Blog #8 – 11/4/13 (Posted on other website on time)

Text 1:

“Contemporary society aggravates our fear and insecurity.”

Response 1:

If you ask any close friend of mine what makes me more uncomfortable than anything, they will all cite insecurity. I find a lack of confidence to be unattractive and unnecessary. I have never met a single person who didn’t deserve to be completely confident in themself. I have especially met people who our society would pronounce to be physically or intellectually beautiful, that still found things to be insecure about. It’s really unbelievable to me, but at the same time, I understand it. I don’t know how people let themselves be caught up in this web that society creates, keeping us wanting more and never feeling good enough, especially because the scheme is so clear. How can we change as a society to be more comfortable with ourselves and people around us? Are we not capable of being happy for others in times of success? Or is it just our nature to always strive for “better”, even if our own concept of better is skewed?

Text 2:

“Our desires are stimulated and shaped by social rivalry.”

Response 2:

I very much agree with this statement. I even feel that this statement could be a good thing, if the end goal of our rivalry was positive. This is one of those “what if” moments. What if everyone’s goal in life was to be as full of knowledge and compassion as possible? What if our rivalry had to do with who could make as much of a positive impact on their family, neighborhood, community, state, country, and world as possible? I would love to be challenged to that. How can we change what we’re fighting over and fighting for?

More blog posts in this category Common

• The Wound & the Blessing/The Economy of Communion Project Post
• The Crest- Jewel of Wisdom & Work as a Spiritual Practice Post
• "What Money Can't Buy" Blog Post
• Blog Post Ni: FTRN Booklet & Arithmetic of Passion
• Work as a Spiritual Practice (The Transformation of Work)