Big Picture, Little Picture, & I

It's not that often that Big Picture, Little Picture, and I meet for coffee. Even though we're close, our get-togethers tend to follow the same patterns, with the same old arguments, so we like to keep them to a minimum.

Big Picture gets the conversation rolling: "I read an article in The New York Times that said outsourcing due to the globalization of the economy is 'going up the food chain.' Apparently, the research done by scientists and engineers is now being outsourced to places like China and India. Now it's not only those on the bottom and middle rungs of the 'skills ladder' – e.g. factory workers and computer programmers – who have to worry about losing their jobs to workers overseas."

Big Picture continued, "Can you imagine what that means? Medical research done in China might deliver us a cure for cancer!"

"I wonder how that's going to affect the price of bananas," Little Picture commented. (The comment was a bit out of place considering the topic, but we tended to forgive Little Picture for her quirks.)

"It's a bit complicated, Little Picture," said Big Picture, "but put simply, whenever jobs go overseas, there are losses and benefits. I don't think you have to worry about the bananas … Although it is possible that factors in the global economy could affect a country which would adversely affect the price of goods and services in that country, and so in other countries, and up goes the price of things like your bananas."

"Now I'm really worried," said Little Picture. "What'll happen to the interest rate on my credit card and how will I pay off my student loan?"

"Well …" Big Picture was about to expound further, when I cut him off. "I really don't know why you guys worry about any of this. Why not just go for a bike ride and smell the flowers?"

I was always optimistic (and, to Little Picture, thoroughly impractical). Don't like what's on TV – stop watching it and read a book instead! Don't like your job – stop complaining and find a new one! I was young, single, and debt-free, and had an attitude of one who never had to deal with the problems that regular working slobs face every day. And I didn't take into account that not everything revolves around me and my own little piece of the world.

Big Picture spoke up first. "If you want to ignore everything that happens around you, then you probably also believe that life is a witch's brew of random events, so the only thing to do is try and be happy."

I responded, "You can be so dramatic sometimes, Big Picture!" I gestured around the table. "Every time we meet, Big Picture pulls some big story out of the financial pages of The New York Times or from The Economist. Little Picture automatically starts to worry about paying all her bills. I agree that these news reports are very interesting, but that doesn't make them important. I believe that what's important is that we're happy and that we enjoy what we do for a living. What's important is that we have a job that's in tune with our abilities, our motivations, our goals, and our values."

Little Picture spoke up: "That's all very nice, but it doesn't help me pay my bills. And if it's just about being happy, why not prescribe Prozac for everyone and be done with it? Not everyone has a job that completely fulfills them. Nor is it possible for everyone to have such a job, because sometimes our circumstances, such as an outstanding loan or a family obligation, can get in the way."

I finished my coffee and stood up. "Anyone for a bike ride?"

*   *   *   *   *

The moral of the story: Everyone needs to be aware of what the Big Picture, the Little Picture, and "I" have to say, even if one is too abstract, one is painfully pragmatic, and one is outrageously carefree. So remember:

Big Picture

Little Picture

"I"

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