This has led me to think about a few things - including how much better the writers on that show are than I am as a writer (I would have been better had I focused on this more through my life, but I doubt I would ever have been as good as them), how much better many political people are than me at political debate (again, being more actively involved would help), and just generally thinking about "Life, the Universe and Everything" (and no, I didn't come up with 42 as an answer * ), and the many social problems we have now - particularly issues such as disatisfaction, stress, ill-health, the various forms of struggle for survival, and so on.
I contemplated how significant the "protestant work ethic" was in all this - after all, my view is that the protestant work ethic led to such social blights as workhouses (see also here, which I wrote after a particular episode of this UK TV series), and a set of social attitudes (such as the competitiveness, superiority/arrogance and disdain for others socially engineered on the "playing fields of Eton") and rapaciousness (which caused massive environmental and social damage) that England exported to many of its former colonies (in its latest form, this is now manifested as "American exceptionalism").
Yes, that is part of it, but not all.
The greed and desire for more and more that advertising created in the early 20th Century is another part of it - a very BIG part of it, and something which has degraded the phrase "giving people want they want" to the extent that I personally avoid using it wherever possible, as it means "giving the lowest common denominator what will focus them on more consumption" (Aldous Huxley's book "Brave New World", written in 1931, gives a very prescient view of what this would lead to).
This also is a truly major part of the problems we have.
Population growth - or, more strictly, human overpopulation, is also, whether people like it or not, a major part of the problem. I have come across claims that we can all exist if we all live simply - which is utter rubbish, as that means going back to a lifestyle with inadequate health care (which requires a significant technological basis), no Internet, etc. From a personal point of view, if population pressures weren't an issue, I could take off to a sparsely inhabited area (and thus opt out of the social pressure to live a house that doesn't drag down the re-sale value of my neighbours' houses - house which are for living in, not being or feeling superior because they are worth wore money - a social pressure which is largely based in bigotry, and is the basis for to many housing code requirements [there are also some valid structural requirements, although the inflexibility regarding new materials is an option]) and live as simply as I wished - but I would still access the Internet and modern health care.
A lot of pressure comes around as a result of the economic pressure and drive to be competitive ("efficient"). In my case, that means stress and pressure that has, is and will harm my health and quality of life. Economic theories are thus part of the problem.
Some of this is related to shallow, superficial and empty people who get bored and need external entertainment (we need my proposed Minister for Boredom - well, Minister Purpose, really).
What could, perhaps, tie all of these together is what I will term "the Cult of The Best":
- a frenetic or hard worker is "better" than someone working at a reasonable rate which will SUSTAIN their personal energy, health and other resources;
- desire to have "the best" consumer goods (for instance, the biggest car / house [which is why Australian houses are so dreadful when viewed from the purpose of function {i.e., shelter - and, as I'm writing this, I and my cats are trying to stay warm and wonder if there is ANY insulation in the walls}] / etc),which creates enormous and unnecessary financial pressure;
- desire to have "the best" family (this has often - historically - meant "biggest", and now tends to mean the most focused on being/manifesting stereotype of family);
- "the best" economy / nation;
- "the best" business, with the most number/proportion of "the best" (i.e., most frenetic ** ) workers
It is impossible for everyone to be "the best" - in any aspect/field of life, there can be only one who is"the best". Trying to be "the best" is potentially emotionally and spiritually unhealthy for individuals, and leads to societies that have workhouses, disenfranchised people and discriminated-against minorities, and a messed up world.
Many societies no longer have the same class-based structures of the early Middle Ages, but we still classify people's worth - but now it is based on whether they are "the best" or "just" a bunch of also-rans, rather than whether they are rich or socially powerful (mind you, there is still a lot of the latter ... ).
We need to stop trying for being "the best" in so many things, and:
- start making places in our business companies for people who are less talented - or do we want them to be rough sleepers?,
- stop pretending that everyone can be trained to be "the best" (I don't know ANYONE who could be as good as Rob de Castella in marathon running, or Gandhi in social change/peace, or Einstein in science, no matter how hard they worked), and
- let kids AND adults be themselves - be who they are, and find a way for them to move beyond survival in a world WE HAVE MADE cut-throat (it wasn't always - that was our CHOICE!) to having an adequate quality of life and enjoyment / purpose.
- people should stop lording it over others they consider lesser in some way - not just obviously being arrogant and superior, but genuinely making other people comfortable;
- with jobs, once you've met the actual requirements for a job, perhaps choose who is most deserving; and
- with personal hobbies / pursuits / interests, aim to be the best you can be, not "the best".
- I am good at my day job: younger people are better trained and have better tools in many areas (not lagoons, though), but I am still good, and have the respect of the people who I care about, even if that doesn't contribute to security of job or having a good income;
- my writing is where it is because I have had to put my focus elsewhere in life;
- I could have been successful at sailing (someone once predicted I could part of the team when we won the Americas Cup, which didn't happen - I wasn't part of the team that lifted the Auld Mug from the yanks): I've done enough to know both that, and what is required to achieve that ... and to also know that I made the right decision not to pursue that when I was younger;
- I enjoyed being part of politics when being a community activist (how that doesn't roll off the tongue like "lobbyist" - and how I hate the reservation of "lobbyist" for paid lobbyist [if I had had the money, I would have sued an MLA for alledging that I was paid for this because we were using the term lobby]), and thought about getting more actively involved in politics. However, family got in the way, and I chose to pursue psychic energy work, in which I know others who are better than I; and
- I get cranky when people overrate my abilities - especially when trying to praise or boost my confidence.
I could say I am "the best" at the process of being me, but I am what I am, and that is enough.
* for those who don't know, this is a reference to "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"
** I'm aware of arguments along the line of "smarter, not harder": in most workplace situations, they're complete and utter rubbish.
I apologise for publishing these posts twice, but Blogger keeps changing my formatting. I can either publish it and then correct it, or save and close the post and correct it when I reopen it, but that leaves an extra copy in my "drafts" folder ...
Love, light, hugs and blessings
I am revamping my former website, and getting at least one other underway (pronounced "new-MYTH-ear"; ... aka Bellatrix
Lux … aka Morinehtar … would-be drýicgan or maga
... )
My "blogiography" (list of all posts and guide as to how to best use this
site) is here, and my glossary/index is here. The reasons for my caution when using Wikipedia are here.
I started this blog to cover karmic regression-rescue
(see here and here), and it grew ... See here for my group mind project, here and here for my "Pagans for Peace" project (and join me
for a few minutes at some time between 8 and 11 PM on Sunday, wherever you are,
to meditate-clear for peace), and here
for my bindrune kit-bag. I also strongly recommend
learning how to flame, ground
and shield, do alternate
nostril breathing, work
with colour, and see also here and be
flexible.
May the best in me, my Higher Self,
and those of the Clear Light who assist me,
help me to keep myself grounded, centred and shielded,
to be Balanced and a Fulcrum of Balance,
a centre of Balanced Positivity and Spiritual Maturity,
with my aura continuously cleansed, cleared and closed,
repelling all negative or unwanted energies,
whilst allowing positive, balancing and healing energies in and through.
The real dividing line is not between
Christianity and Islam, Sunni and Shia, East and West. It is between people who
believe in coexistence, and those who don’t.
- All of the above - and this blog - could be wrong, or subject to context, perspective, or state of spiritual evolution ...
Tags: arrogance, change, discrimination, economy, overpopulation, self abuse, self acceptance, self actualisation, society, superiority,
First published: Thorsdagr, 28th July, 2016
Last edited (excluding fixing typo's
and other minor matters): Thursday, 24th July, 2016
