Using the Failure of Others

I certainly think that taking into account the experience of others has its place, but I think you have to temper relying on that.

Funny case-in-point.  We were in the grocery store, and my daughter (about 8yo then) asked what the brussel sprouts were, and then what they tasted like.  I said I didn’t know, and she asked why, since we eat so many “weird” veggies, she was curious why this was the only one in the produce section that hadn’t come across her plate.

The reason we never had brussel sprouts is because my mom didn’t like them.  (I’ve also never had liver-and-onions, because neither of my parents (nor my husband) like it (though I’m not that hot on meat in general, so I haven’t gone out of my way to try it)).  So we bought a few, and then accosted people in our line to find out what most folks thought the best way to cook them might be.  We decided to slice them in half, and saute them in butter and garlic.  We stopped cooking them when they turned bright green, and concluded that we both thought them delightful.  We still get a few from time to time.

At the same time, there is a good deal of time to be saved by “not reinventing the wheel” and moving to the next step of a process.  It’s quicker to multiply, once you understand the concept, than it is to count individually, for example.  I can also conclude that square wheels, and unbalanced wheels will probably not suit my vehicle, by reading about the experiences of others.

On a more serious note, I chose not to experiment with drugs, based on the experience of others.  One of the most interesting and compelling descriptions of (I think it was crack cocaine) that resonated with me was this:  “Getting high the first time stimulates all the pleasure centers of the brain.  It’s an incredible feeling that you can NEVER HAVE AGAIN, but that you will chase, ever hopeful of having it again.”  I look at the ill effects of such drugs on familial relations, communities, the toll it takes on us all, and can decide that the first high can’t possibly be worth it.