"Dude, I'm, like, fully committed to this!"
What does that even mean? Why does the phrase "fully committed" even exist?
The word "committed" means fully. You don't say that someone is fully pregnant. Or fully dead. The definition of committed is: pledged or bound to a certain course or policy; dedicated. When you leap out of a plane, you've committed to the skydive. Until you leap, you haven't committed.
What does it say about a group of people when they use a phrase like "fully committed"? What does it say about what they think the word "committed" actually means, and what do they actually mean when they use the word? How can you commit to two or more different things at the same time? How can you commit to attending Kathy's party at 9pm if you've committed to attend a Zumba class at 9 pm, and a company softball game at the same time? If you've committed to more than one thing at one time, you haven't committed to anything. If FOMO or peer pressure or the inability to just say "No" has made you a serial committer, rethink things. Other people are using the English language to communicate; you're screwing them up.
Maybe that's why Facebook Events no longer only have Going and Not Going as responses. Maybe that's why they added Interested.
Improvisers. Commit to the scene. Commit to the character. Commit to the techniques you practice and espouse. Commit to the troupe. To the craft. Or don't. It's up to you. I'd tell you to commit fully, but that's redundant and devalues the word "commitment."
If "committed" to you really means "That sure sounds like a thing I might do if nothing better comes up," simply say "Sure, maybe!" and leave it at that. If you drive through life with your left turn signal blinking, thinking that maybe someday you might feel like making a left turn, rethink things.
Sure. Life happens. Plans can change. Nothing is certain. But the thing you've committed to takes precedence. There aren't many things that come up that should deflect you from that commitment. If your life is so stressful, out-of-control, filled with conflict, dominated by the needs and demands of others — maybe don't commit to stuff at all. Just click Interested and leave it at that. Fly standby. Rethink things.
Maybe Facebook will add a Fully Interested button soon!
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