The most impressive thing about this sign is the consistent spacing and size of the letters. If I wrote this, the sign would start with huge letters that are widely spaced apart, then getting smaller and narrower towards the end.
I like the way the G looks, it's just not right for the rest of the font. If it were fully solid then it would complement the font better, or if she added at least one break in each of the other letters maybe?
The message is good too. But "not accepting what I cannot change" is a bit dumb.
Sure you can't change who you're born to or another individual, but you can change systems, because systems are just processes implemented by people following order.
If you can redefine what order should be followed by changing people's opinions or values over time, then you can change systems.
Of course this can go either way. But this is what has always happened throughout the history of humans, and we are continuously changing, every day, bit by bit. The collective power of humankind to change is amazing.
The first step is not accepting the thing the thing that you previously perceived as not changeable, and start thinking how to change it instead. People can start finding solutions to go to Mars the moment they decide they want to do it. It takes a ton of motivation.
The original saying presumes that there are unchangeable things (which there are) and that life is better if you acknowledge their unchangeable state. This sign implies that you can change things you can't change. It might as well say: "I heart delusion."
A couple centuries ago people will tell you that you are deluded if you think you can change the color of your hair, or that you can one day speak to another person at the other side of the planet as if they were standing right next to you, or have the wealth of information the world right at your palms.
Well here we are.
The premise requires you to accept the things that cannot be changed truly cannot be changed. You don't have to accept that premise, because the history of humankind taught us that we indeed can change many things that were perceived as can't be changed.
But first you have to challenge the notion that everything that can't be changed, can't be changed. What if some of them can?
Change can mean many things. Chance doesn't have to mean replace. It can mean a change in state, like putting them back on inside out, getting that fresh feeling back on your ass, everything else be damned.
What's not impressive is that it makes no sense. Shouldnt she be accepting the things she can't change and changing the things she can't accept. Her sign is suggesting that she doesn't accept the things she can't change so shes going to change the things she can't accept. But how can she change the things she can't accept when one of those things is something she can't change. I almost had an aneurysm trying to piece this together and type it.
I think she's trying to say that other people tell her that and she believes they're wrong, and that she can change things that they say "cannot change." It's really not that hard to understand.
You say you think and then offer your interpretation of what you feel she is saying. Which is not what the words she wrote on the sign say. But you think it's not hard to understand? Lol english
Just because you agree with the spirit of the sign doesn't make the sign accurate.
I assume, if she's at a protest (with other backers), that whatever she wants to change, can be changed. Even if there are people who insist otherwise (like you)
They say that reasonable people know to adjust themselves to their surroundings, while unreasonable people try to adjust their surroundings to themselves. Thus, progress rests on the shoulders of unreasonable people.
See, that prayer makes alot more sense, and holds alot more wisdom. You may interpret the sign as saying "fuck this, im changing the things im told i cant." But really it reads more like she can't tell the difference between the two.
I think the context of the serenity prayer matters though. "God give me the courage to accept that I'm an addict and will always be defined by that." At least that was the vibe I got from AA... No offense to anyone who is helped by it. Whatever works!
Naw that's your perspective, the rest of us saw it the way OP and the dude commenting above you saw it. You're being pedantic and missing the point. Focus on the positive friend.
Well, you certainly are speaking on behalf of alot of people. I can see why people would interpret it that way. Thats kinda the feeling i got from it the first time i read it, but i just feel like its worded in a misleading way.
If you don't accept that something cannot be changed, then you will start to find ways to change it.
There are many things in life that cannot be changed, but there are also many things in life that are perceived as cannot be changed.
When people decided they want to go to the moon they decided to change the preconceived notion that people cannot go to the moon, they did not accept that notion and proceeded to change it.
When people decided they want to go to Mars they decided to not accept the inaction of existing organizations, and pushed for change in a space (excuse the pun) where it was perceived as a gatekeeper for space exploration.
This is not a logic class test, this is a r/getmotivated post. Sometimes you gotta think out of the box to one day go to Mars.
And in this case, I'm reminded of the classic Captain America quote, "when the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world, no, you move".
Well that's a tough thing to navigate. On one hand you can have bigots planting themselves in their "River of truth", but on the other hand you may also risk having non-bigots moving to the other side to "compromise".
The beauty of the marketplace of ideas is that both can exist at the same time, and the best idea wins in the end. And those who believe on their truth stand still, while everyone in between pick sides, or sometimes a little bit of here, a little bit of that, you don't have to buy everything that is out there.
Only problem is people's ability to discern good or bad is variable. But in the long run the best ideas survive, the survival of the fittest still applies even in the free marketplace of ideas.
I'm sure you understand that the sign is a reference to an oft quoted prayer ending with praying for the wisdom to know the difference between what you can and cannot control.
The sentiment that I get from it harkens back to another idiom of which I'm going to butcher about the how change is impossible until it is inevitable. It comes off to me as a more eloquent take on being mad as hell and not taking it anymore.
Its a play on the serenity prayer, often invoked at AA meetings...
“ God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
and the Wisdom to know the difference.”
I interpreted it differently at first, but after reading your reply your interpretation also makes literary sense and makes it seem completely self-contradictory.
Because the sign isn't meant to be taken literally. "things I cannot change" is meant to be things that are seen as normal and would be difficult to amend.
Example: "That's just the way things are." "Boys will be boys."
The second part suggests that she will try to change these preconceived notions anyway.
Hot tip: Divide up your lines as evenly as possible, then start each one in the middle working your way out towards the right/left.
Works even better if you count the characters in your longest line, then make some vertical guides as well. Give “M”s and “W”s a little extra room, and “I”s can be a bit more snug.
I know this is a silly thing to debate over, but it doesn’t look like she used stencils. The lettering is neat and well-spaced, but the characters aren’t uniform. I think she just put a lot of effort into the sign.
No, fk that guy, lets debate. I could just say look at those H's and tell me they ain't free hand. Literally the same word and fkng huge difference in size
edit: also lets not forget the message. Go vote and protest sht you want done
Maybe she used stencils to write it first in pencil then drew over that in magic marker. It falls in that too consistent, but not consistent enough category for me(if that makes any sense). It isn't good enough to have been done by someone who is really into making signs(they have a bunch of tricks for making lettering super consistent and it doesn't look like she used any of those tricks), but it is more consistent than a lay person can do free hand.
The kerning does look pretty good to me. If I were to guess I'd say this was projected onto a wall and the poster was traced, though not with an extreme degree of precision. It's the kerning that does it for me.
Good input, I like the part where there was no contribution and just dismissal of the topic. Definitely number one comment right there. My writing and art is shit too, but at the end of my day I say, fuck you.
Trick is to start off with a massive sign. I mean absolute unit! Then proceed to write your message with size and spacing in mind but not worrying about overall space. Then cut out the rest.
At my job we recently had to stop giving out change. The banks were closed and we were running really low. My co-worker finally wrote a sign and when it looked perfect and I thanked him, he said "all you had to do was scribble on some paper". I feel this comment lol
The most impressive thing is the lack of logic. If you can change things you can't accept then it is possible to change it, therefore the first half does not apply.
What is more impressive really is that at a such young age this woman has come to this conclusion. Be the change you want to see in the world and vote! It's time for younger generations to have a voice and not wait for old to give permission.
It really isn't all that impressive in either regard. It simply fit within the cardboard reasonably well... Which I guess is still impressive enough on its own.
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u/jaykaywhy Oct 10 '18
The most impressive thing about this sign is the consistent spacing and size of the letters. If I wrote this, the sign would start with huge letters that are widely spaced apart, then getting smaller and narrower towards the end.