drawing the line

"there's nothing you can do about it so there isn't any sense in worrying about it"

i suspect most everyone hears those words fairly often in today's society, especially in relation to the headlines of any given day. the thing is, everyone draws their own line between the things that something can be done about about and the things that cannot.

most everyone agrees about sunspots and asteroids, but on the issues of other people's values and behavior and the proper way to bound, shape, and direct them ? well then it gets damn complicated. and all too often those complications help thwart any effective change by convincing so many that such things are unchangeable, even when they are not.

i suspect that those perceptions serve somebody's purposes, and if so, then that makes the assertion that much more lamentable. 'twould seem that the only truly effective way to influence other's behavior and values is by explanation, exhortation and example.