THE DUCK

Dr. Hamilton
Sep 25, 2023
2 min read

Prior to writing this article, I pondered the origins of a duck and how my knowledge of same might enhance this piece. The duck is said to be a domestic animal in South Asia. Some have it that this bird or animal has its relatives on South American soil and could possibly have other variant of species elsewhere in the world.

Whatever the origins and diversity of species, the adage about the aiming to be an eagle rather than a duck promptly comes to mind when I think about a duck. But, let’s focus on the quote here, “I find that a duck’s opinion of me is very much influenced over whether or not I have bread” Mich Hedberg. If I am to focus on this quote, I would be more concerned about what the “duck” thinks as opposed to how far it can fly. I think about people who are incapable of flying and how much time they spend thinking and talking about others. I think about the satisfaction gained from spending lots of time talking about this and the other one; the snicker, giggle, and the hypocrisy. I also ponder how their opinions are influenced by whether I have bread. I find that whether, or not I have bread, people with a duck’s mind will have an opinion anyhow.

I also find that in recent years I am learning to worry less about what people think of me. The fact is that if you do good, they will have an opinion and if you do bad things their opinions will be magnified. So, it is time I worry less about what people think. Yes, the ethos of this discourse leads me to remind you that although what people think should matter, it should matter less than what you know about yourself or who you truly are. After all, we could very well “be like a duck, calm on the surface but always padding like the dickens underneath” Michael Caine. Might we emulate the positive characteristics of a duck proposed in this second quote rather the first?