Serenity vs. Unsernity

I've been asked a couple of times now what my "Unserenity prayer" means. Here you go.

I've always been bothered by the serenity prayer. I understand its message is about trying to accept things as they are, de-stress, be calm. But something about it also says "Don't bother trying unless you know you can win."

Hopeless causes are sometimes the best causes - and even if you personally can't change something, it doesn't mean that your attempt to affect change is meaningless. You might inspire someone else - or many someone elses - to try to make the change happen. Or in a more cynical view, you might shame someone who has more power into making changes happen.

Perhaps I just read Dylan Thomas one time too often as a kid.