John Perry Barlow, founding member of the EFF, poet and sometimes lyricist for the Grateful Dead, has left our plane 7 February 2018.
In an email he sent after turning 30, he wrote:
In any event, it occurred to me that, past 30, I could no longer
defend my peccadillos on basis of youth. I would have to acquire some
minimal sense of responsibility. While I didn't want to be a
grown-up, I wanted at least to act like one in the less toxic and
stultifying sense of the term.
- John Perry Barlow
Below is the list of 25 Principles he gave for Adult behavior:
PRINCIPLES OF ADULT BEHAVIOR
- Be patient. No matter what.
- Don't badmouth: Assign responsibility, never blame. Say nothing behind another's back you'd be unwilling to say, in exactly the same tone and language, to his face.
- Never assume the motives of others are, to them, less noble than yours are to you.
- Expand your sense of the possible.
- Don't trouble yourself with matters you truly cannot change.
- Expect no more of anyone than you yourself can deliver.
- Tolerate ambiguity.
- Laugh at yourself frequently.
- Concern yourself with what is right rather than whom is right.
- Never forget that, no matter how certain, you might be wrong.
- Give up blood sports.
- Remember that your life belongs to others as well. Do not endanger it frivolously. And never endanger the life of another.
- Never lie to anyone for any reason.
- Learn the needs of those around you and respect them.
- Avoid the pursuit of happiness. Seek to define your mission and pursue that.
- Reduce your use of the first personal pronoun.
- Praise at least as often as you disparage.
- Never let your errors pass without admission.
- Become less suspicious of joy.
- Understand humility.
21 Forgive. - Foster dignity.
- Live memorably.
- Love yourself.
- Endure.
I don't expect the perfect attainment of these principles. However, I post them as a standard for my conduct as an adult. Should any of my friends or colleagues catch me violating any one of them, bust me.
- John Perry Barlow October 3, 1977
I found a link to this email at kottke
And I find it an excellent set of guidelines to strive towards. Hats off to you, Mr. Barlow, and thank you for all the great work