#1
Posted: 8/7/05 at 8:51am
I hear so many talk about their "Spiritual Journey", "Finding Themselves" and "Affirming" their lives. I always wonder, where and how did you loose yourself in the first place? At what point does one stop reading self help books, written by self proclaimed gurus out to make an easy buck by preying on the insecurities of others, and take control of their lives?
These writers of books tell us that there is something horribly wrong if we have an occasional day where we feel depressed or dissatisfied with some aspect of our lives. They lead people to believe that it is "negative energy" that causes this, not just the normal ebb and flow of human emotion. They tell us that meditation, positive thoughts, visualization and belief in magic will make us happy and solve all our problems. They never say "Put down the book, get off your ass and do something if you're not happy." They never tell us "Stop whinning about events that happened twenty years ago and using them as an excuse not to take control of your life."
Personally, I find this approach to life to be a bit dangerous. it seems that many of the people who fall into the traps set by these enlightened authors end up with a false sense of superiority. They jump one book to another each espousing a different variation on the same philosophy. they also tend to begin seeing themselves as more enlightened than the general population and alienate others with a self rightous condescending attitude which just serves to make them more apart from others. Most imporatantly, they lean on these crutches and give themselves over to a higher power or universal energy, completely relinquishing any power or control they have over their own lives.
My feeling has always been that anyone can read a book about harnessing positive energy, dispelling negativity or giving ones self over to a higher power and adopt the simplistic philosophies. Fewer people are able to look at themselves and realize that they are where they are by their own actions. If I am not happy with my life, I need to do something to change it...beyond reading a book and waiting for some omnipotent higher power to change things for me.
What do others think? Is "Finding Yourself" just an excuse not to take control of your life and not take personal responsibility? Is much of this pop psychology just a way to blame someone or something else in the world for your own fears over taking charge of your life?
These writers of books tell us that there is something horribly wrong if we have an occasional day where we feel depressed or dissatisfied with some aspect of our lives. They lead people to believe that it is "negative energy" that causes this, not just the normal ebb and flow of human emotion. They tell us that meditation, positive thoughts, visualization and belief in magic will make us happy and solve all our problems. They never say "Put down the book, get off your ass and do something if you're not happy." They never tell us "Stop whinning about events that happened twenty years ago and using them as an excuse not to take control of your life."
Personally, I find this approach to life to be a bit dangerous. it seems that many of the people who fall into the traps set by these enlightened authors end up with a false sense of superiority. They jump one book to another each espousing a different variation on the same philosophy. they also tend to begin seeing themselves as more enlightened than the general population and alienate others with a self rightous condescending attitude which just serves to make them more apart from others. Most imporatantly, they lean on these crutches and give themselves over to a higher power or universal energy, completely relinquishing any power or control they have over their own lives.
My feeling has always been that anyone can read a book about harnessing positive energy, dispelling negativity or giving ones self over to a higher power and adopt the simplistic philosophies. Fewer people are able to look at themselves and realize that they are where they are by their own actions. If I am not happy with my life, I need to do something to change it...beyond reading a book and waiting for some omnipotent higher power to change things for me.
What do others think? Is "Finding Yourself" just an excuse not to take control of your life and not take personal responsibility? Is much of this pop psychology just a way to blame someone or something else in the world for your own fears over taking charge of your life?
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