Appreciating someone else's work

Over the past four years I've seen parents, teachers, educators and others alike looking to find solutions and create educational materials and tools to help children learn different subjects, including music. I've even had the occasion to watch things improve over the years. And it's a lot of work. Those people passionately created something that they made available to all.
I've also watched discussions and reactions on different products. The pioneers in a field have maybe the biggest critics.
As I know how hard it is for me to make something to help my kids learn, I thought of posting an article on my blog , especially after meeting some people in my life.
With Hellene's approval, I post it here too:


"The Virtual World and The Real World

When people didn't use Internet on large scale they found out about products or services from mouth to mouth, or by walking into an area and going to shops, offices etc. We're still doing that, as there's no other way, but in (much) less situations. There are services or people that can't be found otherwise or that you need and want to find out about not only from Internet, but also need recommendations from others, preferably after talking personally with former clients (users) or partners.
More of us have started to use the 'Google method': start a search using key words and that's it, you start having a list with places having information about what you're interested in.

Unfortunately, although we're happy to have access to an huge source of information and we can have much more data about "anything under the sun", there are also few disadvantages. One of them is related to appreciating someone else's work. We're more prone to be superficial with different problems or to have prejudgements related to what people have done or are doing. And all of this because it's even harder to personally meet those that we can very easily keep contact with virtually, no matter where they are in this world.
People share pictures, videos or articles with pieces from their lives, with their products or service or we read comments made by others regarding them and all of these. And it's very easy to judge just based on what we're reading or watching.


Gratuitousness and Low Price

The buyer always wants for the products that he wants to buy to have the lowest price and always suspects (or should suspect but there are situations when he doesn't and others when he does it wrongly) that the seller wants to ask a price higher than deserved.
There were few discussions about gratuitousness that I followed with interest. I and others have seen that there are some people that don't discern or don't want to discern what should and what should not be free, and what are the reasons why some things should be free and others shouldn't. Some people are like the fox covetting the inaccessible grapes. Others, though they can reach the grapes anytime (have the money), still say the grapes are sour - they are the kind of people that want to devaluate to pay as less as possible or to get things for free. In the end, it depends on the person's budget, and also on its character, not only on education.


Your Hands and Someone Else's

When we're making something, that is producing, creating it, we're happy to know either our effort, or the result or both are appreciated. Some of us can live without others' appreciation, some of us need it.
When somebody else is the creator or the manufacturer, things change. We get into the role of potential clients or beneficiaries and we start seeing thing critically, sometimes with such a critic eye that we demolish everything, the result, the effort and the creator or creators. We forget that an idea came from the thinking of a human being, that putting it into practice maybe needed searches, buying materials, walking to places, persons etc. And all of that take time in the first place. And take effort, more or less, depends. And money, somebody else's money, the money of the person creating. There are also people who take everything for granted. And there are also people who receive something, something made from the heart, and that they take as being theirs and talk about it as being made by them. "Let's give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar", otherwise we may find ourselves in the middle of a war, or without "Caesar" or without the thing we received, or things turn against us when we expect the least. Life has its ways around things...


Discernment

Critical spirit is useful in life. Used generally with moderation and especially at the right time, it can sometimes save us time, money or it can keep us away from at least unpleasant situations. If we want our effort, work and others be appreciated, it would be good if we ourselves started to appreciate others and what they're making.

There are times when we're not asked nothing in return of information, ideas, or help or even products or services.
In other situations, when someone is "appealing to" (or at least trying to appeal to) our time, money or anything else belonging to us, we should ask ourselves not once, but maybe ten times before giving what's ours. And if we found something which we think is worth investing in or speding on, then we should do accordingly.
When our child wants to show us what she did, let's offer her at least a gesture of appreciation, if we can't find the suitable words.
If our life partner or another dear person, relative or friend, has prepared or made something which didn't come out that good, let's think at least at her intention before criticizing.
When the workfellow or the subordinate does something, let's analyze first his position and then shape our attitude according to each situation.
When a teacher has done something for or has creating something that could be useful for our children, let's think of what it implies and then judge and act.


I myself have to work on the above. And I've "burnt" myself in some situations, or I've been blessed in others or I've been too sharp a critic with who didn't deserve it. The important thing is to advance not regress in life from our experience. For this I am grateful to my husband for his character and the fruitful discussions we have, and to our children for their innocence and their way. "

<i>I myself have to work on the above. And I've "burnt" myself in some situations, or I've been blessed in others or I've been too sharp a critic with who didn't deserve it. The important thing is to advance not regress in life from our experience. For this I am grateful to my husband for his character and the fruitful discussions we have, and to our children for their innocence and their way
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It seems like I have to work on this, too, Andrea!
My biggest problem is that I can't stand to see something that I understand better then someone, who teaches my subject.
It is like if Mendeleev would come to a forum where alchemists share their ideas of creating chemical staff.
I have to tight my hands, because otherwise I come and say, what I think.
Today I did it again
I have to be less critical too!

Dear Hellene ,

Usually people critic with others are (too) critic first with themselves ... I'm talking from my own experience...
I understand you both in this respect and regarding people in your field, it has happened to me too
There is a help to this, let's say, "sharp" attitude
The first improvement comes when we stop being so harsh with ourselves. Let's face it, it has to do with our character and view on life and these are unique. Self-critique is good (and necessary in my opinion), just that some of us use too much of it sometimes.

The second, the world needs both Mendeleev and alchemists and Mendeleev and alchemists need each other. Each should do what they know best and let others choose what they prefer. I know... it's hard... mainly after one has a big experience with many successful cases

andreasro wrote:
The second, the world needs both Mendeleev and alchemists and Mendeleev and alchemists need each other. Each should do what they know best and let others choose what they prefer. I know... it's hard... mainly after one has a big experience with many successful cases

Andrea, this exact idea is not giving me enough piece. Do you know this picture?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icarus

I know as a fact, how many 'mendeleevs' failed like that: someone, who maybe created cure from incurable diseases or had answers to the most urgent and important questions...

For me it is not comfortable to see one generation after another passing by my invention. How many kids grew up in 10 years of Soft Mozart being available and missed the opportunity?

You're right, and of course you are, cause you know best! You should try again and again, and fight and always state what you know and believe and have seen as being truth and part of reality.

You're position is different than mine, you have much more responsiblity than me cause your profession reaches and can reach and your work should reach many people.
I can sigh and give up sometimes cause I meet and talk to few and sometimes is comforting and fulfilling to see the change in my own family and lose interest in trying to change more. But if I were you... I would act and feel like you...

Thank you! That is some relief for me...
I comfort myself with thoughts that all inventors ought to be a little crazy like Professor from 'Back to the Future' movie.