In response to my friend's post about
the fragile and nigh-broken world that expectant parents are bringing
their children into:
One idea:
It comes down to understanding,
personally setting, and performing personal kaizen (continuous
improvement) on your “trigger” state. We can all take lessons
from the serenity prayer, summarized here:
change the things we can,
let go the things
we can't,
and the wisdom to know the difference
Though there is less
violence in the world than there has ever been (citation needed), our access to the
(any amount of) violent minority is greater, and magnified by the lens of global
media. Violent minority are what sells because it can triggers so
many people's overly-low trigger state (read: fight or flight
mechanism). Weathered by this phenomenon one's everyday lives can be
affected by the fear.
Even politically the vocal minority stand out. This affects the political system itself which forces it into the minds
of those with vulnerably leveled trigger points, digging further and
further until all but the fortified few are driven mad.
Literally setting one's trigger state
for a definable future event is a necessity in self-care these days. Unless
one's trigger state involves less than daily or (at least) weekly
time/kaizen dedication then one may be in for a rough, emotional,
anxiatic life. If you experience time-consuming thoughts - and
perform no followup action directed to your trigger - then they are
wasted.
If you are physically engaged in something, that should be
your mind's focus, never another. You may have too much free time on
your hands if you are worried without physical engagement. You may
need a hobby.
Here's a meditation;
consider the
circles of influence you have; expanding from a literal radius
centered on your heart;
First
1 square foot:
you have
ultimate control over your body, and your reactions to external
stimuli are your personal responsibility.
Second
2,000 square feet (the
room/house you occupy [family]):
You have reasonable control of the
items, organization, and culture – and you have a certain amount of
influence over the people in that shared room. Your destinies are
intimately connected for good or ill. You can determine economic class reasonably accurately by zipcode - you are in that class.
The building you occupy in which
you trade your labor for money:
These people will likely have similar
power balance compared to yourself and therefore semi-similar goals.
These people will experience cascading perils if another is subject
to them, therefore they may also receive positive feedback by helping an adjacent other.
Your destinies are very connected during a
catastrophe, sometimes connected for a boon.
Third
1,000 square feet (the community
within a short walk of you):
These people will likely have similar
power balance compared to yourself and therefore semi-similar goals.
These people are worth protecting for these reasons and because you
would want them to have your back - community cooperation and action should not be impossible.
Your destinies
are somewhat connected dependent on the level and reach of
catastrophe, extremely rarely connected for a boon.
Fifth
50,000 square feet (those within
a short drive of you): The vast overwhelming majority of these people
are strangers to you and you are only connected by randomness. Your
destinies are only connected for vast catastrophe and never for a
boon.
sixth the Earth, The vast overwhelming
majority of these people will never be within driving distance, much
less occupy the same room as you.
Your destinies
are somewhat connected dependent on the level and reach of
catastrophe, and extremely rarely for a boon.
---
Exceptions on the fourth, fifth, and
sixth circle of influence are made for family or corporatism, which can override destiny level. Family, for this reason, wherever they may be, can be
considered always (at least in spirit) in the second circle.
They are
family if you would prioritize, and to a greater extent, plan to be in the same
room with them.
One should strongly reconsider any
mental energy granted to anyone you don't see in a room - this is a finite mental resource.
---
This is not to excuse one's
responsibility to the global community, and you are wrong if you are
taking this piece in that way. But you can't take care of anyone else
if you can't take care of yourself first. Realign first your
responsibility to yourself and when you have built up your drive
beyond your own envelope, then you can consider improving the
destinies of the 2nd and 3rd tier of your
circle of influence. Consider spending the first reserves of your
mental energy and time-reserves first on oneself to shore up your own quality,
value, stability, and sanity.
Healthy triggers may include; death,
disease, starvation, mental breakdown, bankruptcy, famine, etc. These
all are appropriate and low hanging fruit, depending on one's personal circumstance.
Healthy reactions may include; talking
to literally almost anyone about it in your current room (or failing
that finding a room with someone in it to listen to you, ie. a
counselor), attending public meetings regarding the issue, getting
politically active, etc.
Unhealthy triggers may include;
(citation needed)
Unhealthy reactions may include;
(citation needed)
In conclusion, take care of yourself, Ross
