There was a fascinating opinion piece in the New York Times this weekend titled “ “Doing the Work” and The Obsession with Superficial Self-Improvement” by Jessica Grose. Unfortunately, it may be behind the subscriber pay-wall—and so I’ll crib portions of it as quotes here. I knew I had to read the piece the minute I saw the title, especially the “Superficial Self-Improvement” part. SO MUCH of what one sees today in the news and social media is little more than vapid self-affirmation and calorie-free navel-gazing under the guise of (as Grose puts it) “doing the work”. I found her skepticism appealing:
You said this: "We are a nation addicted to self ... "
I say: WELL SAID!
When we as humans replace Someone (God) to worship, we then have two choices: worship someone or something else, or worship self.
In addition, I think with the breakdown of family, breakdown of healthy structures in our soceity and a world of social media that is always pushing us to "be different, be better, be cool" ... it points the finger at ME and I become the only thing controllable. To protect. To manipulate. To position. To frame with the right perception.
But ultimately it comes back to who is lord of our lives - is it Thee, the Creator or me, the human. Hopefully more and more Americans get tired of the human lord -- because wow are we limited and boring!
Sidebar: there are subsets of people (in recovery from substance and alcohol abuse) that do need to “do the work” daily to stay clean and sober. That work being simply; trust God; clean house; be kind; and help others. Sometimes I wish more people… shaking my head.
The first time I heard "do the work" was when my DIL had issues with me. Long story but the idea is that grandparents have no right to see grandchildren. I needed to change myself for that to happen, and the whole situation arose because of a very "thin-skinned" condition found in many of the younger generations. We're now working things out, largely because I'm going to make significant changes while around her -- changes most of my peer group don't do around their adult kids and grandchildren. We're not talking about swearing , racist remarks and the like. Simply being forthright.
In The Coddling of the American Mind, the authors make the point that young people, college age and older, should be able to defend their viewpoints, not simply ban speakers from campuses because it makes them feel triggered or "unsafe." ( for example)
I could be misremembering but I don't think I ever heard the phrase, or even the concept of, "a panic attack" until my late twenties (circa late 90s). We certainly seem to be made of less sterner stuff today.
2. In a nation full of people who brag about how much their house is worth, and then bitch about property taxes, trying to get Trump on that is not the best move.
Insightful. Be well.
You said this: "We are a nation addicted to self ... "
I say: WELL SAID!
When we as humans replace Someone (God) to worship, we then have two choices: worship someone or something else, or worship self.
In addition, I think with the breakdown of family, breakdown of healthy structures in our soceity and a world of social media that is always pushing us to "be different, be better, be cool" ... it points the finger at ME and I become the only thing controllable. To protect. To manipulate. To position. To frame with the right perception.
But ultimately it comes back to who is lord of our lives - is it Thee, the Creator or me, the human. Hopefully more and more Americans get tired of the human lord -- because wow are we limited and boring!
Godspeed as you continue to probe this topic!
Brilliant
“Pogo Principle Personified” (P-cubed) -OR-
The Peter Principle aka The Dilbert Principle?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_principle?wprov=sfti1
Sidebar: there are subsets of people (in recovery from substance and alcohol abuse) that do need to “do the work” daily to stay clean and sober. That work being simply; trust God; clean house; be kind; and help others. Sometimes I wish more people… shaking my head.
The first time I heard "do the work" was when my DIL had issues with me. Long story but the idea is that grandparents have no right to see grandchildren. I needed to change myself for that to happen, and the whole situation arose because of a very "thin-skinned" condition found in many of the younger generations. We're now working things out, largely because I'm going to make significant changes while around her -- changes most of my peer group don't do around their adult kids and grandchildren. We're not talking about swearing , racist remarks and the like. Simply being forthright.
In The Coddling of the American Mind, the authors make the point that young people, college age and older, should be able to defend their viewpoints, not simply ban speakers from campuses because it makes them feel triggered or "unsafe." ( for example)
https://www.thecoddling.com/
Spot on Captain.
I could be misremembering but I don't think I ever heard the phrase, or even the concept of, "a panic attack" until my late twenties (circa late 90s). We certainly seem to be made of less sterner stuff today.
1.It's all about me!
2. In a nation full of people who brag about how much their house is worth, and then bitch about property taxes, trying to get Trump on that is not the best move.