combining the communist parlance of North Korea and the Soviet Union just for effect.

  • TxTomTxTom

    @JohnR1972

    ...nay sayers...

    Boy, ain't that the truth!

  • Carrie_AnneCarrie_Anne

    @TxTom lol yes I get it, I have a very close connection to NK so that stuff leaps out at me.

  • IronicMaidenIronicMaiden

    Progress made is worth celebrating. We (or at least all decent people) celebrated when gay marriage was made legal. We celebrate when transgender people are acknowledged as people and allowed to be who they are. We celebrate when women's right to choose is enshrined in law. But when you have states like Florida and Texas who are outlawing being LGBT and making women second-class citizens, we have to acknowledge that too. It doesn't matter how much better we are than other places when we treat people as non-people.

    "Yes, this food is toxic and will make us sick, but it's better than the food that will outright kill us!" How many people would celebrate that?

  • JohnR1972JohnR1972
    edited September 2023

    But when you have states like Florida and Texas who are outlawing being LGBT and making women second-class citizens, we have to acknowledge that too.

    @Unscented_Lemon - That is HORRIBLE. Can you please provide the Florida House Bill number or Florida Senate Bill number for the pending
    legislation to make it illegal to be LGBT in Florida?

  • TheFunCartelTheFunCartel

    @JohnR1972 Florida’s crusade against the LGBTQ community has been front page news for some time:

    https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/gov-desantis-signs-slate-of-extreme-anti-lgbtq-bills-enacting-a-record-shattering-number-of-discriminatory-measures-into-law

  • JohnR1972JohnR1972

    @BoomerSpooner - the claim was made that Texas and Florida are “outlawing being LGBT”. Please provide the bill number for the legislation that would make it illegal to be LGBT. That is all I am asking. Provide evidence to support the actual claim that was made.

  • TheFunCartelTheFunCartel

    @JohnR1972 There is not one single bill but a litany of bills. You are a smart guy. If you strip away all the rights a group has you are saying you are less than and not worthy of protection. Jim Crow laws effectively did the same thing back in the day. This is far more effective than a single bill because these chip away at rights and leave a group with no alternatives. The bills as a whole accomplish what the one bill that would really make them look evil and they would not do—outlawing a people—and several laws are much harder to repeal than one law

  • MonkeyNeedsAHugMonkeyNeedsAHug

    Concern trolling spotted.

  • LovelightLovelight

    @Unscented_Lemon "We (or at least all decent people) celebrated when gay marriage was made legal."

    I don't think me not celebrating makes me not decent, I just don't really celebrate anything, doesn't mean I'm not happy or glad though.

  • TheFunCartelTheFunCartel

    @Lovelight Depends what you consider a celebration. For some it might be as simple as cracking open a special bottle of their favorite beverage and relaxing with a smile on their face. Or it could mean going somewhere to celebrate with friends. Both are equally viable.

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