A Lesson From Ecology

Disclaimer: To be honest, I know next to nothing about ecology, but I'm going to take my idea and run with it.

In ecology, there are two types of living systems in the ecosystem. The first are producers. These include plants, fungi, bacteria, and any other creature that produces directly from the sun. The second type are consumers. They basically eat the producers. And if all goes well, this system of producing and consuming creates some sort of dynamic equilibrium that yields, well, a healthy ecosystem.

This idea relates to a problem I've been having as of late. I won't rehash the problem that may be found here, but I will restate the main point: namely, that I'm consuming information like a glutton, and doing nothing on the production end. So, I'm being a major consumer, but not a producer. And for me at least, I feel intellectually / creatively constipated. Hm, yes, that's a good metaphor because it literally feels like I'm eating and eating and eating and unable to poop. But poop in this case meaning creating a meaningful product of my own. Hm, maybe not the best metaphor. :)

A better metaphor may have to do with food and exercise. Yes, if you eat healthy food, you'll be relatively healthy. But you'll also get none of the benefits of exercise. Same thing if you exercise but don't eat healthy. The best combination would be to do both. To eat well and exercise.

And that's what I'm going to attempt with information. To not only read but also write. To not just consume, but also produce. Hopefully this give and take, this dynamic sort of equilibrium will allow me to feel less, back to the bad metaphor, intellectually constipated. And less creatively drained.

And all that verbiage basically to say that I'm probably going to be posting more creative (and the occasional analytical) writing on this blog. Just as a way to get my intellectual exercise in. So that I don't get all mentally sedentary.

Oh, and I got all these ideas from a nice little book that Ms. Hanobeck lent to me solely for the purpose of getting a definition. And yet I found in it a much deeper idea of conversational reading and writing. Isn't synchronicity great?

Namaste.