I really hope this piece doesn't set a bad precedent for the month of July, but I figure that I am allowed at least one rant a month and now seems like the appropriate time to discuss my thoughts on the state of the world. In fact, I'm not sure where this piece is going so walk with me as you will to take a journey through my mind. I'm no cultural purist or pundit or anything like that but man, what happened to it all. It seems like the world just keeps getting crazier and crazier and the more at peace you think you are...the crazier it gets until ultimately you feel defeated in some sense. I'm far from perfect, but my life lessons have always led me to strive for peace of mind, but it seems lately that the more I achieve this, the more chaos is brewing just outside on the horizon.
It's as if everyone is attention starved and rabid to the point where the "Me" gets lost in the goals of the bigger picture. Its as if people have completely lost the ability to see outside of themselves and understand how their actions are affecting their state of mind and their ability to rise above the circumstances that temporarily restrains them. but why.....Why have we abandoned hope in all of its aspects. Its odd, cause I look at the Obama stickers still firmly attached to the bumpers of those who are slighly more jaded now than before and view catch phraes like "Hope" and "Change" as the biggest marketing gimmicks of the century. Its seems that the more things change, the more they change for the better for those in power. With hope being totally shelved for this new idea of "instant gratification". I liken this to the junkie fix....the feel good now. But this could just very well be the cynic in me. For everything is ruled by deception and propoganda to the point where its hard to determine what about our reality is truely real.
Yes, this new Hard Times is a complicated beast. But if you strip away all the layers you will realize that its one that is far less about juggling your everyday and far more about keeping your dignity intact and your head held high while maintaining your identity. There seems to be several factors in this world designed to strip us completely of our humanity. And democracy has squarely and strategically been replaced with the tenets of dictation. But how can we fight, how can we turn the clock back and look at ourselves and our development in a way that amalgamates us to a singular outcome.
Everything in this world is a conflict of interest and I find on a more pesronal level, that the things I intend to accomplished seem to directly be in opposition to the needs of those around me. So ultimately I am the one to ebrace compromise moreso than them because, most of the time, I feel like its something I am being called to do. My time to be the hand that God needs me to be. But I often ask me what prevents me from being as selfish as the rest of the world. I know I can be....but this is something I actively strive to keep in check because I feel like it plays a key role in the blessing I receive down the line. Bigger Picture.
A lot of the times, we as humans suffer from "misplaced emotions syndrome". There is so much going on with us and our emotions that we need a realease. So ultimately we end up dumping the emotions we don't quite understand on others without realizing the affect this has on those people. Yes, the new Hard Times is like a poison or a virus, spreading its misery into every facet of our lives and society.
But my question is, why is it so hard for people to find any bit of happiness - even in hard times. And if you do have any happiness, should you feel guilty about it when there may be others around you who may be going through it. What makes those that are going through it believe that those who are pereceived to be happy are mentally capable of housing your issues? Just because people don't talk ad nauseam about their problems doesn't mean they don't have any. In fact, its quite the opposite. I have learned this the hard way. Often times, these are the individuals who have learned to take it all in stride and who could very well hit a snag and have it all fall down, but they keep fighting and they keep their head up. This is the person I strive to be. One that can take it on the chin and still pick myself up and keep moving.
If anything, this new economic era should really bring people back to the basics. Show folks that the excess we have been conditioned to embrace is in fact a lie. Its far less about what labels you wear, what kind of car you drive, how big your rims are, how many chains you rock, how big your house is, how many times you can go to the Bahamas and far more about companionship, community, family, helping your neighbors, and spending quality time with one another. Our attention spans in this new hard times are soo short that we fear boredom if not being constantly entertained by something or someone. But how many folks have really put time in alone in a room to get to know truely who they are as people.
The greatest gift in this world is to have a strong sense of self and its sad because so many people pull from all sorts of variables to dictate and define how they should feel, think, and act. I swear, Plato's "Allegory of the Cave" is relevant more so now than ever before because so many people are swearing by the shadow puppets.
inevitably, you have to decide if you want to be free or if you rather sit in the dark in chains - some of these restraints are physical, some metaphorical. In a world where reality television has taken over the world, then politics stepping into the shoes of reality TV, its hard to tell which end is up. The World has without caution, been turned upside down and we have been horribly mislead. But who is to take the reigns in your life and will you have the clarity and the will to travel over to greener pastures or have a picnic smack in the middle of the new hard times. We don't have long on this earth....but the time we do have and our use of it definitely defines our purpose in the world. What will yours be and how will you play your cards?
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