Rules, Regulations, Requirements

One of the first words a child learns to say, (full on comprehending) is WHY!?!

As a child I always wanted to know why. Why do I have to take a nap? Why can’t I go outside and play? And later it was why are you doing this? Why’d they do that? Why? Why? Why? My mother still calls me ‘the bell clapper’, and this is WHY!

In my personal professional opinion, rules are NONETHELESS important. This is how functional societies are created and maintained. However, too many rules, regulations and requirements, or unjustified or ambiguous protocols not addressed creates dysfunction. The whole point of becoming an adult is learning to discern general norms and standards according to the society (culture), and being clear when explaining them.   

Interestingly enough, when I first encountered this lush literature culture, one rule that became patently clear was "first learn the rules before breaking the rules". 

At a glance this seemed next to impossible. For starters, English (American English), was the most rule-minded convoluted discipline among all the classes I was assigned. Physics seemed easier. And math most certainly was. One plus one, in all these years, has always equaled two.

At any rate, I nonetheless read and read and read… and reread, all to arrive at the realization... and conclusion, I could make up my own damn rules. Laughing Out Loud!!!

Now! HOLD ON!

…because it remains true. You must first learn as much as you can about reading and writing before making stuff up willy-nilly. Yes, anyone can get to Cali, or vice-versa (back east), without a roadmap and on foot, and give readers a voluptuous written description of that journey. But the awe-inspiring (often jaw-dropping) inspection is a jillion people taking the same journey, giving a jillion readers a jillion versions… albeit and PROVIDED each person did the homework. There absolutely is an advantage to knowing the rules before breaking the rules. 

Just finished reading Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson (thoughts here).

#RULES #WritingRules #KnowingtheRules #BreakingRules #JustReadAnotherGoodBio #ILoveGoodBooks #ThankGoodnessTodayisThursday #JustBlogged